1. Module 2a
Tourism Planning
Destination Marketing
and Planning
Professor Alastair M. Morrison
Lesson 4
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010 1

2. The Tourism System
(Mill & Morrison, 6th ed., 2009)
Part 1.
Destination
Part 2. Part 4.
Marketing Travel
Part 3.
Demand
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010 2

3. Module 2a.
Tourism Planning
 The Basics
 Reasons for Tourism Planning
 Consequences of Unplanned
Tourism Development
 Barriers to Tourism Planning
 Purposes of Tourism Planning
 Steps in the Tourism Planning
Process
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010 3

4. The Basics
• Due to range of impacts, and the wide spectrum of
stakeholders involved, there is a need for a holistic
approach to tourism development, management and
monitoring.
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010 4

5. Reasons for Tourism Planning
1. Tourism development has
both negative and positive
impacts
2. Tourism is more competitive
than ever before and there
has been a proliferation in the
promotion of tourism
destinations
3. Tourism is a more
complicated phenomenon
than it was previously thought The Tourism System
(Mill & Morrison, 6th ed., 2009)
to be Part 1. Destination
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010

6. Reasons for Tourism Planning
Yi ethnic minority,
Sichuan, China
4. Tourism has damaged many
natural and cultural resources
5. Tourism affects everyone in a
community and all people
involved in tourism should
participate in the tourism
planning process
6. The Destination Life Cycle
The Tourism System
(Mill & Morrison, 6th ed., 2009)
Part 1. Destination Tujia ethnic minority,
Chongqing, China
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010

7. Consequences of Unplanned
Tourism Development
 Physical impacts
 Human impacts
 Marketing impacts
 Organizational impacts
 Other impacts The Tourism System
(Mill & Morrison, 6th ed., 2009)
Part 1. Destination
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010

8. Barriers to Tourism Planning
Objections to the principle of tourism planning:
1. The costs of conducting tourism planning processes can be
high
2. The complexity of tourism and the large number of
government agencies involved
3. The diversity of tourism businesses
4. The seasonality of tourism in many destinations
5. The high ownership turnover in tourism businesses
The Tourism System
(Mill & Morrison, 6th ed., 2009)
Part 1. Destination
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010

9. Purposes of Tourism Planning
1. Identifying alternative approaches
2. Adapting to the unexpected
3. Maintaining uniqueness
4. Creating the desirable
5. Avoiding the undesirable
The Tourism System
(Mill & Morrison, 6th ed., 2009)
Part 1. Destination
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010

10. Steps in the Tourism
Planning Process
The Tourism System
(Mill & Morrison, 6th ed., 2009)
Part 1. Destination
1. Background analysis
2. Detailed research and analysis
3. Synthesis and visioning
4. Goal-setting, strategy selection, and objective-setting
5. Plan development
6. Plan implementation and monitoring
7. Plan evaluation
Each of the seven steps involves a variety of steps, activities,
participants, and outcomes.
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010

11. Step 1: Background Analysis
Sub-Steps Outcomes
1a. Review of government • Catalog of government
policies, goals, objectives policies, goals, objectives
and programs and programs
1b. Inventory of existing • List of destination mix
destination mix elements elements and components
and components
1c. Description of existing • Description of past visitor
tourism demand profiles
1d. Review of strengths, • Description of major tourism
weaknesses, problems, and strengths, weaknesses,
issues problems, and issues
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010 11

12. Step 2: Detailed Research
and Analysis
Sub-Steps Outcomes
2a. Resource analysis • Maps showing disposition of
tourism resources
• Capacity measurements for
resources
• Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC)
standards
• Description of scope of appeal of
resources
2b. Activity analysis • Inventory of tourism and recreation
activities
2c. Market analysis • Research results on potential
markets
2d. Competitive analysis • Competitive strengths and
weaknesses
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010 12

13. Step 3: Synthesis and
Visioning
Sub-Steps Outcomes
3a. Preparation of preliminary • Position statements on current
position statement conditions
3b. Preparation of vision • Vision statements of desired
statement future conditions
• Critical success factors
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010 13

14. Step 4: Goal-setting, Strategy
Selection, and
Objective-setting
Sub-Steps Outcomes
4a. Definition of tourism goals • Statements of tourism goals
4b. Identification of alternative • Maps or other visual
strategies and selection of presentations of alternative
desired strategies strategies
• Strategy statements
• Rationale for selected strategies
4c. Definition of tourism • Statement of tourism objectives
objectives
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15. Step 5: Plan Development
Sub-Steps Outcomes
5a. Description of • List of programs and activities
programs, activities, roles, • Description of government and
and funding private-sector roles and
responsibilities
• Funding requirements and
resources
• Description of specific development
projects and marketing initiatives
• Plan schedule and timetable
5b. Writing of tourism plan • Tourism plan report
report
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16. Step 6: Plan Implementation
and Monitoring
Sub-Steps Outcomes
6a. Plan implementation • Feasibility studies
• Environmental impact
assessments
• Marketing plans
• New organizational structures in
places
• New developments
• New hospitality resource and
community
awareness programs
• New support services and activities
6b. Plan monitoring • Progress reports on plan
implementation
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17. Step 7: Plan Evaluation
Sub-Steps Outcomes
7a. Measure performance • Performance indicators for each
against each goal and goal and objective
objective
7b. Analyze reasons for non- • Local resident attitude surveys
performance • Tourism business operator surveys
• LAC results
• Marketing plan evaluation results
7c. Prepare recommendations • Suggestions for future tourism
for future tourism planning processes
processes
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010 17

18. Nova Scotia Tourism Plan
Team Exercise
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010

19. Team Exercise:
2005 Nova Scotia (Canada)
Tourism Plan
IULM: Destination Marketing and
Planning
Tourism Planning: Marketing
Team Exercise:
 Assignment:
 Watch the 2005 Nova Scotia
Tourism Plan and then
answer the questions that
follow.
Master in Tourism Management – VI edition – 2009-2010 19

20. Team Exercise:
2005 Nova Scotia (Canada)
Tourism Plan
IULM: Destination Marketing and Planning (Alastair Morrison)
Team Exercise
May 2010
Assignment:
Having watched the 2005 Nova Scotia Tourism Plan, please answer the following
questions:
What are the overall benefits of having a Tourism Plan like this and distributing it
online in a video-style format?
What impressions do you have of the Nova Scotia tourism brand after watching
this presentation?
What are the major tourism attractions and events mentioned as priorities for
2005?
What special-interest travel markets are targeted by Nova Scotia in 2005?
How would you rate the effectiveness of the traveler testimonials and industry
people’s comments at the end of the presentation?
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