Tourism, Security and Safety From Theory to Practice

Conclusion
A tourist destination’s perceived image can affect—positively or negatively—its
demand. A positive image can bring a multitude of tourists, while a negative image
can keep them away. This chapter has presented a summary of the 12 relevant
media strategies chosen by decision makers around the world who were interested
in improving their destinations’ negative image, both in the case of a sudden
negative event or a prolonged decline. The analysis revealed two categories of
media strategies: those that involve changing the reality and those that occur only
in the symbolic reality. Favorable images are becoming more and more vital
due to the growing competition between destinations. Due to this competition,
destinations can no longer remain indifferent to the way they are perceived (Kotler
et al., 1999).
It should be emphasized that improving a destination’s image is a complicated
task and may take many years (Fenster et al., 1994, suggest a time frame of 6–8
years). The most important step toward an effective management of the crisis and
changing the negative image is proper long-term strategic planning. When done
correctly, this planning devotes considerable attention to deflecting potential
crises, and has been shown to be very successful when implemented.
One must remember, however, that although proper handling of the relevant
media aspects is important, an advertising campaign alone is not enough to bring
about significant change. Real-life problems faced by those who need to use a des-
tination’s tourist services—including accommodations, restaurants, and trans-
portation—must also be dealt with. Actions must also be pursued in different and
complementary channels. Members of the former Yugoslav republics, for example,
use media advertisements, but at the same time have also launched an extensive
sales campaign in tourist fairs around the world, and regularly meet travel agents
and tour operators—all this in order to bring back those tourists who used to flock
to the area prior to the Balkan Wars (Efrati, 2002). In other words, several tech-
niques should be used in unison in order to achieve the desired end result: adver-
tising, public relations, sales promotions, direct mailing, and marketing. In
addition to the need to use all of these techniques, it is important to unite all the
players who are connected to the crisis: local residents, the tourist industry (hotels,
attractions, tour-operators), local government, national government, local media,
public relations, and ad people (Tilson and Stacks, 2001). In this way, for example,
a massive advertising campaign sponsored by the local government and hotel
industry needs to be accompanied by promotional discounts in local hotels.
Having presented the various media strategies, it is crucial to point out the obvi-
ous: the analysis in this chapter demonstrates clearly that a given location’s actual
real-life situation is more important than any media strategy employed. Spain did
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not only redefine and reposition itself, but also employed a general program of
improving tourist attractions, facilities, and services (Morgan and Pritchard, 2002).
The Spanish city of Bilbao—which used to face severe problems stemming from
poverty, unemployment, and terrorist attacks—would not have become an attrac-
tive tourist destination through media campaigning alone, had it not at the same
time developed real attractions (establishing the Guggenheim Museum and other
tourist sites and services). Media strategies are helpful in raising awareness among
target populations to what a destination has to offer, and can thus assist in making
the most of these attractions, but they are not enough by themselves to bring about
a much longed-for change.