WTTC Unveils Responsible Management Model for Destinations

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) released a major new report revealing how destinations can grow responsibly, using the destination management model.

The report was presented in association with the Travel Foundation and the European Tourism Futures Institute (ETFI) at NHL Stenden University in the Netherlands. 

“Towards Destination Management: Achieving Destination Management Through Scenarios and a Governance Diagnostic Framework” sets out how destinations can balance the needs of visitors and residents, with participation from both the public and private sectors.

The administration of the destination is based on the responsible use of shared resources or "common resources", which provide reduced benefits if each participant or individual group pursues their own interest.

The WTTC report offers scenarios and ways forward for organizations such as Tourism Ministries and Destination Management Organizations seeking to better understand how changes in governance structures could support greater destination stewardship. 

It presents four destination management scenarios, based on different levels of private and public sector engagement, showing how different levels of support can produce different results with the goal of creating a common sense roadmap to greater governance. . 

The  report  lists the most important triggers of destination management, from supply and demand management, destination governance, sustainability, the evolution of the visitor economy and resilience to social inclusion.

Barriers to destination management include a lack of a clear mandate, conflicting cultures and agendas, insufficient knowledge and data, as well as a fragmented travel and tourism sector.