Tourism Marketing - Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies - page 421

Tourism icons, such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, can be used to promote travel to a given location. Not all
icons are bridges or statues, however. For example, the Southern belle of Mississippi is an enduring symbol of southern
hospitality. GoldenGateBridgephotobyRobertHolmes;courtesyoftheCaliforniaDivisionofTourism.Southernbellephoto
courtesyoftheMississippiDepartmentofCommunityDevelopment/DivisionofTourismDevelopment.

A product is much more than a combination of raw materials. It is actually a bundle of satisfactions
and bene ts for the consumer. Product planning must, therefore, be approached from the consumer

s
point of view. Creating the right service or product is not easy: Consumer needs, wants, and desires are
constantly changing, and competitive forces typically carry products through a

'

product life cycle ,so

that a product that is successful at one point declines and '' dies '' at a later time.

'' Virginia Is for Lovers'' is a destination branding tagline that has proven to be very successful,
demonstrating the value of sticking with a successful theme over the long term. Photocourtesyof
Washington,D.C.,andtheCapitalRegion,USA.