Destination Development and
Institutionalization Strategies
In the OIC Member Countries
149
A non-profit in Providence, Rhode Island in the United States, developed an
attraction in the form of a sculpture that consists of over 100 sparkling bonfires
along the rivers of downtown Providence, around which it developed monthly
events, during which the bonfires are activated and there is music from around
the world. The attraction/event helped solidify Providence’s reputation as an arts and
cultural hub. Average attendance is 40,000 per night, which results in significantly increased
business for hotels and restaurants during the event.
Even countries with a high level of natural resources need to develop activities around these
resources. Azerbaijan for example is rich in natural resources, as it has both historic
monuments, as well as nature-related resources, however there are limited activities
involving the main tourist attractions. For example, there is a Burning Mountain (Yanardaq)
with fires emerging from the ground for thousands of years. It is a unique natural attraction
but there is not much for tourists who travel one hour from Baku to do beyond admiring the
phenomena and taking pictures.411
Countrieswith a high tourismbudget can developmega events and entertainment attractions.
During the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2001, to create buzz and attract visitors, every
day for the duration of the month-long festival, a Rolls Royce was given away in a
raffle draw.
More recently, Dubai has opened several theme parks including IMG Worlds of
Adventure, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Legoland, and others to attract family-friendly tourism.
EXAMPLES: Azerbaijan, Nigeria
HIGH:
It is less likely that new destinations have high levels of activities.
Destinations with high levels of activities need to continue re-inventing themselves and
adding new activities to encourage repeat visitors. It is important to monitor and maintain a
high level of quality in both the product and services related to it, as well as to track visitor
satisfaction and needs.
Linkages
LOW:
Linkages involve immigrants returning to their home country to visit family and friends,
business trips as well as religious trips.
In case of low linkages, DMOs can encourage immigrants to visit their home country by
developing relevant tour packages for visitors and their families and promoting them through
other social media. This will allow locals to reach out to their immigrant family and friends to
encourage them to visit.
The Italian region of Umbria lacked a regional website for a long time. As a result,
citizens became active on Facebook and created Facebook groups to promote the
411 Azerbaijan case study