The Dynamics of Search Engine Marketing for Tourist Destinations

Abstract

Search engine marketing (SEM) has become an important strategic tool for online destination marketing. Because of the dynamic relationships among travelers as information searchers, search engines, and the online tourism domain, the authors argue that a new dynamic model must be developed that captures these relationships to better inform SEM practices. The goals of this paper are twofold: (1) to synthesize research related to SEM in tourism and related fields and (2) to present a model that describes the evolving dynamics in search engine marketing. The implications of the model for tourism marketing and research are discussed.