DESTINATION MARKETING

July 11, 2019

MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS : A NARRATIVE ANALYSIS

1. Destination marketing is now acknowledged as a pillar of the future growth and sustainability of tourismdestinations in an increasingly globalised and competitive market for tourists (UNWTO,2011).

Published research related to destination marketing represents an important growth area in tourism that has evolved to a distinct paradigm (Bowen, Fidgeon & Page in press),and its significance is reinforced by fourkey propositions that are associated with global tourism: first, most aspects of tourism take place at destinations (Leiper, 1979);

2. The distinction between destination marketingand destination management

Is evident that destination marketersoperate within the following confinesas they:

cannot change theofficialname or geographic boundary of the place they represent,

• have little if any control over the quality of the actual visitor experiencerelative to thepromise made in marketing communications,including traffic congestion, graffiti, litter and crime,
• have little if any contact with visitors,to enable continued meaningful engagement in the pursuit of repeat patronageand are reliant upon survey feedback and the feedback from social media,
• have little control over the host community’s acceptance of, andattitude towardsvisitors, particularly the role of tourism and civic pride as a mechanism to create a tourism-friendly environment,
• have little control overaccess issues such asbilateral airline agreements and development of airport,port, rail and road transport infrastructure,
• have little influence over the management of the natural environment and development/maintenance of land use zoning, infrastructure and superstructure,
• have no control over stakeholders’product development, pricing ormarketing communicationsapart from when joint promotions are undertaken,
• are reliant on a small set of powerful intermediaries for packaging and distribution, and,
• arguably most importantly, are at the mercy of politicalmastersand stakeholdersfor continuity of funding.

(To be continued ask for more information & details salvobl@gmail.com)

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