Destinations and Destination Management:

concepts and implicationsDouglas Pearce

Victoria University of Wellington

Key message

Successful destination management is based on how we view destinations and on the concepts of destinations that we use.

What is a destination?

Characteristics of destinations

- Provide a bundle of products and experiences

- Have a geographical dimension – associated with places at a range of scales

- Can be seen from supply or demand perspectives- or both

Clusters Network

System

Social Construct

Concepts of destinations

Clusters

“… are geographic concentrations of interconnected companies and institutions in a particular field”.

(Porter, 1998)Clusters are critical to competition:-Increasing productivity

access to employees, suppliers, specialized informationcomplementarities – whole greater than the sum of its partsbetter motivation & measurement

-Driving innovation-Stimulating the formation of new businesses

Silva Vera 2002

Timur & Getz (2008)

Calgary Tourism Network

Leiper (1979)

Systems

Barrado Timón (2004)

Concept of tourist destination

Manente & Cerato(1999)

‘Tourism is a social processas much as it is a form of economic development.’ (Ringer 1998)

Saraniemi & Kylanen (2011)

Destination as social Construct

Destinations are places shared, and changed, by tourists and residents

Lemasson & Violier (2009)

Clusters Network

System

Social Construct

Implications for destination management

Network

ClusterWho & how rather than what

Emphasis on relationships & governance

Potential for innovation

Lacks concern with spatial structure & physical planning.

May assume stability

Jackson & Murphy (2002)

Criteria for diagnosing destinations

Merinero Rodríguez y Pulido Fernández (2009)

Relationships in the tourism management of Spanish destinations

Antequera

Úbeda

Écija

relationships & levels of tourism development

Barrado Timón (2004)

emphasize role of local factors

engagement with local population & processes

places are dynamic not stable

transformation of places by & for tourism

Manente & Cerato(1999)

Systems emphasize a more comprehensive approach

Leiper (2009)

What is the right balance of DMO’sinternal vs external activities? e.g.marketing vs managing impacts

Barrado Timón (2004)

Cluster Network

Social Construct

Common factor: destination management involves working together How can we best do this?

Thank you for your attention