Marketing Island DestinationsÉdition 1

Over the past three decades, tourism has emerged as a major force in the global economy, with most countries, whether developed or developing, having increasing opportunities to participate, as both host and guest, in this socioeconomic phenomenon. Competition for a share of the tourism market has intensified as rapid tourism developments have been undertaken by various destinations in an attempt to reap those economic benefits from one of the world’s leading industries. The growth in tourism has propelled significant changes in the way in which destinations are managed and marketed. The challenge for many small island destinations is how to become or remain competitive. It is against this background that destination marketing has assumed the critical role of ensuring that the destination lifecycle does not enter into a stage of saturation and decline and the destination is able to adapt to the changing marketplace, seize opportunities and sustain its vitality.This book takes a holistic approach and considers marketing from a macro perspective, from the view of the destination.