An Analysis of Contents and Language Strategies Used in the Public Relations of Cultural Tourism via Online Media

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze the contents and the language strategies used in the public relations of cultural tourism via online media. The research applied qualitative methodology by collecting data and language strategies from three online platforms: Facebook, Line and Instagram and adapting purposive sampling, selecting famous social accounts that promote Thailand’s tourism; namely, Trip TH Thailand on Facebook, Amazing Thailand on Line and Chillpainai on Instagram. Eight hundred and forty-two pieces of writing were collected in one year, January – December 2019. The study found that cultural tourism contents were geographically categorized into Central, Northern, Northeastern, Western, Southern and Eastern Region respectively. The main contexts were presented in form of the identity of the local culture and the famosity of the cultural tourist spot, magnificent tradition and culture, community’s way of life, regional plant, local cuisine, artwork, belief, town history, cultural demonstration, village product, local geography, ethic group and archaeological site and antique. The supporting contents were contact information such as location (Google map), telephone number, opening hours, website, address, responsible agency, Facebook page, Line ID, Inbox, email address, Instagram, and QR code ; various methods of travelling such as by car, public transport, boat, train, motorcycle, pick-up truck taxi and airplane; and additional review including text on website, video and hashtag. Six language strategies were used to promote the cultural tourism. Those were Speech Act demonstrating the purpose of promoting tourism, found in form of Representative/Assertive, Directive, Expressive, Commissive and Declarative; Referencing used in relation to the tourism and culture by mean of Lexical Cohesion; Modification stating the location of the cultural tourism attraction and physical appearance and illustrating the beauty of the places and the local identity; Figure of speech including antonomasia, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration, rhetorical question, personification, onomatopoeia, antanaclasis and metonymy; Narrative telling the historical stories and folk wisdom; and Semiotic strategies considering the composition, meaning conveyed via the picture and specific font.