Experiential marketing and destination Management: does formal network strategies really matter?

Purpose: While the experiential marketing concept has been analyzed in several empirical contexts, the crucial link between experiential consumer behavior and the destination management has not been studied in depth. This study represents an attempt to fill this gap, adopting a case-study methodology. Our main research objective is to propose an exploratory framework aimed to investigate the effectiveness and the efficiency of experiential marketing in reinforcing the destination management activity. Methodology: We propose that a single exploratory case study is the appropriate design, since we ask a “how” question about a contemporary set of events over which we have little control. Originality: The findings we present have important implications for research in marketing and strategy because we originally studied the experience concept and its consequences for the tourism activity. In particular, this case raises a lot of strategic and organizational questions, starting from the critical question if experiential marketing could be recognized as an essential component in the management of destinations.