Tourism management is a generic term with many approaches and meanings. For a long period this term has been identified with the public sector’s intervention in the area of tourism activity development. Nowadays the term’s content is much more embracing. The purpose of this study is twofold: (i) to point out the crucial importance of tourism management’s contribution into sustainable tourism development of a Mediterranean destination; and (ii) to propose a conceptual framework aiming at interrelating the development potential with the offering of quality experiences to visitors. The crisis of the Ford model (4Ss - sea, sun, sand and sex) and the advent of a differentiated model (4Es - environment, education, events and entertainment) are analyzed providing a modified framework in order to differentiate tourism management, approach ‘new tourist’, and offer quality experiences to visitors. In the first section the evolution of tourism management’s content is briefly described emphasizing on its current meaning. The second section analyses the product life cycle with regard to the two models of tourism management. It is suggested that ‘tourism management’, ‘sustainability’, and ‘visitor’s experience’ are the three key terms which could equally contribute to sustainable destination management. Within this framework, the third section explores issues and aspects of sustainable destination management through the 4Es model’s implementation. The adequate strategies to achieve main aims of destination management – i.e. development opportunities for destination and satisfaction to visitors through quality experiences - are also presented within a modified tourism management framework and a conceptual framework is proposed. The paper concludes by formulating policy and management implications.

Tourism management is a generic term with many approaches and meanings. For a long period this term has been identified with the public sector’s intervention in the area of tourism activity development. Nowadays the term’s content is much more embracing. The purpose of this study is twofold: (i) ...