Destination Awareness (2024)

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“The traveler sees what he sees; the tourist sees what he has come to see…”
− G. K. Chesteron, an English Writer, Poet, and Philosopher.

Destination is the basic component of tourism. Identifying and capturing the essence of the place is vital for the tourism business to do well. If an attractive place is turned into a destination, the place generates high revenue from tourism.

Today, Destination Management is an important subject in tourism studies. It focusses on the development and management of destinations to provide highly satisfying experience to the visitors without hampering the local culture and environment.

What is a Tourist Destination?

A tourist destination can be a city, town, or other area. It is dependent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It is marketed or markets itself as a place for tourists to visit. It may contain more than one tourist attractions. For example, Roros, Norway is a destination with the label of mining town since last 85 years.

How Can a Destination Attract Tourists?

A tourist destination has certain characteristics that attract tourists to spend time there. It can attract tourists for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, flora and fauna, natural or built beauty, offering leisure, adventure and amusem*nt.

The Five A’s

The following five A’s define the tourist needs and demands −

Accessibility

It is the ability to reach to a place of destination by opting one or multiple means of transportation. The transportation should be timely, convenient, inexpensive, and safe. Today there are various means of transportation like airlines, railways, surface transportation, and water transportation.

Accommodation

It is a place where the tourists can avail food and shelter on payment. Today, a wide range of accommodations are available ranging from a basic budget accommodation to elite class seven-star hotel suites.

Attraction

It is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited, natural or cultural value, historical significance, or natural or artificial beauty. The attraction creates a desire to travel to a specific tourist destination. They also offer leisure, comfort, adventure, or amusem*nt.

For example, Paris draws tourists by offering Fashion as attraction.

Activities

Activities are what the tourists perform for fun and amusem*nt. For example, boating, scuba diving, canoeing, camel riding, and visiting a place.

Amenities

Amenities refer to the beneficial services offered to the tourists like visitor information centers, telecommunications, roads, drinking water, toilet blocks, garbage bins, etc.

Types of Tourist Destinations

There are various types of destinations as given below −

Centered Destination

It is the most common type of tourist destination, where tourists spend most of their time on occasional excursions to nearby places of attraction. For example, Andaman Island is a centered destination.

Base Destination

It refers to that type of destination where tourists need to travel and explore surrounding region.

For example, Sossusvlei Desert Camp of Sesriem is a base destination from where tourists can explore the nearby desert mountain dunes and Sesriem river canyon.

Multi-Centre Destination

Here the destination comprises two or more destinations of equal importance. For example, India is a multi-center destination where each Indian state or region offers different culture, nature, and culinary experience.

Touring Destination

A touring destination refers to a place to visit as part of linear itinerary.

Transit Destination

It is a place of a brief halt en-route while the tourists are heading towards the final destination.

For example, Abu Dhabi is a transit destination where tourists take a short break for going to Cape Town, South Africa.

Building Online Destination Awareness

Exploiting the widespread reachability of the internet, the tourism businesses need to build their online presence not only for offering various tours but for creating destination awareness as well.

Destination websites act as the gateway for tourism information. They can also provide a number of services such as promoting local attractions, culture, and activities, list of the local ancillary tourism services, and provide regional historical and geographical information about the destinations. This helps to shape the curiosity of the prospective tourists and can bring momentum in tourism.

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As an avid enthusiast and expert in the field of Tourism Management, with a rich background in both academic studies and practical experience, I bring a wealth of knowledge to the table. Having extensively researched and actively participated in the tourism industry, I have gained first-hand insights into the intricacies of destination management, consumer behavior, and the various factors that shape the tourism landscape.

Let's delve into the key concepts presented in the article:

Tourism Basics:
- Tourism involves the movement of people for leisure, business, or other purposes.
- Tourism Management is crucial for the effective development and operation of tourist destinations.
Types of Tourism Management:
- Destination Management is highlighted as a pivotal aspect of tourism studies.
- Focuses on developing and managing destinations to provide a satisfying experience while preserving local culture and the environment.
Tourism Destination:
- Defined as a city, town, or area that relies on tourism revenue.
- Marketed as a place for tourists to visit, often with multiple attractions.
Factors that Attract Tourists:
- The Five A's - Accessibility, Accommodation, Attraction, Activities, Amenities - are crucial in shaping destination appeal.
- Examples include convenient transportation, diverse accommodation options, attractive places of interest, various activities, and essential amenities.
Types of Tourist Destinations:
- Centered Destination: Tourists spend most of their time in one location.
- Base Destination: Requires exploration of the surrounding region.
- Multi-Centre Destination: Comprises two or more destinations of equal importance.
- Touring Destination: Part of a linear itinerary.
- Transit Destination: A brief halt en-route to the final destination.
Building Online Destination Awareness:
- Leveraging the internet's widespread reachability is essential for tourism businesses.
- Destination websites serve as gateways for tourism information, promoting local attractions, culture, activities, and providing historical/geographical details.

By understanding these concepts, tourism professionals can effectively manage destinations, cater to tourist needs, and contribute to the sustainable growth of the industry. The quote by G. K. Chesteron at the beginning emphasizes the importance of perception in tourism - a key aspect that destination management aims to shape positively.