Destination Design: A design thinking approach to tourism development through the evolution of Destination Management Organizations

The effects of COVID-19 have shown that tourism is a fragile industry, but vital to the economic health of communities. Tourist destinations are developed through a complex system made up of a large number of stakeholders. This destination development system is ripe for innovation, as drivers of change in technology and the experience economy are opening up new opportunities for communities, while challenging the operations of legacy institutions. This paper explores how communities might adapt to these changes by utilizing design thinking and co-creation methodologies to create resilient destinations which attract tourists and improve the lives of locals. Through research into the traditional destination development system, we identify that Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) play a crucial role in the information exchange between stakeholders. However, DMOs are becoming less relevant in this exchange. We find that by taking a reactive approach to their work and attempting to manage increasingly more complex relationships, DMOs are not meeting the needs of tourism operators or their local communities. Destination design, in contrast, is an emerging area of study which seeks to understand how elements of design thinking may be used to creatively solve problems in the tourism and destination development fields. This project explores the potential for DMOs to become designers instead of managers of destinations. In doing so, they can reassert their relevance by adding value to their stakeholders, which could result in better outcomes for tourists and locals. The authors propose a Destination Design Methodology & Toolkit, which includes a process and workshops to help communities co-create resilient destinations