Perception of Inbound Tour Operators of India Towards Marketing Strategies of Ministry of Tourism

Introduction

In the present global competitive environment, destinations have major challenge to maintain their competitiveness in long term and DMOs should play a crucial role to augment the destination image and service quality in the target market (Pike, 2004) and Minguzzi & Presenza, 2004). The necessity of coordinated efforts for the planning, development and marketing of tourism were considered as the prime factors for DMOs existence (Morrison, 2013). Some countries have established ministry of tourism which performs the entire DMO role and does not use the term NTA. In context of India, MOT is the nodal agency under the Government of India, which is responsible for the formulation of policies at national level, for the co-ordination among different stakeholders and for promotion of tourism in India (Sheehan & Ritchie 2005). There is intensive competition between the world destinations with respect to greater market share; where places are encouraged to think and plan more business-like (Kotler, Haider& Rein, 1993). A destination is instrumental in creating the total vacation experience for the tourist (Uysal, Harrill&Woo, 2011). Destination form the basic element of tourism system as most of the tourism activities takes place there. WTO, 2002 (cited in Pike & Page, 2014) termed destinations as “the fundamental unit of analysis in tourism”. Pike (2004) described destination as a place or “purpose build area” at which visitors base themselves on temporarily basis and involve in tourism related activities. Howie (2003) considered destinations as multifarious phenomena to manage. But greater intensity of competition between destinations (Ashworth &Goodall, 1988)has changed the destination dynamics that has facilitated the marketing of destinations into an increasingly organized, specialized and professionalized industry (Gotham 2002). Destination marketing is an overall effort to identify what it is a destination has to offer (the product), what groups of people would have the time, money and desire both to travel to and to enjoy the destination (the target markets), and how best to reach and convince those people to come to the destination marketing (Lundberg 1990). Destination marketing should be effective enough to satisfy the needs of all stakeholders as well as different market segments.Most of the activities associated with destination marketing are promotional activities (Cai, 2002).

Wahab, Crampon&Rothfield (1976) presented commonly quoted definitions of destination marketing in the 1970s. They defined destination marketing as ‘the management process through which the National Tourists Organizations and/or tourist enterprises identify their selected tourists, actual and potential, communicate with them to ascertain and influence their wishes, needs, motivations, likes and dislikes, on local, regional, national and international levels and to formulate and adapt their tourist products accordingly in view of achieving optimal tourist’s satisfaction thereby fulfilling their objectives’.In some countries these National Tourists Organizations (NTOs) are termed as DMOs or NTAs at national level, who are responsible for the marketing and management of tourism at a national level (Sheehan&Ritchie 2005).Pike (2004) defined destination marketing organisations (DMO) as “any organisation, at any level, which is responsible for the marketing of an identifiable destination” (p. 14).