Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
26
1. Sustainable Destination Management
In most destinations, destination management organizations (DMOs) are tasked with
developing and managing tourism in their destination. Destination management is defined as
“the strategic, organizational and operative decisions taken to manage the process of definition,
promotion and commercialization of the tourism product [originating from within the
destination], to generate manageable flows of incoming tourists that are balanced, sustainable
and sufficient to meet the economic needs of the local actors involved in the destination”.66 In
the previous COMCEC report on Destination Development and Institutionalization Strategies,
the responsibilities of DMOs were classified into three areas; marketing, operational and
strategic.67 As illustrated in the following table, DMO activities are essentially geared towards
ensuring the sustainability of tourism at the destination level. The marketing activities are aimed
at increasing destination competitiveness and therefore economic viability and local prosperity,
while the operational activities are aimed at achieving visitor fulfillment and improving local
control, employment quality and community wellbeing. The DMO strategic activities, including
resource stewardship, monitoring and evaluation, and crisis management, are aimed at
preserving the physical integrity, cultural richness, biological diversity, and resource efficiency
at the destination. 68
Figure 3: DMO Activities Serving Sustainable Tourism Goals
Source: Based on COMCEC Report, UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Goals
Thus, it can be argued that in their essence DMO activities are serving sustainable tourism goals.
However, as this chapter illustrates, there are many other governmental and non-governmental
66 Presenza, A. (2005). The performance of a tourism destination. Who manages the destination? Who plays the audit role?
XIV International Leisure and Tourism Symposium ESADE .
67 COMCEC. (2018). Destination development and institutionalization strategies in the OIC member countries. COMCEC.
68 UNWTO. (2013). Sustainable tourism for development guidebook. UNWTO.