Acta turistica nova, Vol. 5 No. 1, 2011.
Original scientific paper
PUBLIC RELATIONS – LEADING TACTICS IN PROMOTING TOURISM REGIONS
Marinko Jakovljević
Abstract
The tourism offer of a destination is
largely created within a tourism region since in
most cases it is its inherent part. The Croatian
political system divides regions into counties,
while tourism regions are divided into clusters.
Clusters are usually spread within recognisable
natural and geographic boundaries of regional
tourism destinations. Marketing in a tourism
destination in Croatian regions is managed by a
County (Regional) Tourist Board, which functions
as a kind of destination management/marketing
organisation. One of the main tasks of tourist
boards in the regions is to promote a destination.
Such promotion uses all the established tools
and tactics which contribute to this important
objective amidst sharp competition in tourism.
Advertising and public relations perform the main
promotional function in promoting the regions as
destinations. The author has conducted research
on the tourism regions of Croatia, introduced a
new methodology of recognising and classifying
public relations in promoting tourist destinations,
and has come to the conclusion that public
relations are the leading marketing tactics in
promoting the regions. The value of published
articles and other contributions by journalists
in the print, electronic, and broadcast media is several times higher than the total funds available
in regional destination marketing organisations
(DMOs). Furthermore, 62% of the total
functional marketing budget is spent on public
relations (PR) which also makes PR a leading part
of the promotional tactics.
Keywords
public relations; tourist destination; region; promotion; marketing
Hrčak ID:
107028
URI
Publication date:
11.5.2011.
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