More than a game: Football kicks off tourism in the case of SSC Napoli and the destination image of Naples among fans based in Denmark

This qualitative study investigates why and how football is at the heart of destination image perceptions in the association between SSC Napoli and Naples among fans from Denmark. Moreover, the study explores how football is a vector for destination image improvement. Email-interviews with open-ended questions were conducted in order to gain understanding and perceptions of SSC Napoli fans from Denmark. Although the stable presence of SSC Napoli in European tournaments gives the club international attention, the city still suffer from bad reputation. This study illustrates that football fandom contributes with an opportunity for non-stereotypical knowledge and might lead to first-hand encounters with Naples, hence creating a more positive image about the destination among the Danish supporters of SSC Napoli.