Izvorni znanstveni članak
Positioning the city product as an international tourist destination: Evidence from South Africa
Girish Prayag
; Marketing and Tourism Department of Management, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauricijus
Sažetak
Increased competition among international tourism destinations has turned many countries to seek growth from destination branding and positioning strategies. The most popular type of destination of interest for positioning studies has been countries, followed by states and very few studies have focused on city products. This study aims at contributing to city marketing and positioning literature. The objectives of this study are two-fold: firstly to identify whether cognitive images of Cape Town are perceived differently from that of Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria, and secondly, whether demographic and travelling characteristics have an impact on image perceptions. A systematic sample of international visitors was interviewed using the face-to-face method, which led to a response rate of 199 completed questionnaires. Correspondence analysis revealed that Cape Town was perceived to be similar to the other three cities on attributes such as service levels, variety of accommodation, and transport and infrastructure. The other three cities were rated worse than Cape Town in terms of variety of activities, attractions and scenery, and to some extent safety. Additional analyses showed that demographic and travelling characteristics had a significant influence on perceived image of the various cities. The results of the study therefore suggest that attributes such as nightlife, friendly people and culture could be used more effectively to differentiate Cape Town. Thereof, the marketing implications are highlighted.
Ključne riječi
destination positioning; destination image; city marketing; city competitiveness; correspondence analysis; Cape Town
Hrčak ID:
24634
URI
Datum izdavanja:
10.6.2007.
Posjeta: 3.486 *