To facilitate the development and delivery of a tourism strategy and brand development plan for Destinations, RIKON have developed a strategic Destination Management Planning Model and methodology process. This innovative approach to destination planning, development and management is rooted in RIKON’s extensive experience in destination research, partnerships and collaborations with policy makers and academic research professionals. As outlined in Figure 2 below, the process comprises of four phases from an examination of the current situation, to defining where one aspires to be at a particular date in the future and then provides a roadmap of how to reach the desired position.
How RIKON Destination Management Planning Model (DMP) works?
The accurate and objective Destination Assessment and Evaluation is vital to all other dimensions of the model as it forms the premise for all planning and development decisions and agendas. Following this comprehensive assessment and evaluation, Destination Development, Planning and interpretation provides tourism planners with the apparatuses to produce a sustainable and competitive tourism offering in Wexford. This approach is structured around Wexford’s unique tourism assets and unique development, marketing and management needs and therefore offers a unique advantage to each tourism provider in the destination. RIKON’s planning phase is a step forward from traditional destination marketing roles and provides a more holistic and integrated approach to understanding the tourism potential of Wexford and unearthing the best approach to maximising that potential in the short, medium and long term. Critical to this process is the engagement of key stakeholders and their commitment and participation throughout the project are central to its overall success. This involvement also enables;
- A solid foundation for a tourism development strategy
- Creation of an understanding of what you have to offer and who your target markets should be
- Assessment of the destinations strengths and weaknesses in a disciplined manner
- Establishment of a consensus on goals, objectives, priorities and required actions to build your tourism sector
- Provision a common basis for identifying gaps and opportunities in the product mix.
Integrated Destination Marketing and brand communications collateral will be developed to ensure that a clear and consistent message about Wexford as a destination of choice is being delivered to the appropriate target audience. Indeed, RIKON will develop an action agenda on how to promote, brand and communicate that strategic vision of Wexford to the marketplace. Finally, building upon on all the previous interventions, RIKON will develop a strategy and action plan to deliver on the vision of the destination and to ensure effective Destination Management. It is important that all final plans should be linked up to national strategic tourism plans and developed after a comprehensive consultation with all key stakeholders and tourism bodies.