Integration as a Tool of Destination Management - The Case of Rural and Rural Fringe Areas

It is well known that the organizational structure of the Slovenian tourism industry is changing. Tourist companies are merging, but unfortunately only a few companies empowered their capital structure and market position, so in a way we can talk about an oligopoly. The situation does not favor rural and rural fringe areas, where an underdeveloped tourism economy cannot represent a solid source of income for many tourist farms and other tourist companies. Integration is a scientifically and professionally proven method for empowering businesses. Integrative destination management, which provides the tool for tourist destinations development, aims at sustainable tourism where the community collectively develops and runs the tourism economy. This paper examines the possibilities for the development of business integration as a basis for the successful implementation of destination management in the Mislinja Valley. A survey has been conducted, where two thirds of the tourist companies in the area were investigated in relation to the destination management and tourism opportunities in the area. Analysis shows that the business environment accepts the idea of integration as a tool for empowering the regional tourism industry, however only interest integration appeares to be acceptable at this time.