Destination Development and
Institutionalization Strategies
In the OIC Member Countries
153
o Studying carrying capacity for various parts of the destination and put limits in place
to avoid overcrowding (which may include limiting hotel building or Airbnb licenses
or other restrictive measures)
o Raise pricing to attractions during peak times and offer discounted rates during
slower times
o Limit access to certain activities. For example, Amsterdam banned the opening of
additional tourist-focused shops, such as souvenir shops, fast-food restaurants and
bike rental companies416 . Also, DisneyWorld closes its gates a few times a year when
it reaches maximum capacity
o Implementing littering policies for beaches/parks and make sure there are enough
waste bins in place.
o Investing in ticketing/access solutions to help manage foot flow and reduce queuing
at attractions.
o Pushing for environmental policies (which may include solar/wind/water
conservation) to protect clean air, reefs, beaches, forests, rivers, lakes etc.
o Educating locals (and resident groups) about these policies and the importance of
protecting accesses and improving the visitor experience. 417
 Provide incentives to tourism companies that implement “green” measures
EXAMPLES: Turkey
Activities
LOW:
Activities arewithin the control of destinationmanagers. Countrieswith natural and cultural
resources should develop activities around those resources. Activities can be in the form of
events or festivals or experiential activities. Entertainment events can include live shows.
Countries that have low natural and cultural resources should especially focus on
developing activities and events.
HIGH:
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.
Activities, including entertainment and events should be developed for less popular areas.
EXAMPLES: Turkey
Linkages
LOW:
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 Facebook and other social media. This will allow locals to reach out to their
immigrant family and friends to encourage them to visit.
HIGH:
Linkages involve immigrants returning to their home country to visit family and friends,
business trips as well as religious trips.
416 Interview with head of Amsterdam Marketing
417 Interview with Doug Lansky, destinations consultant, travel writer, and keynote speaker