Heritage interpretation, place branding and experiential marketing in the destination management of geotourism sites

In these competitive times for tourism marketing, “place branding” has become an essential element of a tourist destination’s success, an element of market differentiation with respect to rival tourist areas. Place branding captures the attention of potential tourists using experiential marketing; it creates destination loyalty using techniques such as heritage interpretation to create unique and memorable experiences for visitors. A memorable tourism experience may produce repeat visits and word-of-mouth or active social web promotion of the destination. Heritage interpretation communicates information to visitors and tourists about the sites and destinations they visit. An interpretive plan specifies exactly how heritage interpretation will be used to communicate with potential visitors using oral, written and digitally communicated language. A well-constructed plan is necessary in order to generate tourist income responsibly and sustainably for local communities. This article examines the value-added roles heritage interpretation and interpretive planning play in experiential marketing and in destination management as a whole. It looks at interpretation at the personal on-site level and as used on the internet. The goal of place branding is to allow communities to function as their own destination management organizations and to exert control over their most valuable economic resources, their intangible heritage: landscape, ecosystem, and traditional way of life. The general framework considered is responsible geotourism, designed to improve the quality of life for the host and the quality of experience for the tourist.