Demarketing places: Rationales and strategies

The concept of demarketing, originally introduced by Kotler and Levy (1971), can be used in the context of places to describe specific activities aimed at deflecting interest, visitors, and/or investment to a particular place. This paper presents an exploratory investigation into the use of place demarketing in the UK. Thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted with place-marketing practitioners whose work was identified as incorporating elements of placedemarketing practice and activity. Four main rationales for demarketing places were identified: sustainability of the place product; market segmentation and targeting; reducing the effect of seasonality; and crisis prevention/management. The strategies identified in the place-demarketing process include: no marketing; redirection/marketing alternative places; informational place demarketing; restricting access; and pricing mechanisms. The paper concludes by drawing together some of the issues and implications that the demarketing of places raises. © 2010 Westburn Publishers Ltd.