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Экономические науки
№ 9. - 2016
УДК 338
DESTINATION MARKETING APPROACH OFENHANCING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF BUKHARA TOURIST DESTINATION
N. Ibragimov, Bukhara State University (Bukhara, Uzbekistan) M. Kurbanova, Bukhara State University (Bukhara, Uzbekistan)
Abstract. This article reveals theoretical bases of raising competitiveness of Bukhara touristic region through Destination marketing approach and elaborates practical recommendationsfor the establishment of Destination marketing organizations.
Keywords: destination, destination management, destination marketing,competitiveness, destination's brand, association of tourist organizations.
МАРКЕТИНГ ТУРИСТИЧЕСКИХ НАПРАВЛЕНИЙ КАК СПОСОБ ПОВЫШЕНИЯ
КОНКУРЕНТОСПОСОБНОСТИ БУХАРЫ КАК МЕСТА ТУРИЗМА
Аннотация. В работе рассмотрены основные подходы к повышению устойчивого развития предприятий агропромышленного комплекса Кыргызстана в современных условиях хозяйствования. Автором приведены и проанализированы основные показатели развития предприятий АПК Кыргызской республики и рекомендованы пути дальнейшего совершенствования.
Ключевые слова: агропромышленный комплекс, Кыргызстан, устойчивое развитие, предприятия АПК, аграрный сектор, сельское хозяйство.
INTRODUCTION
Application of modern management and marketing concepts at destinations on national, regional and local levels for the further development purpose of tourism sector and improvement of innovative activity, serves for the formation of competitive destinations globally. Innovative approaches of management led to the emergence of a new subjectin the field of tourism. This subject is "Destination management" which refers to the term "destination" as an object. The term is derived from English word "destination", phrases as "mesto naznacheniye turista" [1, 257], "turistskiy region" [2, 133],"destinatsiya" [3, 37] are used in Russian scientific literatures, while in our opinion the suitable word for the destination in Uzbek language is "sayohatgoh".
Destination is a tour product, which is designed to meet the needs of visitors' and formed as a result of their activities while enjoying strategic-structural conditions of places possessing tourism infrastructure [4, 24].According to the given definition we can make following conclusions:
- Destination is a geographical territorial unit which changes from one tourist to another, as it is touristic zonefulfilled in accordance with the purpose of travel;
- If we take into account the formational process of a destinationduring the trip then it is the concept ofconcerning activity;
- Destinations a product unit which satisfies tourists' needs during travel. "Uzbektourism" National Company and its regional branches conduct destinations of Uzbekistan at national and regional scales as a territorial unit, while in touristic developed countries these objectives are accomplished by Destination management companies. From the point of territo-
rial unit with the assistance of mentioned organizations destinations are managed at local, regional and national levels.
From the demand (tourist) side destination consists of three stages [4, 26], first, formation of travel purpose, selection of travel area, and the last one is travelling. This process reflects destinations second feature as an activity unit. As destination is formed by tourists either independently (with destinationstourist infrastructure offered by supply system) or via intermediaries (tour operators and travel agents).
Destinations have two features as a product unit. Firstly, predetermined planning of travel and selling it as product after making a tour package. In that case destination is operated, the quality of tour isguaranteed by tour operator and its partner companies, intended to satisfy requirements of organized tour participants. Secondly, travels to the touristic region, which areselected andorganized independently, ignoring intermediary services, where Destination marketing organizations have a crucial role.
THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF DESTINATION MARKETING
British scientists Wahab, Crampon and Rothfield offered the first definition of destination marketing [5, 24]: The management process through which the National Tourist Organizations and/or tourist enterprises identify their selected tourists, actual and potential, communicate with them to ascertain and influence their wishes, needs, motivations, likes and dislikes, on local, regional, national and international levels, and to formulate and adapt their tourist products accordingly in view of achieving optimal tourist satisfaction thereby fulfilling their objectives.
While Uzbekistan's scientists gave the following definition of destination marketing "regional management method of tourism demand ... deals with determination of formulation time of tourism demand as well as forms demand level and content to travel services in destinations[6, 27].
Owing to above mentioned descriptions following main featuresof destination marketing could be extracted:
- Operating process;
- Demand prognosis in advance;
- Marketing policies corresponding to market segments;
- Regional management of tourism supply system, which integrates supply and demand;
- Acting on local, regional, national and international levels.
There are direct, indirect ad replacement types of competition,which take place at local, national and international scales. Direct competition occurs among touristic zones that have all infrastructuresadapted for satisfying touristic needs (world destinations are in a mutual competition), while indirectcompetition depicts a competition among touristic regions having infrastructures, which are designed to satisfy similar touristic purposes (cultural tourism, pilgrimage tourism, nature tourism). In replacement competition destinations appear in two types of a product unit, either as a tour package composed by tour operators for organizedtourist segments or formed by local, national and international destination management companies adapted for unorganized tourist segments [7, 2-3].
Defining competitiveness of destinations at local, national and international levels is based on 6A model [8, 4]. This model comprises 6 competitiveness categories as: access (simplicity of arriving and travelling at a destination, attractions (availability of places of interest), accommodation (availability of lodging), amenities (formation of mutually competitive additional service companies (restaurants, shopping centers and others) in shaping integrated supply), ancillary
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services(regular operation of local state owned enterprisesin organizing tours and excursions), assemblage (establishing strategic partnerships among companies of tourism supply sys-tem,namely, existence of tour operators and destination management organizations).
TOURISM SECTOR OF BUKHARA REGION: FACTS & FIGURES
Tourism is considered as one of the dynamically developing sector in Bukhara region. According to the data of "Uzbektourism" National Company Bukhara regional branch, 92 hotels, about 4000 beds, 38 tour operator companies, over 20 restaurants, transport organizations and other governmental and non-governmental suppliers of additional serviceswere in a regular activity by the end of 2015. Hotel services were provided to more than 120 000 travelers during 2015.
According to 6A model of competitiveness Bukhara region corresponds to all categories of competitiveness except the last one (assemblage), namelyimplementation of cooperation links (association of tourism enterprises, tourism sector's strategic development councils, Destination marketing organizations) among all tourism supply system organizations is important in ensuring stability of tourist flow in the destination.
Table 1.
Bukhara, Samarkand and Khorezm regions'comparative analysisbased onDestination
marketing approach*.
Parameters of comparative analysis
Destinations Existence of Regional touristic brand Existence of re-
tourism associations gional tourism organization
1 Khorezm Doesn't exist Л Khorezm regional branch of "Uzbektourism" National Company
2 Samarkand Doesn't exist Not selected Samarkand regional branch of "Uzbektourism" National Company
3 Bukhara Doesn't exist Not selected Bukhara regional branch of "Uzbektourism" National Company
Source: Developed by the authors based on survey data.
Comparative analysis results of Bukhara, Samarkand and Khorezm regions' based onDestination marketing approach (see Table 1), found out that embodying full image of destination only Khorezm'stourism brandis selected, however for the national tourism organizations of Bukhara and Samarkand regions' this task still maintains on its relevance. It is revealed that in compared destinations regional branches of "Uzbektourism" national company are in regular operationbut association of tourism organizations. However, formation of mutually beneficial co-
operation links in tourism zones are the fundamental prerequisite for working out destinations' marketing strategy.
According to the authors, establishing one part of Destination management organizations, or elseDestination marketing companies, which in some cases preside organization independently, is the main task of "Uzbektourism" national company and local government authorities. This authority will carry out and implement strategic marketing plan of a destination thus gain success if meet the following requirements.
1. Existence of destination's marketing organization.
European experience, which is widely spread in destination marketing, established on the basis of various leading authorityforms,tourism development councils are being operated as national tourist organizations.Owing to support (financial) of tourism representatives Destination marketing organizations are established as well as financed by the local Administration. Usually, it is recommended to establish a company with continuous operation, precise functionbudget and staff. One of the efficient models of destination marketing is cooperation between private and public sector. On the one hand, this organization will obtain official mandate, on the other it will co-operate with private sector.
2. Coordination of activities of tourism organizations in destinations.
Coordination of interests of state administration, entrepreneurs and local people in destination marketing is in major significance. Constituents of tourism supply system will guarantee success of the preparation process of marketing policy and strategy in case of coordination by enterprises and companies. Whereas each company involved in satisfaction of tourism needs decides to implement marketing strategiesindividually, so that tourist cannot consume a unite product, will not be shaped full image (brand) of a destination, resulting to the regularnumber of exact destination selectors. Formation of mutually beneficial co-operation links, before developing marketing strategy, areof great importance.
3. Formation of destination from the point of a targeted segment.
It is suggested to form destination from the point of a targeted segment considering its attractiveness as a product unit, together with this required not to allowparticipants of marketing planning process to assess resources subjectively. The most suitable and innovational way of appointing strategy is based on marketing research results (social media marketing) undertaken by travelers.
4. Existence of destination marketing policy program.
Destination's strategic marketing programshould be used as a destination marketing plan not just as a formal document. Clearance and transparencyof marketing plan to local residents and to all interested bodiesis the most effective point of its implementation.
Overall, it can be concluded thatselecting and implementing regionaltouristic brand of the destination, reorganizing "Association of tourism enterprises" [9, 188], establishing and continuous financing Destination marketing organization, realization of destination marketing measuresby above mentioned organizations at local, national and international scales are recommended to ensure stable influx of tourists as well as to further enhance the competitiveness of Bukhara region.
References:
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2. Kvartalnov V.A. and others, Menejment turizma: Osnovimenejmenta: (Tourism management: Bases of management) Manual.(2003). Finansi i statistika, Moskva.
3. Birjakov M.B., Vvedenie v turizm(Introduction to Tourism).(2004).Manual. «Nevskiy fond» - «Gerda Press», Moskva.
4. Ibragimov N.S., Destinatsion menejment: davlat miqyosida turizmni bozor usulida boshqarish san'ati(Destination management: The art of managing of inbound tourism in market style. (2014). "Turon zamin ziyo", Toshkent.
5. Wahab S., Crampon L.J. and Rothfield L.M. Tourism Marketing. (1976). London: Tourism International Press.
6. Navruzzoda B.N., Turizmni boshqarishning destinatsion modeli (Destination model of tourism management). (2006). J.: "Scientific journal of Bukhara State University", Vol.1.
7. Ibragimov, N., &Xurramov, O. (2015). Types of competition in destination marketing and 6A model of competitiveness. The Current Global Trends, 3(1), 22-26
8. Valentina Della Corte, Mauro Scierelli, Destination management e logica sistemica: un confronto internazionale (Destination management and systemic logic: International comparison). (2012).G.Giapichelli Edition - Torino.
9. Navruz-Zoda, B., & Ibragimov, N. (2015). Ways of Applying Destination Management Concepts to the Development of Internal Tourism in Uzbekistan. International Tourism and Hospitality in the Digital Age, 172-189.
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Information about authors
Nutfillo Ibragimov, PhD, Tourism Department, Bukhara State University (Bukhara, Uzbekistan).
Mokhinur Kurbanova, Tourism Department, Bukhara State University (Bukhara, Uzbekistan).
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