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:

1.

Comm unicate messages about destinations. 2.

Redefine and reposition destinations. 3.

Counter negative, and enhance positive, perceptions about destinations.  Targe t key market areas.

Aims of DMOs

• 1.

• 2.

• 3.

• 4.

Enhancing destination image; Increasing industry profitability; Reducing seasonality; and 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