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Placemark Solutions president discusses strategic planning for destinations at 2nd International Conference on Destination Branding and Development in Macao.

Placemark Solutions, Inc. President Jonathon Day shares 5 key questions to ask in strategic planning for Destinations at the 2nd International Conference on Destination Branding and Development in Macao in December, 2007.

The key questions for destination marketing professionals to consider were:

1. Why do we brand? Keeping this fundamental question in mind is critical to long term success.
2. Who benefits from branding? Remembering that the destination branding creates value for a number of stakeholders is critical to maximizing the value of the brand. Developing strategies "up front" that generate benefits for stakeholders will ensure you create maximum value for your destination.
   
3. How do we brand? The development of brand is created through both marketing communications and the actual experience in the destination. Destination branding therefore requires a strategic approach to destination development as well as advertising and other communication strategies.
   
4. Is your branding aligned with your strategic direction? Destination branding is a strategic activity that requires long term commitment. As such, the brand strategy and the destination vision must be closely aligned to ensure effective use of resources.
   
5. What are "sustainable" destination brands? Sustainability is based in the concept of the "triple bottom line" – economics, environmental and cultural. Brand development can be seen to be sustainable when it addresses the three bottom lines:
   
   • Economic/Financial: The branding must encourage visitation and visitor spend.
     
   • Cultural: The branding must meet the needs of both the local/host community and the target market.
     
   • Environmental: The development of the destination in line with the branding must be sustainable.
     

5 comments for academics
Dr. Day also shared 5 key points with destination marketing academics trying to increase their relevance to the tourism industry and marketing practitioners. These comments included:

1. Research what is important – not what is easy to measure
   
2. Help the industry understand why your finding are important and what they can do with them
   
3. Improve your communications skills.
   
4. Stay current with applied commercial research. Your 'break-through' may have already happened.
   
5. Remember – tourism is a business – show me the money.