Chapter7
DMS FAISABILITY FOR MOROCCO DESTINATION
MNTO MARKETING CHALLENGE
Major issues
· Attract, retain high spending independent traveler
· Create a seamless marketing system with GDS/CRS
leverage
· Improve destination marketing
· Organizational barriers
Strategic Environment
(See next page)
Competitive environment
IT DRIVERS ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS
· Competition based on quality of information
· Internet use increasing
dramatically
· National tourism boards
embracing the digital age
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· Globalization and liberalization
· A generally weaker bargaining position towards TOs
· GDSs and CRSs owned by large airlines
· Natural competitive advantages less significant
· Open skies results in lower airfares
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Destination Marketing SWOT Analysis
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Opportunities
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Treats
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-Product brand
name
-Product attributes -Mild seasonality
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-Capacity
-Air transportation -Inefficient MNTO -Lack of IT in tourism
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-National awareness -Saturated North Mediterranean
destinations
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-Competition - IT tools in competitive destination
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Figure 8. Morocco Destination Marketing SWOT Analysis
MARKETING OBJECTIVES
Overall Objectives
Information constitute undoubtedly MNTO's raw material necessary
to accomplish and perform its core competency witch is Destination Marketing.
However, the industry's small and medium players have little know-how
concerning the use of information and communication technologies, lack of
digitized promotion material and absence of any kind of database. The MNTO
should therefore play a proactive role in the future development of national
tourism through the implementation of appropriate information, communication
and marketing tools. Information management should constitute MNTO's new
competitive advantage. MNTO should therefore seek the implementation of a
successful Destination Marketing System that will enable the Tourism Board to
store online information, market it to the private sector and use it to
streamline
its promotional strategy. It supposes the acquisition of the
necessary technology in order to be able to manage, structure, and integrate
the information. Implementation of a synergic platform, therefore, becomes a
prerequisite to a destination marketing system.
Tourism Businesses
The main strategic target for a DMS is undoubtedly the
independent traveler. However the tourist businesses (all range of domestic
suppliers and
foreign markets intermediaries) are the backbone of the system.
So the MNTO should define DMS objectives accordingly:
> Altering existing tourism distribution channels to increase
the autonomy of regional destinations and Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises
(SMTEs)
> Bridging the Distance between the SMTE of peripheral and
remote locations and travel agencies worldwide
> Reducing the SMTEs dependence upon intermediaries and big
tour operators.
> DMS is the answer to large commercial tourism
distribution and reservation systems and to the ongoing concentration and
mergers in Europe distribution system.
> Targeting smaller groups of holiday's makers (customization
and special packaging especially in the US).
> Building intra and inter regional cooperation with an
operational, and commercially viable information, communication and marketing
system at the disposal of regional tourism organizations and foreign based
bureaus (Intranet).
The Consumer
Tourism destination marketing is based on intangibility and
perishability. Clearly the international tourist and mostly the independent
traveler is the main target for a DMS. The Moroccan National Tourism Office's
marketing objectives should focus on maintaining and improving the contact with
the tourist (at home or at the destination) through multimedia up to date
information and instant booking (Internet). Travel and Tourism
fit especially well with interactive media because of the industry's
information intensive characteristic. Interactive media
provided by a DMS call for interactive marketing. « The
essence of interactive marketing is the use of information from the customer
rather than about the customer» (Day, 1998). The MNTO markets intangible
experience. A DMS must then be able to deliver this intangibility by providing
pictures and chat rooms through its Web site. So information readiness and
availability, easy booking and expert advice are the most adding value factors
to the destination products and services.
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