Partnership working in enhancing the destination brand of rural areas: A case study of Made in Monmouthshire, Wales, UK

Abstract

This paper outlines the challenges of destination development and branding in rural tourism destinations, for example a lack of coherent destination propositions, lack of iconic structures, lack of differentiation in their tourism product portfolio and a high incidence of microbusinesses. Such factors mean that the creation of a coherent destination brand is often difficult and yet, at the same time essential, for such destinations. This paper explores the role of collaboration and partnership amongst public, private, and voluntary sector agencies in formulating a product brand which is coherent, asset-based and community-led. Using a case study of the Made in Monmouthshire (MiM) brand, an Adventa-led initiative which serves as a quality benchmark for food, drink, arts and crafts produced within and around Monmouthshire, the article demonstrates the role of collaborative development in the creation and development of a destination brand.

Destination distinctiveness: Concept, measurement, and impact on tourist satisfaction

“…Identifying and evaluating a destination distinctiveness has also remained an under-researched question (Haven-Tang & Sedgley, 2014), even though it is key for tourism development strategies (Moreira dos Santos, 2014). The proposed instrument to measure unique and distinctive attributes of destinations, using specific steps and methods of evaluation by scoring and comparing data reveals the core local distinctiveness.…”

“…Local distinctiveness is mentioned as one of the decisive factors for a destination's evolution (Garay & Cànoves, 2011) and for the production of a distinctive and competitive place identity (Dredge & Jenkins, 2003). Such distinctiveness is also crucial for product development and particularly related to crafts, local foods and drinks (Haven-Tang & Sedgley, 2014;Lin & Mao, 2015) because it ensures to uphold the tourists' vision about the destination through their sensory involvement with the unique, distinctive and original place-based assets (Lin & Mao, 2015;Littrell, Reilly, & Stout, 1992;Sims, 2010). However, local distinctiveness is an elusive concept (Grant, Human, & Le Pelley, 2002) for academics and practitioners in tourism due to the overlap in meanings with other concepts such as authenticity (Camus, 2010), sense of place or place identity (Anggraini, 2017).…”

“…Similar to any perceptual process, the characterization of these typical attributes entails subjective appreciation, influenced by various individual and situational moderating factors, such as the status of and attachment to a specific destination, according to tourists and other stakeholders. Identifying and evaluating destinations' distinctiveness thus remains a critical issue for tourism research (Haven-Tang & Sedgley, 2014;Kumar & Nayak, 2014).…”

Destination management plans – a new approach to managing destinations in England: evidence from Milton Keynes

“…Accessible tourism is an emerging issue that has only recently started drawing the attention of academics and practitioners (Mariani et al, 2014) and is of particular importance to urban destinations (Reding, 2013), as well as rural destinations that often lack the infrastructure in place to accommodate this growing market (Haven-Tang & Sedgley, 2014;Karou & Hull, 2014). It may well be argued that today competitive destinations also mean accessible destinations (Le-Klähn & Hall, 2014) and DMOs should be able to take the accessibility agenda forward in order to address the changing needs of current and prospective visitors, influence decision-making and improve the overall experience.…”

“…Destinations often find themselves competing on a global as well as local scale against a highly diverse destination product offering. Brand is therefore fundamental to the development of both the city image (Clifton, 2014;Paskaleva-Shapira, 2007) and rural destinations across England (Haven-Tang & Sedgley, 2014). The plan has therefore recognized that competitive destinations should have in place a strong marketing and public relations (PR) strategy.…”