PROMOTION OF TOURIST DESTINATIONS BY MEANS OF WEBSITES IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER DIGITAL MARKETING TOOLS

The article focuses on the promotion of tourist destinations on the Internet. It examines the changes in the Internet that were associated with the introduction of mobile platforms and social networks. The requirements for websites put forward by these changes are established. It is found out what place in the promotion of tourist destinations on the Internet is occupied by websites and what place – by social networks and media; on what conceptual basis they should interact and form a marketing communication system. It is established that the correct combination of these resources can be based on the sales funnel, when social networks and media work at the stage of awareness, the main task of which is to attract attention, arouse interest and redirect to the website of a tourist destination. In turn, the website should lead through the following stages of the funnel: to arouse the desire to make a tourist trip, to lead to action – to book the services of the local tourism industry, and, finally, to visit the tourist destination. In addition, the author examines the peculiarities of promoting tourist destinations on the Internet, the most important of which is who is the subject of marketing communications, since a tourist destination unites many stakeholders who may compete with each other. In particular, it has been established that the role of this entity is best played by the Tourist Information Center (TIC). The TIC can be municipal, as well as owned by unions (associations) of local tourism industry enterprises. This entity should administer the site, consolidating the efforts of all stakeholders by providing authorized access to the relevant pages of the site for stakeholders to post their content. As one of the options for the subject of marketing communications of tourist destinations, specialized departments of local educational institutions are considered. An example of this option is the “Chernivtsi – Tourist Guide” website (www.trip.cv.ua), which is administered by the Department of Geography and Management of Tourism of Chernivtsi National University. It is on the example of this site that this study was conducted.