ABSTRACT
The politics, challenges and constraints faced by destination marketers are very different to those faced by individual tourism businesses. Destination marketers must achieve a competitive market position for their multi-attributed place, in many different geographic markets of interest to stakeholders, in a rapidly changing macro-environment that is crowded with competing places offering similar features and benefits. The complexity of this challenge is magnified by the active interest in destination promotions and results, by a diverse, dispersed and eclectic range of stakeholders with a vested interest in visitor arrivals. An understanding of destination marketing is essential for anyone working in, or contemplating, a managerial or entrepreneurial career in tourism. The success of individual tourism-related businesses is reliant to some extent on the competitiveness of the destination in which they are located or supply services to. A major contributing factor to destination competitiveness is being effectively organised, in the form of a well-resourced and well-managed destination marketing organisation (DMO) that has strong collaborative relationships with government, media, local businesses, travel intermediaries and host community. Understanding the DMO perspective can better equip entrepreneurs to take advantage of opportunities in destination promotions, distribution and product development, thereby enhancing their own success, which in turn can contribute to the competitiveness of the destination. A key theme throughout the book is the challenge of differentiating a destination from competing places, in markets where consumers are 2spoilt for choice. What is critical is the need for a market orientation, where all marketing decisions are made with the target consumers in mind. While it is in the interests of destination marketers to appreciate the depth of relevant published academic tourism research, it is essential that tourism academics and students appreciate that the complex realities of real-world destination marketing practice often render the application of theory and research recommendations as easier said than done.
