Cooperative and Collaborative Strategies for Marketing Tourism Products and Services

Abstract

In the context of poor prospects of the manufacturing sector and the severe threats facing agricultural and traditional sectors and the uncertainties facing expatriate employment in the Gulf, tourism is considered as one of the sectors, which can drive the state’s economy to take the pinnacle of socio-economic development. As tourism is the fastest growing industry in the world, it became one among the world’s most competitive industries. The competition is increasing day by day since more and more countries seek to attract tourists and more companies and organisations become involved in the highly skilled business of transporting, accommodating and catering for tourists, and attractions and destinations. There are a number of destinations competing with each other to get a bigger and bigger share of the tourist market. Tourism organisations are adopting newer methods, techniques and strategies for marking such destinations. The present study analyses and evaluates the various strategic approaches for marketing tourism products, services and destinations with special reference to tour operators’ perspective.