Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Destination Marketing and Image of South Africa

  • Tinashe CHUCHU University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Abstract

Destination marketing as a research field is attracting an increased amount of attention. The present research provides a review of the impact of COVID-19 on destination marketing of South Africa. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacted tourist traffic into the country over a selected period in explored. The research utilised government data sources, academic literature and various industry sources to reach its conclusions. The research focused on the period identified to have been the first recorded year of the COVID-19 pandemic spreading globally. The research attempted to comprehensively determine how the global pandemic impacted South Africa’s inbound tourism. Key insights suggested that traffic into the country reduced by half over the identified period both globally and from within the African continent. Suggestions for further research on the topic are proposed.

References

[1] Baker, M. J. and Cameron, E. 2008. Critical success factors in destination marketing. Tourism and hospitality research, 8(2): 79-97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/thr.2008.9
[2] Baloglu, S. and McCleary, K. W. 1999. A model of destination image formation. Annals of tourism research, 26(4): 868-897. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0160-7383(99)00030-4
[3] Beerli, A. and Martin, J. D. 2004. Factors influencing destination image. Annals of tourism research, 31(3): 657-681. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2004.01.010
[4] Blain, C., Levy, S. E. and Ritchie, J. B. 2005. Destination branding: Insights and practices from destination management organizations. Journal of travel research, 43(4): 328-338. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287505274646
[5] Chen, C. F. and Tsai, D. 2007. How destination image and evaluative factors affect behavioral intentions? Tourism management, 28(4): 1115-1122. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2006.07.007
[6] Chuchu, T. 2020. The Impact of Airport Experience on International Tourists’ Revisit Intention: A South African Case. Geojournal of Tourism and Geosites, 29(2): 414-427. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.29203-478
[7] Chuchu, T., Chiliya, N. and Chinomona, R. 2018. The impact of servicescape and traveller perceived value on affective destination image: an airport retail services case. The Retail and Marketing Review, 14(1): 45-57.
[8] Cushman, G. 1990. Tourism in New Zealand. (1990). World Leisure and Recreation, 32 (1): 12-16. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/10261133.1990.10559095.
[9] Echtner, C. M., and Ritchie, J. B. 1991. The meaning and measurement of destination image. Journal of tourism studies, 2(2): 2-12.
[10] Furlong, I. 2008. Irish Tourism 1880-1980. Dublin: Irish Academic Press.
[11] Gallarza, M. G., Saura, I. G., and Garcı́a, H. C. 2002. Destination image: Towards a conceptual framework. Annals of tourism research, 29(1): 56-78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0160-7383(01)00031-7
[12] Gumpo, C.I.V., Chuchu, T., Maziriri, E.T. and Madinga, N.W. 2020. Examining the usage of Instagram as a source of Information for young consumers when determining tourist destinations. South African Journal of Information Management, 22 (1): 1-11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v22i1.1136
[13] Hospers, G. J. 2004. Place marketing in Europe. Intereconomics, 39(5): 271-279. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03031785
[14] Kavaratzis, M. and Ashworth, G. 2008. Place marketing: how did we get here and where are we going? Journal of place management and development, 1 (2): 150-165. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1108/17538330810889989
[15] Marasco, A., et al. 2018. Exploring the role of next-generation virtual technologies in destination marketing. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 9: 138-148. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2017.12.002
[16] McClure, M. 2004. The Wonder Country: Making New Zealand Tourism. Auckland: Auckland University Press.
[17] Middleton, V. and Lickorish, L. 2005. British Tourism: The Remarkable Story fg Growth. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.
[18] Miličević, K., Mihalič, T. and Sever, I. 2017. An investigation of the relationship between destination branding and destination competitiveness. Journal of travel & tourism marketing, 34(2): 209-221. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2016.1156611
[19] Morgan, N., Pritchard, A. and Pride, R. 2007. Destination branding. Routledge.
[20] Murphy, P., Pritchard, M. P. and Smith, B. 2000. The destination product and its impact on traveller perceptions. Tourism management, 21(1): 43-52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(99)00080-1
[21] Nicoletta, R. and Servidio, R. 2012. Tourists' opinions and their selection of tourism destination images: An affective and motivational evaluation. Tourism Management Perspectives, 4: 19-27. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2012.04.004
[22] Niedomysl, T. and Jonasson, M. 2012. Towards a theory of place marketing. Journal of Place Management and Development, 5(3): 223-230. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/17538331211269639
[23] Okumus, B., Okumus, F. and McKercher, B. 2007. Incorporating local and international cuisines in the marketing of tourism destinations: The cases of Hong Kong and Turkey. Tourism management, 28(1): 253-261. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2005.12.020
[24] Palmer, A. and Bejou, D. 1995. Tourism destination marketing alliances. Annals of tourism research, 22(3): 616-629. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-7383(95)00010-4
[25] Pan, B., MacLaurin, T. and Crotts, J. C. 2007. Travel blogs and the implications for destination marketing. Journal of travel research, 46(1): 35-45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287507302378
[26] Pike, S. 2005. Tourism destination branding complexity. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 14(4): 258-259. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/10610420510609267
[27] Pike, S. 2008. Destination Marketing: An Integrated Marketing Communication Approach. Burlington, MA: Butterworth Heinemann. DOI: https://doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2008.05.005
[28] Pike, S. and Page, S. J. 2014. Destination Marketing Organizations and destination marketing: A narrative analysis of the literature. Tourism management, 41: 202-22. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2013.09.009
[29] Qu, H., Kim, L. H. and Im, H. H. 2011. A model of destination branding: Integrating the concepts of the branding and destination image. Tourism management, 32(3): 465-476. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.03.014
[30] Rainisto, S. K. 2003. Success factors of place marketing: A study of place marketing practices in Northern Europe and the United States. Helsinki University of Technology.
[31] Rand, G. E. D., Heath, E. and Alberts, N. 2003. The role of local and regional food in destination marketing: A South African situation analysis. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 14(3-4): 97-112. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1300/J073v14n03_06
[32] Rebelo, F., Noriega, P., Duarte, E. and Soares, M. 2012. Using virtual reality to assess user experience. Human Factors, 54(6): 964-982. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720812465006
[33] Sharmin, F., et al. 2021. Sustainable destination marketing ecosystem through smartphone-based social media: The consumers’ acceptance perspective. Sustainability, 13(4): 1-24. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042308
[34] Stanković, L. and Đukić, S. 2009. Challenges of strategic marketing of tourist destination under the crisis conditions. Facta universitatis-series: Economics and Organization, 6(1): 23-31.
[35] Stepchenkova, S. and Mills, J. E. 2010. Destination image: A meta-analysis of 2000–2007 research. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 19(6): 575-609. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2010.493071
[36] Warnaby, G. and Medway, D. 2013. What about the ‘place’in place marketing? Marketing theory, 13(3): 345-363. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593113492992
[37] Zhang, J., Wu, B., Morrison, A. M., Tseng, C., and Chen, Y. C. 2018. How country image affects tourists’ destination evaluations: A moderated mediation approach. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 42(6): 904-930. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348016640584
[38] South African Tourism. 2016. Domestic Tourism Performance Indicators April to June 2016. Available at: http://www.southafrica.net/uploads/files/Domestic_Tourism_Performance_Report_Q2_2016_ _v1_30082016.pdf
[39] Statistics South Africa. 2021. Countries that Visited South Africa 2019/2020. Available at: http://www.statssa.gov.za/?s=tourism&sitem=publications
[40] UNWTO. 2011. Policy and Practice for Global Tourism. Madrid: UNWTO
Published
2021-09-30
How to Cite
CHUCHU, Tinashe. Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Destination Marketing and Image of South Africa. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, [S.l.], v. 12, n. 6, p. 1465-1471, sep. 2021. ISSN 2068-7729. Available at: <https://journals.aserspublishing.eu/jemt/article/view/6427>. Date accessed: 29 mar. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.14505//jemt.v12.6(54).04.