Connecting the Members of Generation Y to Destination Brands: A Case Study of the CUBIS Project

Ralf Bochert, Laura Cismaru and Diana Foris
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Ralf Bochert: Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of International Business, Heilbronn University, Max-Planck-Str. 39, Heilbronn 74081, Germany
Laura Cismaru: Department for Engineering and Management in Food and Tourism, Faculty of Food and Tourism, Transilvania University of Brasov, Str. Castelului Nr.148, Brașov 500014, Romania
Diana Foris: Department for Engineering and Management in Food and Tourism, Faculty of Food and Tourism, Transilvania University of Brasov, Str. Castelului Nr.148, Brașov 500014, Romania

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 7, 1-20

Abstract: There is direct correlation between building powerful destination brands and the degree to which tourists and locals share the brands values. The massive penetration of the active population by Generation Y has generated a major shift in tourism marketing, based on the profile of this cohort. The members of Generation Y are very different from previous generations. The so-called “digital natives” share high technological proficiency; they like to share their skills; they are disloyal consumers; and they are affected by trends. In order to connect with members of Generation Y and to actively involve them into the life of tourist destinations, viral, participative, interactive, networked and versatile marketing techniques should be employed. This article introduces the Intelligent Solution for Brand Culturalization (CUBIS) Project, which is a collaborative research initiative that offers to Destination Management Organizations an innovative idea of how to connect the members of Generation Y with destination brands using information and communication technologies (ICT). The CUBIS Project aims to create emotional attachment with the brand values and supports the adoption of the brand by young locals and tourists. The CUBIS idea is flexible and highly adaptable to other destinations. The article uses exploratory qualitative research in the form of a case study.

Keywords: Generation Y; destination branding; brand culturalization; sustainable destination marketing; intelligent solution; digital natives (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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