Neven Šerić

Market Research Methods in the Sports Industry

The book addresses issues relating to market research applied to the sports business. It aims to cover both theory and practice, targeting students, academics and sports clubs and organisations.

METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH AND MODEL ANALYSIS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF TOURIST TRENDS

The draw and diversity of the destination’s offer is an antecedent of the tourism visits growth. The destination supply differentiation is carried through new, specialised tourism products. The usual approach consists of forming specialised tourism products in accordance with the existing tourism destination image. Another approach, prevalent in practice of developed tourism destinations is based on innovating the destination supply through accordance with the global tourism trends. For this particular purpose, it is advisable to choose a monitoring and analysis method of tourism trends. The goal is to determine actual trends governing target markets, differentiating whims from trends during the tourism preseason. When considering the return on investment, modifying the destination’s tourism offer on the basis of a tourism whim is a risky endeavour, indeed. Adapting the destination’s supply to tourism whims can result in a shifted image, one that is unable to ensure a long term interest and tourist vacation growth. With regard to tourism trend research and based on the research conducted, an advisable model for evaluating tourism phenomena is proposed, one that determines whether tourism phenomena is a tourism trend or a tourism whim.

Proposed Concept of Segmentation of Traditional Japanese Emissive Market for Managing Tourist Promotion of Mediterranean Countries

Abstract The concept of segmentation strategy of targeted emissive market is a usable starting point for efficient managing of promotion of receptive tourist destination. Growth in number of competing Mediterranean countries receptive tourist offers, conditions the need for the segmentation of specific emissive markets within the scope of the adjustment in the promotion itself. If this condition is not met, the presence of certain tourist segments may fail to meet the expectations. Segmentation becomes a strategic marketing tool of specialized tourist promotion of the receptive country itself when dealing with the emissive market characterized by the high non-accommodation, self-catering vacation rentals consumption. Promotion in tourism should send clear messages to the sought after, tourist segments regarding what is and how it is being offered. Undifferentiated marketing meant only for specific emissive market, weakens the tourist offers competitiveness and attractiveness. The strategic segments comprised in the process of segmentation, are selected in accordance with both the ability to meet the interests and trends in guests behaviour with available tourist resources of the receptive country. Tourist promotion thus takes over the role of the marketing tool in combining of the supply and demand, always in accordance with the goal strategic segment’s standards of the targeted emissive market. For the purpose of this paper the research of Japanese emissive market has been conducted. All tourist segments that can help Mediterranean countries, such as the Republic of Croatia to achieve the growth in tourist consumption and prolong the tourist season, are presented. Research and indepth analysis showed certain errors in the tourist promotion due to the neglect of the cultural specific quality and historic genesis of the targeted market. The fundamental research question is: there are enough segments on the Japanese emissive market for the efficient promotion of tourist resources of a typical Mediterranean country. All recommendable segments that can be classified as strategic are presented in this paper.

Cruising Routes and Differentiation

The problem of the research is to evaluate the impact properties of cruising routes to its differentiation, and thus competitiveness. Perceived characteristics of routes by the target clients are defining valuation of the service, and the resolving dilemma for prices. From the point of cruising itinerary route, this perception ultimately influences satisfaction and pleasure of the guests. The subject of this research is the evaluating determinants of the cruising route’s characteristics (functional, social, and emotional). It determines the formation of the guest’s value perceptions. Cruising product is no longer selected primarily for the cruising service, but for the content of cruising route. In this sense the approach called “the land sea cruising in product development” is increasingly becoming an area of interest. This is also a new area of research interest in marketing, which is aimed to evaluate the experiences, thoughts, and attitudes of the target clientele, but also to predict what impacts the decision making process of choosing the cruising product as well. In a conducted study the authors want to determine the affirmative characteristics that contribute the perception of cruising route of the target guests. Given the subject and the research problem, the main objectives of research were: Determining the direction and the intensity of the effects of the individual cruising route characteristics on service value’s perception; Providing an evaluation model of the route’s characteristics and thus explaining the cruising product value’s perception and indicating the most significance variables of attraction;

Branding Strategy for Specialist Tourism Products

Branding strategy is very complex on the field of specialized tourist products. Each specialized tourist brand need to be more differentiated on the global market. Applying of the branding concepts to the touristic business could be different from product to product. But few of them treat in a wider sense branding strategy toward the brand management. Choosing a right branding strategy for the brand management is paramount for achieving a substantial growth that ensures a steady future development of the national income of tourism. Some specialized tourist products are nearby crowded tourist route, some others are far from there. The branding strategies for each of them need to be different. Specialized tourist product is a promise for a kind of the magical vacation, sometimes on very attractive destination. Branding strategy needs to interact with the brand identity of such destination. It is suggested the evaluation of the brand from the standpoint of the marketing strategy. Right branding strategy of the specialized tourist product is the only way for the commercialization on the global market. The main premise of such brand is creating added value for the specialized tourist product. For that reason the right branding strategy has become the biggest intangible asset of the tourist brand. If tourist has not enough time to search for exact tourist product, he judges it by its brand. It is very difficult for a brand to convince tourist what to think about. The paper deals with issues that define how branding strategy can protect and preserve the integrity of the specialized tourist brand through the effective evaluation of the brand implied by the chosen branding strategy. The success of the tourist brand depends on the application of the branding strategy. The main hypothesis is that efficient branding strategy for the specialized tourist product need to be primarily influenced by the perception of potential demand.

Managing Brand of Cross-Border Tourist Destinations: Case Study Cross-Border Cooperation Karlovac County (CRO) – Southeast Slovenia (SLO)

Evaluation of strengthening interregional cooperation of the countries in the area of the European Union shows the potential of forming joint tourist brands of two, or more cross-border areas. Tourist resources on parts of Croatian-Slovenian border represent a research challenge. Economic contribution in this case is seen in potentially efficient tourism branding of the continental part of Croatia. Future perspective of the development of bordering area of the Karlovac County (CRO) and Southeast Slovenia (SLO) is in mutual branding of evaluated tourist resources with the aim of creating a recognizable cross-border tourist product. Thus it creates a model, which encourages faster and more efficient social-economic integration. The creation of joint tourist brand of the bordering areas helps to create competitiveness and higher differentiation of comprehensive tourist product in the global tourist market. The vision which is based on long-term aims of managing a recognizable tourist brand helps the overall economical development of the area. The branding of bordering areas introduces a cluster concept, which is a useful platform in creating an efficient marketing strategy of bordering areas by presenting themselves together in the global market.