Responding to the need to fill the research gap in the area of museum integrated marketing communication, the study investigated the planned, unplanned, product and service messages of selected museums in South Africa. These selected museums were the Ditsong and Iziko clusters of museums in the Gauteng Province and the Western Cape Province respectively. The clusters were selected because they are the biggest clusters of museums in the country. In an attempt to fill the research gap, the goal of the study was to develop and present an integrated marketing communication framework for the selected museums. In order to realise the goal of the study, four objectives were set. Consistent with the first objective chapter 2 analysed the South African cultural tourism sector. In this regard, the literature review revealed that South Africa’s cultural product offering is multifaceted with arts, cultural villages, literature, battlefields, museums, heritage sites nd religion comprising the main tourist attractions. Moreover, the literature review revealed that the two clusters of museums offer diversified product portfolios. The second objective was achieved in chapter 3 by analysing integrated marketing communication by means of a literature review. The literature review revealed that IMC is a logical structure of developing communication strategies. An organisation should control (planned) or influence messages (unplanned, product, service) messages to ensure message consistency and maximum communication impact. In simple terms, an organisation should strive to match its brand promise made through planned messages with actual performance as reflected in its product, service, and unplanned messages. The third objective was to analyse empirically the planned, unplanned, product and service messages of the Ditsong and Iziko clusters of museums. The results of the empirical phase of the study were presented in chapter 4. Following a mixed methods research approach, the first component of the empirical phase involved in- depth interviews with the marketing managers of the museum clusters while the second component involved a survey of visitors to the clusters. The qualitative data was analysed by establishing themes which had emerged from the interviews with the marketing managers. The quantitative data was analysed using the SPSS programme. In order to establish the relationships between the variables, a factor analysis was conducted. In addition, T-tests and ANOVAs were also conducted. The factor analysis produced three factors namely, factor 1: Above-the-line media, factor 2: Internal and external marketing and factor 3: Marketing public relations. The t-test and ANOVAs revealed that the respondents across age, province of residence, visitor retention and educational level rate service messages the most highly of all the IMC messages. On the whole, the empirical study revealed that both the participants and the respondents share the same views on what should be done in terms of the planned, unplanned, service and product messages of museums to ensure message consistency and maximum communication impact. The structural equation modelling indicated the interrelatedness of the various messages as well as their influence on one another. The fourth objective was to develop and present an integrated marketing communication framework for the Ditsong and Iziko museum clusters. This objective was realised in chapter five. The framework was informed by both the literature review and the empirical study. As regards the literature review the framework differs from some other works on IMC in that an attempt was made to align the framework to IMC message typology in its entirety. With regard to the empirical study, the IMC programme phase of the framework incorporates the recommendations of the respondents. It is hoped that the framework will empower the museums both to ensure message consistency and to maximise communication impact in spite of the divergent message needs of their multiple stakeholders. / Thesis (PhD (Tourism Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Responding to the need to fill the research gap in the area of museum integrated marketing communication, the study investigated the planned, unplanned, product and service messages of selected museums in South Africa. These selected museums were the Ditsong and Iziko clusters of museums in the Gauteng Province and the Western Cape Province respectively. The clusters were selected because they are the biggest clusters of museums in the country. In an attempt to fill the research gap, the goal of the study was to develop and present an integrated marketing communication framework for the selected museums. In order to realise the goal of the study, four objectives were set. Consistent with the first objective chapter 2 analysed the South African cultural tourism sector. In this regard, the literature review revealed that South Africa’s cultural product offering is multifaceted with arts, cultural villages, literature, battlefields, museums, heritage sites nd religion comprising the main tourist attractions. Moreover, the literature review revealed that the two clusters of museums offer diversified product portfolios. The second objective was achieved in chapter 3 by analysing integrated marketing communication by means of a literature review. The literature review revealed that IMC is a logical structure of developing communication strategies. An organisation should control (planned) or influence messages (unplanned, product, service) messages to ensure message consistency and maximum communication impact. In simple terms, an organisation should strive to match its brand promise made through planned messages with actual performance as reflected in its product, service, and unplanned messages. The third objective was to analyse empirically the planned, unplanned, product and service messages of the Ditsong and Iziko clusters of museums. The results of the empirical phase of the study were presented in chapter 4. Following a mixed methods research approach, the first component of the empirical phase involved in- depth interviews with the marketing managers of the museum clusters while the second component involved a survey of visitors to the clusters. The qualitative data was analysed by establishing themes which had emerged from the interviews with the marketing managers. The quantitative data was analysed using the SPSS programme. In order to establish the relationships between the variables, a factor analysis was conducted. In addition, T-tests and ANOVAs were also conducted. The factor analysis produced three factors namely, factor 1: Above-the-line media, factor 2: Internal and external marketing and factor 3: Marketing public relations. The t-test and ANOVAs revealed that the respondents across age, province of residence, visitor retention and educational level rate service messages the most highly of all the IMC messages. On the whole, the empirical study revealed that both the participants and the respondents share the same views on what should be done in terms of the planned, unplanned, service and product messages of museums to ensure message consistency and maximum communication impact. The structural equation modelling indicated the interrelatedness of the various messages as well as their influence on one another. The fourth objective was to develop and present an integrated marketing communication framework for the Ditsong and Iziko museum clusters. This objective was realised in chapter five. The framework was informed by both the literature review and the empirical study. As regards the literature review the framework differs from some other works on IMC in that an attempt was made to align the framework to IMC message typology in its entirety. With regard to the empirical study, the IMC programme phase of the framework incorporates the recommendations of the respondents. It is hoped that the framework will empower the museums both to ensure message consistency and to maximise communication impact in spite of the divergent message needs of their multiple stakeholders. / Thesis (PhD (Tourism Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Text in both English and Afrikaans / Since the early 2000s, the tourism industry in South Africa has experienced phenomenal change and, concomitantly, the hospitality industry has also seen significant growth. This growth has been driven by factors such as the increased demand for hospitality in both the leisure and the business markets. The hotel industry has immensely been benefited. The Tourism Business Index’s report released quarterly by the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, indicating that the revenue received from each available room in the hotel sector increased significantly from 2009. Tourism research has revealed that, globally, the hospitality industry is among the largest employers of labour. The hospitality industry, especially the hotel sector, works hand in hand with tourism. Tourists traveling to a destination require accommodation which is generally provided by hotels. If the tourist is to have a good experience, it is vital that the tourist organisation and the hotel communicate so as to exchange information. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) has been described as a concept that many organisations adopt in order both to coordinate the operation of the organisation effectively and to increase the bottom line. In IMC, also creates synergy within an organisation and paves the way for consistent messages to be sent out to the organisation’s target audience. The aim of this study was to analyse the use of IMC by the View Boutique Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa. To analyse the IMC at the hotel, in-depth interviews were conducted with both marketing staff and guests. In the aspect of planned messages, the outcome of the study revealed that the hotel uses marketing communication tools on a limited scale and, that to ensure message consistency the manager handles all external communication activities. However, the study also showed that ensuring message consistency should be the responsibility of everyone employed in the hotel. With regard to the product messages, the study showed that guests were negatively disposed towards the food, beverages, entertainment and recreation offered by the hotel. However, the service messages of the study indicated that the hotel’s service quality was good and that the staff were responsive to the needs of the guests. In respect of unplanned messages, the study showed that the hotel was receiving limited coverage from the media and that word of mouth communication was an effective tool in the hotel’s communication toolbox. On the whole, thus, it may be said that the study underscores the centrality of IMC as an instrument for creating and nurturing the relations between the hotel and its quests. It is anticipated that the outcome of this study should provide hotels such as the View Boutique Hotel with guidance in regard to utilising IMC to its full potential to make sure that there is message consistency and also to optimise communication impact. / Sedert die vroeë 2000's het die toerismebedryf in Suid-Afrika 'n merkwaardige verandering ondergaan, en daarmee saam het die gasvryheidsbedryf aansienlike groei getoon. Hierdie groei is aangevuur deur faktore soos die toenemende vraag na gasvryheid in die ontspannings- en sakemark. Die hotelbedryf het baie hierby gebaat. Volgens die besigheidsindeks vir toerisme wat kwartaalliks deur die Toerismebesigheidsraad van Suid-Afrika vrygestel word, het die inkomste uit elke beskikbare kamer in die hotelbedryf sedert 2009 aansienlik toegeneem. Navorsing oor toerisme het getoon dat die gasvryheidsbedryf wêreldwyd die meeste werk verskaf. Die gasvryheidsbedryf, en veral die hotelbedryf, gaan hand aan hand met toerisme. Toeriste wat na 'n bestemming reis het akkommodasie nodig wat oor die algemeen deur hotelle gebied word. Om te verseker dat toeriste positiewe belewenisse het, is dit kritiek dat toeriste-organisasies en hotelle kommunikeer om inligting uit te ruil. Geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie word beskryf as 'n konsep wat baie organisasies aanneem om die bedryf van die organisasie effektief te koördineer en die netto wins te verhoog. Geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie skep medewerking in 'n organisasie en baan die weg vir konsekwente boodskappe wat aan die organisasie se teikengehoor uitgedra word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die gebruik van geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie by die View Boutique Hotel in Johannesburg, Suid-Afrika, te ondersoek. In die ondersoek van die geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie by die hotel is diepgaande onderhoude met bemarkingspersoneel en gaste gevoer. Ten opsigte van beplande kommunikasie het die studie bevind dat die hotel bemarkingskommunikasie-instrumente op beperkte skaal gebruik, en om te verseker dat die kommunikasie konsekwent is, hanteer die bestuurder alle eksterne kommunikasie-aktiwiteite. Die studie het egter ook getoon dat dit elke werknemer by die hotel se verantwoordelikheid is om konsekwente kommunikasie te verseker. Met verwysing na produkkommunikasie het die studie getoon dat die gaste negatief ingestel was oor die kos, drankies, vermaaklikheid en ontspanning wat by die hotel aangebied is. Die studie het egter bevind dat die diens by die hotel goed was en dat die personeel goed op die gaste se behoeftes gereageer het. Met betrekking tot ix onbeplande kommunikasie het die studie getoon dat die hotel beperkte dekking in die media geniet en dat mondelinge kommunikasie 'n doeltreffende instrument in die hotel se arsenaal is. Oor die algemeen kan daar gesê word dat die studie die sentraliteit van geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie onderskryf as instrument vir die skep en uitbou van verhoudings tussen die hotel en sy gaste. Die resultate van hierdie studie behoort aan hotelle soos die View Boutique Hotel riglyne te bied oor hoe geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie ten volle benut kan word om konsekwente kommunikasie te verseker, en om die impak van kommunikasie te optimeer. / Communication Science / M.A.(Psychology)