The Effectiveness Of Destination Marketing Organizations In Promoting Sustainable Tourism
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Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts
Abstract
This study examines the role of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) in fostering sustainable
tourism, with a particular focus on Nigeria’s Olumirin Waterfalls and the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove. While
DMOs are essential in promoting sustainable tourism, their effectiveness in many developing nations,
including Nigeria, is hindered by institutional weaknesses, limited stakeholder involvement, and ineffective
marketing strategies. The objectives of this research are to: investigate the roles of DMOs in sustainable
tourism promotion; assess the impact of DMO marketing strategies—specifically destination branding,
stakeholder engagement, and tourist information services—on sustainable tourism outcomes; and to identify
best practices and challenges faced by DMOs. Utilizing a desk-based research methodology, the study
synthesizes secondary data from academic sources, reports, and case studies. The findings reveal that Nigerian
DMOs face considerable challenges, including inadequate funding, poor coordination between national and
local agencies, and a lack of meaningful community participation, which impede the successful
implementation of sustainable tourism initiatives. Furthermore, destination branding is underdeveloped,
stakeholder engagement is limited, and tourist information systems are either outdated or non-existent. Based
on these findings, the study recommends strengthening institutional frameworks, fostering greater community
involvement in tourism decision-making, and adopting digital technologies to enhance tourist education and
destination management. The study’s limitations include its reliance on secondary data and the focus on
specific Nigerian destinations, suggesting that future research should incorporate primary data and expand its
geographical scope to better understand the role of DMOs in sustainable tourism.
Description
This study examines the role of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) in fostering sustainable
tourism, with a particular focus on Nigeria’s Olumirin Waterfalls and the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove. While
DMOs are essential in promoting sustainable tourism, their effectiveness in many developing nations,
including Nigeria, is hindered by institutional weaknesses, limited stakeholder involvement, and ineffective
marketing strategies. The objectives of this research are to: investigate the roles of DMOs in sustainable
tourism promotion; assess the impact of DMO marketing strategies—specifically destination branding,
stakeholder engagement, and tourist information services—on sustainable tourism outcomes; and to identify
best practices and challenges faced by DMOs.
Keywords
Citation
Akerele et al., 2025