MARKETING ANALYSIS OF THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF A TOURIST DESTINATION: METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Abstract

Problem statement. The relevance of the research is determined by the need to enhance the competitiveness of tourist destinations under conditions of global competition, which requires a comprehensive marketing analysis. The existing methodologies do not provide a full multi-criteria evaluation according to the “7P” marketing mix and do not ensure systematic integration of the opinions of experts, public authorities, scholars, and consumers, which leads to fragmented managerial decisions. Therefore, there is an objective need to develop a unified methodology for the marketing analysis of destination attractiveness in order to formulate well-grounded strategic recommendations. Object of the research – the toolkit of marketing analysis of the tourist destination’s attractiveness and the mechanism for its improvement. Methods used in the study: statistical, empirical, analytical and synthetic methods, expert evaluations, classification, logical and tabular methods, among others. The research hypothesis is based on the assumption that an integral assessment of a tourist destination, constructed on the generalization of expert data across the elements of the “7P” marketing mix and on the consideration of modern crisis-related and security factors, provides a more accurate and comprehensive determination of its attractiveness and can serve as a basis for effective strategic management of the destination. Presentation of the main material. According to the results of the conducted research, the systemic approach to evaluating tourist destinations has been improved through the integration of the “7P” model with a multi-criteria system of metrics. The inclusion of security-related, institutional, and crisis factors (particularly those arising from wartime conditions) is proposed as an essential component of the evaluation. An integral indicator of attractiveness has been developed, which aggregates expert assessments for all elements of the marketing mix. Practical significance of the study lies in the fact that the obtained results can be used by national and local authorities for developing tourism development strategies and destination branding; by tourism enterprises for improving services and strengthening competitive positions; and by academic and educational institutions for teaching courses in tourism marketing. Conclusions and prospects for further research. The article substantiates the need to improve the existing methodological approaches to assessing the attractiveness of tourist destinations, proposes a new approach to marketing analysis of destinations, and demonstrates its practical applicability under current conditions. In further research, the proposed methodological framework enables comprehensive assessment of a destination’s attractiveness and allows for the identification of its weaknesses and strengths.marketing analysis, tourism, tourist destination, attractiveness, methodology, “7P” marketing mix, metrics, criteria, integral assessment