Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to measure the perception and satisfactions of consumers of the tourism product of Kashmir region and identify potential niche markets that could be used in the ...development of the destination’s positioning strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
The author used a case study methodology. Self-completion questionnaires were distributed to tourists visiting Kashmir region at the peak of the 2018 tourism season. The scales used were adapted from two authoritative sources. Data from 479 completed questionnaires were analysed quantitatively by a variety of statistical techniques, including factor analysis.
Findings
Four possible niche markets are identified that can inform the development of the destination’s positioning strategy: nature based, adventure, cultural and culinary. The overall conclusions and discussion of the findings should provide a case-based framework for the practical planning and implementation of positioning strategies in the tourism context.
Research limitations/implications
The time frame of the study was five summer months in one year, and only actual visitors completed the questionnaire. The study did not assess their evaluation of the quality of the services provided and consumed.
Originality/value
The overall conclusions and discussion of the findings should provide a case-based framework for the practical planning and implementation of positioning strategies in the tourism context.
A key goal of the marketing activities for any destination marketing organisation (DMO) is to achieve a competitive market position for the destination. The proposition underpinning this project is ...that a destination's market position will change positively only slowly over time. A core construct in market positioning is destination image, requiring an understanding of perceived strengths and weaknesses relative to the competitive set of rivals for any given travel context. Despite the importance of this, there has been a lack of research published about the temporality of a destination's competitive position. Studies of a destination's image or competitive position have tended to be a snapshot at only one point in time. In this project the cognitive perceptions held of a competitive set of five destinations in New Zealand were examined at two points in time over a period of 14 years. Results indicated no changes in the market position of the destination of interest, between the two samples. Conceptually, the study demonstrates the value in tracking destination positioning over time. From a practical perspective the findings suggest destination marketers should adopt a long term approach to destination positioning, given the difficulty in changing consumer perceptions. The focus of marketing communications should be on reinforcing positively held perceptions that are representative of competitive strengths.
The unprecedented growth in the tourism industry during the last fifty years has created major challenges in tourism marketing. This growth has created greater competition amongst destinations in ...attracting more visitors. One of the most significant marketing challenges arising from this situation is the need for an effective destination positioning strategy. If we want to position the particular destination, we firstly need to understand what target market (consumers/visitors) have in their minds about the destination. The target market for a Regional Tourist Destination (RTD) includes firstly, its own people who want to visit close-to-home destinations. Secondly, people from outside the region and within the state or country also have ideas on visiting a destination. The final and most important target market is foreign tourists. The successful destination development, positioning and marketing depends upon the understanding of the regions stakeholders and the host communities. Many studies have shown the role of a host community in creating the image of a destination. There is however a lack of research on how its own people image of their destination influences destination marketing. This article firstly seeks to understand how its own residents perceive Hyderabad Karnataka Region (HKR) as a Tourist Destination compared to the rest of Karnataka. How is the present image driving them towards tourism development in the region and their participation in tourism development? Finally this article tries to establish whether there is any difference in their perceived image and the reality of the destination.
Many traditional destination image studies employ a non-comparative assessment approach. This study, however, suggests defining and measuring destination image in a comparative manner (termed ...'relative image') for the purpose of destination positioning. Using a case study on American leisure travellers' image of Mainland China, the author proposes and demonstrates the utility of a multi-step procedure of relative image assessment. The author concludes that by utilising competing destinations as a reference frame and replicating tourists' actual decision-making process, relative image assessment may generate more relevant information and insights for destination marketers.
The purpose of the paper is to provide a collaborative practitioner/academic interpretation of a destination's competitiveness through the lens of brand positioning in the domestic short break drive ...market. A 173 item questionnaire, which was mailed to a systematic random sample of 3000 households in the target market, attracted a 17% useable response. The paper compares how one destination, the Sunshine Coast, is positioned in its most important market, in relation to the brand identity intended by the destination marketing organisation (DMO). Key constructs were brand salience, brand associations and brand resonance. The Sunshine Coast was found to hold a leadership position in the minds of consumers, and the results indicated a strong level of congruence between actual market perceptions and the brand identity intended by the DMO. There were strong associations between brand salience, brand associations and brand resonance. The findings provided the destination of interest with both a measure of past marketing effectiveness as well as positive indicators of future performance. The paper represents collaboration between a tourism practitioner and a tourism academic, and attempts a contribution to the emerging literature on destination competitiveness through the lens of positioning theory.
Purpose
– Reviews of scientific publications in the area of tourism continuously find commonalities and repeatedly applied criteria in conceptualizing destination image. Much emphasis has been placed ...on investigating the image components (dimensions) and potential impacts as perceived by the consumer. Publications on the image formation and change, however, do not disclose many details on the process and impacts of change agents. Hence, this study aims to look into the initial stages of destination image planning and how these plans are implemented through projecting onto the official destination websites.
Design/methodology/approach
– The text-based content analysis builds on a random sample of one-third of the tourism development plans and the respective official tourism websites of sub-provincial prefectures in China. Terms (originally phrased in Chinese language only) were extracted that could be classified as image components considering the context where they appeared.
Findings
– Results exhibit a sparse application of varied and imaginative image elements in both the tourism development plans and the official websites. Deviations between intended and projected destinations are substantial. An overwhelming majority of prefectural destination management organizations (DMOs) appears to be distant from a professional implementation of an image positioning strategy.
Research limitations/implications
– Due to resource limitations, only a random sample of one-third of the 365 sub-provincial prefectures in China could have been screened. To draw a complete, though structurally most probably not very different, picture on the scope and variety of image elements, a complete investigation would be necessary. The projection of image items on the official websites represents a restricted view on possible image formation agents. For a more comprehensive understanding, other information channels (e.g. printed advertising material, travel catalogues and guide books) would complement the perspective on induced image agents.
Practical implications
– From a managerial perspective, it appears to be an easy job to position a destination along one or two main appeal characteristics, particularly when the majority of these are factual aspects of geography, landscape, history or culture. Whether such a positioning strategy materializes in view of an increasing competition among destinations is questionable. The condensed image profiles identified in this study can act as blueprints for developing more pronounced positioning profiles. The variation across groups of destination image profiles and the composition of prefectures for each group reflects the potential competitive pressure that prefectures may excel unless the DMO representatives decide to go for an adapted target position.
Originality/value
– This study is a rare attempt to analyse the intended/planned and projected image elements of a multitude of tourism destinations simultaneously. Such a comparison is usually done on a case-by-case basis only. Thus, the insights of this study go beyond the limits of an individual destination enabling structural comparisons across neighbouring and nation-wide regions.
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