Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Inl uences on marketing
Weblink
Check out this website for more
information on Center Parcs and its
marketing activities.
www.centerparcs.co.uk
All of the factors described in the previous sections
of this unit infl uence the way that travel and tourism
organisations, whether in the public or private sector,
carry out their marketing activities. Managers and
staff responsible for marketing are constantly making
decisions based on information from existing customers,
competitor organisations and the sector in general. If
we take the example of a small hotel in a UK seaside
resort, the owners may make marketing decisions on a
number of issues, for example:
Activity 5.2
Visit the Leisure, Travel & Tourism section of the
National Maritime Museum's website
www.nmm.
ac.uk
and make notes on the PEST factors that
affect its operations. Explain how these factors have
infl uenced marketing decisions at the attraction.
•
Changes to products - they may decide to upgrade
bathrooms, improve breakfast and dinner menus,
install free internet access for guests, etc.
This activity is designed to provide evidence for P1 and
M1.
•
Changes to marketing communications - the
techniques used to communicate with current and
future guests could involve introducing a newsletter,
sending e-mails with details of special offers, adding
a comments page to their website, etc.
Activity 5.3
•
Changes to pricing - the owners may decide to
Using the information above on marketing at Center
Parcs, plus other website and brochure information
on the company, review and explain the factors that
you think may infl uence its marketing decisions, i.e.
company ethos, consumer protection, standards of
practice and PEST factors. Analyse the marketing
decisions made by Center Parcs in relation to the
marketing mix and infl uencing factors.
offer special rates to coincide with a special festival
in the resort, offer discounts to regular business
customers, etc.
•
Designing new marketing campaigns - to increase
the number of local people using the hotel for
afternoon teas and evening meals, they may
decide to run a marketing campaign that involves
advertising in the local newspaper and on local
radio, plus designing a new page on the hotel's
website and arranging a leafl et drop to all local
households in conjunction with the Post Offi ce;
This activity is designed to provide evidence for P2, M1
and D1.
•
Use of internet marketing - the owners may decide
to link their website to some of the attractions in the
resort, as well as sending regular e-mails to previous
guests.
