Case Study: Tourism & the Grand Prix

“Welcome to Monaco. Seven Centuries of monarchial heritage. A French Riviera gem. An international cultural center.               One unique Principality…Monaco

                             Monaco at Night

Monaco is the center of tourism being on the Mediterranean coast and in the heart of the French Riviera it is perfectly located, which is why tourism accounts for a twenty-five percent of its revenue. Due to the importance of tourism on the economy the government is constantly enticing people to visit the Principality in order to invest both their time and money. However, Monaco has always been a tourism focal point since 1856 when the famous Monte Carlo Casino was established.

This case study examines how The Monaco Government Tourist Office reaches out to future visitors via their website. More specifically because Monaco holds numerous events I have chosen to analyze the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix campaign in respect to promoting the race in terms of tourism.

The Grand Prix

Elements of the Campaign

Monaco’s image is central when promoting tourism and the website definitely strives to provide a glamorous view of the country. One thing that tourists need when visiting another country is to be entertained and Monaco has an array of events to suit everyone’s needs. Whether you enjoy the ballet, musical awards or sports there are events all year round. I shall now examine elements behind the Formula 1 Grand Prix campaign. There are two races the 'modern' and the 'historique', which is every two years. The Monaco Government Tourist Office highlights the modern race, as it is annual and more traditional. The primary purpose of the campaign is to undoubtedly increase attendance to the event. However, by showing the excitement that exists in Monaco and mentioning other places of interest they [can] also persuade people to prolong their trip and hence increase tourism.

The Campaign

Various strategies are used in the Formula 1 (F1) campaign, which is described as: “Every spring, sports car fans from around the globe descend on the Principality of Monaco to witness the Monaco F1 Grand Prix, the only race in the world that is held on city streets.” The Grand Prix is rooted in tradition as it is organized by the prestigious Automobile Club de Monaco and was unveiled on April 14, 1929 by the Prince Louis II. It is Monaco’s most significant sports event since the monarchy was involved and today it is marked on calendars globally. 

The targeted publics appear to be any tourist who may decide to visit Monaco, because the campaign is definitely not aimed simply at sports fans. The Tourist Office presents other incentives, such as the fact that residents rent out their terraces to view the race, plus restaurants/hotels offer special lunches during the entire weekend event.  

The Monaco Government Tourist Office provides detailed information about the tickets including, which seats are the best, official tour operators and even name certain tour groups that have cheated tourists in the past. They also mention how "hotel rooms are hard to come by during the Grand Prix" and emphasize it as an international event.  

 2004 marks the 62nd Grand Prix, from May 20th-23rd and there are more than 3,000 seats are available. For this European country to have world champion racers such as Michael Schumacher to attend the event supports how the "efforts and imagination of its leaders are well rewarded."