ANALYSIS OF VISITSEATTLE.ORG

Analysis of VisitSeattle.org



Analysis of VisitSeattle.org

Introduction

The website of visitseattle.org operates as a not for profit organization that is engaged in marketing and promoting the destination for tourism at one of the most beautiful and attractive places in Washington USA i.e. Seattle. The website has been operating in the aforementioned field for past 50 years. The main purpose of the promotions and marketing done by the website is to offer employment opportunities and develop the economic conditions of the region. The website is strategically involved in partnering with the city of Seattle, King County, Port, Washington state convention centre, culture, Mayor's office, arts and culture destinations, Washington tourism alliance, and associated organization. The website raises funds for its smooth operations from hotels, tax revenues collected from county visitors, and aggressive partnering programs, marketing programs, government agencies offering elated services and other revenues. As per estimates, there were about 10.2 million of visitors that visited the Seattle and partnered destinations and places in Seattle and resulted in accumulation of revenues of about $5.9 billion out of which $479 million was earned from state and local taxes (Visit Seattle, 2012).

Discussion

Identification of stakeholders in DMO

The key stakeholders of Visit Seattle in building its online tourism brand image for the purpose of destination marketing include government organizations, international visitors, and holiday or travel planners. Destination marketing is a process that involves the engagement of stakeholders to yield profitable results. Stakeholders are the key to arrange adequate level of funding, provide required level of infrastructure, and facilitate other related programs along with influencing adequate level of governance. The destination marketing organizations are liable for promoting and encouraging these stakeholders to invest in the travelling and tourism products and services (Vellas, 1999, pp. 184). Government agencies help in raising funds for not for profit destination marketing like Visit Seattle that will further help in initiating and conducting marketing campaigns to attract target market and reach to maximum number of visitors. This funding structure of the organization exhibits the organizational culture. The sources if funds via government can be taxes, revenues, subsidiaries, public funds, fees, quota collected from gambling and lotteries, fees received from associated tourism organization, sponsored ads and promotional activities along with commission earned from bookings and sales of air tickets and other means of transportation, revenue earned from sales at retailing shops, along with fees earned from planners and travel agents. This decision is highly controlled by the political situation, economic condition, business cycle of industry related sectors, and historic significance of the destination. The international customers play more vital role for promoting online presence of destination marketing services and products as compare to other stakeholders. It is a fact of the destination is marketed individually then it wont leave a holist and exotic impact on audience therefore there must be a collaborative approach to help build the brand image and assist in sustaining its success in long run. In this regard the group of international visitors play an important role as they can ...