This piece if assignment covers destination marketing and what it is. Reading through thoroughly will widen your knowledge about the marketing of a destination and how a plan is created to market a destination. A destination marketing tools is what is used to market a destination. The plan which is called a Tourism Marketing Plan is developed in processes which are described further in the project. It also names an external body that helps to market a destination like Jamaica and the economic significance of them.
What is a destination?
Traditionally a destination is thought to be a specific geographical area but in today’s world a destination can be an alloy of tourism products used to satisfy visitor located in an area. There is a destination of every kind to suit the personality of every traveler. With so many choices for tourist they must be convinced as to why they should visit your destination as opposed to another.
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Destination Marketing
Destination marketing is very important. The better a destination is at what it does will aid in how others view it. If the destination brands itself as the one with the best water sports in the world then it should aim to develop that area and maintain it. Destination marketing includes employing marketing tools to achieve a destinations objective. The objectives may include a number of things from becoming the premier tourist destination in its region, having increased arrivals for the next tourist season or even to generate maximum income to boost the country’s economy. A destination must have attractions, be accessible, necessary amenities, available packages and provide ancillary services, this is known as the six A’s framework and can be a guide for destinations looking to market tourism.
The island of Jamaica is located in the Caribbean. It is a magical and natural haven of palm trees, blessed with a climate many only dream of. The island is known for its many white sand beaches, turquoise waters and beautiful sunshine. Jamaica is marketed by a body known as the Jamaica Tourist Board (J.T.B). The marketing slogan of Jamaica is “once you go, you know”. Jamaica appeals to many sectors of the market and this is exploited by the J.T.B. The segmented markets includes: honeymooners, groups, convention groups, overseas Jamaicans, Nature tourism, sports (cricket, golf, football) and the family among others.
If a destination is not marketed it does no harm to the visitors because there are many other islands in the Caribbean. The J.T.B should market Jamaica effectively by employing marketing tools. The destination is not a tangible tool but like other goods and services must be marketed.
Marketing Tools
Destination marketing is quickly becoming a competitive sport worldwide with every destination wanting to be the premier destination of choice for tourist. The marketing of a destination is to maximize the benefits for the country on a whole from tourism. Some of the marketing tools and techniques that can be used by the Jamaica Tourist Board to effectively market destination Jamaica are: Branding, Market research, Development of partnerships, event-lead marketing and a destination website.
Branding- according to the Brand Science Guide for destination research a brand is “the internalized sum of all impressions received by customers and consumers resulting in a distinctive position in their minds eye based on perceived emotional and functional benefits”. Branding of the destination needs more than just a slogan or logo. The brand must not be built through advertising only but mainly through the actual experience that the visitor receives. The brand should not be designed but be as a result of carefully crafted, comprehensive and well thought out strategies. These strategies are all that encompasses the destinations experience for needs and expectations.
Market Research- a survey and or investigation into the market. The aim or purpose of the research is to find out what exactly it is that the consumers want. As it relates to the marketing of the destination a CVB wants to know, what is it that appeals to them, why they visit and how many are they travelling with. After conducting a market research it should help to understand the consumers, to reach them, what attracts them and how to provide for them. The market research also identifies the main type of visitors that goes to the destination and where they come from. It helps to identify trends and potentially new markets as well. Target markets are identified allowing the CVB to position its self in the best way to meet their needs.
Development of Tourism partnerships- partnerships in the business environment is where two or more persons come together, form a business with the aim of providing a service and making a profit. Tourism partners can do a wealth for those destinations that are seeking growth. Partnering with other tourism organizations provides benefits which include: bringing new market intelligence on customers, open new routes for marketing, providing expertise and experience, help reposition the destination and share costs. Tourism partners could be other destination targeting the same markets.
Event-lead strategy- an event is something that happens. Events can be used to market a destination. Jamaica has a mixture of festivals and events. The events are seasonal and the destination can be marketed by the events. Events are good stimulants because they encourage the traveler to visit now rather than to put it off for a later time.
The creation of new events can help, however, it must be carefully planned, well resourced and be committed to. Jamaica has many existing events such as Jazz and Blues festival, Reggae Sumfest, Sting, ATI and others that drives tourist coming to the island at different time in the year.
Destination website- the creation of a website is ideal. The website allows potential and existing visitors to view and find out about the destination before going and getting information about destination. The website should provide detailed precise information about attractions, accommodation, transportation and activities that will they will be interested in.
Strength Weakness Opportunities Threat Analysis
Techniques
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Branding
Uniqueness of destination for its experience
Too much slogan and logo oriented branding
Becoming the premier destination of the Caribbean
The image that is portrayed is not what the destination is
Market Research
Knowledge provided about consumers
Misinterpretation of consumer behavior may occur
The opportunities to provide what the consumer want
Tourism Partnerships
More efficient and wide spread marketing
Partner may focus on marketing their own destination more
Recommendation of tourist to partners destination
Resources needed to market a destination maybe costly to share among partners
Event-led Strategy
More visitors are attracted to the destination
Overcrowding without proper facilities
Increase in hotel stays
Visitors refuse to come because of inadequate accommodations
Destination Website
Awareness is created about the destination
Where blogs and feedbacks are negative it could damage the image of the destination
More visitor since they have an idea of what the destination is like with visual aid
Open to hackers
The value of a Tourism Marketing Plan
A well-conceived tourism marketing plan for any country is essential to guide growth and provide vision for the tourism industry in the country. The aim of the marketing plan for an area is to capitalize on the strongest interest within the destination. The marketing plan provides a framework as to how and what actions will be taken to successfully market the area. The marketing plan identifies and exploit what makes the destination different from others and promote it. The promotion leads to actual travel from prospects and existing visitors. The value of having a tourism marketing plan is great, for it is indeed a necessity. The plan packages the destination as a complete product, values available and in country such as Jamaica, its accessibility. The marketing plan is essentially to communicate with the target markets and appeal to them in the most creative way as possible.
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Processes involved in creating the Marketing Plan
The creation of a tourism master plan for a destination is very important to successfully market the destination. Since it is important to create the plan, it is equally important to take the necessary steps in making functional. There must then be processes involved in the creation of such a plan. The processes involved in the development of a tourism marketing plan are: wide spread consultation with industry stakeholders, identifying strategies for growth and an analysis of where the countries tourism sector is.
Wide spread consultation with industry stakeholder- the development of the tourism marketing plan is to sell the destination. The plan has to be effective in order to reach intended market and create impact. In a business organization, managers do not want to find out from other managers only how the organization is doing but also those at the bottom and outsiders. Finding out from industry stakeholders such as community members, investors, suppliers and others. Consultation internally and externally is one of the most critical processes since it provides information of varying quality from those who are in the industry. The process of consultation maybe timely but is provide valuable information. Some industry stakeholders interact with the tourist and know what will satisfy them.
Identifying strategies for growth- a destination marketer needs to identify those things that will facilitate growth for the industry. The destination has a product is often difficult to market. Due to the complexity, it is best to understand the characteristics and personality of the destination in order to choose the best way it can be marketed. The aim of the destination marketer is to develop a marketing strategy or mix that will help to increase competitiveness. The strategies identified should include assessing a variety of impacts on the industry and devising strategies to deal with them. The impacts includes: environmental impacts, social impacts, economic impacts, visitor safety or security, and local attitudes towards tourism. Identifying this will aid in the development of a marketing plan that will fulfill all the strategic objectives need for growth with the industry.
An analysis of where the countries tourism sector is and where it wants to be and what are the tourism products- the process of analyzing the tourism sector is very vital because the destination marketer needs to know what is the position of the tourism industry. A step cannot be taken to make or market something without knowing exactly what it will offer. If the marketer knows where the destination wants to be and should be positioned. There also needs to be knowledge of what the tourism products are that the destination is offering. The products that countries has to offer varies because demographic, geographic and cultural aspects of the destination and has to market based on what they have to offer.
External organizations that assist the Jamaica
The name of Jamaica’s Convention Visitors Bureau is called the Jamaica Tourist Board. The C.V.B is responsible for the marketing of the island. Five external players that could assist the J.T.B are: T.P.D.co, J.H.T.A, J.A.V.A, JAMPRO and T.E.F.
(T.P.D.Co)- Tourism Product Development Company mainly deals with product diversification, community based tourism development, human resource development and culture tourism.
(J.HT.A)- Jamaica Hotels and Tourist Association represents local hotels and other tourist accommodation as well as those who are suppliers of goods and services to the tourism industry.
(J.A.V.A)- Jamaica Association of Villas and Apartments is an organization that represents the condonium sector of Jamaica’s tourism industry villas, apartments and cottages. It mainly monitors their operations and helps to market them overseas.
(JAMPRO)- Jamaica’s Investment and Export Promotion was established to promote the development of trade and industry as well as export and investment in all sectors of the island economy.
(T.E.F)- Tourism Enhancement Fund, an organization geared to enhance the tourism products. The way they try to enhance the product is by supporting the industry’s development monetarily by collecting all the necessary taxes.
Economic Significance of their Assistance
Marketing a destination requires the creation of a destination marketing plan. The plan acts as a guide for destination marketers to successfully market the particular destination. The success comes because of the strategies and processes involved in the initial creation of the plan. The previously listed external bodies that could assist the J.T.B in successfully implementing the destination marketing plan come with a number of benefits. The assistance received from T.P.D.Co, T.E.F, J.A.V.A, J.H.T.A and JAMPRO has economic values.
The external assistance from these bodies can help in the implementation of the plan. This help has economic significance. The aim of the plan is to maximize the gains from tourism therefore if each plays a part in putting the plan into action will ensure greater success. Each organization is involved in the tourism industry and carries out a different function. Economic gains can be drawn from the functions they carry out. They can do their part and be specialized in targeting a particular objective. This will allow faster results which is primarily more tourists arrivals and more tourist dollar and more economy.
In addition to this their assistance can also help and have economic significance in the form of saving time and more importantly money. The more bodies that are involved in doing a part shares the work load and there can be a greater focus on developing the tourism product. This allows the J.T.B to get more out of the plan and save time and money that would be spent to carry out a function that is already being done by these organizations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a destination when being marketed by must be marketed as any other product but greater effort must be put in to get the most rewarding results. A destination is marketed by using marketing tools such as branding, joining partnerships with other tourism organization, using events to drive tourist’s arrivals and even creating a websites. A market research can also help in marketing a destination because it does direct investigations into the market of an area to find out who they are and what appeals to them. The tool used to achieve a successful marketing has strengths, weaknesses and opportunities as well as threats. The process of developing a marketing plan must take careful consideration since marketers want to achieve the best possible results.
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