Destination Marketing Organisations

Book excerpt: Travellers are now spoilt by choice of available holiday destinations. In today's crowded tourism market place, destination competitiveness demands an effective marketing organisation. Two themes underpin Destination Marketing Organisations. The first is the challenges associated with promoting multi-attributed destinations in dynamic and heterogeneous markets, and the second is the divide between tourism 'practitioners' and academics. Written by a former 'practitioner', Destination Marketing Organisations bridges industry and theory by synthesising a wealth of academic literature of practical value to DMOs. Key learning outcomes are to enhance understanding of the fundamental issues relating to: The rationale for the establishment of DMOs The structure, roles, goals and functions of DMOs The key opportunities, challenges and constraints facing DMOs The complexities of marketing destinations as tourism brands The Author Dr Steven Pike (PhD) spent 17 years in the tourism industry, working in destination marketing organisations, before joining academia. He is currently a Visiting Scholar with the School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations at Queensland University of Technology, and Senior Lecturer in the School of Marketing and Tourism at Central Queensland University.