Destination Management and Relationship Marketing: Two Major Factors to Achieve Competitive Advantage

Abstract

To strongly cope in the competitive market of tourism destinations, it is imperative to consider competitive advantages. The major success factors for achieving competitive advantages have not yet been comprehensively examined in the tourism destination literature. Destination management as a universal strategic approach for attaining competitive advantages can run the core resources and address all fundamental elements of a destination. What is more, relationship marketing as a strategy arguably offers considerable potential for pulling off a competitive advantage in destination. The approach to relationship marketing and destination management in this article is conceptual and integrated. The authors attempt to consider an integrated view in both fields to contribute insights to the marketing literature as well as provide an agenda for future research in the areas of relationship marketing and destination management.