The Zika virus crisis during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games: a media cover analysis

Destination image, formed by various stimuli including media coverage, significantly influences travel decisions. Negative events like disease outbreaks greatly impact a destination's image, particularly its perceived safety, a crucial factor in tourist choices. This study analyzes the media coverage of the Zika virus crisis in Brazil before the 2016 Rio Olympics, examining the cognitive (publication section, genre, headline type) and affective (headline tone and expression) components of news published in major Spanish newspapers. By analyzing a past crisis, the research provides valuable insights for DMOs on mitigating negative impacts on destination competitiveness.

The relationship between media emphasis and public concern is well-established (agenda-setting theory). The framing of news significantly impacts how people perceive issues, potentially leading to heightened anxiety or panic, especially with controversial topics. Destination image is a multi-dimensional construct encompassing cognitive (beliefs, knowledge), affective (emotions, attachments), and overall perceptions. Existing research highlights the influence of media on destination image, including the 'tourist gaze,' the way tourists view places and people. Previous studies examining media coverage during mega-events reveal both positive and negative impacts on destination image, influenced by historical relations between countries. Media coverage profoundly affects destination risk perception, influencing travel behavior and decision-making. The role of subjective risk perception, shaped by media and social factors, is emphasized, with research showing a tendency to recall negative events due to their frequent media portrayal.

This study examined media coverage in the digital editions of eight leading Spanish newspapers (five generalist and three economic) from February 12, 2015, to June 8, 2016. The unit of analysis was the headlines (1034 in total), chosen for their immediate impact and high visibility to readers. Content analysis was used to classify headlines based on cognitive attributes (publication section, journalistic genre, and headline type) and affective attributes (headline evaluation and type of expression). Publication sections were categorized into ten common types; journalistic genres into five (news, interview, report, column, and opinion); headline types into five (informative, appellative, expressive, thematic, and citation). Headline evaluation was classified as positive, negative, or neutral based on researchers' independent assessments, resulting in a high inter-rater reliability (Cohen's kappa = 0.82). Types of expression were categorized as descriptive, entertainment, evaluative-stereotyped, and alarmist. Thematic categories included tourism security (with subthemes like health, citizen, and environmental security) and Olympic Games (with subthemes like infrastructure, security, and economic impact).

Of the 1034 headlines analyzed, 863 were from generalist newspapers, with La Vanguardia publishing the most (455). News was relatively evenly distributed across sections, with Culture and Olympics sections having the highest representation. The news genre was predominantly news (70.2%), while the most frequent headline type was informative (59%). In terms of tone, 41.7% of headlines were positive, 36.6% negative, and 21.8% neutral. Tourism security was addressed in 44.6% of headlines, with health and citizen security as the most frequent subthemes. Negative headlines significantly outnumbered positive ones in these subthemes, particularly in citizen security. Olympic Games-related headlines were mostly positive (50.6%), with negativity primarily associated with security issues. Alarmist headlines were more prevalent in tourism security (46.8%) than in Olympic Games coverage (16.5%). Health security news frequently employed citation-type headlines, objectively conveying information from health authorities. The type of expression used varied across themes, with descriptive headlines dominating overall but alarmist headlines increasing in tourism security news, particularly citizen security. The temporal evolution of headlines showed an initial focus on descriptive language, shifting to more alarmist expressions as the Olympics approached.

The findings reveal a media portrayal of Brazil that reinforces existing stereotypes, particularly regarding safety and security. While the Olympics generated predominantly positive coverage, the Zika virus and citizen security concerns overshadowed this, creating a complex image. The shift from descriptive to alarmist headlines over time suggests a dynamic destination image affected by the evolving narrative of the Zika crisis. Although the economic impact of the Zika virus was less than initially feared, the study suggests a potential negative impact on tourism, as evidenced by decreased visitor numbers from Spain after the Games. The increased prevalence of alarmist headlines in citizen security, compared to health security, might be attributed to the enduring nature of crime perception versus the temporal nature of health crisis. The study highlights the importance of reliable information dissemination by DMOs during crises to counter alarmist narratives.

This study underscores the significant impact of media framing on destination image and risk perception. The analysis demonstrates the need for DMOs to proactively manage media narratives during crises, providing accurate and timely information to mitigate negative perceptions. Future research could expand this analysis to other countries and events, explore the long-term impact of such coverage on tourism, and investigate strategies for effective crisis communication.

This study is limited to media coverage in Spain, potentially limiting generalizability. The subjective nature of content analysis, especially in evaluating headline tone and expression, represents another limitation. Future research should consider employing mixed methods, including quantitative measures of tourist behavior, to strengthen the conclusions. The focus on headlines might not fully capture the nuance of the complete news articles.