Chapter 10
During the 1980s and 1990s, the availability of funding allowed the statutory bodies to develop a strategy that would develop an attractive product suited to both the resources of the country and to the expected demands of the international visitor. One of the resources that was recognized as being important to tourism were gardens. Gardens have played a significant role in the tourism product in other countries such as Great Britain, Italy and France and although they are transient in nature, they are often linked to features of heri- tage such as great houses and attract a significant number of visitors. Due to the diversity of geology, mild climate, geomorphic and social history, many gardens have been created throughout Ireland over time. The art of gardening arrived to Ireland with Christianity about 500AD with monks developing gardens, which focused on the cultivation of vege- tables for food. In 1620, Lismore, County Waterford was created and is one of the earliest formal gardens, which still survives to some extent in its original form. The French, Dutch and English all had considerable influence over the subsequent centuries in garden design and development which resulted in numerous gardens. The introduction of many plants from around the world to these gardens were as a result of plant hunting expeditions under- taken particularly in Australasia during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Lamb
& Bowe, 1995). Today, many of these gardens are part of a tourism product marketing group (PMG) called Houses, Castles and Gardens of Ireland (www.castlesireland.com).
This group, which is simply structured requires the payment of a membership fee which goes towards the employment of a part-time marketing executive and co-operative marketing activities. The decision on which activities to pursue, is made by a board of voluntary non- executive members all whom are part of the group. A representative from the Irish tourism board (Failte Ireland) also sits on the board and they meet once per month. Numerous interactions in the form of relationships building, networking and co-operative practices take place between the members of the group and between the members and external stakeholders. These webs of network interaction and relationships exist, developed to a greater extent by some gardens over others.
Gardens have been identified as being of significant importance to the heritage of Ireland, and as well as there being an identified market demand for such a product, this resource closely fits the image Ireland wishes to portray in the international tourism arena. Gardens attracted 438,000 overseas visitors in the Republic of Ireland in 2001 (Bord Failte, 2003).
During the 1990s under the Operational Programme for Tourism, many of the gardens in Ireland availed of substantial funding through the Great Gardens of Ireland Restoration Scheme which was administered between 1996 and 2001 (Gorman & Reid, 2000). A dedi- cated manager, Ms. Finola Reid oversaw the management of this particular scheme.
150 Catherine Gorman
Table 10.1: Overseas tourism nos. and revue 2003 – Republic of Ireland.
Overseas visitors Total foreign revenue numbers (millions) (billions €)
1990 3.0965 1.446
2003 6.178 3.228
Source: Tourism Ireland Limited (2004).
In the mid-1980s tourism PMGs were initiated in the Republic of Ireland with a focus on activities and leisure pursuits. It was during a time that just preceded the rapid growth in overseas tourist numbers to the country and this co-operative marketing approach was part of an overall marketing strategy undertaken by the national tourism board (Bord Failte). In the accommodation sector in Ireland, common product groups have been in operation since the mid-1960s when Irish Farmhouse Holidays were set up to promote Irish Farmhouse accommodation to the visitor. The organization successfully operates alongside Town and Country Houses and the Irish Hotel Federation (IHF) as the main bodies promoting serviced accommodation in the Republic of Ireland.
The PMGs focused on bringing together a number of Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs) in identified sectors of the industry who offered a common core product to the visitor. The Gardens of Ireland was one of the first such PMGs and this was facilitated by Mary Nash of Bord Failte — the Irish Tourist Board of the time.
This chapter attempts to answer a number of questions that surround PMGs. These include:
● the extent and type of co-operation and relationships undertaken by tourism PMGS — this includes both inter-and intra-organizational relationships undertaken by members of a PMG;
● the type of marketing strategy and tactics utilized by members of a tourism PMG — considered in order to evaluate the type and degree of tools associated with relationship marketing that is being used by each group member;
● the consideration of the importance of value of the product; benefits and barriers in developing co-operative links; and
● an investigation into a number of variables which may have an impact on co-operation such as geographical loci, experience, qualifications, history and background of the development and maintenance of relationships within a marketing co-operative group.
The significance of the research is based on the fact that in order to be competitive, a strong marketing ethos is required within any organization. Li and Nicholls (2000) state that in order to remain competitive, co-operation is required with a range of stakeholders.
According to Buhalis and Cooper (1998), SMTEs lack competitiveness. Many SMTEs are fragmented and lack structure either of the organization or in the way business is under- taken. Since the 1980s in Ireland, many SMTEs have become involved to a lesser or greater degree with co-operative marketing bodies. Some of these co-operative bodies operate efficiently, some do not.
Being funding led rather than market led has caused a problem with some groups strug- gling as funding has run out. Other groups focus on market-segmented areas and specific demand, e.g. angling and walking. Many of the co-operative bodies are involved in vari- ous forms of relationship management, which includes interaction with a variety of stake- holders including the traditional customer (visitor). Relationship marketing, although advocated by the national tourism board (Bord Failte, 1998) has been undertaken in many cases in an ad hoc rather than structured manner. A structured relationship-oriented approach, however, can help to create bonds and links between the group members and the various stakeholders.
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Strong bonds, common vision, a structured approach and other variables are considered important to efficient networking. In identification of practises operating within a PMG, it is hoped that both best practise and deficits can be explored so that a more efficient and effective approach can be developed with a view to increase competitive advantage for SMTEs in this sector.