The measurement of tourist destination image: applying a sketch map technique

Abstract This study was conducted in order to identify the images of two Australian cities, Sydney and Melbourne, held by international students on English language programmes. It used a sketch‐map methodology supplemented by a range of question types and styles. The results were analysed based on 115 completed questionnaires distributed to international students at Holmes College, an English language teaching institution with campuses in both Melbourne and Sydney. The results of the sketch maps of the two cities indicated that Sydney is perceived as a spatially dominated city, whereas Melbourne is seen as a path orientated city. The study confirmed that a sketch map technique could be used as an alternative or supplementary method to measure tourists' spatial orientation in a tourist destination. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.