Destination Benchmarking: Concepts, Practices and Operations

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0851997457 ISBN 13: 9780851997452

Publisher: CABI, 2003

This book develops a specific benchmarking methodology relevant to international tourism destinations. It evaluates different approaches to benchmarking and their application within tourism destinations. The book considers organization benchmarking - performance evaluation of a particular organization and its departments - and destination benchmarking, which involves all elements such as transport services, airport services, accommodation, leisure and sport, hospitality and local attitudes.

About the Author:

Metin Kozak is Professor of Tourism in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey and currently affiliated as a Visiting Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong. He holds both Master's and Ph.D. degrees in tourism management. His research focuses on consumer behavior, benchmarking, destination management and marketing, and Mediterranean tourism. He acts as the co-editor of Anatolia: An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research.

Review:

"This book is loaded with insight, founded on thoroughly researched benchmarketing theory and practice. It not only methodically examines benchmarketing and its usage in tourism, it proposes very practical applications, suggestions for users, and even includes forms such as a questionnaire that could be used in a benchmarketing survey." (Jeffrey W Alstete)

"This book would benefit anyone reading it with even a passing interest in the topic. It should be required reading for undergraduate / graduate students, academic researchers and practitioners interested in undertaking destination benchmarking research....Well-informed research offers academics and practitioners insights into how they can improve or achieve destination competitiveness through destination benchmarking." (Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing)

"This book makes a genuine contribution to tourism studies and can also aid those in other related fields such as park and recreation management in developing and implementing a benchmarking system.... It focuses on destination benchmarking, not just tourism benchmarking, and is rich with management and marketing strategies." (Journal of Leisure Research)