Transferring concepts and Tools from other fields to the Tourist destination: A critical viewpoint focusing on the lifecycle concept
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2019-10-17
Author(s)
Abstract
The tourist destination lifecycle is one of the main concepts that has engaged researchers and practitioners for decades. Butler's tourist area life cycle (TALC) serves as the major reference (Butler, 1980). In a recent posting on the TRINET discussion forum, Prof. Bob McKercher of Hong Kong Polytechnic University questioned to what extent the entire lifecycle of destinations really shows the typical ‘s’-shape curve and whether there are alternative models. In addition, he raised the question of how destination management or marketing organizations (DMOs) could play a strategic role in shaping the lifecycle curve of tourist destinations. The precise question was posed on October 31, 2018 as follows:
Destinations have specific lifecycle phases that can be plotted whenever you do a cross sectional, single time frame study, but, is it possible to map its entire lifecycle confidently, given how many various inputs there {sic} to the system? Plog, Butler, etc. say yes, although Plog says the lifecycle is finite unless there is an ‘earthquake’, while Butler wrote about evolution. Complexity says maybe. Prideaux and Choy talk about how it is scalloped shaped with innovations – technology, marketing, etc. pushing destinations to new phases. DMOs say no and strive to revitalize, develop or maintain. So the issue is that you can do one off analyses and say the destination is in xyz stage. But has anyone been able to confidently map out the entire lifecycle???? Can it even be done or is destination life path one of continuous fluctuation that can be plotted at single points in time, but cannot be aggregated to produce a ‘lifecycle’?
This paper is inspired by McKercher's conundrum because it is relevant and still current. Indeed, there is increasing interest in DMOs and their impact as well as an increasing amount of research in the field of destination marketing and management, not least on account of the rising importance of this journal. In addition, assuming that the tourist destination is an entity, one could intuitively relate to the lifecycle concept for the purpose of research, development, marketing and management. This is a modified and extended version of the reply I posted on TRINET on November 2, 2018.
2. Problem and aim of the paper
Destinations have specific lifecycle phases that can be plotted whenever you do a cross sectional, single time frame study, but, is it possible to map its entire lifecycle confidently, given how many various inputs there {sic} to the system? Plog, Butler, etc. say yes, although Plog says the lifecycle is finite unless there is an ‘earthquake’, while Butler wrote about evolution. Complexity says maybe. Prideaux and Choy talk about how it is scalloped shaped with innovations – technology, marketing, etc. pushing destinations to new phases. DMOs say no and strive to revitalize, develop or maintain. So the issue is that you can do one off analyses and say the destination is in xyz stage. But has anyone been able to confidently map out the entire lifecycle???? Can it even be done or is destination life path one of continuous fluctuation that can be plotted at single points in time, but cannot be aggregated to produce a ‘lifecycle’?
This paper is inspired by McKercher's conundrum because it is relevant and still current. Indeed, there is increasing interest in DMOs and their impact as well as an increasing amount of research in the field of destination marketing and management, not least on account of the rising importance of this journal. In addition, assuming that the tourist destination is an entity, one could intuitively relate to the lifecycle concept for the purpose of research, development, marketing and management. This is a modified and extended version of the reply I posted on TRINET on November 2, 2018.
2. Problem and aim of the paper
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SoM - Business Innovation
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Elsevier
Number
14
Subject(s)
Eprints ID
259249