Storytelling & Destination
Branding
THE DANISH CASE “TALES OF THE LIMFJORD”
TRU seminar
15 April 2010
Anette Therkelsen
Tourism Research Unit
Aalborg University
Outline
• Background
▫ 5 Nordic case studies
• Purpose of Danish case study
• Theoretical framework
• Analysis – ”Tales of the Limfjord”
▫ characteristics of storytelling practices
▫ stakeholder relations
• Future research perspectives
Background: A Nordic Project
A two-year NiCe-sponsored project:
”Storytelling and Destination Development”
Purpose:
Can stories be used for developing and marketing Nordic tourism
destinations and make them more attractive on international
tourist markets?
Partners:
•
•
•
•
•
Handelshögskolan BI, Oslo, Norway
Hanken Svenska Handelshøgskolan, Vasa, Finland
Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, Akureyri, Island
University West, Trollhättan, Sweden
Aalborg University, Denmark
Purpose of Danish Case Study
Investigate whether the storytelling project
”The Tales of the Limfjord” is instrumental in
branding the Limfjord as a tourism destination
▫ Internally (stakeholder perspective):
management, stakeholder involvement, ownership
▫ Externally (market perspective):
market communication, storytelling events
THEORETICAL MODEL - STORYTELLING AND DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT
STAKEHOLDERS
(local/non local)
STORYTELLING
PROCESS
OUTCOME OF
DESTINATION
STORYTELLING
DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS (year 1, 2,
3…)
A
- Initiators
- Decision makers
- Owners
A Agenda setting
- Theme
- Stories / participants
- Target groups
- Financing
Further concept
development
- Storyline & comm.
- Servicescape design
- Number & type of
storytellers/locations
- Packaging
B Steering committee
Combination of A & C
stakeholders
C
- Storytellers
- Location providers
- Service providers
B Design of
storytelling concept
- Storyline
- Servicescape design
- Program/ packaging
- Market comm.
- Souvenirs
C Implementation
- What? How? Where?
- When? Why?
Marketing output
- Earnings
- Number & types of
guests
- Media coverage
Inter-organisational
outcome
- Cooperation
- Knowledge & skills
Economic
- New ventures
- Extend season
- Destination brand
Socio-cultural
- Employment
- Training
- Infrastructure
- Image & identity
Environmental
Strengthen / weaken /
no change
”Tales of the Limfjord”
• Launched 2005
• Niche product
• 34 stories in the
main season
•
5 themes
• 5000 visitors pr. year
(2009)
• Target group: Danish
couples 45+
Data
• 12 interviews w. stakeholders & storytellers
• 6 observations of storytelling events
Storytelling in
Tales of the Limfjord
• Story content & composition
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
Facts (mediated through fiction)
Place attachment
Walk & talk – engaging breaks
Beginning-middle-end + dressing up
Stories enhanced by taste of products
▫
▫
▫
▫
Place belonging & pride
Passion and personality
No manuscript – adjust to tourists
Personal contact & interaction w. tourists
www.visitlimfjorden.com
• The storyteller
Single stories or overall story frame
• Single stories sought connected through broad
themes
• No overall story frame that brands the
destination
Storytelling in Tales of the Limfjord
• Product level
▫ The individual stories have many qualities
▫ An overall story framework non-existent
• Promotion level
• No storytelling based promotion
No strategic destination branding effort – WHY?
THEORETICAL MODEL - STORYTELLING AND DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT
STAKEHOLDERS
(local/non local)
STORYTELLING
PROCESS
OUTCOME OF
STORYTELLING
PROCESS (year 1, 2,
3…)
DESTINATION
DEVELOPMENT
A
Initiators & Decision
makers
Tourist offices
Politicians
Museum
A Agenda setting
5 broad themes
Stories identified by
tourist 0ffices
Financing: tourist
offices not storytellers
Target groups: DK 45+
Further concept
development
Limited – top-down info
Economic
- New ventures
- Extend season
- Destination brand
B Steering committee
B Design of
storytelling concept
Not a combination of A No overall storyline
& C stakeholders
No servicescape design
Programming through
themes
Market comm. not
integrated w. product
C Storytellers
Museums, nature
guides, private
companies, local
volunteers
C Implementation
Individual stories
Elements of
servicescape
Programming not
practised
Marketing output
Limited earnings
5000 guests at x events
Socio-cultural
- Employment
- Training
- Infrastructure
- Image & identity
Inter-organisational
outcome
Coop. bxt. A & B
Top-down info from A/B
to C
No coop bxt storytellers Environmental
Strengthen / weaken
Knowledge & skills
/ no change
Use & exchange of local
knowledge among A & B
Limited generation of
new knowledge
Use of knowledge
among C, no exchange
Further research perspectives
• Storytelling & experiences
▫ Before, during, after -framework
▫ Co-creation
• Communicative strategies of storytelling
▫ Building a storyline (message, phases, characters)
authenticity (facts/fiction), semiotics (icon, index,
symbol & myth-making)
• Knowledge dynamics of a storytelling network
▫ Use/generation of knowledge, local/distant
knowledge,mobility/anchorage of knowledge