Category: Tourism

Introduction

The existence of a strong economy in any nation is associated with the policy environment that the administration has put in place. Tourism policy determines the performance of this industry.

Hall (2008) states that the study of policy within a specific area of economy enables researchers and planners to understand the policy decisions and their impacts, provide possible solutions, and help readers to understand the interests and values that were incorporated in the policy formulation.

The study of tourism policy is an impotent field because it allows researchers to understand the determinants of performance in tourism in a given area and the factors that influence this performance.

The tourism industry is under tight government control in most nations. Thus, the study of tourism policy is a simple means of studying the administrative structures in a given nation. The development of a working policy can be done at the national, local, and provincial levels.

According to Kerr (2003), these three levels should all be involved for an effective policy. An example of a nation with a tourism policy in place is Luxembourg. This report takes a brief look at the country and tourism and planning policies that exist in this nation. The report also provides a critique of tourism and planning policies in Luxembourg.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg is a small nation in Europe that has a significant diversity in culture. It has undergone a series of changes in the past few decades. The country is landlocked, with its location being in the midst of three countries, namely Belgium, France, and Germany.

Therefore, Luxembourg does not have access to the sea. Hence, it has no beaches or coastal hotels for tourists. However, this does not mean that the nation does not have its fair share of local and international tourism. With a population of just over 500,000 people, the country is one of the least populated in Europe (Blanke & Chiesa 2013).

Luxembourg has had the highest demographic growth within the EU during the last decade, thus indicating its wealth within the region (Blanke & Chiesa 2013). Luxembourg is approximately half the size of Dubai, with a population a number of times smaller. The country covers 2600 square kilometres in surface area.

In 2011, Luxembourg had a Gross Domestic Product of $59.6 billion with a GDP per capita of $80,558.8 for the same year (Blanke & Chiesa 2013). The real GDP growth for 2011 was 1.6%. This figure has continued to improve over the last two years (Blanke & Chiesa 2013).

The percentage of the population over 5 years in 2012 was 14.1%, with the unemployment rate for the same year being 6.1 % (Tourists in Figures 2013). Tourism is a major economic pillar in Luxembourg. It contributed 8.3% of the GDP in 2009 (Tourists in Figures 2013).

The nation has diverse tourist attractions, with its people being hospitable and kind. The main attractions in the country include the coast, the Historic cities, Flemish countryside, and the Walloon region (Tourists in Figures 2013).

The main towns of Luxembourg are Luxembourg and Esch-sur-Alzette, with the official national language being Luxembourgish. Other languages such as French and German are also used for administrative functions. The country enjoys a pleasant climate, with the weather being favourable between May and October.

The population is mainly rural, with 81,800 of the inhabitants living in towns while the rest live in rural areas (Tourists in Figures 2013). There is a significantly large foreign population in the country.

This observation can be attributed to the growth in tourism and international trade. According to Blanke and Chiesa (2013), 38.6% of the population in the country is foreigners who are mainly employed in the manufacturing and tourism industries.

In 2012, the tourism industry contributed 2% to the national GDP, which translated to $ 1.186 billion (Blanke & Chiesa 2013). The industry also created significant employment opportunities to the locals and international workers. 2.6% of the population is employed in the industry, with the actual number being 6,100 jobs (Blanke & Chiesa 2013).

There are thousands of international arrivals every year in the country, with growth increasingly being experienced in this area. In 2011, for example, the international arrivals were 542,600 with this population generating a total of $ 4.8 billion over the same period (Blanke & Chiesa 2013).

Although this figure represented a growth in the international tourism receipts, the number of international tourists visiting Luxembourg was significantly small in relation to previous years.

Policy and Planning

A tourism policy is necessary to ensure that the benefits associated with tourism are enjoyed while making the maximum use of the available natural resources. Luxembourg is one nation with an existing tourism policy. It has ensured that this policy is followed within the tourism activities.

The country mainly attracts international tourists from the neighbouring countries, especially those from Europe (Kavoura 2007). The policy on the international tourists has ensured that the main visitors are those from the neighbouring countries.

Approximately half of the tourists are from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany (Greenwood, Williams & Shaw 1990). The other half of tourists are from other parts of Europe such as the UK and France, with few of these visitors coming from the US (Greenwood, Williams & Shaw 1990).

The country has also embarked on the marketing of its tourist attractions over the internet. An official website is currently operational (Human 1994). The country also has a tourism board that runs advertising and marketing campaigns that are mainly focused on the natural and historic attractions in the country.

As a result, the country receives over 900,000 visitors from different parts of the world, with a bulk of them gathering the information they need from the official website.

Luxembourg has an existing tourism plan that states the objectives of the tourism industry, defines special areas where special tourism activities are to take place, and imposes regulations of these (Greenwood, Williams & Shaw 1990).

The average number of nights that the tourists to Luxembourg spend is 2.5 nights. The government has been on a campaign to increase that period that the guests spend in the hotels. Another strategy that the minister in charge of the tourism sector has established is the creation of a tourism marketing committee that allows the various members to market the industry to different parts of the world.

The government also organises cultural events and other activities in the embassies and high commissions across Europe, with this strategy being a move to attract the Europeans (World Economic Forum, 2013). Luxembourg prides itself as being the centre of the European Union. It advertises itself as the origin of the group of nations that constitute the EU.

The country has a policy that favours business tourism. The frequent campaigns to boost tourism have also taken this route. Therefore, the tourism industry has been greatly influenced by the financial sector, with the ministers of finance and tourism in the country having similar calls on tourists to engage in financial tourism (Zahra & Ryan 2005).

Efforts of marketing and advertising for the development of business tourism have had significant success. According to Blanke and Chiesa (2013), business tourism accounts for 44% of overnight stays.

The minister of commerce and the economy has put in place several projects and incentives to develop business in Luxembourg. Some other projects of this kind have also been proposed for future development.

The country has also developed other policies that are related to the tourism sector. One such policy is the development of special rules and regulations for the tourism stakeholders. The hotel and catering industry is the most affected, with rules governing these areas of the economy.

Hotel owners are allowed to carry out their activities in a facilitating environment, and this includes the exemption of tax for some of hotels and careering businesses that promote tourism.

Luxembourg has a minister in charge of the tourism industry, but the minister is also in charge of other industries such as agriculture, rural development, and training (Hannam 2002). The existence of the ministry allows the formulation of policies that are specially tailored for the country.

Luxembourg has a well-developed transport system, with the main modes of transport being through road and rail networks. Local roads serve the areas that are deemed tourist attraction sites under the control of the national government (Greenwood, Williams & Shaw 1990).

The development in infrastructure is dependent on the size of contribution to the national economy and the GDP in general. Since tourism only contributes only a significant part of the GDP, there are few infrastructure developments to the tourist attraction sites. However, these developments are accessible through many routes.

The country has also developed an environmental policy to protect its environment from degradation. This plan is considered a way of ensuring that there are many natural sites on the rural areas. Despite the measures to conserve the environment, increased tourism has contributed to environmental degradation

The rules in Luxembourg prohibit tourist activities that may violate human rights. Examples of these include sex tourism and human trafficking that have been reported in other areas of Europe and other tourism centres around the world.

Tourists are allowed to enjoy the natural environment and historical sites as long as they act within the rules and regulations of the country. The preservation of the cultural sites is also a policy of the Luxembourg authorities.

The regulations make it illegal to hunt the animals in the natural habitats or carry out trade in illegal animal products (Blanke & Chiesa 2013). These regulations allow a room for the protection of the endangered species and the protection of the cultural sites.

Critique

The policies and planning methods used in Luxembourg are appropriate and effective. However, several areas are deficient and can lead to the negative performance of the sector. Therefore, the following section provides a critique of the tourism policies and planning in Luxembourg that is provided above.

One of the policies that may have a negative effect on the tourism industry in the country is the high reliance on the European market and tourists from the neighbouring countries. In the wake of the global financial crisis, the European market was mostly affected (Blanke & Chiesa 2013).

There was poor performance that was reported in the tourism sectors of almost all the European Union countries, with a drop in the international travel. The result of this drop in the European market meant that Luxembourg experienced a drop in the number of international tourists from Europe and its neighbours (Blanke & Chiesa 2013).

With the significant contribution that is made to the national economy by the tourism industry, a drop in the tourism sector meant a drop in the overall economic performance for this nation.

There are different parts of the world such as the Middle East and Asia from which the planners and policymakers can attract tourists.

The economy, especially the tourism sector, would have been more resilient to the global economic crisis if there had been significant effort to include the other markets, which are outside the European Union.

Some of these markets such as China are reported to have experienced weaker effects of the global crisis. As a result, their international tourists may have complemented those from the EU (Zahra & Ryan 2005).

The other weakness with the nation’s tourism planning and policy is the planning that is accorded to the infrastructure part of the industry (Zahra & Ryan 2005). Any economy that hopes to increase its gains from the tourism sector needs to ensure that the infrastructure in place is sufficient to cover the areas where tourism is crucial (Zahra & Ryan 2005).

Therefore, Luxembourg may engage in the building of infrastructure projects, especially roads, to serve the tourist destinations. The building of more infrastructure projects will also be important in intensifying mobility in the local setup.

This strategy will be a positive influence to local tourism. Several areas are attractive to the local and international tourists. However, they are inaccessible due to poor infrastructure. The government needs to improve the roads serving the tourist attraction areas.

The average night spent at the hotels and catering areas in the country is 2.5 nights as stated above (Blanke & Chiesa 2013). This means that the tourists visiting the country are mainly drawn to the country during weekends, with only the weekends being the days where the visitors spend the night at the tourist areas.

The country needs to develop an alternative marketing strategy to ensure that it is also marketed as a business centre and that tourists can conduct their businesses while still in the country. The result of such a move will be an improvement in the number of nights spent in the country for the international tourists (Zagris & Emery 1988).

The county can also market itself as an economic hub and/or the main link for all other states in the EU because of the different areas and landmark buildings that symbolise the European unity (Zahra & Ryan 2005).

Luxembourg faces a challenge with the developments that are expected in the tourism sector such as the increased pollution that is occasioned by the amplified number of visitors and the numb of planes and vehicles bringing these tourists to the country.

The pollution forms, which will be evident, include air pollution, water pollution, and sound pollution (Zahra & Ryan 2005). The presence of these forms of pollution will diminish the image of the country as a largely natural area.

The result is a decrease in the tourism earnings. The relatively small area that the nation occupies is easy to pollute. Therefore, there will be consequences of the same such as loss of the market and decreased tourism returns (Human 1994).

Luxembourg has a minister who is in charge of tourism, agriculture, and housing among other things. Since tourism is an important contributor to the national GDP, the management may constitute qualified personnel working in a fully-fledged ministry (Human 1994).

On the other hand, Luxembourg does not have an independent tourism ministry. Hence, there is difficulty in coordination. To ensure that the tourism sector performs, the government should split up the ministry and award tourism a full ministry.

This arrangement will be important in simplifying the national planning and policies on tourism. Despite the few mentioned weaknesses, the tourism policies and planning methods are very effective. They can improve the economy.

Conclusion

The development of appropriate policies in any industry is important as it guarantees a framework by which all things are performed. The tourism industry has been recognised in the report as an important part of any country.

The report also establishes that Luxembourg has a working national tourism policy, with few weaknesses whose improvements have been proposed.

The paper proposes that the country can engage in the development of many infrastructure projects. It can embark on marketing to other areas apart from Europe while establishing a tourism ministry that is independent of other ministries.

References

Blanke, J & Chiesa, T 2013, The travel & Tourism Competitive Report 2013; country/Economy Profiles. Web.

Greenwood, J, Williams, A & Shaw, G 1990, ‘Policy implementation and tourism in the UK. Implications from recent tourism research in Cornwall’, Tourism Management, vol. 11 no. 1, pp. 53-62.

Hall, C 2008, Tourism Planning: Policies, Processes and Relationships, Pearson Education, Harlow.

Hannam, K 2002. ‘Tourism and development: globalisation and power’, Progress in Development Studies, vol. 2 no. 3, pp. 227-234.

Human, B 1994, ‘Visitor management in the public planning policy context: A case study of Cambridge’, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol. 2 no. 4, pp. 221-230.

Kavoura, A 2007, ‘Advertising of National Identity and Tourism Bureaucracy’, Current Issues in Tourism, vol. 10 no. 5, pp. 397 – 414.

Kerr, W 2003, Tourism Public Policy, and the strategic Management of Failure, Pergamon, New York, NY.

Tourists in Figures 2013, The Luxembourg market in Flanders, Kenisbeheer, Routlege, London.

Zagris, B & Emery 1988, ‘Tourism: the orphan of Caribbean programmes, Journal of Travel Research, vol. 26 no. 3, pp. 24-28.

Zahra, A & Ryan, C 2005, ‘National Tourism Organisations — Politics, Functions and Form: A New Zealand Case Study’, Anatolia, vol. 16 no. 1, pp. 5-26.

Summary

Tourism provides employment to the local people. It is also a source of revenue both to the national and local authorities. Tourism provides the tourists with the opportunity to learn other cultural practices. In a broader aspect, tourism industry helps in the conservation of cultural heritage and even the environment.

Overview

Reasons for Travelling

Tourists travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes.

Benefits of Travel

The visiting tourists get to learn of the cultural practices of the people living around the tourists’ attraction site. Travelling is also a good way of spending one’s leisure time. Travelling provides a means of breaking boredom especially for those who work for longer hours.

Visitor Profiles

The company will keep records of the visiting tourists. This will include nationality, duration of the stay, and the room number.

Tourism Trends

The new trends in tourism industry include green tourism, travel with a mission, workforce development and tour safety.

Tourism Development in the UAE

Over a long period of time, UAE drew its revenue mainly from the sales of fuels. However, recently tourism has become one of the major sources of revenue. This has been made possible with the existence of tourist attraction sites, better security, existence of direct fights especially between the major cities, and the hospitality of the local people.

Tourism Careers

There are several careers associated with the tourism industry. These include tour guides, drivers, security officers, accounting and even environmental conservationists.

Effect of Mass Tourism on Emirati Culture

Generally, tourism will instigate the interactions between the tourists and the local people. This may cause assimilation of new cultural practices, and consequently leading to the erosion the Emirati culture.

Cultural Identity

The area has hundreds of years of Arabic history, with this information being a special feature that requires the preservation of the existing culture.

Tangible/Intangible Heritage

The Ra Ghanada’s lagoon is located at a close proximity to the Abu Dhabi City, which harbors both tangible and intangible heritage of the past. The intangible heritage includes the hospitality of the local people, which promotes peaceful coexistence amongst the inhabitants of Ra’s Ghanada area.

Local Culture as Tourism Attraction

The local Emirati culture of the local people serves as a major tourist attraction practice. This culture is unique and enticing to learn.

Festivals and Events

Due to the low number of people inhabiting the area that surrounds the Ra’s Ghanada Lagoon, there are few festivals and events being organized in this area.

Addressing Objectives and Concerns

Multiplier Effect

Given favorable conditions, the moving company intends to expand its operations within the short time in order to accumulate resources for use during the hard economic times.

Leakage

The company seeks to prevent leakage effect by constantly improving the quality of services that it offers so as to ensure high influx of tourists.

Carrying Capacity

The moving hotel will host 500 persons, with only 200 of the 500 spending in the hotel at night. However, the number of tourists in the hotel at any given time will fluctuate depending on the season of the year.

The Impact of the Tourism Industry

Economic Impact

Economically, tourism earns the country foreign exchange. The moving hotel project will also create employment to the local people, and hence a source of income. The project will provide the country with an opportunity to improve her infrastructure and other social amenities.

Environmental Impact

Depending on the nature of practice, tourism may have a negative or positive influence on the environment. The need to provide standard boarding conditions necessitates conservation and proper care of the environment. However, some tourists’ practices, such as smoking, pollute the environment.

Cultural impact

Tourism has an effect of introducing new cultural practices as tourists get to interact with the locals on a regular basis. Tourism industry in a broader aspect encourages cultural exchange amongst the practicing parties.

However, this may result in the assimilation of new practices by the locals from the tourists and may consequently lead to either erosion of the rich local cultures or emergence of new cultural practices.

Social Impact

The moving hotel project sets up the platform for the tourists to enjoy the rich Asian culture. The emergence of trade centers along the beaches may initiate high rates of crime and other social vices including theft cases.

This project will be acceptable to both groups of foreign and local tourists, as it will provide an opportunity to move between different beaches while still enjoying the comfort of the hotel. The management will have to work together with the local authorities to ensure that such vices are given proper attention, and corrective measures are put in place.

Ways to Reduce Impact

The project will implement the use of modern filters in order to ensure that most of the wastes released into the sea waters do not have adverse effects on the aquatic lives. The company will focus on measures to help the local people conserve their unique cultural practices, in addition, setting up security base to help check on the security of the area.

Sustainable Tourism

This involves travelling to areas where animals, flora and cultural heritage are the primary tourist attractions. The project seeks to help in the conservation of the Emirati culture while giving the tourists a chance to enjoy the comfort of the moving hotel.

Travelling Responsibly

Responsible travelling entails travelling to fulfill one’s desires while benefiting the local people and the surrounding environment by playing a role in environmental conservation and rehabilitation.

Interpretation

The moving hotel company intends to employ most of the local people so as to ensure that the tourists are able to get proper answers especially for questions on the Emirati culture and practices.

Tourism Elements

This involves all the factors that make up the tourism industry. They include physiographic factors, resources, people, and infrastructure among other things. Ra’s Ghanada area is generally endowed with these factors that will enable thriving of the tourism project.

Visioning Process

The vision of this project will be to provide the best tourist destination for visitors in Abu Dhabi and promote Emirati culture for people of Abu Dhabi in a completely natural habitat. Generally, this project has an advantage over other projects owing to its uniqueness and the perception of the public regarding its implementation.

Location Analysis

Destination Differentiation

The location of the Ra’s Ghanada allows an easier differentiation of the location of the moving hotel industry from other tourist attraction sites.

Destination Sustainability

The economic sustainability of the project will come from continued investment in luxury items and marketing of the hotel as a luxury destination for the selected few. The funds generated will be used to improve services regularly, as well as promoting the local community to ensure that it is able to cater for its own welfare.

Destination Lifecycle

The hotel will be moving between major centers along the beach as stipulated in the travel plans.

SWOT Analysis

Conducting a SWOT Analysis of the location and concept explains the need of understanding the internal and the external factors of the concept.

Strengths

Ra’s Ghanada area is underdeveloped and it has few inhabitants. This will ease the cost of transferring the inhabitants in order to create space for the project. Ra’s Ghanada lagoon enjoys a close proximity to the main city of Abu Dhabi. The area also enjoys good climate throughout the year.

Weakness

Ra’s Ghanada lagoon has been tipped as a home of magnificent infrastructure and other construction projects in the future. Moreover, the area is characterized with few festivals and recreational events; this may limit the number of visiting tourists.

Opportunity

The moving hotel project has the opportunity to tap the income from the great number of tourists visiting Abu Dhabi City by providing a unique and better experience to her customers.

Threats

Despite creating a new idea, the moving hotel project faces a tough test right from conception to implementation. The financial burden that comes with acquiring the heavy machineries and even hiring of expatriates is enormous and requires an organized boardroom for the project to be a success.

Marketing

Stakeholders

Stakeholders of the moving hotel project include owners of the business, shareholders, government, alliances, suppliers, operational teams, customers, local community, and the interest groups.

Visitor segmentation

The moving hotel project is targeting majorly foreign tourists and the high class families who are willing to spend on leisure tours. The visiting tourists will be majorly foreign tourists at 80%, a good number of regional tourists at 15%, and a few locals averaging just about 5%.

Promotion

The promotion will include low tour rates during off-peak seasons, tour packages for families, and low rates for local tourists. Promotion will also be done through advertisements, booklets, and brochures on planes, promotion campaigns posters, and competition.

Branding

The moving hotel is a brand in the tourism industry as it will be the first of its kind in the UAE market.

Tourism Planning and Tourism Policy

The project upon implementation will work in line with the established government policies that control the tourism industry. These include promoting healthy business environment and conservation of tourist attraction sites.

Seaside resorts were created to cater for industrialization in the late 19^th century railway era. Back then, they were frequented by wealthy visitors. In the years that followed the depression, they renewed their appeal and attracted a lot of visitors until the Second World War when most were closed.

They began to thrive again in the 1950s and were doing well until the 1970s (English Tourism Council 2001). The decline of the seaside towns began in the mid 1970s (Kennell 2011). In 1974, the world experienced the first international oil crisis. Domestic tourism fell and remained depressed until the late 1980s.

The reported numbers of English seaside tourisists showed a decrease from 32 million to 22 million staying visits and from 193 million to 104 million nights stays (Tourism insights info n. d.). In the 1980s, day visitors to seaside resorts increased tremendously. Most of this tourism market did not spend a lot, it did not contribute to accommodation spending, and it created car congestion eroding the quality of the environment and providing disincentives to better spending customers. (Middleton 2001).

A principal seaside town is one that has a population of more than 10,000 people and one where seaside tourism is a significant factor in the economy (Beatty & Fothergill 2003). These seaside resorts share characteristics that are different from other towns. They have tourist infrastructure like promenades, piers and recreation parks. They also have holiday accommodation like beach houses and caravan sites.

Tourism products being offered nowadays include coach tours and tea dances for the elderly (Beatty, Fothergill & Wilson 2008). Seaside towns evoke fond memories of playing at the beach, holidays spent in the sun with family and this has largely influenced the decision to reinvent these towns. Britain’s struggling seaside resorts are being turned into creative industries by injecting arts and culture into their attractions (Carter 2008).

There has been a lot of talk about the impending death of seaside towns but many feel that this is exaggerated. The seaside economy accounts for 22% of British domestic tourism expenditure (Economic Development & Regeneration n. d.). The market share of England’s seaside resorts from domestic and international tourists is around 13% (Middleton 2001). These figures show that domestic tourism is still a substantial contributor to the economy but many feel that if something is not done to improve it, it may decline further.

Seaside towns may soon lose the few tourists that they currently attract. Seaside towns are usually low wage economies and they have an above average proportion of pensioner households (Beatty et al. 2008). To fully understand the danger faced by seaside towns, this paper focuses on one of the most well known seaside towns, Margate. This paper outlines and evaluates the opportunities and challenges facing Margate compared to Dover, another seaside town.

It lists the characteristics of the tourism product offered, how it is marketed and branded and its contribution to local employment. It furthers explains the existing sources of investment and finance for tourism, the adequacy and effectiveness of tourism policy and planning framework, the extent of local involvement including benefits to the community and finally, environment and sustainability issues faced in the process.

Margate is in the district of Thanet in East Kent. Margate together with Broadstairs and Ramsgate were classified as Thanet to provide a more meaningful unit (Dreamland Magnate 2011). Margate is adjacent to the harbor and at the centre of an extensive conservation area. It is bounded on the east by Hawley Street and on the west by Marine drive (Visit Thanet n. d.).

It lies east-Northeast of maidstone and on the coast along the North Foreland and contains the areas of Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm bay and Westbrook. Dover, on the other hand, is located by the harbor and has a busy passenger ferry terminal (Dover District Council n. d.), a waterfront panorama, views of Dover castle, and a stylish marina among other attractions (Dover Town Council n. d.; Dover Museum n. d.). Margate is one of the first three of England’s seaside resorts.

It was initially served by coaches then steamers but the development of the Sand railway station made it grow. In 1830, it was receiving more than a hundred thousand visitors annually and by 1960, it had increased to 32 million visitors. At the height of its development, Margate had a lot of investors.

There was a ‘winter gardens’ built where concerts would be held, two large cinemas and a scenic railway (Middleton 2001). Families would go there to enjoy the bathing pools, parks and pavilions. The economy of Margate was wholly dependent on tourism during those times and it has been that way even in recent times.

Margate’s dependence on tourism has made it one of the worst hit by the decline in seaside tourism in Britain. There are many challenges facing this seaside town today. These include declining competitiveness, poor image, dilapidated infrastructure, urban degradation, pockets of antisocial behaviour, a limited demography and unreliable weather (Elborough 2010).

The seafront which is Margate’s main attraction has become detached from the town due to the road that lies between the two. There are therefore not many focal points of the sea front from the town.

Margate, like other seaside resorts, has been unable to compete successfully with other holiday destinations. There has been a rise in package holidays and low cost airfares making foreign travel more accessible and affordable and creating fierce competition for seaside towns (Elborough 2010). Margate’s lack of a unique and central attraction has contributed to the decline in competition. Dover, also situated in Kent, possesses the Dover boat which is an archeological find that is one of a kind (Dover museum n. d.).

It is also home to the famous white cliffs. These assets in Dover attract many tourists. Other new competitors are big cities such as Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle. These competitors lost their 19^th century economic base and are now putting heavy investments in attractions. They offer conference centers, new hotels and year round entertainment (Middleton 2001). These competitors are attractive destination spots for those who wish to holiday without having to travel to the seaside.

One of the main challenges being faced by Margate is dilapidated infrastructure. Margate is an area of mainly late 18^th and early 19^th century buildings of modest scale and architecture (British Resort Association 2011). These structures are not all currently in use and have been boarded up for quite a long time.

Visitors wishing to spend the night find it difficult as accommodations are not of good quality. A decline in business and lack of funds has made it impossible for the owners to renovate these buildings. The rest of the town’s infrastructure is not well maintained. The roads to the seafront are unattractive. Like Dover, Margate has put a strain on transport infrastructure.

Urban degradation is a challenge that has deprived Margate of income from tourism. For a long time small businesses and residents have been moving out and they have refrained from making investments in the area. Hotels and guest houses making little profits from tourists decided to convert their buildings into cheap houses.

This has made the seaside a destination for the unemployed, single parents and other welfare claimants. It is for this reason that the last decades have seen an establishment of seaside towns as areas of economic and social depravation just like inner city areas used to be before action was taken (Middleton 2001). Repairing bad roads and broken down buildings would be easily done but the problem of people is going to be very difficult to get rid of.

Margate’s poor image has not helped in reviving Margate as a tourist destination. Many think of Margate as tired, out of date and down-market. It is also perceived as lacking in modern cultural and artistic activities (Communities and local governments 2010). Margate, like Dover, has seen an increase in crime and antisocial behaviour. There are increasing reports of burglary and graffiti in the town’s streets. This has been credited to the type of people that are now living in these seaside towns. The presence of asylum seekers in prime visitor areas is negatively affecting efforts made to market the seaside towns (Middleton 2001).

There are various factors that have led to the decline of seaside towns. Disproportionate levels of joblessness, lower wages and low level of skills have led potential workers to move away in search of better opportunities. When tourism began to decline, many moved away to seek jobs in bigger towns. There is now no definite figure of the level of employment. Employment that results from tourism in seaside towns is difficult to quantify.

The jobs supported by these towns are spread across many sectors like hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, shops and other attractions. These sectors are frequented by local residents and tourists and this makes it hard to know what percentage is as a result of tourism only (Aitch 2002). Even with these difficulties research has been done to find out how tourism affects local employment. Thanet, Margate’s district was estimated to have only 3-4000 jobs in the seaside tourist industry.

Unfavourable weather is a challenge for seaside towns. Most of their attractions rely on sunny weather. During the summer months the economy of Margate peaks, employment is high and the tourists flock into the seaside town. Come winter and the economy takes a dive as tourists attractions present cannot be visited in bad weather (Save Dreamland Campaign n. d.).

There is not much that can be done to change the weather but a lot can be done to change the demography of Margate. It is one of the challenges of Margate to diversify the demography from one of an aging and transient population to a mixture of a young, old and permanent population.

There are a few measures that can be taken to improve Margate as a tourist destination. Some have been implemented but there is still a long way left to go. Towns that are struggling can always borrow a few methods from thriving towns. The characteristics of thriving seaside towns are: – a strong local leadership, dynamic businesses and presence of a central economic and commercial activity.

Some of the success of these seaside towns will be because of the decline of other sectors. Luck is on the towns’ side as costs of overseas travel increased lately. Overseas trips fell by 15% in 2009 (Elborough 2010). People did not cease to holiday but they changed their destination to the seaside towns.

Local authorities can be a very valuable asset in the regeneration of seaside towns. Many feel that traditional local authorities are incapable of handling regeneration plans proposed for seaside resorts. Therefore, a strong local leadership in Margate would be beneficial in several ways.

It would bring expenditure from external sources, generate employment, boost economic growth and reinforce local identity and heritage (Save Dreamland Campaign n. d.). Investment in seaside towns is also of interest to local authorities as it would bring crime rate and unemployment down. The local authority can work with other authorities to achieve better results. National, regional and local collaboration and partnerships are very slow processes, however.

They make immense time demands on the same individuals at local level, who have to service them all. But they do offer a framework for support and a route to funding that is new, and which has not yet been tried for the resorts. Effective collaboration will depend more on initiative and determination by local partnership (bottom-up) than collaborative initiatives (top-down) (Middleton 2001).

Policies laid out by the government will be of great help to seaside towns. Since these towns are very different from each other, all policies cannot apply to all towns. The government has therefore given Councils more powers to address their own problems locally. The regional development agencies also provide them with support to promote economic growth (Communities 2010).

In order to improve housing quality, they have introduced new housing rules for councils for houses in multiple occupations. Additional measures have been put in place regarding holiday site caravan licensing and the other use of ‘meanwhile’ leases to bring derelict properties back to use (Communities 2010).

Most of the projects required to revive these seaside towns require a lot of funds. Sources of investment and finance for tourism come from public and private investors like micro businesses. It is now common place that public/private sector partnerships are an integral part of the process for achieving any comprehensive urban regeneration schemes (English Tourism Council 2001).

To show their commitment to saving seaside towns, organizations make donations to individual towns. The department for culture, media and sport announced a funding program that awarded £12 million to Dover among other seaside towns (Kennell 2011). Margate also received £25 million of public funding for the construction of a contemporary art centre which is planned to be the centerpiece of the cultural regeneration of the most important of the Kentish seaside towns (Kennell 2011).

More funds were also granted towards the development of Margate. The Heritage Lottery Fund granted £3 millions to what is known as the Dreamland Margate project. This project is designed to restore dreamland Margate to its former glory. Dreamland was opened in 1920 and is home to the oldest operating rollercoaster in the country.

In January 2003, the park was closed for development to take place (Save dreamland). Once it has been renovated, dreamland will be one of UKs main attraction. It will be the world’s first amusement park of historic rides. In addition, it is designed to have classic side shows, cafés, restaurants, special events, festivals and gardens (Christmas events 2011). Recently the scenic railway roller coaster was listed and reopened bringing many thrill seekers to Margate (Aitch 2002).

Other main attractions of Margate will be Dreamland cinema and George Sanger’s menagerie cages. Dreamland will generate at least 350,000 annual visits (Dreamland Magnate 2011). A central attraction that is unique to a town has also helped Dover grow. The Dover museum is one of the oldest museums (Dover museum n. d.).

A shift from one dominant industry will also benefit Margate. Instead of being a solely holiday destination, it should focus on getting tourists all year round. New forms of tourism in other seaside towns have been explored including conference/business tourism, educational tourism, and cultural tourism (Kennell 2011).

Others will include recreation, shopping, sports, trade fairs, festivals and establishment of second homes in the area. Many of these extra markets will rhyme well with local residents’ own interests and will improve their quality of life (Middleton 2011). Through good funding, Margate will have an exhibition space, a community room, performance area, screenings, special events and a sensory garden (Dreamland Magnate 2011).

The environment is a major concern in the regeneration of towns. The media has been credited with bringing the issues faced by seaside resorts to the forefront. The media is a good tool that can be used to revive tourism. Issues of environment and sustainability can successfully be covered by the media.

Air travel carries a large carbon footprint and visiting the seaside instead of international destinations can be portrayed as good for the environment (Middleton 2001).There is also a move to use green energy like wind and waves. Growth in domestic tourism is a boost to the economy of Britain and this would appeal to patriots.

Margate’s leaders are also taking measures to ensure that Margate grows technologically and that it becomes more secure. To ensure that more people settle in this region, the town has to have these technological amenities and has to be free of crime. Online and digital public services are highly supported as well as neighbourhood policing (Communities 2010). The development in technology will also attract younger people to settle in this region. Currently the demography consists of ageing and transient populations (Communities 2010).

With all these measures taken, many are asking if development will be sustainable. There are fears that regeneration may focus on high profile developments or mega events which would not encourage community involvement or achieve desired social outcomes (Kennell 2011). Kenell (2011) further explains that Margate has been a success by having made use of their unique cultural heritage and having demonstrated that the former industrial sites of the tourism industry play a role in the likelihood of public approval.

The tourism industry is very important to the British economy. This is because it contributes in a big way to the income of the country. As such, it is in every Briton’s interests to protect this precious asset and to take it back to the position that it held in the 70s (Dines 2009).

Domestic tourism is good for the environment in the sense that it creates employment and reduces crime. There are national organizations in place to provide advice and information on how one can contribute to tourism (West of England Tourism Development Plan n. d.).

One of the greatest problems facing majority of the declining towns is that they are heavily reliant on a single industry. Towns that have historically existed due to one industry have ceased to exist with the death of that industry. Margate is one good example that has proven the importance of investing in different industries or diverse sources of income within the same industry.

A partnership between the community and the government has led to regeneration of seaside towns. The local authorities and other nonprofit organizations have risen to the challenge and are on the track of making Margate a great tourist destination (Office for National Statistics 2011). To cater for the younger generation, they have rebuilt roller coasters and have improved technological services in the towns.

The seaside holiday is a distinctly English tradition that was exported to the rest of the world (Elborough 2010). Most seaside towns attract primarily local tourists but they should not limit themselves. Some of what Margate, and other towns, has to offer is one of a kind and would be greatly appreciated by foreigners. Aggressive marketing in other countries would bring more income from international markets and continued growth of seaside towns.

Reference List

Aitch, I. 2002, ‘Seaside special’, The Guardian. Web.

Beatty, C. & Fothergill, S. 2003, The Seaside Economy: the final report of the seaside towns research project. Web.

Beatty, C., Fothergill, S., & Wilson, I. 2008, England’s Seaside Towns: a ‘benchmarking’ study, CLG, London.

British Resort Association 2011, Welcome to British Destinations 2011. Web.

Carter, H. 2008., Seaside towns plan to make cultural waves, The Guardian. Web.

Communities and local governments 2010., Strategies for seaside success: securing the future of seaside economies. Web.

Dines, N. 2009, Seaside hotels: planning and development. Web.

Dover District Council, Visit Dover. Web.

Dover Museum, Dover museum & bronze age boat gallery. Web.

Dover Town Council, All that is best in an English seaside town. Web.

Dreamland Magnate 2011., Battle of sound 2011 winners announced! Web.

Economic Development & Regeneration. Web.

Elborough T. 2010, Britons renew their love of seaside resorts as cost of holidays abroad soars, The Observer. Web.

English Tourism Council 2001., Sea Changes. Web.

Kennell, J. 2011, ‘Rediscovering cultural tourism: Cultural regeneration in seaside Towns’, Journal of Town & City Management, vol. 1, no. 4.

Middleton, T. C. 2001., English seaside resorts- Tomorrow’s Tourism or all our yesterday’s? Web.

Office for National Statistics 2011, Annual Business Inquiry. Web.

Save Dreamland Campaign, Heritage LOTTERY Fund awarded to Dreamland Magnate. Web.

Tourism insights info, UK Tourism Survey. Web.

Visit Thanet. Margate Broadstairs Ramsgate. Web.

West of England Tourism Development Plan. Web.

Executive Summary

Tourism is defined as the activity of persons moving from one place to another, naturally beyond their usual place, for the purpose relaxation, business and other purposes. Thus, a tourist can be said to be the person who moves, stays and visits a place for the purpose of deriving pleasure.

Tourism has become a diverse industry in our economy, due to the range of the economic opportunities that it provides to the society at large (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 341). The management of visitors has increasingly become an important issue in tourism destination. Greenwich, having attained a world heritage site status, has seen significant growth in the number of visitors.

This has been attributed to the diverse use of time in the society, the ability to travel at reasonable cost, and the extensive media publicity given to Greenwich as a tourist destination. The market is also reported to have matured; this has made tourists to be more discerning, and they have great expectations regarding access to such destinations. This has created pressure on the destination, prompting the need for visitor management (Flanagan 2002, p. 23).

The dilemma associated with visitor management, is the one demanding a balance of tourist interests on one hand, and the provision of education and recreational opportunities for the members of the public. On the other hand, it is important to note that visitors expose the destination, to a range of harmful risks and particularly to the artifacts.

Tourism is associated with overcrowding, congestion at specific bottlenecks, and the physical stress on sensitive parts of the site. It is therefore important to have a visitor management mechanism, which best controls the visitors, by balancing the interests of the tourists with those required for safeguarding and managing the tourist destinations (Morgan et al. 2004, p. 43).

There is need to examine the various approaches that have been applied in the management of tourism, in order to facilitate good management of the increased levels of tourist visitation. Tourism is said to be an irregular movement, and this calls for appropriate management strategies. The potential of Greenwich as a tourist destination is high, and an effective management plan has to be developed.

The development of an effective management plan demands a good documentation for the facilitation of development of the appropriate infrastructures (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 51). In addition to this, detailed policies are important. The management plans helps in the maintenance of the tourist destination and management of the visitors.

The management of visitors includes their safety as well as the accessibility of the destination by the visitors, and particularly the disabled. There is also need to manage aiding and interpretation of the tourist destination to the visitors, through the use of the tour guides, booklets that create a synopsis of the tour destination, and other information boards (Howie 2003, p. 178).

Problem Statement

Greenwich is a world heritage site and the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site Steering Group is responsible for the management of the site. The site has demonstrated effective partnership with both the public and private sectors in terms of service delivery and other management plans. The Greenwich town was established and managed on the voluntary basis, and this makes it a unique approach in regard to destination management.

The management of the Greenwich tourist site developed this management approach after the World Heritage Site Marketing Group failed to finance the management of the site, due to lack of funding. The priorities were set in terms of collaboration in the setting and developing of annual marketing schedules, between the stakeholders of the destination.

This explains the fact that the activities of the Steering Group are facilitated and co-ordinate by the council on behalf of the partners. This management feature has made Greenwich Town a unique case, and it was selected as an appropriate destination (Flanagan 2002, p. 202).

This paper seeks to identify the key organizations that are involved in the management of the Greenwich tourism. The paper also seeks to draw an analysis of the management strategies of the Greenwich town as a tourist destination. This paper will draw an analysis of Greenwich as a tourist destination, and the key features in appealing to visitors.

In addition, the paper will draw an analysis of key issues facing the destination. This will include the experience of the visitors. These issues will be developed in accordance with the SWOT/PEST principles. The appropriate recommendations will be considered as likely to promote sustainable approach to the provision of quality visitor experience (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 254).

Analysis and Evaluation

Greenwich as an Appropriate Destination

Greenwich is a World Heritage Site and also home of Greenwich Mean Time as well as the meridian time. These are famous landmarks in addition to the National maritime museum and the royal observatory. The Christopher Wren’s Old Royal Naval College is also placed within the Greenwich Town.

There are also other attraction features which make Greenwich a suitable destination for many. There is a park which allows tourists to walk and experience the hospitality of the place. There are restaurants, shops that are excellent, quite and independent. There are also friendly staffs that enhance the hospitality industry in Greenwich. A lot of information is provided to the tourists and this helps tourists in keeping them abreast with events at the events which are either sporting events or entertainment events (Eagles et al. 2003, p. 89).

Greenwich town is about 20 minutes from London and is accessible through the Docklands Light Railway, rail, tube, river boat or bus. The tourists have access to the map and this helps them to find their way around the various attraction sites, accommodation facilities and other social facilities.

Greenwich is an appropriate destination that has various strengths; the fact that it is a World Heritage Site makes it an appropriate destination for tourists. Many people around the globe appreciate a lot of history that is related to artifacts that are available within the Greenwich Town (Howie 2003, p. 178).

The fact that Greenwich is a UNESCO World Heritage Site means that it is an endangered tourist destination and this could mean that the future prospect of its development is at a threat. There is limited development that should be done to the facilities that are available in the World Heritage site to retain the historical value of these facilities.

This is because such facility should not be modified or developed because this would change their value. This makes them vulnerable to due to exposure to tourism and environment changes. The fact that the destination has the status of a World Heritage Site makes it popular among tourists, this creates a lot of pressure on the resources and it is a challenge to manage the tourist population (Flanagan 2002, p. 77).

There are various opportunities that are associated with the Greenwich Town. This means that a lot of economic gains are made from the many tourists who visit this destination. There are direct gains to the management of the site as a result of the revenues that are realized from the fees that tourists pay.

It also facilitates the existence of a sound investment environment, the members of the community benefit through direct and indirect investment that is facilitated by the tourism sector. There are threats associated with the management of Greenwich and particularly the management of tourist, irregular visits and this means that the tourists’ number may be high during certain seasons. This demands good management strategies that ensure that the tourists get the benefit of visiting the destination.

There is the challenge of providing security measures that ensures that tourists are safe and secure. There is need to provide enough tour guides who provide assistance to the tourists. Tourists also cause a threat to the artifacts at the heritage site. There is need to ensure that the historical value of the tourist destination is maintained.

The management of the Greenwich Town is under the council and the steering group. The marketing plan is run by the organizations, this exposes it to political controls and this brings in the issue of political factor (Laws 1995, p. 48).

The payment of taxes to the government, laws regarding the employment of staffs, environmental regulations that are associated with its management, there are also other trade restrictions that are applied by the government regarding the issues of human traffic and the political stability of the country and this has greatly been affected by the development of terrorism.

The world is also experiencing challenges that are economical in nature and Greenwich is not spared. The issue of growth of certain economies, variation of interest rates and the exchange rates that has been attributed to inflation.

The influence of the British Empire makes many common law states to identify with the Greenwich, tourist across the globe wish to identify with the many features that are found in Greenwich. There are challenges that are associated with this issue, health concerns, the population of tourists is overwhelming and this challenges the safety of the town and owing to the fact that different tourists have their own attitude which may not be easily pointed out.

There is a lot of technological development in the world. Greenwich is a well automated tourist destination and this makes it accessible. The marketing of tourism in Greenwich has also been changed through advertising and online marketing. There are also legal issues that are involved in the management of Greenwich as a tourist destination. These includes health laws, consumer related laws, traffic laws among others (Flanagan 2002, p. 142).

The Identification of Key Organizations Involved in the Management of Greenwich as a Tourist Destination and their influence in it

The Steering Group and the World Heritage Site Marketing Group are responsible for the management of Greenwich. The World Heritage Site Marketing is reported to have developed the annual marketing plan which is shared between the stakeholders (Elper 2002, p. 71). The group’s activities are managed and coordinated by the council on the account of the partners. This is done with the objective of ensuring that Greenwich remains a sustainable economic and a cultural destination of the international repute.

These groups work towards value addition through marketing efforts which are either long-term or short term. They also work towards the promotional projects that are designed to place Greenwich close to the marketing segments.

The groups generate economies of scale for the individual organizations by means of corporation in marketing strategies. They also work towards the creation of sustainable image and identity of Greenwich as a leisure and business destination. This is only possible through the adoption of strategic approaches in planning.

The organizations also take the responsibility of breaking down the funding as per the agreement in the marketing objectives. This naturally depends on the size of the organizations as well as the level of funds availability. These organizations have also developed alliances with other key organizations for strategic contribution and this makes the promotion and management of Greenwich Maritime which includes the Greenwich Town Centre Traders Association and The Greenwich Royal Pack.

The plan is locally administered through the World Heritage Site Steering Group and each of the representatives from the delegated group is assigned responsibility. The Greenwich Council administers the budgets on the account of the World Heritage Site subject to any administration voluntary partnership.

The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site Steering Group undertakes the responsibility of managing the plan for the site. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the Public – Private Sector partnership that is used in the achievement of sustainable destination promotion and management approach (Elper 2002, p. 63).

The strengths of this approach are that there is an extended visitor numbers. It also establishes sustainable destination management systems through the recognized public – private partnership that attracts funding. There is also the opportunity that rises through such marketing approach and particularly the effective use of limited financial and human resources that are collected through such approaches.

The effect of the world Heritage Site marketing strategy activity is that there is an overall effect of visitor spending and this means more income. The only weakness that rises out of this sustainable approach is that the contribution and participation by group members is not compulsory and this can be a potential threat to the development of long term project. The interest of these groups could change thus compromising the very existence of these sustainable visitor management and promotion.

The interest of the groups is subject to political influence and controls. The most common political factors that may affect these plans include the laws that regulate the employment, taxation policies, environmental regulations, political stability which cannot be termed as a threat at the moment because the country is not known for political instabilities (Elper 2002, p. 50).

There are economic factors, in this case group members contribute depending on their willingness and ability as well as the economic growth, the interests in the market is not stable and this may have great impact on the implementation of long terms goals and objectives. The issue of economic inflation that is being experienced in the European Economic Zone may also affect the tourism industry because many visitors will not be willing to spend on leisure activities.

The social factors with the society and the world at large, there issues of health which are highly associated with the movement of the tourists. There is need to enhance the control mechanisms in a way that will effectively manage the high number of tourists without harming the Heritage Site. There is emerging technological development, the group should move towards using technology in advancing the development of good approaches that will facilitate the appropriate approach.

The Analysis of Greenwich as Tourist Destination

Greenwich as a tourist destination has peer review programs that regulate the implementation of the World Heritage Site Marketing plan. This involves the checking and review programs that advance the standards of delivery through constant improvements. The approach is designed to collect resources through the Marketing Group. This is achieved through collective bargaining of various supplies such as advertising and designing of well recognized institutions.

It ensures that the Greenwich Town is preserved, maintained and promoted in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. The Greenwich Marketing Plan ensures key objective of the heritage site Marketing Plan broadens the appeal to a wide audience of visitors.

This is illustrated by the Civic Trust Award of 2004 where it was categorized as the most accessible tourist destination. In addition the coherent approach to the destination analysis has demonstrated that the process in Greenwich is appreciated as a great visitor’s destination.

Another factor is that the management has successfully secured funding for the delivery of Greenwich Counsel’s Public Service Agreement. This focuses on the increasing Dockland due to good service delivery to the visitors. It is a strength which makes it appealing to visitors.

There is a limitation of how to handle the challenges that are associated with the high number of visitors and other developing challenges. The issue of service delivery has been well dealt with in the meaning of the hospitality industry making it a popular destination for many.

The plan has also managed to balance the needs of the local communities and those of the tourism sector. This is a wise way of striking a balance and it doubles the gains for the visitors who benefit from the members of the community through service delivery like tour guides among others (Barney 2001, p. 143).

This is a positive way of ensuring that the visitors appreciate the services. The community hosts the visitors who buy thus sustaining promotions, physical development, and commerce consultation services to the visitors, engagement and the regeneration of the site. This is a fundamental plank in the empowerment of the local communities and it also facilitates the management and development of tourism at the grassroots level through research, analysis and other forms of engagements.

The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site partnership is appreciated by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister for facilitating the achievement of the beacon council through sustainable tourism. This is regarded as the best tourism Initiative and more so after the foundation of the Best Tourism Initiative in the Visit London Awards 2004 (Elper 2002, p. 96).

It makes this planning strategy a strong approach that is appealing to the visitors. The visitors are given value for their money through service delivery. There is less limitation to this approach and this make it more popular to those who seek its services.

The awards accredited to the institution are great opportunities because they inspire the visitors with a degree of satisfaction. There are less or no threats in regard to the needs of the visitors. This is a show of satisfaction to aspiring tourists who intent to visit the heritage site, they are assured of what kind of services to get.

The analysis of Greenwich as tourist destination (key features and appeals to visitors) while examined under the PLEST tool of strategic management. The evaluation of the project planning process is that there are political factors that may influence choice of Greenwich as a tourist destination. The laws of the place are well legislated and this encourages the tourist chances of making it their destination of choice (Yeoman 1999, p. 40).

Although there are other laws that influence the chances of a tourist making Greenwich their travel destination, the involved parties should mobilize the legislation of laws that encourage the visitation. This may include that adoption of new tax policies that favor people who visit this historical site.

The strategic plans should also be compliant with the tax policies, employment laws. The fact that it is a heritage site should be taken seriously through compliance with the relevant environmental regulations, the available trade restrictions (Barney 2001, p. 127).

There is also need to consider the relevant economic factors. This may be established through the assessment of how much the visitors are willing to spend and the specific mode of spending. This will help overcome speculation which is a rather inaccurate way of establishing the visitor’s behaviors and practices.

The fact that most of the visited areas could be part of the market that is undergoing recession and this may mean a reduction in the level of visitation, there may need to encourage the visitation during financial crises through offers and waivers that would encourage tourism all year round.

Culture should be well addressed to encourage the visitors find a sense of identity whenever they visit Greenwich. This will be an effective way of encouraging tourism. The increase in population is also anticipated and this can be managed through planning for expansions of social structures to ensure needs of visitors are met.

It will also help to manage the population of visitors (Morgan et al. 2004, p. 53). Technology is a big ideal in the implementation of any plans. This means that there is need to exploit the existing innovation for the purpose of effective realization. Social media may be used for the purpose of effectively marketing the destination and getting the needs and expectations of the visitors (Elper 2002, p. 88).

Analysis of Key Features Facing the Destination

There is a world heritage site that is surrounded by buildings and a landscape setting. The Royal Park creates an architectural symbol of the English artistic, the scientific as well as other institutional endeavor. The most notable is the era of the 17^th Century to the 19^th Century.

The Queen’s house as the first Palladian building in the English empire while the old Royal Naval College, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Hawks Moor and it gives nothing but the English Baroque. The landscape and the ensemble of the buildings at Greenwich Town give a potent architecture (Barney 2001, p. 87).

The Greenwich Park has also been re-planned with a historical attribute to Andre Le Notre dating back to the 1660s. It surrounds Royal Observatory, a scientific designed building which has served as a research centre for over 250 years. It has also been used for the purpose of time keeping and other forms of taxonomy. This led to the navigational and temporal Greenwich Meridian dating back in the 1884. The Royal Hospital for the seamen was established in the 1696-1869.

These institutions create many historical features that are part of the Greenwich. They entail what is regarded as the early modern history of the British Empire which is attributed to British maritime power, scientific development, educational development and the British culture. This gives a historical account to the very existence of the modern day role of these historical institutions (Gibson 2005, p. 34; Papatheoderou 2006).

The World Heritage site status indicates the significance of the site to the world. The management plan is reported to be reviewed after every five years with the objective of preserving the character of the Greenwich. It promotes cultural and educational resources. This makes it very important for the welfare of the society. The set guidelines help in the conservation and also ensure that the sites maintain its interpretation to the posterity.

This has had significant impact on the Greenwich as it was demonstrated with the opening-up of the Old Royal Naval College to the public. The Queen’s house, Greenwich is one of the great features of the Greenwich gives a detailed account of the historical development of the British Empire. The Queen’s house creates a history and thus serves as a learning institution for many who visit it (Flanagan 2002, p. 60).

The Alfege Anglican Parish which lies at the centre of the Greenwich is more than one thousand years old and brings the memory of Archbishop Alfege who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. It forms part of the long British history. The Trafalgar Tavern is also a feature that forms part of the Greenwich making it a symbolic figure in the history of the British Empire. The National Maritime Museum gives a detailed history of the British Empire with collection of exploration collections.

It gives a detailed history of the rise of the British Empire. The Royal River which creates beautiful scenery is also one of the great features within Greenwich. Any visitor would not resist visiting all this destinations and this informs the need for an effective management policy that would ensure that all stakeholders benefits (Mearns 2011, p. 63).

Analysis of Issues Involved in Destination Visitor Experience

There is need to understand the behavioral trends of the visitors, consumer experience is an issue of concern in the development of an effective plan. The understanding of the consumer’s behaviors regarding the artistic, entertainment, sporting activities is an important issue for the purpose of information processing.

There is need to identify the leisure experience of the visitors for the emotional perspective. This is important for the purpose of understanding the appropriate destination management (Barney 2001, p. 67; Shackley 1998).

There is need to change from the rational to the emotional perspective which the visitor use in decision making. This is an effective approach because it evaluates the exact expectations of the visitor. This mode eliminates the traditional assumption which assumes that people come with vague expectations. It helps assemble the actual feelings that are associated with the experience of the visitor.

This is an efficient mode of evaluating the level of satisfaction of the visitor and it informs the development of effective strategies that are designed to meet the actual expectations of the visitors. This can be termed as a checklist on the discrete of an actual experience of a visitor. This is a move that can be regarded as strength in strategic planning as it eliminates the weaknesses that are attributed with the overall assumption that a visitor is satisfied without actually verifying the same (Gibson 2005, p. 34; Shackley 2003).

The plan is effective because it indicates an effective change from assuming the expectations to satisfying the actual interests. It is clear that a consumer will settle on a destination that they are congruent with or one that enhances his or her ideals. It is important to understand that a visitor would naturally settle for one convention beyond the daily hustles. The challenges and pleasures of the visitor should not be physical. This is because experience offer intellectual stimulus for learning and growth (Gibson 2005, p. 79; UNCSD 2001).

There is need to have an understanding of the role of the visitor as the active participant. This is because tourist could have experimental experience that is formed by their motivation. This approach has its limitation, it would be difficult to access all the visitors and establish their true experience.

There is also the issue of ideological difference that could be attributed to test and preferences. The test of one visitor could vary with that of another. There is also the issue of cultural experience. There are also other reasons that could be used to verify the validity of such a plan. Technology may be used to evaluate the experience of the visitor through the social media (Barney 2001, p. 46).

Recommendation for a Sustainable Approach to Provide a Quality Visitor Experience

There is need for positive changes that would facilitate the full realization of the potential of the promotion of a sustainable approach in the provisions of a quality visitor experience. The following areas have been recommended as deserving more enhancements (World Tourism Organization 2007, p. 58).

In order to provide quality services to the visitors, there is need for the review of the implementation of the World Heritage Marketing Plan. More efforts should be placed on the quality service delivery. It is recommended that the improvement be realized through constant improvements.

It is recommended that more focus be placed on the changing consumer expectations. This would provide quality accommodation and more visitors would appreciate the value and attention they get. This may be realized through encouraging the stakeholders to be more innovative. This can be achieved through working together as the social agents of change that would facilitate effective realization of effective plans for the visitors.

The achievement of quality tourism services can only be attained through close engagement of all the stakeholders. It has been observed that the local authority has a critical role in the management of the destinations and have a role in supporting the delivery of services by the partners.

The technology is a big ideal in the implementation of any plans. This means that there is need to capitalize on the existing innovation for the purpose of effective realization. The social media may be used for the purpose of effectively marketing the destinations and getting the views on the needs and expectations of the visitors.

References

Barney, J 2001, Strategic capabilities and knowledge transfer, Arturo Publication, Oxford.

Eagles, P et al 2003, Tourism and protected areas: benefits beyond Boundaries, Martin Publication, London.

Elper, W 2002, Ecotourism: principles, practices and policies sustainability, Longman, New York.

Flanagan, S et al 2002, Tourism destination planning, Tourist Research Centre, Dublin.

Gibson, H 2005, Understanding sport tourism experience, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford.

Howie, F 2003, Managing the tourist destination, Thomas Learning, London.

Laws, E 1995, Tourist destination planning, Tourist Research Centre, Dublin.

Mearns, F 2011, Using sustainable tourism indicators to measure the stability of community based ecotourism ventures, Pink Trek, Lesotho.

Morgan, N et al 2004, Destination Branding: creating the unique destination proposition, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford.

Papatheoderou, A 2006, Managing tourism destination, Edward Edgar, London.

Shackley, M 1998, Visitors management: case studies from the World Heritage sites, Oxford Publication, London.

Shackley, M 2003, Managing sacred sites: service provision and visitor experience, Thomson Learning, London.

UNCSD, 2001, From theory to practice: indicators for sustainable development, UNCSD, New York.

World Tourism Organization, 2007, A practical guides to destination management, World Tourism Organization, Madrid.

Yeoman, T 1999, Heritage Visitor Attractions: An operations management perspective, Cassel Publication, London.

Executive Summary

Dubai has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It is also characterized by one of the most favorable business environments. Various largest businesses in the world have offices in Dubai. The present paper provides a brief analysis of Dubai in terms of politics, economy and culture. The present report also provides certain recommendations concerning entry strategies for Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

The company should take into account regulations existing in the region, especially concerning free zones. The company can also consider cooperation with one of the largest hotels chains in Dubai, Jureimah.

The company should pay special attention to human resources management, including training and internship for nationals. As for the entry strategies, the company should focus on deluxe services provided and specific peculiarities of each of the new hotels. Thus, one hotel can be culturally-oriented; the others can be designed for business people, etc.

Introduction

Starwood Hotels & Resorts (also referred to as “the company”) is one of the most successful hotel chains in the USA as well as worldwide. It is also one of the fastest-growing businesses in the world. Thus, according to the company’s 2011 annual report, from 2007 to 2011 the company opened 389 hotels (Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide 3).

Notably, those were years of the world financial crisis and the company still managed to continue developing. The company owns luxury hotels (The Luxury Collection^®, W^®, Westin^®, Le Méridien^®, Sheraton^®), select-service hotels (Four Points^®, Aloft^®) and an extended stay hotel Element^®. The company continues opening new hotels worldwide.

At present, Dubai is one of the most favorable sites to develop hotel chains as the city is one of the most popular tourist attractions (Karrar-Lewsley n.p.). It is necessary to note that favorable business environment and prospects this Emirate promises attracts many hoteliers (Hall n.p.).

Nonetheless, Starwood Hotels & Resorts can become one of the leaders in this market as well. The company is planning to open at least five new hotels in Dubai in the period between 2012 and 2017 (Starwood Hotels & Resorts). The present report provides a brief analysis of business environment in Dubai and outlines a possible entry strategy for the company.

Brief Analysis of Dubai

Dubai is the second financial center of the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi is the first). The economy of the country has largely relied on oil production which is regarded as a long-term challenge. However, the government’s efforts to diversify the economy of UAE has been quite successful so far as now GDP “based on oil and gas output” is only 25% (HSBC 8). The government pays a lot of attention to the development of hospitality business and real estate business. The government also creates favorable environment for foreign investors.

It is necessary to note that Dubai was significantly affected by the 2008 financial crisis as its economy heavily relied on the real estate business. The strategic plan of the country is to continue diversification of its economy, paying special attention to hospitality business. The UAE will also focus on improving education to provide the country with domestic professionals and it will focus on increasing its private sector employment.

The United Arab Emirates is “the 36^th largest economy in the world and No.2 in the GCC” (HSBC 10). The country is regarded as one of the most favorable places to run business due to the existence of free zones. Zero taxes also attract investors from all over the world. According to The Economist, all top ten companies of Fortune 500 companies have their offices in Dubai (HSBC 10).

It is important to note that tourism is one of the fastest developing branches of economy in Dubai. Recent turmoil in the Middle East and Africa discouraged tourists from coming to those regions. Thus, major touristic destinations like Egypt and Tunisia have lost their popularity among travellers.

At the same time, stability in the UAE and governmental support favorably affected the development of the industry (see fig. 1). Tourists from all over the world visit Dubai as one of the most attractive tourist destinations (see fig. 2). Notably, Islamic countries are now witnessing an unprecedented economic rise, which boosts demand for luxury or high standard hotels in the region and major tourist destinations (Fattah n.p.).

Government, Regulations and Taxation

As has been mentioned above, Dubai is regarded as one of the most favorable places to run business. Foreign investors are attracted by free zones and zero taxes. However, there are certain negative points to take into account. The government’s strategic plan is to develop private sector.

Therefore, domestic businesses are in somewhat more favorable position. It is especially true for real estate sector. Thus, the company’s decision to reduce investment in “owned real estate” business and focus on franchising and management business can be winning in Dubai (Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide 3).

Furthermore, foreign companies which want to operate outside a free zone need to have a local partner. At that, the local partner should own no less than 51% of the business. Therefore, the company should consider operating within free zones. Luckily, there are about 30 free zones in the UAE. The majority of these free zones are in Dubai (HSBC 10). However, even if the company considers operating outside the free zone, there is another possible way out, i.e. franchising.

It is also very important to understand peculiarities of the country’s regulations and laws (Guffey & Loewy 80). When it comes to Dubai, the free zone laws and federal laws are quite complex and can be rather confusing. Finally, the government also pays a lot of attention to sustainable development of the region. There are quite many environmental issues to be addressed. Therefore, the government imposes certain regulations to secure sustainable development of the region.

Competition

Lavin et al. state that it is crucial to study competitors when entering a new market (96). Hospitality business is highly competitive. Major competitors of the company are world hotel chains like REIT (Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide 3). As far as the region in question is concerned, the major competitors of the company are Jumeirah, Mövenpick, and Marriott. The three hotel chains have announced that several new hotels will be built in Dubai within three years (see fig. 3).

However, it is necessary to add that this competition is not quite direct as the company and the companies mentioned above are in different segments, provide different range of services. Of course, Jumeirah is the most potent competitor as it is in the same segment as it specializes in the sector of luxury hotels.

This hotel chain is owned by government of Dubai, which means it has direct governmental support. However, the number of hotels existing in Dubai and hotels which are to be erected is quite small. Therefore, Starwood Hotels & Resorts can be competitive.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts is famous for its luxury hotels. Mövenpick is also famous for its 5-star range hotels. Though, this company provides less diversified services than Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Marriot specializes in full-service lodgings and extended-stay lodgings. As has been mentioned above, there is need for high standard services in Dubai. Thus, segment of luxury hospitality services is quite promising in the region. It is important to add that the hospitality market is far from being saturated:

Dubai, should be able to absorb more hotels as the government continues to develop demand generators [like the expansion of airport and harbour capacities and focusing on tourism, trade and logistics]. (qtd. in Jain n.p.)

Customer Profile

As has been mentioned above, Dubai is one of the most popular tourist destinations. People from all over the world come to Dubai. As far as the perspective customers’ characteristics are concerned, the company’s customers are diverse. People of all nationalities and ages come to Dubai. However, the most distinctive feature of the company’s customer will be the customers’ income. The company will focus on people having high income. These people are accustomed to the highest quality of services provided.

The company should also take into account needs of the potential customers. Family vacation, romantic vacation and business meetings should be the company’s priorities. It is also important to take into account cultural peculiarities of the country and cultural peculiarities of potential customers. It is possible to work out special services for Muslims especially in such period as Ramadan.

HRM Strategies

Notably, human resources management needs special attention. Of course, the company will have a number of expatriates in the new hotels. However, it is important to take into account the government’s incentives and strategic plans (HSBC 24). Employers are encouraged to hire UAE nationals.

Therefore, it is important to minimize the number of expatriates in Dubai. Fortunately, the government has launched various incentive aimed at improving quality of education in Dubai. Thus, it is possible to hire a staff of professionals. Besides, tourism is a highly developed sector of economy and there are quite many high profile professionals.

It is also necessary to note that the company will need to adjust its HR strategies to Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 which is also referred to as Labor Law (HSBC 24). Apart from this, it is necessary to adjust code of conduct to cultural peculiarities of the country as well.

Another successful strategy the company can exploit is concerned with training. Admittedly, employees of the company take various training courses. It is possible to launch a program which will enable students from Dubai to take an internship in the company’s hotels in Dubai. This will enable the company to acquire the most aspiring, loyal and skilled workers (Plessis & Beaver 173). This will also help the company (as an employer) develop a favorable image.

Importantly, salaries should be competitive. Employees should be motivated. However, high salaries cannot be regarded as the only possible motivating tool. Thus, promotion and extra perks should be taken into account. Besides, the most successful local workers can take training courses at some of the company’s hotels worldwide. This cultural exchange will be favorable for the entire company.

Potential Benefits

Potential benefits of the company’s presence in Dubai can hardly be overestimated. In the first place, the company will be presented in one of the most popular tourist destinations. Dubai is one of the fastest developing touristic sites, which attracts millions of tourists worldwide.

It is estimated that interest to this tourist destination will grow (Karrar-Lewsley n.p.). This is important as coverage can be crucial for hotel chains. Starwood Hotels & Resorts is represented in some countries of the Middle East. Dubai is one of the centers of this region, so it is but natural that the company should also be represented there.

Besides, running business in Dubai is very profitable as region has a very favorable business environment. Dubai is also one of the places where luxury hotels are competitive. As has been mentioned above, Islamic world’s wealth is rising and there is need for luxury services which the company can provide. The region has a great potential (enough resources) which can help the company develop.

Possible Entry Strategies

In the first place, it is possible to open three hotels in free zones and two hotels can be opened in non-free zones. To open the latter two hotels, the company can resort to franchise. There are various local companies which can be interested in such kind of cooperation.

It can be also possible to start negotiations with one of the leaders on the touristic market of Dubai, i.e. Jumeirah. It is possible to launch a mutual project in one of the non-free zones. This co-operation can be beneficial for the company as it will be one of quite few foreigners in non-free zones.

Besides, cooperation with Jumeirah ensures governmental support to the project, which is also very important. This project can be quite costly, but it will be profitable. This can be a very noticeable entry on one of the most prospective markets. Possible motto of the project can be as follows: “Luxurious cooperation between the East and the West”.

As for the opening of the hotels in free zones, it is also important to consider major vectors. As has been mentioned above, luxury hotels in Dubai are not scarce. Therefore, the company should not only provide deluxe services, but should meet needs of specific groups of visitors. For instance, cultural peculiarities of visitors can be taken into account. Thus, apart from international and national cuisines, it is possible to introduce special offers for Ramadan. Special diets can also be suggested to visitors.

The majority of hotels focus on holiday travelers. However, Dubai is becoming one of the most significant financial centers in the world. Therefore, various services should be provided to business people. Moreover, one of the hotels can be designed totally to meet needs of this group of visitors. Great number of rooms and large conference halls should be available for business people. This specific feature of the hotel should be central for the advertising campaign.

As for the advertising campaign for the new hotels, the Internet should play an important role in this process. Information about the new openings should also be available in existing Starwood hotels and resorts. The advertising campaign should reach two major aims, to advertise the destination (which is already very popular) and to advertise the new hotels.

Each hotel should have one peculiarity. For instance, one of the new hotels can be designed for business. One of these hotels can be culturally oriented, i.e. focus on certain culture. Of course, the campaign should refer to the image of the hotel chain and high quality of the services provided.

Finally, now sustainability is one of the major concerns of people worldwide. Therefore, construction of the hotels should be sustainable. Sustainability of the projects should be also highlighted in the advertising campaign. Admittedly, this can be one of the major peculiarities of the hotels.

Conclusion

Thus, it is possible to note that Starwood Hotels & Resorts can successfully enter the hospitality market of Dubai which is one of the most perspective markets in the area. Luxury hotels of Starwood chain will perfectly fit the competitive environment of Dubai. The company will need to take into account specific regulations of the UAE and Dubai. The company should consider allocating some hotels in free zones and some hotels in non-free zones. In the latter case, the company should resort to franchising.

The company should also consider cooperation with one of the leaders of the hospitality sector in Dubai. This will make the company more competitive on the market in the emirate. Besides, the company should pay specific attention to human resources management strategies (focus should be made on the employees’ development). The advertising campaign should highlight major peculiarities of the new hotels. Finally, the advertising campaign should also specify that the company promotes sustainable development.

Works Cited

Fattah, Zainab. “Hotel Expansion Surges in Saudi Arabia as Mecca Goes Upscale.” Financial Post. 27 Jun. 2012. Web.

Guffey, Mary Ellen, and Dana Loewy. Business Communication: Process & Product. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.

Hall, Camilla. “Hotel Group Books in for Gulf Expansion.” The Financial Times. May 2012. Web.

HSBC. Doing Business in the UAE, Dec. 2010. Web.

Jain, Shweta. “Can Dubai Check in More Hotels?” Gulf News. 22 Jun. 2012. Web.

Karrar-Lewsley, Tahani. “Emirate’s New Boom Is Hotel Rooms.” The Wall Street Journal. 2 Jul. 2012. Web.

Lavin, Frank, Peter Cohan, and Gary Locke. Export Now: Five Keys to Entering New Markets. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Print.

Picenoni, Rico and Hala Matar Choufany. 2012 Middle East Hotel Survey: The Impact of the Arab Spring. HVS, Apr. 2012. Web.

Plessis, Andries J., and Bob Beaver. “The Changing Role of Human Resource Managers for International Assignments.” International Review of Business Research Papers 4.5 (2008): 166-181. Print.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Starwood Hotel Directory: New Hotels, 2012. Web.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. A Better Way to Experience the World: 2012 Proxy Statement & 2011 Annual Report, 2012. Web.

Introduction

The tourism sector plays a significant role in the economic development of any country. Saudi Arabia is a unique tourism destination especially for the Muslim world. This is more so because the country holds the site of pilgrimage for the Muslims, unique Islamic attributes, as well as special traditions (SCTA 2012).

In the recent past, the Saudi Arabian government has made several plans to open up the country to visitors, but in a manner that significantly emphasizes the country’s character, customs as well as traditions. The Saudi Arabian government, the country’s tourism authority, as well as all major stakeholders in the Saudi Arabian tourism industry, have continuously focussed on quality and standards strategy, and action plan to promote the Saudi Arabia’s tourism prospects.

The foundation for a more vibrant Saudi Arabian tourism has been underway for the last decade, and these efforts have recently started bearing fruits. This paper shall review the prospects of Saudi Arabian tourism sector and examine how to make domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia less expensive.

Literature Review

By 2008, major plans had been underway for the opening up of Saudi Arabia for both local and foreign visitors. This was through the establishment of quality cultural and historical centre, women-only hotel and spas, as well as leisure and lifestyle resorts in major visitor attraction destinations within the country such as the country’s Red Sea coast.

It is without doubt that Saudi Arabia is one of the largest tourism destination and market in the Middle East, with regard to the number of visitors alone. Being the home to the two most important Muslim holy mosques, Saudi Arabia appeals to many people. According to the Oxford Business Group (2008, p.118), Saudi Arabia had 13.5 million visitors with those performing pilgrimages accounting for 51%.

In the past couple of decades, tourists have visited Saudi Arabia majorly for religious or pilgrimage and cultural reasons. However, those tourists visiting for purely leisure and shopping reasons have remained significantly few (Scott & Jafari 2010, p. 257). Cordesman (2003, p. 340) notes that in 2000, the government of Saudi Arabia created a supreme commission for tourism, mandated with the task of surveying all the tourism activities in Saudi Arabia by region.

As such, the current Saudi Arabian tourism policy aimed at opening other tourism destinations within Saudi Arabia, which have remained idle and unexplored. The current strategy aims at supporting tourism and Saudi Arabian heritage, enhancing the cultural dimension of the Saudi tourism sector, and promoting both domestic and foreign tourism (Cordesman 2003, p. 340).

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to review the prospects of Saudi Arabian tourism sector and examine how to make domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia less expensive. The result of this study shall add on to existing literature, which can be used by the Saudi Arabian government, the private sector, as well as other stakeholders in the tourism sector and other related fields.

Problem Statement

What are the prospects of Saudi Arabian tourism sector and how to make domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia less expensive?

Scope of the study

The study shall analyze data coming from the Saudi Arabian government, ministry in charge of tourism, supreme commission for tourism, tourism service providers, as well as other stakeholders in the tourism sector within Saudi Arabia. To limit the scope of analysis and to keep things comparable, stakeholders in the tourism sector whose primary business lies within tourism service provision shall all be included.

Relevance of the study

The tourism sector plays an important role in economic development of Saudi Arabia. As such, it is relevant and significant to review the prospects of Saudi Arabian tourism sector and how to make domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia less expensive.

Research design

In order to obtain the necessary information for the study, both primary and secondary research shall be undertaken. To substantiate existing literature, data from samples shall also be gathered using surveys and questionnaires, which shall be given at random to existing tourism stakeholders. The manners through which the surveys shall be conducted are expounded below.

The sampling design

Random sampling shall be employed to get a sample group to answer the questionnaire for the study.

Data collection methods

Both primary and secondary research collection methods shall be utilized to gather information that will help bare out the objectives of the study. Previous studies related to the topic shall be analyzed to see their relevance to the topic as well as to supplement the findings gathered from primary research.

References

Cordesman, A H 2003, Saudi Arabia Enters the 21^st Century: The Political, Foreign Policy, Economic, and Energy Dimensions, Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport.

Oxford Business Group, 2008, The Report: Saudi Arabia 2008, Oxford Business Group Publishing, London.

Scott, N & Jafari, J 2010, Tourism in the Muslim World, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley.

SCTA, 2012, Saudi Arabia: Experience to Discover. Web.

Executive summary

Ballarat is a region in Australia that has got a myriad of attractions ranging from the scenic views to the enchanting boutiques and galleries that it has. These features are tourist attractions to both the local and foreign tourists. Domestic visitors form the bulk of visitors who toured Ballart in the year 2009/2010. Foreign tourists on the other hand are the ones who spent the most money while on tour in Ballarat.

The tourism industry in Ballarat aided in the development of various tourism related businesses. According to statistics of 2009/2010 regarding Ballarat’s tourism industry, more than 2100 tourism related businesses were in operation. These businesses ended up creating more employment opportunities for the local residents and boosted the economy of the region as a result (Ekonde, 2011).

In spite of the fact that the industry has grown over time, operations are underway in search of better practices that need to be adopted by various stakeholders in the industry to enhance their competitiveness and enable them to compete with other world class tourist destinations.

The importance of marketing in the tourism industry cannot be overemphasized if one wants to remain relevant in the industry. Stakeholders in Ballarat’s tourism industry are no exception. They need to come up with marketing strategies that are effective, relevant and are line in with times.

Introduction

Ballarat is Victoria’s largest historic inland city situated 110 kilometers west of Melbourne. It has some of the best Victoria’s hidden tourism treasures. They include wide open spaces with a panoramic view, exquisite galleries that are enchanting and vintage boutiques that are pristine and elegant (Flanagan, 2000).

The city also has engaging and exciting events throughout the year that tourists can sample and enjoy. The region is rich in Australian history that tourists can immerse themselves in not to mention one of the most unique and exciting shopping experiences in the numerous shopping complexes and boutiques.

The purpose of this report is to analyze the visitor situation in Ballarat and coming up with relevant, efficient and effective promotional activities that are going to portray the region as the ideal tourist destination for both the local and foreign tourists.

The development of effective marketing materials and marketing strategies is crucial for tourism activity in Ballarat to be more vibrant. Ballarat should consider incorporating promotional activities such as generic brochures, placing advertisements in local newspapers, informing the local residents about the passport campaign, media releases and blog campaigns.

These are some of the promotional activities that stakeholders within the Ballarat tourism industry should consider adopting in an effort of shoring up activity within their industry (Pike, 2004).

The visitor situation in Ballarat

According to the regional tourism profile of Ballarat, approximately $284 million dollars was spent by visitors in the region. 47% of this amount was spent by domestic visitors who spent the night in Ballarat.

It is reported that a total of 1.9 million visitors toured the region of Ballarat, 75% of these visitors were domestic who had visited the region during the day. 1.1 million Nights were spent in Ballarat. Of these nights, 83% were domestic visitors who spent the night in Ballarat.

In the month of June, there were approximately more than 2100 tourism related businesses in the region of Ballarat. 48% of these businesses were non- employing. 45% of these businesses were made up of micro or small businesses. The tables below give a summary of the expenditure by of tourists who visited Ballarat region and related business activities (Pike, 2008).

Ballarat region summary 2009/2010

Tourism businesses 2009/10

Analysis of Data on Ballarat’s visitor situation

From the data above, it is apparent that residents of Australia form the bulk of visitors who visit Ballarat. Such a phenomenon is commendable since it implies that Ballarat’s tourism industry is largely self sufficient in that it does not depend on foreigners to thrive.

The industry does not experience high or low seasons since the influx of tourists to the region are regular. As a result, employment opportunities that arise out of these tourist activities are available throughout the year. This means that the economy of the region is stable all year round (Kozak, et al. 2009).

It is important for stakeholder in Ballarat’s tourism industry to promote Ballarat as an ideal tourist destination for foreigners. They should aggressively market Ballarat as an ideal tourist destination in foreign markets in an attempt of increasing the number of foreign tourists visiting Ballarat.

This will go along way towards improving the economy of the region by providing additional employment to the local residents over and above that which the domestic tourists have helped to establish.

This can be achieved by incorporating additional exciting events to the regional tourism calendar. Activities that are interesting and enjoyable will definitely appeal to a wider audience both the local and foreign tourists. This will shore up the number of tourists who visit Ballarat (Wang, 2011).

Ballarat’s marketing strategy

Stakeholders in Ballarat’s tourism industry need to develop marketing materials that will showcase Ballarat as an ideal tourist destination with the intention of giving potential visitors a reason to visit the region.

There are some destination specific factors that stakeholders should consider when coming with the marketing materials. One needs to consider whether the visitor has been to the destination before or not. The cost of living of living at the destination as well as prices of the tourism packages should be in the back of the minds of those charged with the responsibility of developing Ballarat’s marketing materials.

The facilities at the destination, cost of transportation, time taken to travel, and the quality of services and political stability of the destination are key in the process of developing effective marketing materials (Lubbe, 2003).

Information that has been collected about the visitor situation in Ballarat points to the fact that the majority of visitors who tour Ballarat are local residents. 75% of the 1.9 million visitors who toured Ballarat region during the day were domestic visitors and 83% of the 1.1 million visitors who spent the night in Ballarat were also domestic visitors.

On the other hand, although foreign visitors are not as many as domestic visitors, they spent more money while touring the region than domestic visitors-53% of $284 million spent in Ballarat in 2009/2010.

Therefore, Ballarat regional tourism should tailor their promotions in a way that it will give the domestic tourists a reason to spend more money when touring the region. The promotions should also showcase Ballarat region as an ideal tourist destination that will appeal to a larger audience of foreign tourists (Garrod, 2005).

It is a fact that foreign tourists spend a lot more than domestic tourists who visit Ballarat. Stakeholders of Ballarat’s tourism industry should find out what exactly is the reason that makes foreign tourists to spend more and enhance it to increase the amount of money they spend while visiting the region.

Tourism related businesses in Ballarat have gradually gone up over the years. It is reported that in the year 2009/2010 there were more than 2100 tourism related businesses in Ballarat. 48% of these businesses were non-employing while 45% of these consisted of micro and small businesses.

The Ballarat regional tourism should look for ways that will ensure that tourism related businesses participate fully in the tourist activities within the region.

All tourism related business should be made to understand the importance adopting certain business practices that will alter their individual businesses and that of the region for the better. They should be impressed upon the importance developing competitive products, providing quality service, offering discounts on the products and services on sale and pricing their products and services fairly (Van der Veen, 2003).

The measures mentioned above are just some of the few that would change the fortunes of tourism related businesses in Ballarat and the economy of the entire region if they are implemented.

All the tourism related businesses should be given incentives by the local authorities in effort of encouraging them to keep running their businesses. Incentives such as tax breaks, creating an environment that is conducive for running a business and reducing the cost of running any tourism related industry in the region will go a long way towards ensuring that businesses actively participate in the tourism industry.

All tourism related businesses should consider joint marketing when they want to promote their goods and services. The merits that come with this are that it is cost effective owing to the economies of scale. It is also bound to reach a much wider audience because it markets all the businesses as a whole. The businesses should have attractive packages complete with discounts that will serve to attract more customers.

Stakeholders in Ballarat’s tourism industry are supposed to come up with various ways of that will effectively market Ballarat as an ideal tourist destination both at home and abroad. There are a variety of promotional strategies and these strategies have to reach the target market.

Small brochures and flyers are simple yet effective in getting the message to the intended domestic audience. These are easily distributed to the local residents and are not costly to produce (Scott, 2009).

Placing of advertisements about a campaign in the local newspaper is another effective way of reaching a wider audience. This may cost more than other forms of advertising but the end results justify the relatively high costs.

Media releases are much more sophisticated in terms of promoting a campaign like the passport campaign in an effort of attracting more visitors to Ballarat. Media releases will cost a lot more than other forms of advertising but they reach an equally wider audience compared to other forms of advertising.

One is sure of reaching a wider audience if his mode of advertisement of choice is through media release. Media releases include placing advertisements about the campaign in either the radio or the television.

Technological advances and the advent of the internet have brought with them new ways of communication as well as advertisement. Nowadays, online advertising is all the rage by virtue of the fact that it is capable of reaching a much wider audience comparative to other forms of advertising.

Online advertising can be placed on websites or blogs. Any visionary organization or institution uses online advertising together with other forms of advertising to popularize its products and services.

Stakeholders of Ballarat’s tourism industry should also consider online advertising to popularize their campaign strategy. This is more so because of the nature of the industry they are in. Online advertising is very suitable for any tourism related business.

This is because apart from reaching a wider audience, both local and foreign, it is cost effective and saves on time and workload. Ballarat’s tourism industry has no option but to go for online advertising if they are to remain competitive in their industry.

Recommendation

Ballarat is region that is historically rich. There are numerous unique features about the place and if it is marketed aggressively, tourists will flock the region in droves. There are a number of measures if adopted by the various stake holders in the region’s tourism industry, the tourism industry of the region will thrive.

Stakeholders have to first of all identify the relevant target market both at home and abroad. Target market refers to the visitors who are highly likely to visit Ballarat by virtue of the features that appeal to them.

The second step is creating a comprehensive perceived tourist image of Ballarat. The various different aspects about Ballarat that will make the region more appealing to visitors include natural resources. Under natural resources one should give a detailed description of the scenery, the variety and uniqueness of the flora and fauna. The general infrastructure of the place should also be described.

The state of roads, airports and the general system of transport should be outlined. Tourist infrastructure such as hotels and restaurants should also be given. Aspects of cultural history and art such museums and historical buildings should be included as well.

What follows thereafter is the development of a creative, relevant and effective promotional strategy for both the domestic and foreign visitors who had been previously identified as the target market. The different promotional strategies that they would have come up with are in turn advertised in the various media.

The regions tourism stakeholders should team up with all the tourism related businesses in the region and market their products and services along with the region to achieve the desired maximum effect on the prospective visitors. Interesting and exciting packages offered by the various stakeholders will tremendously boost the influx of tourists in the region of Ballarat.

Conclusion

Ballarat’s tourism has come a long way. Every sector in the industry has experienced growth. This is as a result of increased flow of tourists into Ballarat. Tourism related businesses have also increased as a result creating employment to the local residents of Ballarat hence boosting its economy.

There is a lot more though that can be done to grow the industry to higher levels. Integration of modern technology in all aspects of the business will do a great deal in terms of taking the industry to the next level.

Using the internet to market the region the world over will give the industry a competitive edge. In summary, the industry should develop unique selling points that highlight key factors that are appealing to the visitors. This will ensure that the industry continues to grow from strength to strength.

References

Ekonde, C. (2011). Tourism Destination Marketing. Oxford: VDM Verlag.

Flanagan, S. (2000). Tourism destination marketing: gaining the competitive edge. Dublin:Tourism Research Centre.

Garrod, B. (2005). Tourism marketing: a collaborative approach. London, UK: Channel View Publications.

Kozak, M., et al. (2009). Advances in Tourism Destination Marketing: Managing Networks. New York, NY: Routledge.

Lubbe, B., (2003). Tourism management in Southern Africa. Durban: Pearson South Africa.

Pike, S. (2004). Destination marketing organizations. Duisburg: Elsevier.

Pike, S. (2008) Destination marketing: an integrated marketing communication approach. New York, NY: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Scott, D. (2009). The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs, News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons

Van der Veen, R. (2003). Tourism Destination Marketing: Destination Europe. Breda, Netherlands: NHTV internationale hogeschool Breda

Wang, Y. (2011) Destination Marketing and Management: Theories and Applications. Berkshire, United Kingdom: CABI.

Target market

For a product or service to penetrate the market effectively, a target market must be identified (Abrams & Kleiner, 2003, p. 89). During 2011, Australia has forecasted an increment in the volume of its inbound tourism arrivals with a margin of 4.9%. However, the growth rate is expected to ease to an average of 3.9% annually until 2019(Invest In Australia, 2011, para. 4, 2011).

It is also forecasted that the total inbound economic value will increase with a margin of 3.8% annually during the same period. There are numerous tourist attraction sites in Australia. For example, Sydney has a considerable number of tourist attraction sites that can appeal both domestic and foreign tourists.

In an effort to promote tourism in Sydney, Sydney Tourism Authority has developed a new program referred to as ‘Sydney in a Day’. The objective of the program is to promote inbound tourism within Sydney, Australia. The core target market for this program is inbound tourists specifically leisure and business tourists.

Market entry strategy

There are different market entry strategies that a firm can use in an effort to position itself in the market. According to Schorsch (2008, p.31), asserts that joint partnership entails entering into a written agreement with other parties in an effort to undertake a particular activity. The parties to the partnership devote their resources to ensure accomplishment of the desired objective.

To ensure success of the new program, Sydney Tourism Authority will form a joint partnership with well established tour firms, management of tourist attraction sites and recreation facilities. The objective of partnering with these parties is to ensure that the program contributes towards the tourists attaining a unique experience.

Marketing mix

For the ‘Sydney in a Day’ program to be successful, Sydney Tourism Authority will integrate the concept of marketing mix. Considering the intangible nature of tourism, Rao (2007, p.347) asserts that it is critical for the marketing mix strategies to be effectively developed and implemented. This will increase the probability of achieving the desired level of customer satisfaction.

Product strategy

To attract a large number of inbound tourists, Sydney Tourism Authority will ensure that the inbound tourists associate the program with value for their money. This will be achieved by effectively designing the product. In order to enhance the image of ‘Sydney in a Day’ program amongst the tourists, the authority will ensure that the product is effectively packaged.

This will be achieved by making the product to be comprehensive. The program will start at Circular Quay and end at Darling Harbor. The Authority will also ensure that a number of elements are integrated. For example, it will be ensured that efficient and comfortable form of transportation is provided.

Additionally, the program will also entail visiting major recreation facilities and tourist attraction sites in Sydney. To give a large number of inbound tourists an opportunity to visit different attraction sites, ‘Sydney In a Day’ will be a continuous program. This means that it will be conducted every day of the week.

In order to visit all the tourist attraction sites and recreation facilities in Sydney, Sydney Tourism Authority has designed the program to take 14 hours.

Pricing strategy

Pricing is one of the most important marketing mix elements that should be considered in an effort to promote products or services (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel, 2009, p.45).Sydney Tourism Authority recognizes the fact that consumers are price conscious in their consumption patterns. As a result, the Authority has effectively formulated a pricing strategy.

Considering the fact that ‘Sydney In a Day’ is a new program, a number of pricing strategies will be utilized. To ensure that the price set appeals a large number of inbound tourists, penetration pricing strategy will be utilized. This will entail setting the price of the program at a relatively low point compared to other private tour firms operating in Sydney.

Additionally, psychological pricing strategy will also be integrated. This will involve setting the price point of the entire program at a level that influences the target market’s perception of price.

In pricing the tour package, the authority will integrate bundle pricing whereby the tourists will be required to pay a single price for the various sites to be visited (Pride & Ferrel, 2010, p. 593). The price of the tour package will be set at $89 for adults and $58 for children.

Promotion strategy

In an effort to create awareness to a large number of inbound tourists, Sydney Tourism Authority will integrate an effective communication strategy. Market awareness will be undertaken by integrating a number of market communication techniques. Sydney Tourism Authority will use both traditional and emerging marketing communication techniques.

Sydney Tourism Authority will publicize the program in major dailies within Australia. Additionally, the program will also be publicized in various Australian travel magazines such as Australian Caravan, Cruise Passenger magazine and Get Lost Travel Magazine amongst others. Tourism leaflets will also be supplied to major tourist hotel and restaurants.

Information about the program will also be posted in Sydney Tourism Authority website. This will give tourists seeking information about Sydney to learn about the program. Social media will also be integrated in creating market awareness. To achieve this, Sydney Tourism Authority will design a video which will show the tourist attraction sites and recreational facilities incorporated in the program.

The video will be posted on You Tube so that tourists can watch the tourist attraction sites. The program will also be publicized through other social communication networks such as Face Book.

Incorporation of both traditional and emerging marketing communication mediums will enhance the effectiveness with which market awareness is conducted. As a result, there is a high probability of the comprehensive nature of the program appealing these tourists.

Distribution strategy

The program ‘Sydney in a Day’ will start by visiting Circular Quay which is the center for Sydney Harbor. Circular Quay has a number of tourist attraction sites such as Taronga Park Zoo. The tour will advance eastwards towards the Royal Botanical Gardens and historical sites which include Jenolan Caves. Another historical site that will be visited is the Dawes Point.

A tour to Sydney Visitor Center where the tourists can access important information regarding Sydney will be made. A visit to Luna Park which is an amusement park will also be made. The program will also entail visiting the Art Gallery of New South Wales where a lunch stop will be made. After the lunch, the tour will proceed westwards to other tourist attraction sites such as St.

Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney War Memorial and the Hyde Park. While still in New South Wales, the tourists will be taken to The Blue Mountains where they will have bush tours through the gorges and also visit the national park areas. The tourists will be taken to major shops located in George, Elizabeth and Castlereagh Streets.

To give the tourists an aerial view of the city, the tourists will be taken to the observation deck at Sydney Tower. To enhance their level of satisfaction, the customers will be taken to Sydney Harbor Bridge which is considered to be one of the wonders of the world. The visit will then proceed to Chinatown located at Dixon Street. A stop will be made at this point for the tourists to refresh.

The tourists will have an opportunity to eat indigenous foods. Afterwards, the visit will proceed to Sydney Entertainment Center where they will be entertained by various cultural groups and later visit Darling Harbor.

To ensure that the tourists have good view of Darling Harbor, they will be taken around the Harbor using the monorail. They will also be given an opportunity to explore the Harbor. To mark the end of the day, the tourists will have their dinner at George St. and later be entertained at Sydney Entertainment Center.

Marketing action plan

For the program to be successful, Sydney Tourism Authority has developed a comprehensive marketing action plan. The action plan outlines the goals that Sydney Tourism Authority intends to achieve within a period of one year. Additionally, the specific actions to be undertaken in order to achieve the desired goals are outlined.

Sydney Tourism Authority intends to increase the number of inbound tourists who enroll with the program to 500,000 within the 1^st quarter of the year. To achieve this, Sydney Tourism Authority marketing department will conduct an aggressive marketing campaign. The campaign will be aimed at creating a sufficient level of market awareness amongst inbound tourists in Australia.

Sydney Tourism Authority also intends to increase the sales revenue generated from the new program with a margin of 25% every quarter of the year. This will be achieved by undertaking aggressive marketing campaign.

The firm will ensure that information regarding Sydney in a Day program is accessed by all inbound tourists. To increase the probability of achieving this, Sydney Tourism Authority will liaise with tourist travel companies, hotels and restaurants in Sydney so as to ensure sufficient market awareness.

For the program to be successful in the future, Sydney Tourism Authority will update the program every month. The objective of updating the program will be to add value to the program. The resultant effect is that the tourists will be able to achieve a high level of satisfaction.

To be effective in updating the program, Sydney Tourism Authority will seek the opinion of the tourists who have consumed the new product. This is due to the fact that the tourists will be able to give information on what should be improved.

Reference List

Abrams, R., & Kleiner, C., 2003. The successful business plan: Secrets and strategies. Palo Alto, California: The Planning Shop.

Invest In Australia. 2011. Tourism and hospitality industry in Australia. Web.

Lamb, C., Hair, J., & McDaniel, C., 2009. Marketing. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Pride, W., & Ferrell, O., 2010. Marketing. Australia: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Rao, R., 2007. Services marketing. New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley.

Schorsch, M., 2008. Market entry strategies for Russia: A comprehensive survey based on expert interviews. Moscow: Bremen Diplomica-Verl.

Executive summary

Saudi Arabia has a rich collection of both natural and chronological attractions ranging from the mountain destinations of Taif and the magnificent display of prehistoric Nabatean tombs to the colorful coral reefs in the Red Sea. The larger percentage of tourists in this country has mainly been drawn from the conventional Muslim world out for pilgrimage. Currently, there is an upcoming trend laying a lot of importance on tourism in the country.

This led to the establishment of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) in 2000, whose purpose is to support tourism in the Kingdom. This forms the overall agent body that represent public bodies, which are concerned with the tourism industry. This report seeks to analyze the character and contribution of tourism in this country, with some mention of some of the most attractive sites in the kingdom.

Introduction

Tourism ranks as one of the major enterprises surrounding trade and governmental restructuring, which was taken up by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following a designed and rigorous improvement plan. It was based on an economic redistribution program aimed at surmounting growth obstacles.

This was inclusive of the Saudi’s Cabinet decision No., (9) dated 17/04/2000, regarding making an allowance for tourism as an industrious sector. This initiative aimed at persuading Saudi tourists to spend their holiday within the kingdom alongside growing investment prospect. This also aimed at widening and improving state human resources.

As a result, tourism expansion is seen as a nationwide economic venture. In the light of improving Saudi tourism through management, advancement and back-up, it is expected that this will overcome expansion barrier as the sector is deemed as a crucial component of the economy. At the same time, these ventures must seem to comply with the principles and ideals of the Kingdom.

The objective is also directed at preserving and safeguarding antiquities, while catering for their contribution towards cultural and economic progress. These include museums and supporting archeological ventures. On the other hand, the private sector has taken a leading role by setting up tourist oriented trade amenities.

Saudi Arabia has a rich collection of both natural and chronological attractions ranging from the mountain destinations of Taif and the magnificent display of prehistoric Nabatean tombs to the colorful coral reefs in the Red Sea.

Whereas Saudi Arabia has a formidable presence on the tourism scene over the centuries with millions of visitors flocking to the Kingdom annually, the larger percentage of these visitors have been drawn from the conventional Muslim world out for pilgrimage. Currently, there is an upcoming trend laying a lot of importance on tourism in the country. This led to the establishment of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) in 2000, whose purpose is to support tourism in the Kingdom.

Saudi commission for tourism & archeological treasure

Supreme Commission of Tourism (SCT) was launched in 2000 as a corporate entity. Article 3 of SCT’s statute affirmed that, SCT’s functions and tasks are pegged around tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with an aim of extending, advancing and boosting the tourism industry while conquering growth hindrances with an understanding that tourism is central to the national economy.

The private sector has been integral in setting up tourism oriented trade facilities. Its board forms the overall agent body that represent public bodies, which are concerned with the tourism industry.

The group’s Secretary General is charged with the management of managerial affairs of the SCT through the Secretariat General Department. Afterwards, the Saudi Cabinet decreed on resolution No., (9), of 16th April, 2000, which legitimized the formation of the Supreme Commission of Tourism (SCT).

This validated tourism as a major economic division with an objective of encouraging Saudi tourists to spend holidays within the kingdoms’ vast destinations, thus growing investment prospects, developing the national human resource capacity and generating job openings for Saudi citizens.

Considering the paramount value for museums and archeological treasures, the Royal decree No. 2/a of 30/04/2003, stipulated that, in regards to Museums and Antiquities Agency, SCT was to be charged with the operations around the antiquities body alongside tourism division affairs.

The Cabinet’s declaration No. (78) Of 23/03/2008, which adopted the name ‘Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)’, argued that domestic tourism as a national concern needed public establishments to contribute towards its success and expansion based on its exclusive tourism prospects.

Major Tourism attraction sites in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s Global Tourism

The overall worth for International tourists calculated as the number of arrivals in Saudi Arabia was 10,850,000 in 2010. From the graph below, it is clear that, over the past 15 years, this pointer hit a high value of 14,757,000 in 2008 and a minimum value of 3,325,000 in 1995.

Origin: Global Tourism Organization; Annual Tourism Figures, Compendium of Tourism Data and Figures and Records.

Contribution of Transport & tourism in Saudi Arabia

Express Contribution

The express input from Tourism to the GDP reproduces the internal expenditure on Transport & Tourism (overall spending inside a particular country on Travel & Tourism by inhabitants and non natives for business and pleasure together with administration’s individual expenses). These may translate into expenses accrued by a government on Transport & Tourism services, which is directly associated with visitors.

These include factors like culture and recreation. The direct input from Transport & Tourism to GDP is estimated in relation to the output. This is consistent with National Accounting in tourist oriented sectors such as lodges, airlines, tour agents and leisure spots, which are directly in contact with tourists.

The direct input of Transport & Tourism to GDP is determined by total domestic expenditure, after netting out the procurements made within the tourism departments This quantity is associated with the meaning of Tourism GDP, as defined in the 2008 Tourism Satellite Account: Optional Methodological Structure (TSA: RMF 2008).

Total contribution

The overall contribution of Transport & Tourism takes account of its wider influences, which include indirect and stimulated forces on the country’s economy. The indirect input consists of GDP and jobs sustained by Transport & Tourism venture expenses, which is a crucial aspect of existing and potential operations such as aircraft purchase and tourism infrastructural expenditure.

The government’s joint expenditure supports Transport & Tourism operations in various ways, especially based on its contribution to the community. These operations may include marketing and sponsorship, aviation, management, security, resort area back up and sanitation.

There are a number of purchased domestic goods and services that deal with tourists directly. They include: IT services by travel agents, catering services by airlines, cleaning fuel and hotels, and buying of food. The GDP and employments maintained by the expenditures of employees who are indirectly and directly employed by the travel and tourism industry, are engaged in an induced contribution. The statics shows high prospects for tourism industry in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia economic contribution in tourism: Real 2011

Sources: world travel & tourism council

Conclusion

The potential outlook of the Saudi Kingdom, in relation to the tourism industry is pegged on several themes, including the country being viewed as the land of Islam. The Kingdom aims at seeking out liberal and notable tourism growth, with common, cultural, environmental and financial benefits within its Islamic principles and customary hospitality.

To accomplish this dream, SCTA lays emphasis on several tasks, most importantly including realization of sustainable and fair tourism progress, accomplishing economic multiplicity and social enhancement, and generating job openings and protecting the environment.

The potential for growth of this industry is very evident, especially from the statics and other critical information that shows the Kingdom’s concerted efforts in promoting the industry, besides being naturally endowed with amazing tourists attraction sites.

Executive summary

This portfolio will be concentrating on the tourism marketing and communication tools used by Dubai at both national and international level. To be attractive and remain competitive in the international marketplace, the Dubai tourism board must develop and promote innovative tourist products.

Therefore, it is essential that factors that influence both internal and external environment of this tourist destination be looked at. A succinct analysis of Dubai indicate that despite the economic, political and social upheavals recently experienced in the Arab world as well as the impending competition from closer tourist destinations, Dubai has managed to keep its image as the safest tourist destination. As a result, Dubai has managed to attract large numbers of tourists. The major concern is the sustainability of this trend.

The responsibilities of the Department of Tourism Commerce and Marketing Board (DTCM) as the principal marketing authority of Dubai will clearly be illustrated in this portfolio. A close look at the various marketing and communication tools used by DTCM will substantiate the role they have played in successfully driving their marketing strategies.

A brief summary of the strengths and weaknesses, future recommendations for marketing communication strategy in connection to micro and macro environment will be suggested before the conclusions are drawn.

Introduction

As the awareness of tourist destination and accessibility increases tourists have wide variety of destinations to choose from. Therefore, for any particular country or city to remain the destination of choice, they must create a unique products and identity that distinguishes them from other destinations. (Kotler et al. 2005, p.89).

While some destinations have restricted their branding efforts exclusively on logo designs, others have broadened their branding efforts to include social and emotional values. These values are perceived to boost the quality of the destination (McCabe 2009, p.69).

This is essential as the selection of the holiday destination has become a lifestyle for travelers who are leaned towards spending their income on precious holiday time. Therefore, countries are embracing marketing and communication tools as well as developing appropriate branding strategies that will enable them remain competitive within the international marketplace (Laws 1991, p.31).

This portfolio will be centering on Dubai. Dubai is one of the emirates that are leading the transformation of the unions’ tourism. The success of any destination is not determined by not only the more controllable micro-environmental factors but also the uncontrollable macro-environmental factors (Kotler et al. 2002, p.57).

The portfolio will begin by the analysis of the SWOT and PESTEL to provide a general idea of the Dubai global positioning. Besides, the portfolio will examine the diverse marketing communication tools used by DTCM in developing their destination brand as well as evaluating their destination weaknesses and strengths.

Based on the grounded findings, suggestions for future marketing strategy will be recommended before drawing the conclusions. The portfolio information will be obtained through secondary research through the use of applicable articles, books, international journals, websites as well as press releases.

Dubai as the tourist destination

Dubai is positioned in the center of Middle East. Historically, Dubai is the cradle of the major world religion and ancient Arab cultures. Geographically, Dubai was the major center for onward travels (Kozak & Andreu 2006, p.89). Over the last three decades, trade, tourism and shopping business has been encouraged.

In particular, tourism has transformed Dubai into a modern city. Dubai together with Abu Dhabi is the major economic contributor of the UAE. Regardless of the global economic crises as well as the current situation in the Middle East, Dubai has remained to be the most popular tourist destination and has continued to grow steadily (Long & Robinson 2004, p.41). Therefore, it is essential that factors having direct impact on the macro-environment of the destination and influences its strategic direction is determined.

The analysis of the immediate micro-environment is vital in the understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of Dubai (McCabe 2009, p.69). SWOT analysis is used by the portfolio to identify the weaknesses, strengths, opportunities as well as threats that will be used to evaluate the competing environment. PESTEL is used to assess the external environmental factors.

Micro-environment

Strengths

The strategic position of Dubai as an intercontinental rout has been instrumental in attracting and retaining the global business as well as travelers (Middleton et al 2009, p.36). Besides, this has also helped in giving the city a cosmopolitan culture. The authoritarian nature of the UAE has brought about stability which has benefited the Dubai in terms of economic development.

With efficiency and pro-active characteristics, the UAE ruling authorities has fortified economic diversification which has minimized the focus on oil as the major booster of economic growth. In addition, the economic diversification has enabled the development of other sectors of the economy such as intra-regional trade and tourism as additional major sources of revenue.

With realization of the significance of the tourism sector, the state authorities put a lot of emphasis in the development of infrastructure such as airways, airports, cruise-terminals, hotels, conventional centers, buildings, attraction, logistics and communication facilities will help fast track the development of tourism (Morgan & Pritchard 2001, p.59).

The aim of DTCM is to make Dubai the most innovative tourist destination in the world. This has enabled the body to ambitiously encourage diverse innovative tourism products. The body has also ensured quality of all tourism related activities through certifications and licensing that has ensured high level of tourist experience.

Weaknesses

Dubai over the decades has achieved a highly diversified portfolio that targets only the high-end travelers. Given the fact that Dubai is an international hub and dominantly expatriate, Dubai has become extremely expensive destination (Morgan et al. 2004, p.119). Moreover, the locals feel that authorities have increasingly encouraged the continuous recruitment of foreigners in tourism sector.

In addition, the image of Dubai has been tarnished by the increasing number of drug and sex related crimes. Further, serious environmental degradation as well as other impacts has also been seen in the recent past. In comparison to other Middle Eastern destinations such as Egypt, Oman and Jordan, Dubai lacks its own cultural heritage (Morrison 2002, p.57).

Opportunities

The rising oil prices has not only boosted the economy but also encouraged the Middle Eastern tourists to visit Dubai (Ritchie & Crouch 2003, 316). Dubai remains attractive to most of the Arab countries tourists because of its liberal laws especially on alcoholic drinks. With political turmoil everywhere in the region, Dubai is regarded as the safest haven (Pearce 2005, p.76).

Another important factor is the growing demand for hotels, amusement parks and theme parks which has boosted tourism investments more than its immediate competitors such as Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (Pike 2008, p.192).

Further, the growth in leisure tourism will also boost the development of Dubai tourism business. Diversification has also enable Dubai to develop sustainable tourist destination. The preference of local hiring’s in the private sector through Emiratization policy has also reduced the local resentment towards tourism development.

Threats

The cultural heritage, resort development and increased infrastructural development in the immediate competitors such as Oman will dilute the flow of tourists in Dubai (Kolb 2006, p.77). In addition, cities that includes Doha, Kuwait City and Istanbul which are cost effective and have rich cultural heritage offers attractive modern facilities (Gulick 1963, p180.).

The region is also suffering from the constant threat of terrorism as well as rising political unrest from the Arab spring. Moreover, the region is suffering from continuous travel advisories from Foreign & Commonwealth offices concerning high level terrorist threats. Dubai is also facing the threat of limited power production and water desalination which may has disastrous impact on desert environment (Rose 2007, p.118).

The unfavorable working conditions for immigrant workers and lack of labor unions to speak on their behalf could lead to labor unrest causing delays in the completion of projects aimed at boosting tourism (Kolb 2006, p.77). The financial and political power of Dubai blackmails the state of market realities.

The impact is the oversupply of tourism facilities beyond achievable target numbers. Moreover, problems may arise when financing for major projects are sought within already weak international market. The reputation of Dubai as an expensive destination prevents repeat tourism and encourages short-stay or stop-over tourism (Rose 2007, p.118). This is vulnerable to the challenges of long-haul travels due to technological advances.

Macro-environment

Political

UAE is politically stable and has low crimes records. Besides, UAE have succeeded in attracting foreign investments through its policy of low custom duties, non-existing income and corporate tax as well as its strategic location. Dubai is well known for its visionary political leadership (Creighton 2007, p341.).

The ambitions of its leaders has enable them negotiate the trade issues such as free trade zones as well as sound management of tourism developments. Critically speaking emirates are principally owned by the royal family either directly, through Dubai holdings or ports authority.

Economical

UAE has centralized monetary policy and is under the control of the country central bank. However, the country currency is pegged on the US dollar. The fixed exchange rate has helped reduce the volatilities in export revenues. The country has managed to keep its inflation rate at low levels despite the economic and financial problems being experienced in major economies (Greene & O’Loughlin 1999, p.71).

Dubai exhausted its financial resources in 2009 leading to the termination of its major projects. Initially, Dubai depended majorly on oil. However the country current main revenue earner is the real estate, tourism and the service sector.

Dubai 2015 strategic plan has identified these sectors as the key drivers of its economic growth. aggressive marketing campaigns as well as promotions of niche-tourism such as medical and spa, close corporation among DTCM, private sector, destination management company (DCM) have resulted into increased tourist numbers.

The increasing oil prices within the states of Middle East have a positive effect on the real income of the people in these states (Pearce 2005, p.76). This has boosted the visitor’s arrivals from the neighboring states. Additionally Middle Eastern travelers have avoided Europe and the US due to negative economic conditions.

Social

Ninety percent of Dubai residents are expatriates. A legal condition that allows the ownership of property as well as the free residency visa has contributed to the increased population (Henderson 2003, p.449). Most of the Dubai nationals are illiterate which has led to high employment rates.

With the introduction of Emiratization, job opportunities have increased considerably for the locals. This policy has also enhanced job training that has enabled them stay in the labor market. The policy has also enhanced the development of human capital and nationalism.

The presence of multinational workforce has led to the development of cosmopolitan together with its lifestyle where people have freedom of conscience and follow any religion (Kelly1998, p.906). However, these foreign nationals have maintained their respect for the Arabian traditions as well as Islamic values.

Technological

The UAE governments have spent huge investments in innovative and high-technological projects. This could be seen in the development of the virtual banking system, high speed internet facilities and excellent telecom systems (Johns & Mattsson 2005, p.609). The world trade center in Dubai is fitted with high technological facilities to enable the international meeting standards.

The NOL cards provided by the road and transport authority have increased the efficiency in passenger payment as well as payment for the parking vehicles. The Dubai internet city which is the biggest it infrastructure in the Middle East has supported business developments and has attracted the global major ICT companies (Kelly1998, p.906).

Environmental

Generally, UAE is the largest carbon trail per capita. The air consumption in Dubai during the extreme hot summer is almost seventy percent of the total power usage in UAE. Desalination due to excessive water usage also has huge impact on the marine life and the surrounding desert (Laws 1995, p.133). In the meantime, the Dubai government is encouraging coral reef growth through various measures to revitalize the growth of the marine life.

The tourism focus has been diverted to echo-tourism instead of shopping and beach holidays. However, there is fear that this could lead to the destruction of marine flora and fauna. The government has put in place several measures to ensure that the environment has been taken care of. Moreover through various agencies, the government of Dubai has implemented various strategies that would improve the air quality (Sharpley 2002, p.223).

Legal

The open skies policy has opened the Dubai air for competition between various airlines (Hudson 2007, p.243). In addition, the country openness to foreign investments, diversification, availability of visas and secular policies regarding the alcoholic drinks has enhanced tourism development.

The Shariah law which is being applied in the country is seen as the crime deterrent. The result is low crime rates (Goodwin 2003, p.231). Differences in cultural affiliations may lead to serious legal problems such as during the holy month of Ramadan when public eating is prohibited

Destination marketing communication tools

In order to be the major tourist destination, Dubai utilizes the vertical integrated marketing strategy between the government authorities and the sector players such as the airports and the airlines (Hallett & Kaplan-Weinger 2010, p.43). According to Holloway (2004, p.23), the right balance between the product and the market is essential for the precise delivery to the correct consumer at the exact time.

The general market information must be seen to be true to the values of the brand as well as maximizing the strong message within every marketing tool (Poirier 1997, p.678). Various factors like costs, characteristics will influence the choice of the marketing communication tools.

The marketing tools such as personal selling; advertising sales promotion, public relations and direct marketing have been used (Fyall & Garrod 2005, p.36). Mixed communication strategy for hospitality and tourism industry has enabled the information flow through various media means. The integrating marketing strategy has enabled the consistency in message with off and online marketing

Advertising

The main aim advertising is to stimulate the desired brand image in the consumer minds. This may lead to the action of the consumers (Buhalis 2000, p.105). Various selections of the various media channels for advertising such as the television, radio, newspapers, magazines and internet or deciding on their compatibility is crucial for their effectiveness in targeting the customers (De Moragas et al. n.d, p.3).

Dubai will reach out by all means to advertise itself as the best tourist destination. Dubai has used online advertising, television and newspapers to advertise itself. DTCM has created online advertising through the creation of online banners. The popularity of the internet has played significant role in creating pricing, transparency as well as disintermediation (Drummond & Ensor 2005, p.415).

Personal selling

Personal selling is the most effective tool in creating a meaningful dialogue with the customer (Douglas & Derret 2001, p.232). DTCM has successfully participated in various international events to increase their brand awareness. The international exhibition and shows, workshops as well as other travel trade projects has enhanced the brand awareness. In order to improve the trade travel relationships, DTCM provides partnership events, themed Fam-trips as well as training for selected travel agents.

Sales promotion

The aim of the sales promotion is to increase the sales demand, in most cases, within a specific period through incentives such as prices or through the added value (Crouch et al. 2005, p.35). All these activities are carried out concurrently with the brand building awareness. The DTCM has successfully been offering their summer promotions with the objective of presenting Dubai as a more affordable destination and as well as encouraging repeat business.

Public relations

Public relation offers a more a holistic approach than what advertising and personal selling offers. Public relations comprises of the proactive relationships building as well as fast reactive handling of negative events (Davidson & Rogers 2006, p.123). The result is the believability as it offers real news as compared to sales directed communication.

On monthly basis, DTCM produces a fact sheet for trade travels with variety of selected topics such as golf, spas or sometimes a calendar of events that offers the opportunity for customer inclusion. In order to communicate up-to-date product developments DTCM produces relevant and targeted press releases on topics such as hotel developments as well as family holidays. Moreover, the race to Dubai has been a greater marketing tool since it was launched in 2009 (Copley 2004, p.135)

Events and exhibitions

Building exhibitions and events into the portfolio is becoming increasingly important for any destination. Normally, events are used to enhance, alter, and strengthen certain specific aspects of the brand image (Cooper & Fletcher 2008, p.45).

Dubai Events and Promotion Establishment (DEPE) have been tasked with promoting Dubai throughout the year as destination of events as well as reasons to visit. The establishment support and promote events such as the Dubai shopping festival, Dubai summer surprises, Eid in Dubai and Ramadan in Dubai. The establishment developed the calendar of events to provide an overview of the vibrant activities.

For the mean time, dubai conventional bureau has the mission of strengthening the economy by positioning dubai as the commercial hub, boosting its industry partnerships with bidding and planning assistances and sustainable tourism (Cooper & Fletcher 2008, p.45). Event sponsoring has been aggressively supported by the government especially emirates is embracing it into its marketing strategy with sponsorship for many sports events.

Direct marketing

Various forms of marketing do exist. However, the expansion of IT has increased the level of direct marketing through the use of internet with tractable benefit. The main reason for direct marketing is to establish non-public and immediate customized as well as interactive relationship with the clients (Buhalis 2000, p.110).

DTCM is using display ads and floating units to find more detailed information on their web page. Online channels have opened new opportunities for innovative marketing; however, bronchus and printed materials are still widely used (Chon 1990, p.6). DTCM is proud of its high aspirations and diverse products. The body is committed to engineer even more partnerships through joint marketing. This will open avenues for cross selling as well as enhancing the customer perception.

Recommendation and future strategies

Assessing micro and macro environment and identifying the marketing communication tools, Dubai has various issues that inhibits its future competitiveness. The attributes such as higher, taller, newest and most expensive market, Dubai is being seen as high-end tourist destination (Baloglu & mccleary 1999, p.869). To be able to attract new tourists, Dubai needs to level its tourism investments with the demand and consider handing public entities to the private sector for profitable management.

Instant customer feedback on experiences and perception could help in upgrading the branding strategy (Baker & Cameron 2008, p.79). Moreover, constant web customer interaction should be encouraged. Instead of building new hotels, the existing ones could be repurposed to be affordable throughout the year. In addition, packages such as free ride to Dubai could be used to attract more tourists. Involving the private sector in all the promotional campaigns would be beneficial to all the stakeholders.

Conclusion

The evaluation of Dubai illustrates the significant growth of its tourism industry due to aggressive marketing campaigns. The success has been attributed to the availability of financial resources, variety of marketing and communication tools as well as ambitious leadership. However, the image of expensive shopping and beach destinations and limited cultural heritage has become a major challenge.

Moreover, neighboring countries that enjoys rich cultural heritage are beginning to tap on the tourism market with stronger financial investments and sustainable measurements. DTCM has been and still hold the marketing portfolio; therefore, as a body charged with this great responsibility, it should rise to the occasion, face reality and accordingly adjust their strategies.

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Appendices

Appendix 1: Dubai as the destination

Appendix 2: Geographical milieu of Dubai

Appendix 3: The Palm Island in Dubai

Appendix 4: Dubai’s Night skyline

Appendix 5: Dubai’s 20 towers

Appendix 6: Dubai’s wild Wadi