ICTs and tourism marketing for regional development

Abstract

Tourism marketing has become the cornerstone for strengthening the position of regions in the global tourism market. ICTs have enhanced the marketing potential of remote and peripheral regions as tourist destinations. The scope of this chapter relates to the impacts of the new economy, enabled by ICTs, on tourism marketing for regional development. In the first part of the chapter, the context of the new economy is presented, with emphasis on the role and nature of the new actors in the tourist sector. In the second part, the evolving context of marketing possibilities for remote and peripheral regions is explored in the light of the new economy. In this context, a promotion/marketing framework is developed, based on the specific assets of tourist destinations as tourist products, that is aimed at enhancing their potential within the tourist market. More specifically, an e-Marketplace platform is developed, aimed at marketing peripheral regions as tourist destinations serving regional development goals.