Integrating business skills into
ecotourism operations:
Tourism Marketing
June 2012
Kirsten Focken
Agenda
Tourism Marketing Overview
- Tourism system/destinations
- Marketing Strategy
Target Marketing / Segmentation
Distribution Channels
Branding
Marketing Tools
Marketing
Marketing is a activity, set of institutions, and
processes for creating, communicating,
delivering, and exchanging offerings that have
value for customers, clients, partners, and
society at large.
Tourism Marketing is a continuous, sequential
process through which management in the
hospitality and travel industry plans, researches,
implements, controls, and evaluates activities
designed to satisfy both customers’ needs
and wants and their own organization’s
objectives.
Destination Marketing
Destination Marketing is the management
process through which the National Tourist
Organization and/or tourist enterprises
identify their selected tourists, communicate
with them to influence their wishes, needs,
motivations, likes and dislikes, on local,
regional, national and international levels,
and to formulate and adapt their tourist
products accordingly in view of achieving
optimal tourist satisfaction thereby fulfilling
their objectives.
Marketing
How to put it together?
Marketing
Needs, wants
and demand
Markets Products
Exchange, Value,
transaction, satisfaction,
relationship quality
What is Tourism Marketing
Product
Develop key attributes (e.g.
nature, culture, people,
adventure,...)
Quality of Services (accomodation,
restaurants, transport...)
Place
Sell directly to the identified target
markets
Through Intermediairies or other
service providers
What is Tourism Marketing
Promotion
Develop tools to communicate the product to
the target markets
Price
Competitive Pricing for packages, tours and
single products (hotels, transportation,
entrance...)
People
Develop capacity and knowledge
The Tourism System
DESTINATION
SUPPORT
TOURIST
SERVICES COMMUNITY
GENERATING SECTOR
REGIONS
= DEMAND SIDE DESTINATION
International TRANSIT = SUPPLY SIDE
FRONT LINE
Tourists REGION
SECTOR
Domestic Tourists
BIO-PHYSICAL GOVERNMENT
ENVIRONMENT
Destination - Markets
Destinations Europe Travelers
NTO
Internet
Attractions
Travel
Airlines Transport Agencies
Inbound Outbound
TO TO
Other: restaurants, Hotels
Handicraft, souvenirs
Outbound Inbound Hotels
Other: restaurants,
Handicraft, souvenirs
Travel TO TO
Agencies Airlines Transport
Internet Attractions
NTO
Travelers Destinations Asia
Why a Marketing Strategy
Achieve the overall vision for
tourism development:
sustainable growth
income generation
Develop a long term consistent
image of the destination/company
on international travel markets
Understanding strengths and
weaknesses
Focus investments and
developments
Why a Marketing Strategy
Assure that all stakeholders work
in the same direction
Assign responsibilities
Develop Action plan – Roadmap
Marketing strategy is about
making choices
deciding doing the right things
Overview Marketing
Strategy + Plan
Tourism Market Tourism Product
Arrivals, Origin, type of tourists… Assets, Attractions, Hotels…
Analysis
Trends / Competitive Position / SWOT Analysis
Define overall guiding marketing strategy and strategic objectives Strategy
Place /
Product Promotion Price Plan
Distribution
Public – Private - Jointly Primarily private sector activities
Writing a Marketing
Strategy + Plan
Example Laos
“ Tourism is like an
iceberg. It is easy to
describe the part that
stands out from the
water but very hard to
be precise about exactly
what lies beneath.”
Market Analysis
Where is my product / service / destination
situated?
What type of visitors
Regional, Domestic, Long haul, Short haul
What is the perception of tourists
What is the travel behavior
Define the market potential and connect to
other destinations
Select business partner and other
stakeholder
Develop products across provinces, regions,
countries etc.
Target Marketing
Why having Target markets ?
Target the markets with the highest benfits
Limited marketing budget
Limited capacity to receive tourists
Some people like your destination more than
other
Some people spend more money than other
Some people stay longer than other
No market is attracted if the destination tries
to be all things to all people
You should be in control and decide
who the future tourists are
Target Market Segments
Group of people that are defined according
to selected attributes
Define groups on the basis of attributes:
Where they come from
Age, gender, etc
What they like to do
Identify what is important to your customers
and rank these
Define what is important to your destination
Identify primary/secondary markets
Marketing Channels
Direct Marketing to consumers
Advertisement campaigns (print or online)
Printed material (brochure, email)
Tourism trade shows for public
Press + Media
Internet: get listed on
special websites
(e.g. sustainable travel,
adventure travel, UNESCO)
Business to Business
Marketing
Trade shows / Exhibitions
Direct contact: letter, email, visit
Brochure, leaflet, quotations
Trade Media (tourism publications)
Associations (PATA etc)
Internet: member of trade groups and
networks
The Travel Industry
Inbound Tour Operators
Member Outbound Tour Operators
organization - Specialized
- Major
Travel agency
What is a brand?
What is a Brand?
NOT:
Core essence / characteristics
Logo
Holistic sum of all information about a
product or group of products Slogan
Set of values Campaign
DNA – runs through all Brochure
communication
Design
Brands create value by generating
demand and securing future earnings Product
for the business
Live the Brand
Perform attitudes and behaviors that are
compatible with the brand promise
Develop consistent communication to be
memorized, classified and recognized by
tourists, tourism trade and partners.
The main elements:
Logo, colors, images and pictures
Key messages (core values, brand
statement, slogan…)
Adapt to target market
Marketing tools
Press and media
relations Website / Internet
Ensures growing
awareness Marketing
Publications / Increase awareness
and inform tourists
Brochures
Contains key messages,
words, images
• Flyer, Brochure
Fairs + Exhibitions
Information centre • Map Create and strengthen
Informs tourists • Calendar of festivals awareness in the tourism
where to go • Special interest (adventure, businesses
culture, biodiversity, …)
Promotional Program
Press
Relations
Advertise-
ment
Establish
Define Evaluate
Identify Marketing Events
Objectives options
Target Mix =
for and
Audience Marketing
Promotion budget Publications
Tools
Information
Centre
Internet
Publications
All publications should follow branding rules to
assure a consistency.
Before the design and production of a publication
following key questions need to be addressed:
• What is the objective?
• Who is the target?
• What are their needs?
• What do they know?
• What is the link to the country, regional brand?
• Where are you finding the target?
• How will you distribute the information?
• What quantity is needed?
• What is the budget?
Basic Rules Publications
Be clear and simple
Use images and pictures
Define key messages
Test draft
Be creative
Be different
Be honest
Create CD version
Internet Strategy
Efficient tools to convey your messages:
No geographic border
You can reach a (world)wide target
You can show everybody who you are
It is under your control
Cost efficient
Tools:
Website
Social Media
SEO – Search Engine Optimization
TSE - Travel Search Engines
Networks, Connections to travel sites
Websites
Trade Shows
Event Location Target Timing Exhibitors Visitors
Fitur Madrid World travel market January / 12.000 (47% 140.000
International
February international
from 170
countries)
ITB Berlin World travel market March 11.087 180.000
(187 countries) (42%
internat.)
Le Monde Paris French tourism March 680 (217 103.000
market destinations) public,
5200 trade
World Travel London World travel market November 5600 (202 48.000
Market countries) trade (48%
internation
al)
ATF (Asean Rotating Asian and January 300-400 n/a
Asian
Tourism International Travel
Forum) market
TTM Bangkok Travel market in June 400 500
Thailand + GMS
Pata Mart Rotating Asian travel market September 340 1000- 1500
ITE HCMC Ho Chi Vietnamese + October 601 (10 56 trade +
Minh City regional travel countries) consumer
market
Why your participating
Make your company and products known to international
buyers
Enhance your company’s image and reputation
Generate new business, conclude business deals
Maintain customer loyalty
Reach a new target group
Present innovative products
Establish and maintain contacts with potential affiliates and
sales representatives
Analyze competition and current market
Participate in trade events, e.g. ITB Congress
Implement new market strategies
Recognize new developments, market niches or trends
Generate media exposure
ITB 2012
Conclusion
Marketing is the social process by
which individuals and organizations
obtain what they need and want
through creating and exchanging
value with others.
Kotler and Armstrong (2010).
Create Value
Analyze, plan and
be consistent
Secure tourism development
in a continuous and
sustainable way
Thank you!
[email protected]
