Pieria as a travel destination for slow tourism:

This thesis focuses on travel destination images and their role in the travel decision making process.It examines how destination images are constructed by the tourism stakeholders and how they are perceived by travellers. For the purpose of the study, the case of Pieria in Northern Greece is examined, a region well-known for its diverse natural landscapes, its coastal destinations, the Mount Olympus, and all the resources for different types of slow tourism. Taking a dual perspective on the projected and perceived destination image, the study investigates how Pieria is strategically presented by NTO, local tourism stakeholders and DMOs, and subsequently how Pieria is perceived by individuals, travellers and potential tourists.Through qualitative content analysis of promotional articles, media and user-generated content such as forums, blogs, comments and reviews, the study examines the projected image of Pieria through its destination attributes. Furthermore, findings reveal travel motivations, memorable experiences,and perceptions of tourists towards Pieria as a travel destination.