Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the marketing mix in order to achieve their marketing
objectives, e.g. a new company just setting out is
likely to spend more on promotion in order to get
itself known, while an established business will need
to monitor its prices in relation to the competition and
make changes as necessary. Just how much effort and
budget an organisation gives to each of the 4 parts of
the marketing mix will change over time. The marketing
mix is covered in greater detail in section 2 of this unit
starting on page 177.
FOCUS ON INDUSTRY
MARKET SEGMENTATION
Blackpool Pleasure Beach is the UK's most popular
tourist attraction with around 6 million visitors every
year. The company carries out in-depth market
research on its visitors and uses the data to segment
its market. The under 15 and 15-25 age groups make
up the bulk of customers to the attraction and this is
refl ected in the products on offer, e.g. the rides and
fast-food catering. Around 80 per cent of visitors
come from the C1, C2 and D socio-economic groups
- the company uses this information to choose
where to advertise the attraction, for example in the
newspapers that these people read.
Marketing segmentation
Marketing segmentation is the process of dividing the
total market for a product or service (i.e. all the people
who could buy it) into different 'segments', each
with broadly similar characteristics. Companies carry
out segmentation since it allows them to focus more
clearly on the needs and wants of particular groups, for
example older people, young people wanting activity
holidays or high spenders looking for the ultimate in
luxury.
Weblink
Check out this website for full details of
Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
Markets can be segmented in a number of ways, for
example by:
•
Geographical region, e.g. all the people living in a
Activity 5.1
particular postcode area of a city could be sent a
holiday company's brochure;
Review the brochures and websites of both
Thomson Holidays and Thomas Cook. Make notes
on how each produces holidays for various market
segments, e.g. products targeted at different age
groups, social classes, etc. Compare your notes with
other members of your group.
•
Age, e.g. designing holidays to meet the needs of
the 18-30 age group or people over the age of 55;
•
Social class, e.g. targeting all the people in an area
in the C2 (skilled working class) social group;
•
Gender, e.g. developing holidays for women;
This activity is designed to provide evidence for P1.
•
Life style, e.g. introducing new activity holidays for
young people who live adventurous life styles.
Marketing communication methods
Market segmentation is, therefore, a tool that a travel
and tourism organisation can use to satisfy the needs
of its particular customers. Being concerned with the
needs and expectations of customers, however, does
mean that segmentation relies heavily on market
research to help match the product exactly to the
clients' needs.
Travel and tourism organisations use a wide variety
of methods to communicate with their customers.
Advertising is the most visible, but there are other
methods that can be equally as effective, for example
brochures and other print items, direct marketing, public
relations (PR) work, sales promotion and sponsorship.
Communication allows companies to inform customers
of products and services, and persuade them to buy. All
