A MARKETING MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR WILDLIFE TOURISM DESTINATIONS

Purpose With a focus on the UK experience, this paper aims to explore the dyadic relationships and networking processes between destination stakeholders and propose a marketing management model for wildlife leisure industry. Methodology Qualitative case-study methods were adopted to facilitate an understanding of the importance of stakeholders' power relationships and networking processes inside the analysed sector. It draws from a series of case studies examining the roles of wildlife and nature-based tourism actors in relation with their potential interests in a collaborative marketing approach. Findings The empirical evidences indicate that divergent organization culture between stakeholders and short term approach in building marketing alliances represent relevant obstacles in terms of product design. An interpretative model is proposed in which stakeholders' functions and networking processes explain entrepreneurial problem solving activities. Research limitations As the study focused on a branch of the tourism industry, the generalised model requires further research in order to make it more robust. In particular, the approach adopted may be a basis for similar work in other geographical contexts and other branches of the tourism and hospitality sectors. Originality/value of paper The research contributes to debates on destination development in a rural context, offering a preliminary model directed to explain networking strategies of wildlife operators. The paradigm proposed could help formulate tourism development policies, since policy decision-makers are generally unaware of the complex webs involving local enterprises.