Destination and Event Marketing: a Case Study in the 2007 C&D Xiamen International Marathon, Xiamen, China

Abstract

Events have been recognized as one of three contributors to destinations. Event tourism has become a new tourism alternative in recent years. This research examines the relationships between the marketing and organizing of a recurring hallmark sport event and the marketing of a tourism destination hosting the event in terms of how their marketing strategies can be coordinated for multiple benefits. The specific purposes of this paper are: (1) to look at the destination marketing and the event marketing strategies during and after a recurring hallmark sport event by the destination marketers and the event organizing committee, (2) to examine the stakeholders relationships in destination marketing and sport event marketing for multiple benefits, and (3) to develop an incorporated destination marketing model in sport events that is relevant to China. The results of the research reveal both applicability and incongruence between the two contexts in terms of the organization structure, stakeholders and their relationships, and strategic integrated planning procedures. In addition, the finding of this research supports the view that coordination of event marketing and destination marketing could generate more benefits for both event and destination organizations. However, there currently is no significant integration, especially in the planning procedures in the case of Xiamen. The researcher - by referring to the literature and the situations in Xiamen - thus proposes three strategies for considerations in future integration, and formulates a tentative integrated planning model in the context of China.