Sustainable Destination Management

Strategies in the OIC Member Countries

National Park of Zimbabwe, offering a variety of trails including walking and wilderness trails

as well as self-drive trails across Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

From a design perspective, MDTCs can be classified as either linear or network corridors.

Linear corridors can have either one or several start points and one end point, such as the

Camino de Santiago, which has various start points but ends at one point, the Cathedral of

Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Linear corridors are sequential, going from the various start

points to the final point, as opposed to network corridors, which consist of various points that

are not necessarily linked physically or consequentially but connected by a common theme.

Network corridors do not have start or end points, such as the European cemeteries route and

the Phoenicians’ route. In many instances, network corridors may not be connected by a

specific sequence, and their cohesion relies mainly on their shared theme rather than territorial

linkages.

From a historical perspective, MDTCs can be classified as either of historical origins or based

on current narratives. MDTCs with historical origins have well-founded and factual historical

roots, such as the Camino de Santiago, while those based on current narratives build on a

historical association strengthened by current narratives, such as the European route of

thermal heritage and thermal towns.

Based on their territorial coverage, cultural routes can

be transnational only or intercontinental as well.

MDTCs can also be classified as formal or

informal. Informal corridors are formed by tourists and in some instances, tourism agencies

creating itineraries that connect attractions of interest, while formal corridors are generally

developed or supported by local authorities in territories along the corridor.

The establishment of MDTCs involves a number of logistical andmarketing requirements. From

a logistical perspective, corridors require establishing an appropriate infrastructure, including

transport, accommodation, and attractions, as well as the facilitation of accessibility.

Attractions need to have appropriate signage and access options for tourists with reduced

mobility, including people with disabilities. Opening times need to take into consideration

holiday schedules, availability of open amenities during opening hours as well as weather

conditions. Attractions along the corridor also need to provide different ticket options such as

offering suitable pricing for both residents and tourists as well as providing discounts for

students and children. For cultural corridors, accessibility also includes customizing the

experience to the different tourist segments, whether in terms of tailoring attraction-related

background information, messages and signs, to enable tourists to access and interpret the

relevance of the attraction.

In Chapter One of this report, an overview of existing global MDTCs is undertaken, outlining

their types, how they were developed, the entities and tourism stakeholders involved, the

enabling infrastructure and legislation, how they are financed, marketed and managed, in

Hawkins, D., et al. 2015. Multi-Country Destination Development: An Opportunity to Stimulate Tourism in the Americas.

International UNWTO Seminar on Multi Destination Opportunities for Regional Integration.

UNWTO (2015), Affiliate Members Global Reports, Volume twelve – Cultural Routes and Itineraries, UNWTO, Madrid.

Ibid.

Valkova Shishmanova, Maria. 2015. Cultural tourism in cultural corridors, itineraries, areas and cores Networked.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 188: 246 – 254.

Hamzah, A. and Ismail, H. N. 2008. A design of Nature-Culture Based Tourism Corridor; A Pilot Project at Kelantan Darul

Naim. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Ibid.

UNWTO (2015), Affiliate Members Global Reports, Volume twelve – Cultural Routes and Itineraries, UNWTO, Madrid.