Abstract

Destination management studies emphasize the multiple functions involved and the need for these to be integrated and coordinated but pay little attention to questions of functional interdependence, that is, to the way in which different functions complement and support each other and thereby strengthen the overall management of a destination. This paper explores the issue of interdependent destination management functions empirically through an analysis of in-depth interviews with practitioners in New Zealand. Destination management is associated with balancing supply and demand and is commonly seen to encompass supply-side functions of product development and operations and to a lesser extent those functions associated with managing the interface between the destination and other facets of the territory in which it is located: planning, consultation, advocacy, facilitation and environmental management. Destination marketing is generally perceived as a distinct and separate demand-side function. A conceptual framework of interdependent destination management functions is then presented which systematically shows the interrelationships between those functions which link supply and demand and the interface management functions which address the cross-over between destination and territory. Implications of the framework for researchers, practitioners and policy makers are then outlined.