Community Based Tourism
Finding the Euilibrium in the COMCEC Context
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In conducting the above promotional tools, integrated marketing communications (IMC),
with the same brand elements, need to be utilized for effective and efficient branding of
CBT destinations. IMC unifies different promotional messages into a concerted message
and enables formation of a concrete CBT brand distinguished among others in consumers’
minds.
2.4.4. CBT Product Launch
The CBT product launch needs to be strategized in terms of time; for a successful launch,
the opening of the tourism season may be strategic. For the product launch to be smooth
and successful, the CBT product needs to be free of conflict in objectives (environmental,
social financial) and intergroup conflicts, well-linked to other industries and sectors, and
producers, supported and supplemented by donor-driven efforts and market-led private
enterprises. Such entities are guided by market opportunities and understand the highly
competitive and sensitive nature of the tourism industry.
For successful launch and continuation of CBT products, volunteers are critical including,
locals, Diasporas, expats from different countries living close to the destination and even
others (e.g. young groups, study abroad potentials, or other students from different
countries). Some tasks in which volunteers can provide valuable contributions include,
long distance tasks of information dissemination on the Internet, specifically social media,
help with the online and print material, help with educating the locals, and involvement in
environmental cleaning and beautification activities. Therefore, CBT websites should
include encouraging messages and attractive incentives for potential volunteers to get
involved.
The control and monitoring criteria and mechanisms identified at the Planning Stage
(based on the goals and objectives) is utilized to check if all went as planned from micro
level business activities to macro level destination development. If things changed at the
implementation stage and plans were modified, these need to be noted for a more realistic
assessment and evaluation of results. Also, necessary adjustments on the next plan are
made with the feedback acquired at this stage. Monitoring progress and controlling results
need to be done both to assess progress towards the stated goals and compare progress
against benchmarks and milestones to make assessment of needed adjustments
accordingly. Partnerships with researchers and academia is critical at this stage since their
research skills can also be used as an in-kind support to evaluate all sustainability criteria
to include socio-cultural, ecological, environmental, and economical.
As was mentioned before, strategic partnerships with educational institutions and
academia is needed to conduct continuous research to control and monitor for
improvement and sustainability. They can provide valuable contribution in providing
2.5. Monitoring and Control