Behind the scenes of mediatised tourism

This research used a qualitative method to gather data about the selection process of sites for sightseeing lists of Rotterdam. Eleven experts, in the person of authors of sightseeing lists of different types (guidebooks, city maps, touring programmes, blogs, and artistic collections) were interviewed about their experiences of authoring a sightseeing list of Rotterdam. More especially, how they selected sites for their sightseeing lists and choose to illustrate these lists. Major findings include evidence of the influence of mediatisation processes on the selection of sites for sightseeing lists. Mediatisation processes influenced the creating and the display of visuals in sightseeing lists for particular purposes. Moreover, there is evidence of the influence of mediatisation processes on the characteristics of visuals such as recognisability of the selected sites. The illustration of these sites need to be of high-quality and selected with care; evidence of a controlled balance in the selection of touristic icons and hidden gems with on the one end, icons aimed at seducing potential readers and on the other hand hidden local gems aiming at playing the surprise element. However, the influence of mediatisation processes on the selection of sites for sightseeing lists is limited as it appears, that a great majority of criteria weighting in for the selection of sites are not related to mediatisation processes. Criteria such as the ability to provide additional value such as being informative, differentiating the list, being able to experience, or tell a story influence the selection of a site. Another criteria which weights in the selection of a site is the gut feeling of the authors of the sightseeing lists, the belief that their appreciation for a site will transfer to their readers and that they will thereby be able to share their love for the site. This research opens a path for further research in the form of comparative research, mixed methods research or a focus on tourism practices in relation to social imagery platform Instagram.