Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
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sources, whether international or regional, can be sought out to complement internal funding.
However, it must be ensured that a tourism corridor is not over-reliant on external funding as
this might influence its sustainability in the long term. It may also be decided to change the
financing framework over time. For example, a corridor could be launched with shared public
financing to build a critical mass of participating stakeholders, and this can then be transferred
to private-sector stakeholders to manage.
An example of a mixed financing framework would be the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office
(MTCO). MTCO operations as a secretarial of the six governments involved are financed
through fixed annual governmental contributions. However, for any initiative the MTCO
conducts, a separate public-private partnership framework is created. For their Mekong
Moments initiative, for example, private and public partners become “founding partners.” This
financed the launch of the program. It is made sustainable by charging affiliation fees to
participating businesses in the future.
Financial sustainability should be kept in mind at the initiation of a corridor and throughout
ongoing operations. Many international projects face challenges when financing is based on a
single source. An example of this is Baltic Tourism, which even though initially successful, faced
challenges when public financing was stopped. A well-balanced business plan is required to
ensure the long-term sustainability of the corridor. A mixed model is recommended with
development funds and government contributions as well as private-sector funding of
initiatives or commissions for direct sales generated.
Tourism Corridors Marketing and Promotions
Branding of Corridor
It is recommended that strong branding is created for the tourism corridor. This should be
conducted by a professional agency and involve the governance and operations committees, as
well as industry stakeholders. A brand is a promise, and it should tell a story (see chapter 1.4.1).
A brand toolkit should be developed to enable all stakeholders to understand the brand and
use it effectively. Collaborative branding, which is the practice of using a large number of
stakeholders to build and promote a brand collaboratively, might be applied. An example of
this is the Mekong Moments campaign of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO).
It should be decided, as part of the branding exercise, how the brand fits into a larger structure.
For example, how the Turkic Silk Road fits into the overall Silk Road Programme as well as into
the country tourism programs, and how sub-level branding will be handled. The MTCO has
multiple sub-brands, such as the Experience Mekong Collection, Mekong Trends, and Mekong
Moments, which all have their specific designs but follow a standard language and structure.
Promotion of Corridor
A joint marketing plan to promote the corridor as a single brand and to define initiatives,
responsibilities, and channels is recommended. This marketing plan should include action
plans as well as financing for marketing activities. The financing can be provided centrally
through the collaborative framework, by creating financial frameworks for each initiative, or a
mix of both, such as the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office.