Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
108
public sector (mostly National Tourism Administrations), and 20% of funding corresponds to
the private sector (mostly SMEs). In the past, German development cooperation (GIZ) has
substantially co-funded the DCC.358 Cooperation concluded in 2018 and was instrumental in
the initial phase of the DCC.
Corridor Marketing
In terms of branding, there were efforts to institutionalize a Danube brand. However, these
have not yet materialized.359 The Danube Wine Route and the Roman Emperors Route360 have
their own logos that appear in different publications, thus providing an example of route
branding. In terms of promotion, the Danube Competence Center, in cooperation with other
partners, such as PR companies or individual PR representatives that are active in different
markets, undertake promotion for the Danube TC. Member countries may provide support, for
example, tourism ministries, in the context of sending out press releases, invitations,
organizing fam trips, etc. 361 In addition to the Danube website, which is promoted on social
media 362 , there are print materials 363 covering all Danube countries that are distributed in
some key fairs like ITB without any additional cost for members. In addition, there are project-
based fairs that require additional payment by interested members.
The ITB presence364 involves a number of elements such as stand, active participation in the
side program, Danube passport game for the final consumer, among others. In cooperation with
the EU and within the framework of the EU-China year, specific promotional activities were
launched with regard to China as a promising long-distance market interested in cross-border
tourism to Europe; among these, a virtual fair365 between European providers and Chinese
buyers.
Public relations efforts have been focusing on media and German-speaking countries and the
Netherlands. In addition, there have been blogger trips involving representatives from middle
Danube countries to stimulate tourism between these. In addition, a series of YouTube videos
have been elaborated, especially in the context of the Transdanube Pearls project.
Furthermore, Danube-specific media 366 played a role. Strong focus is placed on online
presence, and currently, Danube travel is experiencing a relaunch. This mix is fine-tuned yearly
in coordination with national partners.
358 "Trans-Border Tourism in the Central and Lower Danube Region," Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), accessed October 13, 2019,
df.
359 "Danube Region," UNWTO, accessed October 13, 2019,
360 "Roman Emperors Route," Danube Competence Center, accessed October 12, 2019,
361 "Serbia Is Partner Country of the International Tourism Fair in Brussels," National Tourism Organisation of Serbia, last
modified February 1, 2011,
in-Brussels.n-1619.580.html.
362 "My Danube Travel," Facebook, accessed October 12, 2019,
363 "A Day on the Danube," Danube Competence Center, last modified April, 2016,
content/uploads/2016/04/A-day-on-the-Danube.pdf.
364 "Discovering Destinations Along the Danube at ITB Berlin," ITB Berlin, last modified February 10, 2017,
365 "1st EU-China Virtual Travel Fair on Cultural Tourism," European Travel Commission, last modified 2018,
366 Thomas Zehender, "Getting from One Pearl to the Other in a Sustainable Way," Danube Connects, last modified November
9, 2018,