Visitor Relationship Orientation of Destination Marketing Organizations

Abstract

The proposition underpinning this study is that engaging in meaningful dialogue with previous visitors represents an efficient and effective use of resources for a destination marketing organization (DMO), compared to above-the-line advertising in broadcast media. However, there has been a lack of attention in the tourism literature relating to destination switching, loyalty, and customer relationship management (CRM) to test such a proposition. This article reports an investigation of visitor relationship marketing orientation among DMOs. A model of CRM orientation, which was developed from the wider marketing literature and a prior qualitative study, was used to develop a scale to operationalize DMO-visitor relationship orientation. Owing to a small sample, the partial least squares method of structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Although the sample limits the ability to generalize, the results indicate that the DMOs' visitor orientation is generally responsive and reactive rather than proactive.

Destination Marketing Organizations and destination marketing: A narrative analysis of the literature

“…Additionally, and common to all organisations developing a CRM strategy is the difficulty in engaging with the individual consumer in a way that will be meaningful to them; as opposed to a standardised broadcast email. These problems have been highlighted in a study of RTOs in Queensland, Australia and in a global study of a small sample of DMOs (Pike, Murdy & Lings 2011, Murdy & Pike 2012 …”

Refinement and Validation of a Multidimensional Destination Brand Equity Scale for Inbound and Outbound Chinese Travelers: A Cross-National Perspective

“…This will either retain tourists’ current loyalty or convert them into delighted loyal tourists. Specifically, visitor relationship management will be an alternative solution for JMOs and ZMOs to stimulate repeat visitation and sustain destination loyalty (Murdy and Pike 2012) because “establishing dialogue with selected visitors, in the pursuit of repeat visitation and destination loyalty, is a more efficient and effective use of resources than traditional above-the-line advertising that target new customers” (Pike, Murdy, and Lings 2011, p. 443). Therefore, JMOs and ZMOs must proactively capitalize on their visitor relationship management by considering how to initiate a meaningful future dialogue at the right time with the millions of potential repeat visitors to their destinations (Pike, Murdy, and Lings 2011).…”

Destinations, disasters and public relations: Stakeholder engagement in multi-phase disaster management

“…First, despite the relatively large overall sample size within this study, participant numbers for some Australian States have been undererepresented, which restricts the ability to generalise findings. Difficultly gaining business participants as opposed to individual consumers is an issue faced frequently by researchers, as acknowledged by Pike, Murdy, and Lings (2011). As such, the use of an external panel organisation was vital in ensuring an adequately sized sample, yet use of such a panel poses limitations for the current study.…”