Strategic Tourism Planning Model in Ireland

This report discusses the strategic tourism planning model in Ireland, focusing on its effectiveness, issues, and implications. It explores various strategies adopted by Ireland for tourism planning, such as brand and marketing, distribution and purchasability, product and experience, market and experience, access, regional and seasonal development, industry activation and collaboration, and sustainable tourism. The report also compares Ireland's tourism planning with that of New Zealand and suggests future development opportunities for Ireland's tourism.

Global Destination
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Strategic Tourism Planning Model..............................................................................................3
Effectiveness of the implemented Strategic Tourism Planning Model.......................................5
‘Issues and implications’ of implemented Strategic Tourism Planning......................................7
Future development and improvement........................................................................................8
Strategic Tourism Planning Model..............................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Tourism planning is a process of considering requirements of people who are planning
trip and this is intended at attracting tourist as well as ensuring that local business and places also
get benefit of tourism. Tourism planning involves several activities in which coordination with
local government is created in order to build and improve infrastructure related to tourism.
Participation also extends to private organisations, hospitality organisation, and travel agencies.
This report will discuss about strategies for tourism planning and strategic tourism planning
model. Strategic tourism planning is a process for determining destination and tourism location
and developing its tourism plan in order to achieve objectives determined in most effective and
efficient manner. Ireland is one of the important tourism destination and being effectively
managed and hence Ireland is being contextualised for this report.
Strategic Tourism Planning Model
Ireland is one of the important destinations for tourism and the reason behind this is
locations and sites that can be visited in Ireland. Along with these it also has some of the
important and attractive geographic locations which make it worth being a tourist destination.
Culture of Ireland also has significant influence on other cultures and among all other
destinations for tourism Dublin is most visited destination (Saarinen, Rogerson and Hall, 2019).
This means that Ireland offer several elements that attract tourist in which its geographical
locations, culture and activities are important attraction. Some of the strategies that have been
adopted by Ireland tourism are-
Brand and Marketing
This is one of the important which focuses on creating the sale increasing brand. In this
efforts are made to create brand distinctiveness in order to increase attractiveness of the brand
and product. This means creating attractiveness for the tourism destination. Ireland in order to
market tourism places importance on marketing through different ways. In this Ireland also
undertake practices through which diverse holiday experiences are communicated that are
available at Ireland. Marketing involves communicating and presenting Ireland as exciting
destination and promote experience.

Distribution and Purchasability
This strategy for tourism planning involves focusing on strengthening presence and
efficacy at all stages through the path customers and tourist can make purchase (Milano, Novelli
and Cheer, 2019). This means that tourism plan ensure that Ireland is easily purchasable. This
means that tourism and tourist activities at Ireland are easily purchasable. Purchasability also
ensures that monetary aspect of the purchase is motivating and competitive.
Product and Experience
This means creating world-class experience that appeals to customers and along with this
devising and delivering product and experience that support regional and seasonal development
of the tourism destinations and locations. This strategy also involves leveraging and involving
different products and services that are available in context of Ireland tourism. Product plays
important role in selling and this is why focusing on this aspect is very important however
regarding tourism experience is equally important.
Market and Experience
This is another strategy in tourism plan of the Ireland. This strategy focuses on involving
all different stakeholders of the tourism within Ireland and creating environment in which
stakeholders can share data, insights, research and sales toolkits. This also includes developing
understanding of the consumer segments along with understanding dynamic understanding of the
path of consumer’s purchase (McLoughlin and Hanrahan, 2019). This strategy also involve
developing understanding of competitors activity and its effect on consumers and their decision
making.
Access
This involves exploiting new routes and sustaining strategically important routes. This
strategy of tourism planning also includes implementation of cooperative campaigns and share
market research and intelligence with carriers to encourage new strategic routes.
Regional and Seasonal Development

This mainly involves development and implementation of product and experience. This
strategy also focuses and regional development initiatives. In this Ireland focuses tourism
focuses and improving and enhancing regional services (Healy, van Riper and Boyd, 2016). This
strategy in the plan also involves promoting specific seasonal and regional proposition and
ensuring opening of products and experiences, accommodation, restaurants etc. to enhance
experience and improve product.
Industry Activation and Collaboration
This means driving collaboration and activation in all the areas that are connected to
relevant with tourism and overall experience of the tourist. Continuing offering value for money
and incorporating trade and industry offering into marketing content. This means that when
Ireland and its tourism is promoted and marketed at that time regional offerings are also
associated with tourism in Ireland and its different destinations. For example, promoting local
specialities along with attractive destinations of Ireland.
Sustainable Tourism
This is a concept and model which is based on analysing and identifying long term
impact on the tourism destination, local people of the destination and impact on the environment
because of tourism activities (McLoughlin and Hanrahan, 2016). Ireland in its tourism planning
has focused on the sustainability standards. Other than this some of the activities that are
included in sustainable tourism are globally recognised eco-certification program, green travel
marketing toolkit, naturalist guided tourism activities and environmentally conscious hotels.
These are some of the elements and activities that are part of the sustainable tourism of Ireland.
In context tourism planning and management sustainability has become key issue because of
increasing negative impact on the environment and tourism destinations. Many organisations are
also taking active participation in ensuring sustainable tourism in Ireland in which their focus is
on planting trees, respect towards nature and wildlife, partnering with local communities for
sustainable tourism and avoid printing and saving water, recycling waste is also part of
sustainable tourism (McLoughlin and et.al., 2018).

Effectiveness of the implemented Strategic Tourism Planning Model
The strategies in tourism planning and development model of Ireland suggest a holistic
model for tourism planning in which all the aspects have been considered. This involves a
strategy in which all aspects of tourism were considered and different aspects and strategies were
considered (Saarinen, Rogerson and Hall, 2017). This involves strategies that are focusing on the
aspect to attract consumers and tourist and followed by this they also have strategies and
elements that are focusing on ensuring satisfaction of the customers and tourism. This also
focuses on long term impact of the tourism and environment and local communities. Some of the
benefits of the strategies and model of the Ireland tourism plans are-
 Focuses on different areas of the tourism and effective collaboration of the different areas
concerned with tourism in the model and its different strategies
 Understand the importance of marketing and promotion, and employ an effective
business approach towards tourism in Ireland.
 This also focuses on consumer satisfaction which is important for success of the
experience of the consumers and tourists in Ireland (Higgins-Desbiolles, 2018).
 Another benefit of this plan and strategies involved in the plan is that this present all
aspects of tourism and destination in front of the customers.
 Sustainability of the tourism is also one of the models of tourism and considering
increasing importance of sustainability it is important that this aspect is valued by the
tourism plan. This becomes also important for Ireland because it houses geographical
destinations and attractions.
Several advantages and benefits of tourism planning were discussed, but this also has some of
the disadvantages that are as follows-
 This plan does not have any kind of focus on infrastructure development which is one of
the most important aspects of tourism.

 This also does not have extensive focus on tourism related sustainability and areas that
are covered in its sustainability model are general to sustainability rather than having any
specific focus on the tourism sustainability (Pan and et.al., 2018).
 This is mainly based on business approach in which major focus has been placed on
customer attraction and customer satisfaction rather than tourism activities.
Overall the plan for tourism in Ireland is effective and capable of showing long term results in all
aspects including sustainability and tourism activities and their engagement with local activities
and communities.
‘Issues and implications’ of implemented Strategic Tourism Planning
Strategic planning is for tourism planning has several issues. One of the main reasons of
having issues is that planning is extensive and includes several aspects related to tourism. Issues
that can be experienced while implementing this strategic tourism planning are-
Difficulty in understanding customer perspective and preferences
This planning of the tourism places specific attention on customers and their preference
and identifying their taste and preference. However this is important and helpful yet it is difficult
to identify and understand preference and taste of customers in context of tourism (Pa and et.al.,
2018). This is because customers are from different culture and nations and this is why their
choice and preference also differs in such case it is very difficult to understand customers
perspective and preferences regarding tourism.
Maintaining collaboration
Extensive tourism planning also requires effective collaboration and this is another issue
involved in this planning. This is because collaboration includes collaborating with a single focus
on tourism and tourist and this can increase complexities and create issue for the planning and its
implementation.
Implications of the tourism planning
This tourism planning has significant and several implication on the Ireland tourism and
in this some of the implications of the planning are-

Long term impact on success of tourism
This planning will have long term implications on the tourism planning and this will
result in long term success of the tourism planning of the Ireland (Saarinen, Rogerson and Hall,
2017). The reason is that tourism planning of Ireland involves several aspects that have impact
on the success of tourism in Ireland.
Sustainability
This is another implication of the tourism planning and development in the Ireland. This involves
that sustainability model adopted by the Ireland tourism. This has positive impact on the local
communities of the Ireland and along with that it also creates positive impact and influence on
the tourism and tourist.
Comparison of Ireland with other tourism destinations
The discussion identifies that Ireland has managed to effectively plan their tourism which
is able to maintain and enhance satisfaction of tourists and those with of local communities
living at tourist destinations. The planning of Ireland here is being compared with New Zealand.
This means that there are several differences in practices of the different global destinations.
Many of the global destinations focus in technological aspects of tourism and development of
tourism destinations (Dinica, 2017). Many of the destinations are focusing on environment and
sustainability aspect of the tourism and product development of tourism. This means that there
are different destinations are following different approaches and focusing on different areas of
the tourism and development of tourism product. Ireland is focusing on sustainability and
marketing aspects of the tourism. Tourism planning of Ireland is being compared with tourism
planning of New Zealand.
Tourism planning and development in Ireland is responsibility of Department of Transport,
Tourism and Sports. This department is responsible for ensuring development of Ireland as a
tourism product. However in context of New Zealand its tourism strategy is led by Ministry of
Business, Innovation and Employment along with Department of Conservation. This
differentiates in their approach towards tourism focus of the destinations.

In context of Ireland their centre of focus is marketing and promoting the tourism in the country
along with creating tourism product which is able to attract tourists. Other than this centre of
tourism planning and strategy in New Zealand is sustainability (Albrecht, 2017). Focusing on
sustainability in tourism strategy is aimed at creating clean, green and carbon free New Zealand.
Other than this some of the aspects that differentiate New Zealand from Ireland tourism strategy
and planning is values of New Zealand tourism planning and strategy that is-
 Guardianship and protection of cultural and natural features which will benefit current
and future generation
 Showing hospitality, generosity, respect and care for others
 Feeling of family connections and sense of belongingness which is built on work.
These are some of the elements and features that differentiate in tourism strategy and planning of
Ireland and New Zealand. It is also considered that strategies of tourism in New Zealand not only
focuses on tourism destination but also focuses on mindset and feelings of people.
Future development and improvement
There are several positive and favourable elements in tourism planning of the Ireland.
This extends to severe aspects related to tourism planning and also considers sustainability of the
Ireland and its tourism. In context of possible future development of the tourism it can be
considered that Ireland can focus more on infrastructure sustainability because overall analysis
and evaluation of the tourism planning does not reflect about sustainable infrastructure. This is
important and many of the tourism destinations are focusing on different aspects and developing
sustainable infrastructure (Rutty and Richardson, 2019). Ireland is focusing on sustainable
tourism but its focus is limited in some areas and sustainable infrastructure is not included in the
planning of Ireland tourism. However this is one of the areas where Ireland tourism can focus on
and some of the major activities that are included in this is sustainable transportation and Ireland
also need to undertake activities and practices for sustainable tourism.
Strategic Tourism Planning Model
There are several approaches for strategic tourism planning, above discussion about
tourism planning and strategies developed by tourism planning of Ireland is based on the

business approach of the tourism. Other than this some of the approaches are Boosterism,
physical-spatial approach, community oriented approach. On this basis of these models and
approaches of strategic tourism planning it can be said that Ireland tourism planning is based on
two approaches that is business approach and physical-spatial approach. This is because focus on
development and enhancement has also been provided by the tourism planning. In this another
strategic tourism planning model is Boosterism and this model does not consider negative aspect
of the tourism and focuses on increasing tourism. However this model of strategic planning
which is practical can have short term advantages and benefits but this is not suitable for long
term benefits for the tourism (Esfehani and Albrecht, 2019). The model and approach for
strategic planning that Ireland can utilise is community oriented approach. This approach of
tourism planning promotes local tourism development schemes in which residents get significant
benefit and conflicting situations get avoided. Community based approach will also contribute in
overall economic development and extended economic contribution of tourism in Ireland.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion it can be concluded that strategic tourism planning and
development play important role in ensuring attainment of tourism goals and objectives. This
report discussed about tourism planning of Ireland and on the basis of discussion it can be said
that Ireland has very effective tourism planning which covers wide areas related to tourism
planning and development. Later some of the issues were also discussed that can be experienced
and faced by Ireland tourism while implementing tourism planning along with implications of
the planning. Followed by this discussion also included comparison of tourism planning of
Ireland with tourism planning of some other destinations and later discussion involved future
development and improvement in Ireland tourism. Lastly some other models were discussed
which can be adopted and applied by Ireland tourism.

REFERENCES
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