BY HELEN J. CATALBAS
TOURISM policies in favor of selective marketing should be in place to make tourism sustainable.
Not all tourists are good tourists. Destination managers should have this in mind all the time before they embark on a marketing campaign in the long term.
Destinations should define the kind of tourists they want to get. On the other hand, tourists should have a clear image and expectations of the destination they plan to visit and products they desire to experience.
Selective marketing should go beyond the material gains to be derived by destinations from the tourist markets.
Tourism authorities should think long term if they want to make the staying power of their destination longer and stronger to last unlimited number of generations in the distant future. They should be beyond the rat race for tourist arrivals and tourist receipts.
Most importantly, their local residents should be able to afford the tourist attractions, facilities and services of their home country, provinces or city. In short, products should be designed for both tourists and locals to afford and enjoy.
The economics of tourism could be blinding at worst. It could make tourism decision makers myopic at least.
There is nothing wrong with the tourism managers who go after statistics. Statistics are important for benchmarking and planning. The obsession for more tourist arrivals and tourist receipts, however, should be tempered with the noble pursuit for responsible tourists.
Communities should design their tourist products for selected markets. They should know these markets, attract them and get them to buy and experience these products./PN
