Destination Development and
Institutionalization Strategies
In the OIC Member Countries
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it is assigned a comptroller, who oversees checking and approving all economic transactions to make sure the
organization abides by the regulations, and keeps records. Furthermore, accountability is demanded by the
local government and the opposing parties at plenary sessions.
5. DMO Strategy Planning
Strategies devised and activities needed vary and depend very much on the destination, its characteristics
(social, economic, geographical, and so on) and the aims intended. Barcelona now realizes the necessity of
including at an early stage of planning a comprehensive plan to integrate tourism in the city life as another
constant factor, and not as a fluctuating, season-dependent industry. This means that along every strategic
plan for growth drafted for any destination, which includes all the lines of action required in terms of
marketing, structure development, product development, investment facilitation, etc., it should include clear
guidelines on managing potential growth, so that it is stable and becomes an intrinsic part of the city’s
everyday life and natural progression. The best way of achieving this is by including the community and
considering its concerns. Therefore, having workshops with neighborhood associations and other
representative bodies of the community is fundamental when drafting the strategic plan of a destination.
In Granada, one of the main weaknesses and challenges facing the local DMO, and which they are actively
tackling, is a low level of cooperation among industry stakeholders. A DMO should comprise specialists from
the different branches of the tourism industry who know their segment in depth, making up an
interdisciplinary work team. Beyond the qualifications and structure of the team, a DMO should be very active
in promoting collaboration with different stakeholders, to act as a trigger, a catalyzer, bringing them together
so that joint strategies are designed. This is done by establishing workshops where collaboration is promoted
for the creation of products, the improvement of services and economic advancement.
6. Lessons Learned
 Investment in infrastructure and the creation of resources is a fundamental requisite to attract
tourism and successfully develop a destination. This includes government investment in public
infrastructure and subsidizing services that promote growth.
 A destination should have as many resources as possible to attract different types of tourism and
increase overnight accommodation rates and average expenditure.
 Extending tourism season is one of the biggest challenges and main areas of focus, and it is related to
the previous point. By promoting different kinds of tourism, such as MICE and educational tourism,
tourism becomes less season-dependent which stabilizes the inflow of tourism.
 Private-public engagement is crucial for the successful development of the industry; consortiums
where both sides work together are therefore necessary.
 Protecting resources and creating a welcoming and tourist-friendly atmosphere is a key resource of a
destination. This element should be part of the strategic planning in a developing destination fromthe
start. The most successful way to establish community engagement is through civil councils, where
local authorities, stakeholders and neighborhood associations discuss challenges arising from the
tourism industry and present their suggestions.
 If well designed, DMO can fund itself.