Whitsundays: Tourism Strategies and Policies Relating to Transformative Destination Management Strategy - Case Study Example

Coastal Tourism Marketing Student’s Name Course code and name Instructor’s name Learning Institution City, State Date of submission 1. Introduction Whitsundays is a collection of Islands that has contributed significantly to tourism development in Australia. There has been influx of both local and international tourists in the islands and thus generating considerable amount of income for Australia. This is attributed to its breathtaking nature at the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. There are also a range of accommodation facilities for all travelers and vacations. Other packages available include meals, transfers, flights and tours among others. The popularity of Whitsundays originates from a natural environment and beaches with crystal waters and beautiful scenery formed by 74 islands. Other exciting activities that are attractive to tourist include gliding, yachting motor cruising and catamaran (Agarwal & Shaw, 2007). Increased awareness has been created with regards to various forms of sustainable tourism and in spite of the potential of Whitsundays to attract even greater number of tourists, there has not been adequate developments to improve the state of tourism activities in Whitsundays. However, the government has put in major efforts to allow private organizations to set up resorts that have generated massive income for individual investors. The main reason why there has been the need to improve tourism in Whitsundays is that there exist a range of tourism attraction potential which can be attractive to a number of families who visit the islands for personal and official duties. These include beaches, crystal waters, marinas, resorts and reefs. However, the contributing factors to low tourism in the area has been lack of adequate marketing for the tourist attractions such as the Great Barrier Reef, accommodation facilities, Whitsundays cruise sailing activities, Whitsundays tours activities and other structures that can be attractive to the population of tourists when the right marketing strategy is developed (Bull, 2011). This paper investigates the current market strategy and potential market strategy that can be used to improve tourism in Whitsundays Islands with the focus on increasing gains resulting from tourism activities. In addition, it provides competitor analysis so that any possible competition for tourism can be countered. 2. Existing tourism strategies and policies relating to transformative destination management strategy The main areas which are used as tourist attractions in Whitsundays islands include holiday packages composed of the needs of intrepid travelers as well as the needs of the islanders. There are also a range of meals, accommodation and tour needs that are provided at discounted rates. In addition, the islands have a number of tours activities such as Whitsundays Day Cruises, Crocodile safaris and Scenic Flights over Whitsundays. The islands also have a number of Whitsundays cruises and sailing activities such as Whitsundays Bareboat Charters and Adventure Sailing (Dwyer, 2011). Despite the existence of these excellent tourist packages, there has been lack of adequate maintenance of tourism resources in Whitsundays and marketing has not been efficient to attain the income potential of the location. For instance, it has been observed that there has been careless boating, snorkeling and fishing that have created inadequate competence for the tourist attractions in Whitsundays (Fyall, & Garrod, 2005). The islanders have also been involved in touching the reefs and dropping anchors while marine animals such as whales and sharks, dolphins, seals, penguins and dugongs have created disturbance for boating activities at the coast. There has also been an inadequate transport and communication system between the islands and the mainland. This has prevented most tourists from the mainland accessing the tourist attractions in the island. In order to improve destination management process, a strategy has been developed which will ensure there is a revival of tourism activities at Whitsundays and tourism potential is attained. The new strategy will consider regional circumstances but it will involve an improvement of administration activities by promoting cooperation with various sectors and creating cross-sect oral development structures so that the development activities will be all-inclusive during tourism policy formulation (Pearce, 2012). Another management strategy, networking with regional producers to improve marketing activities and enhancing communication with the mainland about tourism activities available in the island such as Whitsundays cruises Sailing, Whitsundays packages for travelers and Whitsundays tours. Furthermore, the new management structure will account for environmental needs such as improving the environmental standards through reduction of noise at the islands, provision of clean and safe drinking water, management of wastes and creation of buffer zones in areas that are allocated for natural habitats (Todd & Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2008). In addition, environmentally harmful sports will be avoided and Environmental impact assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environment Assessment procedures will be implemented during the execution of the project. Lastly, the new management system will involve provision of training in matters related to tourism about the need to preserve natural heritage, prevent environmental pollution, manage staff and create environmental awareness among the population. It will also involve introducing a visitors’ program that provides environmental information to the visitors. 3. Potential target market for the strategy There are a number of people who would provide possible market for the marketing strategy. An example is members of families who will be visiting the Whitsundays from Australian mainland and other countries for the purpose of touring the beaches as well as introducing their children and families to tourism attractions at the coast. The other group of potential target market for the marketing strategy will be business travelers who will be involved on a stoppage at the island before proceeding with their journeys (Tsiotsou & Goldsmith, 2012). These tourism activities will provide them with recreation facilities that enable them overcome fatigue as a result of long distance travelling. In addition, there is a high population in the Whitsundays Islands who will contribute significantly to tourism market in the region. In addition residents of Australians will be extensively involved in local tourism specifically during holidays and weekends. This is based on the fact that most people are working individuals and would like a relaxation activity during weekends and during holidays. Thus, the existence of improved tourist attraction sites at the islands will be attractive to them and they are expected to turn out in large numbers (Tsiotsou & Goldsmith, 2012). In most cases, they are likely to come with their families including children; this will result into generation of income as a result of local tourism. Furthermore, there will be international tourists from continents such as New Zealand, Asia, Europe and Middle East. These tourists will contribute to additional income as a result of using the beaches, accommodation facilities and tour services. 4. Destination marketing strategy Various destination marketing strategies will be used such as advertising, public relations and personal selling with the focus on attracting families with young children. Advertising will involve the use of media such as radio and television to broadcast various tourist attractions such as beaches, hotels and restaurants and other recreation activities such as availability of coral reefs for viewing and climbing. The use of mass media will also include the use of posters where pictures representing tourist attractions available in Whitsundays will be advertised (Dwyer & Forsyth, 2006). This will be targeted towards sensitizing consumers with the focus on sensitizing them about the benefits they are likely to get from touring Whitsundays Islands. In addition, public relations will be used extensively by the organizational involved in management of tourism activities in Whitsundays Islands. This will be facilitated through the use of agents who will be responsible for informing the public as well as visitors about the available tourism activities in the islands (Fyall & Garrod, 2005). They will use persuasive language to communicate to potential tourists such as residents in urban areas, business travelers and families on vacation. Personal selling will be used in a situation where people who are involved in provision of s specific service or a product. For instance, individuals involved in selling foodstuffs will contact tourists directly by informing them about the products in the menu so that they can make a choice whether to buy the products or not (Tsiotsou & Goldsmith, 2012). Based on the comparison of various methods of marketing tourism activities, the following chart shows the extent to which various methods will be used. This method will be used mainly by islanders who are familiar with the nature of tourism in the islands. Figure 2. Methods in which Tourism will be marketed in Whitsundays Islands There are a number of key competitors in the tourism attraction that the marketing strategy needs to overcome. These will include tourist attractions in the Australian mainland such as game reserves and national parks that will put pressure on tourists to choose either to stay at the islands or go inland to see the animals in the reserves, there will also be competition from a number of restaurants in the area as a result of nearness to the port where tourists travel to Whitsundays Islands by means of ships and other water transport methods (World Tourism Organization & United Nations Environment Programme, 2008). Another area of competition will be various cultural groups among the islanders who will flock at the beaches of the islands to display their culture. Due to a range of cultures, it will be difficult for tourists to make a choice regarding the type of culture that would be attractive to them. References Agarwal, S., & Shaw, G. (2007). Managing coastal tourism resorts: A global perspective. Clevedon [England: Channel View Publications. Bull, Adrian. (2011). Coastal and Marine Tourism. Routledge. Butler, R. W. (2006). The tourism area life cycle: 1. Clevedon [u.a.: Channel View Publ. Dwyer, L. (2011). The Discovery of Tourism Economics. Bradford: Emerald Group Pub. Dwyer, L., & Forsyth, P. (2006). International Handbook on the Economics of Tourism. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Pub. Fyall, A., & Garrod, B. (2005). Tourism marketing: A collaborative approach. Buffalo: Channel View Publications. Jones, A., Jenkins, I., & Phillips, M. (2009). Disappearing destinations. Wallingford: CABI. 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