Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Tourism Management Perspectives journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/tmp Can a destination really change its image? The roles of information sources, motivations, and visits Fernando Almeida-García a, ⁎ , Janire Domígunez-Azcue b , Pere Mercadé-Melé c , Gema Pérez-Tapia d a Faculty of Tourism, Tourism Intelligence and Innovation Research Institute (i3t), Department of Geography, University of Málaga, Leon Tolstoi, Av., 29071 Málaga, Spain b Faculty of Tourism, University of Málaga, Leon Tolstoi, Av., 29071 Málaga, Spain c Faculty of Economic Science, Department of Statistics and Econometrics, University of Málaga, Campus of Ejido, 29071 Málaga, Spain d Faculty of Economic Science, Department of Business Administration, University of Málaga, Campus of Ejido, 29071 Málaga, Spain ARTICLEINFO Keywords: Destination image Visit Information source Motivation Destination image gap Dissonance image Structural equation model (SEM) Malaga ABSTRACT This study researches both the perception of a destination and the importance of the previous visit in shaping that perception. First, the factors that influence the image (information sources and motivations) are analysed, moderatedbytheeffectofthepreviousvisit.Next,thegapbetweentheprojectedimageandtheperceivedimage of Malaga, which is located in a tourist area specializing in “sun and beach” and trying to become a cultural destination, is studied. Data are obtained from 301 surveys administered through proportional and stratified sampling. A descriptive, inferential analysis and a structural equation model are proposed to analyse the causal relationships. The results confirm the influence of information sources and motivations on the image, as well as the importance of the previous visit. The conclusions suggest that there are significant difficulties in changing the Malaga image as a seaside destination for visitors, but not for the local community. 1. Introduction Most tourism researchers believe that the perception of a destina- tion plays a key role in the decision-making process of tourists, both before and after choosing their destination (Lee, Lee, & Lee, 2014). Thus, that image is essential not only to attracting the attention of potential tourists (Bigne, Sanchez, & Sanchez, 2001), but also to en- couraging satisfaction and loyalty in potential repeat visitors (Campo, Garau, & Martínez, 2010). There are numerous studies that highlight the importance of the image of the tourist destination. Perception in- fluences not only the tourist's choice (Bigne et al., 2001; Gallarza, Saura, & García, 2002; Goodrich, 1978; Huang & Gross, 2010; Jenkins, 1999), but also satisfaction level (O'Leary & Deegan, 2005; Pikkemaat, 2004), loyalty (Del Bosque & San Martín, 2008) and future behaviour (Campo et al., 2010; Chen & Tsai, 2007). It is generally accepted that the creation of a destination's image is the result of the use of marketing tools by various agents such as tourism institutions, hotel and catering companies, and cultural and artistic heritage organizations. It is also the result of communications, information, perceptions of the destination and its intangible assets, andthedestination'sparticulartouristoffering(placesoftouristinterest and tourism infrastructure). Effective management of a destination will increase its attractiveness to potential tourists, and, in turn, the eco- nomic profitability of the destination. Despite the growing body of research on destination image and its relationship with tourism, researchers have highlighted aspects that require further study, such as the construction of theories about moti- vation and the decision-making process (Lau & McKercher, 2004; Oppermann, 1997); the market segmentation of tourists who visit for the first time and repeat visitors (Fallon & Schofield, 2004; Prayag, 2010); the influence on the selection process of the information sources consultedintheselectionprocess(Tideswell&Faulkner,1999);andthe resistance to change of the destination's image over time (Solla, 2008). This study analyses the destination image of the city of Malaga, taking into account the influence of the information sources, the mo- tivation, the destination's product offering, and, in particular, the moderatingeffectofthevisititself.Theanalysisallowsustodigdeeper into tourists' perceptions of destinations, differentiating between tour- ists who have previously visited the destination and tourists who know the destination only through information sources (Fig. 2) This study also focuses on the effectiveness of changes in the image of the destination and the permanence of the previous image. Specifically, the image change of Malaga from a “sun and beach” des- tination to that of a cultural destination is studied. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100662 Received 24 March 2019; Received in revised form 26 January 2020; Accepted 27 February 2020 ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: falmeida@uma.es (F. Almeida-García), janire@uma.es (J. Domígunez-Azcue), pmercade@uma.es (P. Mercadé-Melé), gema.perez@uma.es (G. Pérez-Tapia). Tourism Management Perspectives 34 (2020) 100662 2211-9736/ © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. T