The tourism image of Bloemfontein as perceived by tour operators in certain metropolitan areas of South Africa

Abstract

When considering various holiday destinations, tourists rely heavily ~pon the image of a particubr destination. Given a much wider choice and greater variety of destinations, tourists today are likely to favour holidays that offer the fullest realisation of their personal needs and value for money. Having a good product alone is simply not good enough in a competitive market, therefore the motives, expec+ations and needs of tourists must be taken into consideration. If the real reason for taking a holiday is to relax, unwind and rediscover yourself, then the apparent reasons for taking a holiday may be concerned with prestige and status. A holiday has become a major consumable as a prerequisite for modern living and has in the process become a marker of status. This is the reason why the image of a holiday destination is a cr itical factor when choosing a destination. Whether or not the image is in fact a true representation of what the destination has to offer the tourist or not , is of secondary importance. What is important is the image that exists in the mind of the consumer. It is therefore of utmost importance that the tourism marketer correctly positions the product (destination) in the minds of the consumer. Positioning is more than just image creation- it may also provide the competitive edge and to be effective, the position must be believable in the consumer's mind and it must deliver that promise on a constant basis. In order to change or enhance a destination's image, marketing campaigns must be of sufficient weight and impact and should be supported by an adequate budget aimed ut the applicable market segment(s). The study indicated that: • The image of a destination plays an important role in the decisionmaking process of the tourist. • Tour operators stimulate the tourism industry by putting together tours and packages to different destinations to satisfy the needs of the tourist or a specific market segment. • There is a lack of knowledge amongst tour operators and they are very uninformed about what Bloemfontein has to offer the tourist. • Marketing efforts to promote the city of Bloemfontein has not reached the majority of domestic tour operators in South Africa. • Tour operators perceive Bloemfontein to be a suitable stop-over destination, but not a holiday destination. • Bloemfontein is regarded as a destination that offers good value for money, personal safety with suitable and affordable accommodation. The percep i-ion of Bloemfontein amongst tour operators is that the city lacks beautiful scenery and a good climate_