Integrated quality management of a tourist destination – the key factor in achieving a competitive advantage

The dynamic changes in the global tourism market require qualitative transformation of nearly every segment of a destination’s tourism supply. The survival of tourism destinations requires an intensifying tracking of trends relating to a continuous improvement of the tourism supply quality. In the new economic, social and cultural frameworks of the tourism market areas of new dialogue are emerging that treat the tourists as individuals rather than mere demographic segments of the target market. There is a large number of ways that brings to a competitive advantage of a tourist destination and all are based on the interaction on what tourists consider as the superior value – the value for money or a quality tourist product at the right price. This indicates that the changes in the habits of tourists require the implementation of integrated quality management (IQM) in a tourist destination as a fast and efficient response to consumer preferences and the increasing competitiveness of destinations in the world tourist market. Taking into account the above starting points, the main view is to recognize and describe the integrated quality management model of tourist destinations and to highlight the major factors of a qualitative tourist base on the examples of Opatija and Porec as a precondition for building a competitive and market recognizable tourist destinations.