EVENT AS THE PROMOTIONAL TOOL OF PLACE MARKETING : Mikkeli
Shishenina, Anna (2011)
Mikkelin ammattikorkeakoulu
2011
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201105188603
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201105188603
Tiivistelmä
This thesis presents two concepts – place marketing and event marketing. Theoretical knowledge within these concepts is not widely spread, and they are usually examined separately but not together. A lot of companies use event marketing in order to promote their products or services. But what about cities? Can they use events in order to attract more tourists, residents, investors and industries? Can the event be one of the tools for communicating a city image?
Year by year Finnish cities become more and more popular among Russian tourists, investors, universities and employees. Mikkeli is among these cities. But it needs to increase its awareness among Russians and find new ways of attracting them. Event can be one of these ways.
Quantitative research with participation of 524 respondents was used in this thesis. Based on the results of the survey, the audience awareness about Mikkeli is not very good. Only about 30% of the respondents have ever been in Mikkeli, and it is about 42% of those who travel to Finland. About 35% of the respondents have heard about this city but have never been there and about 35% have never heard about it. This clearly guide that Mikkeli should increase its awareness among the potential Russian tourists, refresh and improve its image, build effective image for visitors.
The present study examines cultural events as a tool for building a better image and increasing awareness of the city. According to the findings, there is a demand for cultural events among Russian people. Mikkeli can use this fact and organize cultural events in order to attract more tourists. There are a lot of examples when events had increased city’s awareness and popularity. And this thesis has proven that it also can be done in Mikkeli. Event can be a good promotional tool of place marketing in Mikkeli.
The purpose of this thesis is to get better understanding of place marketing; how events are used as a promotional tool of place marketing; and, based on the developed theoretical framework, to evaluate the value of place marketing practices to position Mikkeli more favorably compared to its rivals, to probe the interests of the potential Russian customers and find the ways of how to attract them to visit and participate in Mikkeli events.
Year by year Finnish cities become more and more popular among Russian tourists, investors, universities and employees. Mikkeli is among these cities. But it needs to increase its awareness among Russians and find new ways of attracting them. Event can be one of these ways.
Quantitative research with participation of 524 respondents was used in this thesis. Based on the results of the survey, the audience awareness about Mikkeli is not very good. Only about 30% of the respondents have ever been in Mikkeli, and it is about 42% of those who travel to Finland. About 35% of the respondents have heard about this city but have never been there and about 35% have never heard about it. This clearly guide that Mikkeli should increase its awareness among the potential Russian tourists, refresh and improve its image, build effective image for visitors.
The present study examines cultural events as a tool for building a better image and increasing awareness of the city. According to the findings, there is a demand for cultural events among Russian people. Mikkeli can use this fact and organize cultural events in order to attract more tourists. There are a lot of examples when events had increased city’s awareness and popularity. And this thesis has proven that it also can be done in Mikkeli. Event can be a good promotional tool of place marketing in Mikkeli.
The purpose of this thesis is to get better understanding of place marketing; how events are used as a promotional tool of place marketing; and, based on the developed theoretical framework, to evaluate the value of place marketing practices to position Mikkeli more favorably compared to its rivals, to probe the interests of the potential Russian customers and find the ways of how to attract them to visit and participate in Mikkeli events.