Destination Management Addressing Regional Challenges through Public–Private Collaboration in Tourism Development
In the 20th century, tourism was characterized by so-called mass tourism, in which large urban-based travel agencies packaged regional tourism resources and services into tours and sold them to travelers—a supply model led by the point of departure. Entering the 21st century, however, the spread of the internet and social media made individual travel much easier. Alongside this, new approaches such as community-based tourism development and the creation of local travel products began to emerge. As a result, a new flow of destination management (DM)—a model of tourism led by the destination itself—started to take shape.
Recognizing this trend, Japan’s national government (Japan Tourism Agency) has supported the establishment of certified DMOs (Destination Management Organizations) of various sizes across the country. Yet many DMOs are still perceived as little more than traditional tourism associations, serving primarily to protect the interests of local businesses. As such, they remain insufficient as organizations that can truly carry Japan’s rapidly expanding 21st-century tourism industry.
Rather than simply increasing the profits of tourism businesses and boosting local tax revenue, DMOs should be able to set forth clear public missions. With such missions in place, the allocation of public funds can be justified, enabling tourism development that contributes more broadly to local communities and residents’ lives.
Naturally, the nature of this public value will differ depending on the scope and context of each DMO. When regions pursue tourism development based on the principle of public–private partnership (PPP), destination management can become a framework for addressing challenges that were once considered solely the responsibility of the public sector. These include safeguarding cultural heritage and the natural environment, developing human resources, promoting local industries, encouraging settlement and migration, conserving landscapes, and creating opportunities for civic participation. The critical question now is how each region and its DMOs can define such public missions for their own contexts.