Open AccessWhat makes scuba diving operations successful: The case of Portofino, Italy
Author(s) -
Engelina du Plessis,
Melville Saayman
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
european journal of tourism research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.467
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1314-0817
pISSN - 1994-7658
DOI - 10.54055/ejtr.v17i.300
Subject(s) - tourism , product (mathematics) , order (exchange) , business , marketing , interview , identification (biology) , critical success factor , process management , scuba diving , computer science , operations management , engineering , geography , sociology , botany , geometry , mathematics , archaeology , finance , anthropology , biology , oceanography , geology
The coastline of Portofino, Italy, a famous destination for the rich and famous, attracts thousands of visitors each year. Tourism product owners constitute a significant component of the competitive environment in this area in order to claim a piece of the tourism pie. For the local dive operators, the situation tends to be even more difficult when dealing with strict regulations concerning the marine protected area and a specific market. The identification of critical success factors could offer some insight into the management of these operations. In order to accomplish this, a qualitative research approach was followed by interviewing eight dive operators in the area of Portofino. It was clear that the critical success factor to manage a dive operation was unique to this area and differs from other tourism products by adopting a unique customer relations approach, an emphasis on safety, and the focus on providing a signature product. These results could assist managers of dive operations in identifying new opportunities in terms of management and sought out threats to the business.