Marketing of a destination: Jordan as a case study

This study investigates the internal and external environmental factors that affect
destination marketing in Jordan and the use of the destination marketing concept by
tourism companies in Jordan. Furthermore, special emphasis is placed on investigating
and identifying the existing relationship between the internal and external factors in
destination marketing by pinpointing the factors being used by tourism companies and
those factors that contribute to the attraction of tourists to Jordan. The empirical
research to support the study uses survey methods to develop and test the critical
factors of a destination marketing success model that can be used to market and
promote Jordan, regionally and globally, as a preferred tourism destination area.
A number of hypotheses were formulated to realise the objectives of the study. In the
formulation of the research hypotheses, the researcher was guided by a deductive
method regarding the groups of tourist destination attitudes and practices of marketing
with consistency of questionnaire responses in comparison with available literature on
the subject. Eight hypotheses covered the following aspects: tourists’ satisfaction,
quality, product, accessibility, people, price, promotion and physical evidence. The
results were quantitatively analysed by using SPSS. Review of previous research on
critical factors of success, tactical management, destination tactical management and
destination competitiveness models was undertaken in an endeavour to find a
framework for the development of critical factors of the destination marketing success
model that can be used for the identification and integration of critical factors of
success.
The findings indicate that respondents rated all the factors of service quality listed as
critical. Most of the respondents felt that, in order to please the global tourists, the
experience must be safe, secure, comfortable and relaxing. Also, the quality of
capability, accommodation, access to natural areas, tour guides, tourist information,
transportation, financial and communication institutions were factors regarded as
contributors to tourist satisfaction. It was also revealed that the most critical factors of
product of destination marketing development were improving the tourism products,
identifying and exploring new opportunities and upgrading visitor services and
facilities.

The proposed destination marketing model was developed and tested in the Jordan
context and proved to be operational. A number of recommendations were made in
terms of safety and security management, destination product marketing development,
accessibility systems, people development and dependable management. This study
contributes to the field of tourism through testing a destination marketing success
model that can be applied to global destinations.