Collaborative destination marketing: A case study of Elkhart county, Indiana

Abstract

The fragmented nature of the tourism industry requires a substantial degree of coordination and collaboration among the variety of different players in destination marketing. However, the studies on partnerships and collaboration have taken very narrow perspectives of cooperation relationships and therefore, none of them individually can explain the nature of marketing alliances and networks among tourism organizations. Based upon the results of previous research and a case study of Elkhart County, Indiana, this paper proposes a more integrative theoretical framework in an attempt to better describe and explain the nature and dynamism of collaborative destination marketing. The implications of this framework are provided from both practical and theoretical perspectives.