We need a formulation of cooperative strategies, collaboration, partnerships, and alliances between the components of the tourism sectors as tourism is facing the challenges of globalisation and world crisis.
Thus Nor’ain Othman of UiTM examined the inter-organisational relationships between the Malaysian National Tourist Organisation (Tourism Malaysia) and tourist organisations (profit and non-profit organisation) in the development of tourism marketing alliances within the tourism industry in the country. She undertook a comprehensive review of the existing inter-organisational alliances and network relationship between Tourism Malaysia and tourist organisations; examined the factors that influence alliance formation and the process involved in its development, identify the motives and underlying reasons for the formation, and criteria used in selection of partners; examined inter-organisational governance and, assessed the performance and outcome of these alliances.
This research is timely, and is expected to contribute to the future development of the country's tourism marketing. Secondly, the tourism industry is very important to the economy of the country; it is currently ranked second as a foreign exchange earner after manufacturing. To sustain its growth, the industry has to adopt strategies that could withstand the vagaries and uncertainties of 'world tourism. Such strategies have to be based on more concrete information.
Nor’ain developed a development model of tourism marketing alliances, drawing references from similar studies conducted in other countries. The model was divided into four phases: the preliminary phase, the negotiation phase, implementation phase, and the evaluation phase.
Contact:
Nor'Ain Othman
Marketing, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia
Reported by Megawati Omar
Research Management Institute, UiTM, Malaysia
