Co-operative approach to marketing: Implications for hotel and tourism industry in Indo-China.

Abstract With the adoption of open-door policies and the introduction of economic reforms, Indo-China has attracted quite a large amount of foreign investment and an increasing number of overseas visitors. The major problems associated with the development of tourism in Indo-China are: a shortage of capital, a lack of infrastructure, skilled labour, tourism organisation, modern technology, and management know-how. The current focus on attracting foreign investment in product development without investing in marketing and promotion is a short-sighted approach. The lack of marketing and promotion for the region could lead to an oversupply of rooms and a poor image for the destination, and could also affect the long term prosperity of the tourism industry. It is suggested that the consortium concept as an approach to tourism marketing and promotion for Indo-China could alleviate these problems and cultivate a healthy tourism industry in the region.