Media, animosity and peace through tourism

Despite evidence of the effects of the media on animosity formation, the relationship between media and animosity has received scant attention within the tourism field. Hence, the aim of this chapter is to examine the role of media on animosity formation of tourists and discuss associated effects in relation to peace through tourism. Drawing from a sample of people residing in Europe, the perceptions of potential tourists regarding media representations of the Ukraine-Russia conflict are examined and discussed. Specifically, interviews were conducted following the advance of the Russian military into Ukraine in February 2022 with potential tourists from various European countries. Findings reveal four different effects of media on people's animosity formation depending on pre-existing attitudes, political ideology and past experiences. Implications for the peace through tourism debate are drawn and discussed as conclusions.