| The tourism market is fiercely competitive. No other market place has as many brands competing for attention and yet a handful of countries account for 75% of the worlds visitor arrivals. The other 200 or so are left to fight for a share of the remaining 25%. Therefore, destination marketers at city, state and national levels have arguably, a far more challenging role than other services or consumer goods marketers. Destination Marketing: an integrated marketing communication approach focuses on five important tenets of integrated marketing communications that provide both opportunities and challenges for Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs): profitable customer relationships, enhancing stakeholder relationships, cross-functional processes, stimulating purposeful dialogue with customers, and generating message synergy. The author seeks to provide a rationale for DMOs; to develop a structure, roles and goals of DMOs; to examine the key challenges and constraints facing DMOs; to impart a destination branding process; to develop a philosophy of integrated marketing communications; to lead the emergence of visitor and stakeholder relationship management; and to set forth options for performance measurement. - The only textbook to look at Destination Marketing Organizations - Links academic theory with industry practice illustrated with up to the minute international case studies and examples - Provides a framework for designing, implementing and monitoring a competitive strategy based on Integrated Marketing Communications. |