Importance of Web Marketing in Tourism Marketing Promotion Case Study

Importance of Web Marketing in Tourism Marketing Promotion - Case Study Example The investiture of additional resources in the Brazilian tourism industry has significantly expanded it, generating 5 million new jobs between 1996 to 2002 (Weaver, 2005). These investments are focused on â€Å"bettering management of natural and cultural resource; searching of more quality in delivering tourism services; developing promotion of tourism activities by gathering governmental and private initiatives; implementing basic infra-structure appropriated to regional potentialities, and investing in professional qualification† (EMBRATUR, 2001 cited in Theobold, 2004, p. 98). On the international side, the government noticed that the most viable sources of tourists are South American countries, Western European countries, the United States, and Japan, respectively. In 2000, Visit Brazil committees were established in several of those countries. According to EMBRATUR, those committees have participated in trade shows and sought to bring international investments to the Brazilian tourism industry (cited in Theobold, 2004). However, it appears that the improvements, when compared to the potentialities of the country, still represent relatively small numbers. According to the PNT - Politica Nacional de Turismo/National Tourism Policy - two international markets are considered of great importance to Brazil's tourism industry: Europe (Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, and the UK) and the United States. Between 1997 and 2000, the relative market share of Europe and U.S. tourists in Brazil has been constant: 25 percent from Europe and 12 percent from the U.S. (PAC, 2002). EMBRATUR (2001) maintains that tourism has not reached its perceived potential because the Brazilian government belatedly recognized its potential as a driver of economic growth and development. It was only by 1996 that the Government began to understand the importance of the enormous tourist potential in Brazil. It also realized that it would need to establish a strong administration for tourism promotion and development in order to fully capturing the tourism potential. At that time, the national tourism policy was drafted with definitions of macro strategies for both domestic and international markets (EMBRATUR, 2001 cited in Theobold, 2004).