Effectiveness of Macedonian Tourism Marketing Policy on Visitors at Tourism Fairs

Abstract

In this paper, the efforts that Macedonia makes for promotion and positioning it as a tourist destination will be reviewed. In recent years Macedonia much effort has invested in the development and promotion of tourism products, as well strategies, plans, and programs to promote that nation’s tourism potential. The Agency for the Promotion and Support of Tourism has a major role through their annual programs realize goals and projects to promote and support tourism. Every year, the agency participates in international tourism fairs where it promotes the tourism potentials and natural beauties of Macedonia, and establishes collaboration contacts for the development of tourism there. In addition to international tourism fairs, they participate in creating marketing campaigns, promotional videos, online campaigns, and similar activities. In this paper, national marketing campaigns as a tourist destination, which have primary role of promoting Macedonia in global media, will be analysed and their effects reviewed. For the purpose of this paper, research has been conducted, a questionnaire with multiple choice, checkbox, and scale questions about visitors’ opinions at the international tourism fairs in Sofia, Bulgaria, and in Belgrade, Serbia in February 2016. Interviewees were specifically asked about whether they were familiar with the range of tourism services and facilities in Macedonia, tourism marketing campaigns of Macedonia, the latter’s impact on them, and the evaluation of the presentation of Macedonia at the tourism fair. The results have shown that visitors have a positive assessment of the presentation of Macedonia at the tourism fair, and most of them often watch television and Internet advertisements for Macedonia as a tourist destination. Furthermore, at the tourism fair in Sofia, using an open questionnaire, a representative of the Agency for the Promotion and Support of Tourism was interviewed about the participation of Macedonia at the international fairs and their experiences and expectations.

Keywords: tourism, tourism fair, marketing, promotion, Macedonia