Building Destination Through Collaboration

Introduction

The tourism industry is comprised of multiple diverse business categories including accommodation providers, visitor attractions, activity providers and festivals/events. While each business category functions in its own unique way, the customer tends to book across these diverse categories to create holiday experiences.

This method of cross booking by customers is evident in multiple other ways:

• Cross booking within single destinations such as a city, town or village:

With the exception of day trips, customers rarely travel to a single destination to do one thing.

• Cross booking across counties

For example, a customer who has booked a three-night short break in County Armagh might also book experiences during that stay in neighbouring County Down

• Cross booking across whole destinations

For example, a customer visiting destination Northern Ireland may choose to book tourism experiences across all six counties.

• Collaboration between tourism businesses is crucial so that customers understand the full offering within destinations
• This enables the customer to choose the multiple and varied experiences that best suit their interests, needs and budgets.

While the tourism industry may be comprised of diverse categories, from the customer’s perspective these categories must interlink so that the full choice offering within destinations is clear. Collaboration is the key to achieving this.

This guide explores the importance of collaboration for creating opportunities for your tourism business and your destination under the following key topics.

1. Collaborate to Clarify Northern Ireland's Unique Identity. 

2. Collaborate to Raise Awareness of Your Tourism Business and Destiantion.

3. The Role of Collaboration in Gloabl Markets.

4. The of Collaboration in Domestic Markets.

5. Strategic Tips and Examples for Effective Collaboration.