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This article wants to understand better what new information technology (IT) in terms of information and communication systems mean for tourism; not from a technical side but from a strategic management's point of view. It will analyse briefly the impact of new Tourism Information and Communication Systems (TICS) by applying an Industrial Economics and Strategic Management approach.

Seit Gründung des EUROPÄISCHEN TOURISMUS INSTITUTS GmbH (ETI) an der Universität Trier stellt der Kulturtourismus einen der Forschungs‐ und Beratungsschwerpunkte innerhalb der Institutsarbeit dar. Im Jahr 1992 führte das ETI mit Unterstützung der EG‐Kommission das Forschungsprojekt “Kulturtourismus in Europa/Demonstrationsvorhaben im Bi!dungs‐/Kulturtourismus” durch, dessen Ergebnisse auf dem Internationalen Symposium “Kulturtourismus in Europa: Wachstum ohne Grenzen?” im Juni 1992 in Trier vorgestellt und im weiteren dokumentiert wurden (vgl. Becker/ Steinecke 1993; Steinecke 1993a, 1993b).

During the 48th AIEST Congress in Marrakech (Morocco) our organisation made an extensive study of destination marketing, its possibilities and its limitations. The many members who attended were unanimous in the opinion that complementary and cooperative marketing need considerable development and stimulation at the destination level. As a result of global competition tourism organisations no longer find it possible to confine their activities to core tasks in market communication and public relations. In the context of positioning and branding policy they must increasingly make use of all the instruments of the marketing mix. Given the expectations of today's customers and the latest developments in the area of information technology it is no longer possible to separate activities in such fields as promotion, information, distribution and sales, if one wishes to remain effective. New concepts and organisational developments are therefore required that will make it possible to carry out destination marketing in a consistent manner. In this context, the marketing of destination‐like products such as leisure parks and resort corporations (consolidates) offers a rare opportunity for benchmarking. At the AIEST Congress we took note of the fact that, in cases where the supply is fragmented, there is no real alternative to vertical cooperation at the destination level. We discussed ways in which to bypass obstacles to cooperation. Government incentives play a major role in this context. Indeed without government support it will be just as difficult in the future as at present to carry out any kind of destination marketing.