Destination Development and
Institutionalization Strategies
In the OIC Member Countries
48
Activities including leveraging facilities to host special events such as seasonal festivals and craft fairs, or
sporting events. Attractions can also be linked to recreational activities such as hiking trails, skiing, golf
courses, or casino gambling. (Examples: Burj Khalifah (UAE), Eiffel Tower (France), Great Wall of China
(China), Taj Mahal (India))
Special events are an extension of the activities mix, however, they refer to a larger “spectrum” of activities
that can generate a high level of interest on the part of both tourists and residents. Special events include
local festivals and “mega” sports events such as the Olympic Games and theWorld Cups. The entertainment
industry, with its offerings from theater, operas, live shows and circuses, contribute to the tourism
industry. The entertainment industry enables tourists visiting cities around the world to attend live shows,
theater productions, operas and other forms of entertainment which adds to the appeal of the destination.
Linkages which continue to attract tourists and can be leveraged by destination managers include family,
friends, and business. Business and trade as well as religious activities also constitute linkages to a
destination that can attract tourists. 178 Examples of a religious activity which attracts tourists includes
Hajj in Saudi Arabia which attracted 1.3 million foreign visitors in 2016.
The accessibility of the destination as well as tourism resources and sites, including entry visas and
permits, is essential for enabling the tourism industry to flourish.179 Complex and difficult visa processes
can detract from a destination’s attractiveness. As such, destination managers in coordination with policy
makers need to work on creating a system which allows “legitimate travelers” freedom of access while
preserving “border integrity” to maintain national security.180
Tourism supra-structure is reliant on infrastructure and is maintained because of tourism activities.
Tourism supra-structure’s primary purpose is to meet and accommodate tourist needs for transportation,
accommodation, food services and places of attraction. Examples of tourism supra-structure include hotels
and sports facilities. Tourism supra-structure is an integral part of the tourism product and can be
controlled by destination managers to a large extent.
The Importance of Supra-structure
Tourism supra-structure is important for tourists to enjoy the appeal of a destination. Tourism supra-
structure refers to tourism related facilities and a destination’s appeal and tourism supra-structure is
evaluated by the architectural appeal, quality of maintenance, and number of tourism related facilities.
Super-structure elements are heavily factored in when building a tourist-friendly destination concept.
178 Ritchie, J.R. & Crouch, G. I. (2010). A Model of Destination Competitiveness/Sustainability: Brazilian Perspectives. Brazilian Public
Administration Review 44(5):1049-66.
179 Ibid.
180 Dupeyras, A. & MacCallum, N. (2013). Indicators for Measuring Competitiveness in Tourism. Retrieved fro