Contemporary Tourism

Contemporary Tourism Contemporary Tourism Destination Marketing

Lecture Objectives • Understand the process and outcomes of contemporary destination marketing • Appreciate the importance of engaging with all stakeholders in contemporary destination marketing • Understand the formation and characteristics of the destination image • Be aware of strategic approaches to contemporary destination marketing • Understand the formation and characteristics of destination brands • Recognise the role that technology, particularly the Internet, can play in contemporary destination marketing • Appreciate the structure and roles of destination marketing organizations • Recognise that destination marketing is surrounded by a range of issues and questions relating to the ability of a destination to be marketed as the equivalent of a product or brand

Destination Marketing • A process and outcome • Many stakeholders • Marketers must • Manage stakeholders • Formulate and manage the brand • Dates back to mid 19th century • Branding is the glue that holds destination marketing together • Operates at a variety of scales

Destination Image • ‘The attitude, perception, beliefs and ideas one holds about a particular geographic area formed by the cognitive mage of a particular destination’ (Gartner, 2000)

Benefits • Securing the emotional link to, and loyalty of, visitors; • Coordination of the private sector and other stakeholders through cooperative marketing; • Acting as a base for promotion of other products such as investment, economic development, film, and TV; • Facilitating and encouraging the use of local products and design; and • Facilitating seamless market communication of the destination.

Destination Image • A simplified version of reality • Critical due to: • Intangible nature of the destination • Inseparable nature of consumption • Components • Cognitive • Effective • Conative

Destination Image • Formation • Induced agents • Organic agents • Autonomous agents

Images Achieve:

Aims of DMOs • 1. Enhancing destination image; • 2. Increasing industry profitability; • 3. Reducing seasonality; and • 4. Ensuring long-term funding.

Destination Strategy • Gilbert’s commodity/status approach • Cooper/Jain’s strategic life cycle approach • Positioning

Destination Branding • Art and cornerstone of marketing • Approaches • Product plus • Holistic

Designing the Brand • Blueprint for branding developing and marketing the destination • Positioning • Product formulation • Nesting the brand • Communication strategy

Designing the Brand • 4 Steps • Brand assessment • Brand promise • Brand architecture • Internalizing the brand

Technology and DMOs • Save on print and distribution costs; • Directly target and manage customers through email; and • Provide content of great depth and visual quality.

Technology • Structure of destination web sites varies according to: • Destination factors • Technological factors

Technology • Destination web sites evolve according to the eMICA model • Assessment of destination web sites done according to: • Access • Identity and trust • Customization • Navigation • Search engines • Technical performance • Services offered

Destination Management Organizations • Vulnerable to disintermediation • Provide leadership • Structures vary • Strategy acts as umbrella marketing agency

Issues • Role of the public sector • Role of destination stakeholders • The nature of the destination

Contemporary Tourism