ABSTRACT
Chapter 20 is about measuring and managing destination management performance. The chapter begins by discussing the uniqueness of destination management and DMOs and how this affects performance measurement. Then, performance measurement and management and their underlying reasons are defined. Measurement is connected with the destination management roles in Chapter 1. Accountability, transparency, and benchmarking are discussed, as are ROI and performance improvement. The key role of performance metrics is explained and various levels for performance measurement are identified.
Performance measurement systems are reviewed including “off-the-shelf” ones such as the BSC and the Performance Prism, and DIY (do it yourself) approaches that tailor-make performance measurement for specific DMOs. Having clear metrics to measure performance is crucial and these are often called KPIs that accompany objectives. Chapter 20 outlines a process for developing a performance measurement system and puts forward the general PRICE-R model. DMO performance reporting is critical and can be considered as a specialized form of IMC in which DMOs tell their stakeholders what and how they have done. How selected DMOs accomplish this reporting is explained. DMO funding sources and levels are described, along with relevant examples. Funding is a major issue for many DMOs.
