Page 244 - sustainable tourism-- Dr.Aya
P. 244
8/ MARKETING AND
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM:
Although marketing focuses on
enhancing the tourist experiences, the need for
economic sustainability pushes towards
increase in sales. The tourism marketers have
long time been focusing on increasing sales
which ultimately happens thereby treating
tourism as a commodity and not any special
offering. This suggests a strong strategic misfit
by the tourism promoters wherein the role of
marketing appears to be diminished.
Therefore, there is a clear need for delineating
the concept of marketing from sales
particularly for the tourism companies.
Marketing as described as ―market-related
activity‖ which reflects an organization‘s
image in the minds of the consumers. The role
of the marketer is to create and communicate
the right blend of offering, which can provide
value to the consumers or more specifically
the tourists.
244