TY - CHAP

T1 - What Makes a Person a Potential Tourist and a Region a Potential Tourism Destination?

T2 - 3rd International Conference on Destination Branding and Marketing - 2009

AU - Lohmann, Martin

N1 - Conference code: 3

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - The paper introduces a conceptual structural model to describe which central factors determinewhether and where tourism takes place. It refers to five factors being a prerequisite for tourism:attractiveness, amenities (or facilities) and accessibility on the side of the destination and ability andmotivation to travel on the demand side. Empirical evidence is presented based on alarge sample populationsurvey in Germany for the strong influence of these five factors. Whether a person becomes apotential tourist or not depends strongly on “ability” and on the motivational intensity. In addition, theperception of attractiveness, amenities, and accessibility (rated for 10 regions/countries) is essentialfor the selection of regions admitted to the initial consideration set. Both findings support the structureand links used in the conceptual model. They thus emphasize the importance of these basic factors asfundamentals of tourism. The model is helpful in providing a basic understanding of the tourism system.Consequently, with destination branding and destination brand management, these basic factorsshould be considered. Marketing a destination as a brand does only make sense in those cases wherethe basic factors for a region to become a tourism destination are fulfilled. Destination brand managementhas to ensure these prerequisites, and to develop quality and relevance of the destination. Indestination branding you can go everywhere when you respect the basics. Your success will be limitedthough if you ignore them.

AB - The paper introduces a conceptual structural model to describe which central factors determinewhether and where tourism takes place. It refers to five factors being a prerequisite for tourism:attractiveness, amenities (or facilities) and accessibility on the side of the destination and ability andmotivation to travel on the demand side. Empirical evidence is presented based on alarge sample populationsurvey in Germany for the strong influence of these five factors. Whether a person becomes apotential tourist or not depends strongly on “ability” and on the motivational intensity. In addition, theperception of attractiveness, amenities, and accessibility (rated for 10 regions/countries) is essentialfor the selection of regions admitted to the initial consideration set. Both findings support the structureand links used in the conceptual model. They thus emphasize the importance of these basic factors asfundamentals of tourism. The model is helpful in providing a basic understanding of the tourism system.Consequently, with destination branding and destination brand management, these basic factorsshould be considered. Marketing a destination as a brand does only make sense in those cases wherethe basic factors for a region to become a tourism destination are fulfilled. Destination brand managementhas to ensure these prerequisites, and to develop quality and relevance of the destination. Indestination branding you can go everywhere when you respect the basics. Your success will be limitedthough if you ignore them.

KW - Business psychology

KW - Tourism studies

M3 - Article in conference proceedings

SN - 978-99937-51-32-8

SP - 275

EP - 284

BT - 3rd International Conference on Destination Branding and Marketing

A2 - Dioko, Leonardo A.N

A2 - Li, Xiang

PB - Institute for Tourism Studies

Y2 - 2 December 2009 through 4 December 2009

ER -