This research attempts to propose a conceptual framework in relation to the functions of destination marketing systems (DMS). In addition, efforts are also made to evaluate the effectiveness of each of the functions of the DMS. The objectives of the research are achieved by taking web-based marketing systems of convention and visitor bureaus in the USA as the focus of investigation. It is proposed that a DMS should be composed of four interrelated components: virtual information space (VIS), virtual communication space (VCS), virtual transaction space (VTS), and virtual relationship space (VRS), alternatively termed as the ICTR model. The analysis of the applications in the four components of DMS seems to suggest that destination marketing systems are still in the preliminary stages of development, showing a hierarchical progression of usage and sophistication. It appears that convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs) are performing well in providing and incorporating information-oriented applications but are weak in applications related to transaction and relationship building. The effectiveness analysis of the applications in the four components has also raised issues of serious concern. Suggestions and implications are provided and discussed.
Buhalis, D. (2003) eTourism. United Kingdom: Pearson Education Limited.
2.
Poon, A. (1993) Tourism, Technology and Competitive StrategiesWallingford: CAB International .
3.
Wang, Y. and Fesenmaier, D.R. (2006) `Identifying the Success of Web-based Marketing Strategy: An Investigation of Convention and Visitors Bureaus in the United States', Journal of Travel Research44(3): 239—49.
4.
Werthner, H. (1996) `Design Principles of Tourism Information Systems ', in S. Klein, B. Schmid, A.M. Tjoa and H. Werthner (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism, pp. 70—8. New York: Wien.
5.
Werthner, H. and S. Klein (1999) Information Technology and Tourism — A Challenging Relationship. Austria: Springer.
6.
Travel Industry Associations of America (2005) `TIA Report Measures Continued Growth in Online Travel Booking', URL (consulted May 2006): http://www.tia.org
7.
Travel Industry of America, ref. 6 above.
8.
Ritchie, R.J.B. and Ritchie, J.R.B. (2002) `A Framework for an Industry Supported Destination Marketing Information System', Tourism Management23(1): 439—54.
9.
Sheldon, P.J. (1993) `Destination Information Systems', Annals of Tourism Research20: 633—49.
10.
Buhalis, ref. 1 above.
11.
Wang and Fesenmaier, ref. 3 above.
12.
Yuan, Y. and Fesenmaier, D.R. (2000) `Preparing For the New Economy: The Use of the Internet and Intranet in American Convention and Visitors Bureaus' , Information Technology and Tourism3(2): 71—86.
13.
Poon, ref. 2 above.
14.
Ritchie and Ritchie, ref. 8 above.
15.
Ritchie and Ritchie, ref. 8 above.
16.
Yuan, Y., Gretzel, U. and Fesenmaier, D.R. (2003) `Managing Innovation: The Use of Internet Technology by American Convention and Visitors Bureaus', Journal of Travel Research41(3): 240—56.
17.
Wang and Fesenmaier, ref. 3 above.
18.
Wober, K.W. (2003) `Information Supply in Tourism Management by Marketing Decision Support Systems', Tourism Management24(3): 241—55.
19.
Prideaux, B. and Cooper, C. (2002) `Marketing and Destination Growth: A Symbiotic Relationship or Simple Coincidence?', Journal of Vacation Marketing9(1): 35—51.
20.
Ritchie and Ritchie, ref. 8 above.
21.
Sheldon, P.J. (1994) `Destination Databases', Annals of Tourism Research21(1): 179—81.
22.
Feng, R., Morrison, A.M. and Ismail, J.A. (2003) `East Versus West: A Comparison of Online Destination Marketing in China and the USA', Journal of Vacation Marketing10(1): 43—56.
23.
Fesenmaier, D.R. , Pena, C. and O'Leary, J. (1992) `Assessing Information Needs of Visitor Bureaus', Annals of Tourism Research19: 571—4.
24.
Wang and Fesenmaier, ref. 3 above.
25.
Yuan et al., ref. 16 above.
26.
Gartrell, R.B. (1992) `Convention and Visitor Bureau: Current Issues in Management and Marketing', Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing1(12): 71—8.
27.
Gartrell, ref. 26 above.
28.
Morrison, A.M., Bruen, S.M. and Anderson, D.J. (1998) `Convention and Visitor Bureaus in the USA: A Profile of Bureaus, Bureau Executives, and Budgets', Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing7(1): 1—19.
29.
Presenza, A., Sheehan, L. and Ritchie, J.R.B. (2005) `Towards a Model of the Roles and Activities of Destination Management Organizations', Journal of Hospitality, Tourism &Leisure Science3: 1—16.
30.
Wober, ref. 18 above.
31.
Sheldon, ref. 9 above.
32.
Ritchie and Ritchie, ref. 8 above.
33.
Feng et al., ref. 22 above.
34.
Ritchie and Ritchie, ref. 8 above.
35.
Burgess, L. and Cooper, J. (2000) `Extending the Viability of MICA (Model of Internet Commerce Adoption) as a Metric for Explaining the Process of Business Adoption of Internet Commerce', Paper presented at the International Conference on Telecommunications and Electronic Commerce, Dallas.
36.
Ho, J. (1997) `Evaluating the World Wide Web: A Global Study of Commercial Sites', Journal of Computer Mediated Communication3(1), URL (consulted July 2006): http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol3/issue1/ho.html
37.
Liu, C., Arnett, K.P., Capella, L. and Beatty, B. (1997) `Web Sites of Fortune 500 Companies: Facing Customers through Home Pages', Information and Management31(1): 335—45.
38.
Dutta, S. and Segev, A. (1999) `Business Transformation on the Internet', European Management Journal17(5): 466—76.
39.
Palmer, A. and McCole, P. (2000) `The Role of Electronic Commerce in Creating Virtual Tourism Destination Marketing Organizations' , International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management12(3): 198— 204.
40.
Quelch, J.A. and Klein, L. (1996) `The Internet and International Marketing', Sloan Management Review (Spring): 60—75.
41.
Timmers, P. (1998) `Business Models for Electronic Markets', Electronic Markets8(2): 3—8.
42.
Feng et al., ref. 22 above.
43.
Abramson, J. and Hollingshead , C. (1999) ` Marketing on the Internet: Provide Consumer Satisfaction', Journal of Internet Marketing1(1), URL (consulted July 2006): http://www.arraydev.com/commerce/jim/9802—01.htm
44.
Bender, D.E. (1997) `Using the Web to Market the Hospitality, Travel, and Tourism Product or Service', HSMAIMarketing Review14(3): 33—9.
45.
Born, M.A. , Furr, H.L. and Susskind, A.M. (1998) `Using the Internet as a Pleasure Travel Planning Tool: An Examination of the Sociodemographic and Behavioral Characteristics Among Internet Users and Nonusers', Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research22(3): 303—17.
Strempel, D. (2004) `More Travels Book Travel Online, Study Says', Westchester County Business Journal43(20): 17.
49.
Bieger, T. and Laesser, C. (2004) `Information Sources for Travel Decisions: Toward a Source Process Model', Journal of Travel Research42: 357—71.
50.
Ghosh, S. (1997) `Selling on the Internet: Achieving Competitive Advantage and Market Lead', Planning Review25(3): 53—5.
51.
Sheldon, ref. 9 above.
52.
Vogt, C.A. and Fesenmaier, D.R. (1998) `Expanding the Functional Information Search Model', Annals of Tourism Research25(3): 551—78.
53.
Fodness, D. and Murray, B. (1999) `A Model of Tourist Information Search Behavior', Journal of Travel Research37: 220—30.
54.
Palmer, A. and McCole, P. (2000) `The Role of Electronic Commerce in Creating Virtual Tourism Destination Marketing Organizations', International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management12(3): 198— 204.
55.
Martin, C. (1997) The Digital Estate: Strategies for Competing, Surviving, and Thriving in an Internetworked WorldNew York: McGraw-Hill.
56.
Duncan, T. and Moriarty, S. (1998) `A Communication-Based Marketing Model for Managing Relationships', Journal of Marketing62(April): 1—13.
57.
Evans, M.J. , O'Malley, L. and Patterson, M. (1996) `Direct Marketing Communications in the UK: A Study of Growth Past, Present and Future', Journal of Marketing Communications2(1): 51—65.
58.
Blattberg, R.C. and Deighton, J. (1991) `Interactive Marketing: Exploiting the Age of Addressability', Sloan Management Review Fall:5—14.
59.
Patterson, M. (1998) `Direct Marketing in Postmodernity: Neo-tribes and Direct Communications', Marketing Intelligence & Planning16(1): 68—74.
60.
Hoffman, D. and Novak, T. (1996) `Marketing in Hypermedia Computer-Mediated Environments: Conceptual Foundations', Journal of Marketing60 (July): 50—68.
61.
Patterson, ref. 59 above.
62.
Smith, P.R. and Taylor, J. (2004) Marketing Communications: An Integrated Approach . London: Kogan Page Limited.
63.
Wang and Fesenmaier, ref. 3 above.
64.
Barker J. (1993) `Ways and Means', Successful Meetings42(2): 109.
65.
Wang and Fesenmaier, ref. 3 above.
66.
Buhalis, ref. 1 above.
67.
Prideaux and Cooper, ref. 19 above.
68.
Min, H., Min, H. and Emam, A. (2002) `A Data Mining Approach to Developing the Profiles of Hotel Customers', International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management14(6): 274—85.
69.
Sheldon, ref. 9 above.
70.
Feng et al., ref. 22 above.
71.
Feinberg, R. and Kadam, R. (2002) `E-CRM Web Service Attributes as Determinants of Customer Satisfaction with Retail Web Sites', International Journal of Service Industry Management13(5): 432—51.
72.
Munhall, B. (2004) `The Franchisee's Role in Customer Relationship Management', HSMAI Marketing Review21(2): 52—3.
73.
Ritchie and Ritchie, ref. 8 above.
74.
Min et al., ref. 68 above.
75.
Lau, K., Lee, K., Lam, P. and Ho, Y. (2001) `Web-site Marketing for the Travel and Tourism Industry', Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly42(6): 55—62.
76.
Ritchie and Ritchie, ref. 8 above.
77.
Morgan, N., Pritchard, A. and Pride, R. (2004) Destination Branding: Creating the Unique Destination Proposition. New York: Elsevier .
78.
Morrison et al., ref. 28 above.
79.
Chathoth, P.K. and Olsen, M.D. (2003) `Strategic Alliances: A Hospitality Industry Perspective', International Journal of Hospitality Management22: 419—34.
80.
Buhalis, ref. 1 above.
81.
Prideaux and Cooper, ref. 19 above.
82.
Munhall, ref. 72 above.
83.
Yuan et al., ref. 16 above.
84.
Ritchie and Ritchie, ref. 8 above.
85.
Ritchie and Ritchie, ref. 8 above.
86.
Wober, ref. 18 above.
87.
Williams, A.P. and Palmer, A. (1999) `Tourism Destination Brands and Electronic Commerce: Towards Synergy?', Journal of Vacation Marketing5(3): 263—75.
