It is self-evident that tourist brochures are selling a positive and attractive
destination to travellers; what is not as clear are the hidden messages conveyed
by the selection of certain pictures in the brochures produced. By coding each
picture appearing in a series of tourist brochures according to their content
this research aims at showing how the brochures are overtly aimed at different
groups of travellers, while they simultaneously are reinforcing certain
hegemonic views of society. The suggestion that hegemonic messages appear is not
an accusation against the producers of the brochures of covert propaganda, but
rather that taken-for-granted views of society as unproblematic truths portrayed
in the brochures is not correct-the brochures should rather be viewed as highly
sensitive polysemic constructs.