Municipal Marketing as a Tool for Community Development

Abstract

The article summarizes theoretical and practical data on territorial marketing as a contemporary concept that contributes to the formation of tourist attractiveness of domestic communities. The authors emphasize that the key task of community development is to improve the standard and quality of life of their residents. The researchers note that, in modern conditions, the territorial marketing tools can successfully stimulate socio-economic development at both national and local levels. The authors identify the overall goal and main objectives of municipal marketing, generalize the approaches to the definition of the main target groups of territorial marketing, in particular tourists, and substantiate the necessity of the analysis of those groups. The researchers also identify the subjects of territorial marketing and clarify the main purpose of their activity. They conclude that according to the marketing approach, the territory is viewed as a kind of territorial product or geo-commodity, and its value is associated with limited favorable geographical conditions. In the context of territorial marketing, four classic elements (4P) of the marketing complex (marketing-mix) are considered: a) product; b) price; c) place; d) promotion. The authors highlight the main sections of marketing strategy. They analyze the main groups of community marketing strategies in detail: image marketing, attractiveness marketing, infrastructure marketing and marketing of the population and staff. The researchers suggest a comparative analysis of marketing strategies of domestic communities (for example, the cities of Vinnytsia and Melitopol, as well as Zvaniv village united territorial community of Donetsk region), on the positioning and promotion of local tourist products. The authors give the successful examples of territorial marketing, determine theoretical principles and provide practical recommendations for the formation of the territorial brand. They explain the role of the tourist brand book in the implementation of the marketing strategy of territorial units and the formation of a positive image of the region.