Niche Tourism Case Study
TOURISM PRACTICES APPLIED - TOUR.5585
ASSESSEMENT 1
DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT & CHANGE
CASE STUDY A:
NICHE TOURISM
Tutor: Sandra Prebble
Livia Berrios Franco
ID NBR: 2012002290
Due Date: 03rd April 2012
NICHE TOURISM
The concept of Niche Tourism emerged in recent years in counter-point to what is commonly referred as mass tourism (Robinson & Novelly, 2005) Niche Tourism is a marketing term used to refer to a portion of market segments in which individuals possess features and uniform needs, and the latter are not entirely covered by the overall supply of the market (Prebble, 2012).
Given the diverse nature of niche tourism, different approaches may be employed such as: a product related approach that emphasizes the presence of activities, attractions, settlements, food and other amenities. The key parts of the niche tourism is that it is shaped in accordance with specific tourists needs and wants, attention is placed on the relations between demand and supply, as it looks at what specialty activities the tourists are seeking in order to have a satisfactory holiday experience.
Niche tourism will benefit the industry in the following three ways: Firstly, there will be more arrivals; since the industry has accessed specific target markets, it will be possible to bring tourists at critical times of the year when the special interest is peaking, such as during an iron man competition. Secondly, the industry will be able to create and activate niche sectors in order to bring along more visitors during low season periods, which would affect the prosperity, employment and stability in the industry and the social environment of the destination. Finally, niche tourism allows a destination to change the way they have been perceived by visitors. Niche tourism allows the industry to change old or incorrect perceptions about national identity, quality and capability. (Mendiratta, A.2011)
This new segmentation of the market brought with it a new kind of
ASSESSEMENT 1
DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT & CHANGE
CASE STUDY A:
NICHE TOURISM
Tutor: Sandra Prebble
Livia Berrios Franco
ID NBR: 2012002290
Due Date: 03rd April 2012
NICHE TOURISM
The concept of Niche Tourism emerged in recent years in counter-point to what is commonly referred as mass tourism (Robinson & Novelly, 2005) Niche Tourism is a marketing term used to refer to a portion of market segments in which individuals possess features and uniform needs, and the latter are not entirely covered by the overall supply of the market (Prebble, 2012).
Given the diverse nature of niche tourism, different approaches may be employed such as: a product related approach that emphasizes the presence of activities, attractions, settlements, food and other amenities. The key parts of the niche tourism is that it is shaped in accordance with specific tourists needs and wants, attention is placed on the relations between demand and supply, as it looks at what specialty activities the tourists are seeking in order to have a satisfactory holiday experience.
Niche tourism will benefit the industry in the following three ways: Firstly, there will be more arrivals; since the industry has accessed specific target markets, it will be possible to bring tourists at critical times of the year when the special interest is peaking, such as during an iron man competition. Secondly, the industry will be able to create and activate niche sectors in order to bring along more visitors during low season periods, which would affect the prosperity, employment and stability in the industry and the social environment of the destination. Finally, niche tourism allows a destination to change the way they have been perceived by visitors. Niche tourism allows the industry to change old or incorrect perceptions about national identity, quality and capability. (Mendiratta, A.2011)
This new segmentation of the market brought with it a new kind of
References: De Jong, S. (2011) Tourism New Zealand Explore Family fun in Rotorua Retrieved from http://www.newzealand.com/int/#/article/family-fun-in-rotorua/ EcoTour Directory (2007) Ecotourism Resource Centre Retrieved from http://www.ecotourdirectory.com/ecotourism/ Polynesian Spa (2012) About us – History Retrieved from http://www.polynesianspa.co.nz/polynesianspa/our-beliefs/ Poon, A. (1993). Tourism Technology and Competitive Strategies. Wallingford, United States: Cab International. Prebble, S.(2012) Niche Tourism (PowerPoint slides). Retrieved from ecampus. Rotorua: Waiariki Institute Technology Rotorua Feel Spirit (2012) Experencies – Wellness – Polynesian Spa Retrieved from http://www.rotoruanz.com/experiences/polynesian-spa Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter 2012, Mar 2) Tourism Charter success Stories Retrieved from: www.sustainablenz.com/tourism/stories/?id=93 SOCIAL_MKT ( 2009, Oct 2009). Termalismo Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/soyelvis/termalismo Tourism New Zealand (2011) Plan & Book Polynesian Spa Retrieved from http://www.newzealand.com/int/plan/business/polynesian-spa/