Abstract
This article comprehensively examines the process of media representation in the formation of the tourist image of the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi heritage within the context of both domestic and international information spaces. The main aim of the study is to identify the key mechanisms of image formation by analyzing the representation features of Yasawi heritage across various media platforms.
The theoretical and methodological framework of the study is based on tourism image theory, concepts of media representation, and approaches to the mediatization of cultural heritage. The research employs content analysis, comparative analysis, and case study methods. Empirical sources include domestic tourism media resources (such as the national company «Kazakh Tourism», digital platforms of the «Aziret Sultan» National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve, and the «Visit Turkestan» projects), as well as materials from the international media space, including the «UNESCO World Heritage Centre», «TRT Avaz» programs, and various cultural platforms.
The findings demonstrate that the tourist image of Yasawi heritage is systematically constructed through media narratives. The analysis shows that the tourist image of Yasawi heritage is formed not only at the informational level but also at symbolic and cultural levels. The results of this study have both theoretical and applied significance in the fields of cultural heritage representation in digital media, tourism image formation, and spiritual tourism communication.