THS3DMM - Assessment Task 1: Case Study

Description of Task

This Case Study is an analysis of a real-world destination marketing campaign.

Select one (1) of the real-world destination marketing campaigns listed below. Each of the listed campaigns were designed to promote a state or a city in the United States, namely the states of Virginia and West Virginia and the cities of Las Vegas and Philadelphia.

Each campaign has been successful in encouraging tourists to visit the destination due to their clever use of creative messaging and impressive visuals and this allows them to stand out in a crowded tourism market.

Answer each of the questions below to demonstrate your understanding of the key concepts and theories of destination marketing and to provide insightful recommendations for future campaigns for your chosen destination.

1. Define destination marketing and explain its significance in promoting destinations. Use the US Travel Association to illustrate your answer (200 words)
2. Identify and explain the involvement of the key stakeholders involved in your chosen campaign such as government agencies and tourism operators (200 words).
3. Based on your understanding of the complexities involved in promoting tourism destinations, identify and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your chosen campaign (200 words).
4. Based on your understanding of your chosen campaign, provide at least two (2) recommendations for future improvements (100 words).
5. Identify what you believe are the current trends in destination marketing which may have an influence on the future campaigns by your chosen destination (200 words)

In your discussion about future trends, mention should be made to one (1) or more of the following:

• the increasing importance of sustainable tourism; wellness tourism and/or experience-based tourism; and/or,
• the role of technology in destination marketing; and/or,
• The increase in the desire for personalization of experience reflected in accommodation, activities, and dining

To demonstrate that you have applied key concepts and theories to these questions students are required to refer to at least one (1) different reference per question. So, there should be at least 5 different references in the Annotated Bibliography (The Annotated Bibliography is not included in the word count).

There is a +/- 10% variation permitted on the word count. Please use APA7 referencing. Choose to discuss one (1) of the following marketing campaigns:

State campaigns

• “Virginia is for Lovers”, Virginia https://www.virginia.org/
• “Wonderful West Virginia”, West Virginia

https://www.wonderfulwv.com/index.html#/shelf/view/default

City campaigns

• “What happens here, only happens here”, #onlyVegas https://www.lvcva.com/destination- marketing/advertising-campaigns/what-happens-here-only-happens-here/
• “Get your history straight and your nightlife gay”, Philadelphia https://wwvisitphilly.com/lgbt/