Analysis of Destination Marketing Strategies

The provided document is an analysis of destination marketing strategies. It references several books and journals on the topic, including 'The Routledge Handbook of Destination Marketing' and 'Journal of Vacation Marketing'. The assignment appears to be a research-based task that examines different aspects of destination marketing, such as the marketing mix, online marketing communication, and inclusive digital marketing in tourism. It provides a comprehensive overview of the subject matter and is likely intended for students in the field of tourism or hospitality management.

Marketing Essentials
for Travel and
Tourism

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function.............................................................3
P2 Relation of role and responsibilities with marketing..............................................................5
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................6
P3 Marketing mix to the marketing planning process.................................................................6
Task 3...............................................................................................................................................8
P4 & M4 Basic market plans for a business organization...........................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
An activity or action which are utilized by business concern for the purpose of running
and enhancing their business by attracting customers is known as marketing. It is important for
business entity to use different types of marketing activities and increase profitability. Marketing
is used to engage customers by introducing new products and services which can influence more
people (Yanenko, 2018). For understanding the purpose of marketing and its importance,
Thomas Cook UK has has been chosen. It was founded in 1844 for the purpose of providing
travelling services. Such company is dealing in different types of travelling and tourism sector
such as booking holidays, vacation and others in affordable prices which attracts customers and
increasing profits. . In this project, different topics will cover such as role of marketing and its
interrelation with other functional units of organization, marketing mix and marketing plan by
introducing new product that attracts customers and increase productivity.
Task 1
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function
Marketing is a tool or technique to keep the conversation going on with customers. It
helps to build a relationship between a business and its customers by understanding the needs
and provide products as they want. For instance, Thomas Cook UK focusing on different types
of function which are important to run a business successfully. All marketing functions are
performed by marketer who analyse the market and understand customer needs that gives an idea
what should they do. Therefore, marketer plays an important role and responsibilities by
understanding needs, current trend and choice of people that helps to provide different types of
products. Different types of role and responsibilities are performed by marketing manager (Jeon,
Ok and Choi, 2018). Description of roles and responsibilities of marketer in Thomas Cook is
defined as follows:
Analysis of market information and collection - To analysis and gather market
information is the prime function of marketing in which marketer plays a role of market analyst.
This function helps to collect the information about choice and preferences of customers so that
these can be fulfilled by providing appropriate products and services. For instance, the marketer
of Thomas Cook UK analyse and gather information as which services need to introduce and

how customers can get satisfied. This will assist in offering them better tour packages and
services.
Planning - To achieve business objectives, solid planning is important in marketing
which helps to promote production and products of organisation role and responsibility of
marketing manager is defined as plan developer who helps to introduce new plans in order to
achieve business objectives. Such as marketing manager of Thomas Cook UK decided to
increase sale by 40% through using marketing (Sharma and Kaurav, 2018). For this, manager do
proper planning and prepare a plan to accomplish set objective.
Branding - All organisation wants that its products and services have different identity
in the market which can attracts customers and make higher profits. To realise this, firm give a
name to its product and services that differentiate it from others. Thomas Cook UK is dealing in
travel and tourism sector that provides travelling packages by booking tickets that creates special
brand. . Marketing manager of Thomas Cook playing a role as to aware people and inform them
about travelling services at low fare. It helps to increase the number of customers.
Pricing of products – This is important for business firm to attract the customers by
setting the affordable prices of products and services. The prices of any product is affected by its
cost, profit rate and competitive price which is set by organisation. In context to Thomas Cook
UK, cost of travelling tickets and other facilities are analysed by marketing manager that helps to
set the prices of their services. It is the responsibility of manager to set appropriate price of tour
packages so that more customers will be attracted towards firm.
Promotion – This function is most important that helps to increase the sale by attracting
customers. Promotional activities are the way to informing people about any new products and
services which company is providing. For instance, marketing manager perform role of
promoter who inform people about travelling services and other facilities at low fare that helps to
increase number of customers.
Customer support service – Customer satisfaction and interaction is the important for
business organisation as the success of business rely on it. Therefore, organisation should
provide every possible services to customers after buying products and services. In case of
Thomas Cook UK, the chief responsibilities of marketer is to offer best possible services before,
after and during travelling. Thus, marketer of selected organisation check time to time customers

query, handles customer complaints and provides technical services that force passengers to avail
services.
Roles and responsibility of marketing
In marketing environment, marketing plays very important role such as it attracts the
customers by using different activities. Different functions are performed by marketing managers
who analyse the market information and introduce products and services which customer wants.
In context to Thomas Cook UK, marketing managers playing different role and responsibilities
in marketing environment such as analysing and gathering information about trends of market,
setting prices, promotion, distribution and many more that attracts customers and increase
profitability.
P2 Relation of role and responsibilities with marketing
To enhance business activities and attain business goals, marketing is important that force
customers to buy products and services. It aids to increase the productivity and profitability by
influencing people in high number. Without marketing it may difficult for organisation to
understand what people wants and how they can get satisfaction. Thomas Cook UK is large size
of travel and tourism industry that provides travelling services to customers at fair prices and
uses marketing activities in order to influence people. Role and responsibilities of marketing
manager in selected company is to communicate will all department and share the needed
information in order to accomplish business objectives. It has interrelation between marketing
and other functional units which are elaborated as:
Marketing with service – Service department has responsibilities to provide services as
per customers information which is provided by marketing department that states
interconnection in both department. The marketing manager of Thomas Cook UK analysis the
market that which services they expects from their organisation and at what prices that helps
production department to launch that kind of services. Therefore, manager are playing important
role by analysing customer needs and sharing with service department to innovate that kind of
services so, profitability can be increase (Yilmaz, 2018).
Marketing with HRM – To recruit the employees through various process is done by
HRM department who analysis the demand and skills of employees in performing marketing
activities and make profits. Both functions are interrelated with each other such as when ever
Thomas Cook UK needs employees for marketing activities then HRM department helps to

complete the needs of employees. HR manager of Thomas Cook selects the best and experienced
employees that can attracts visitors and change them in to passengers. Moreover, HRM
department of Thomas Cook defines the target which are completed by marketing department by
attracting customers and selling them travelling services.
Marketing with sales – Continuous improvement in selling activities is the main
function of business firm that helps to determine the profit margin. It is important to use
marketing activities if organisation wants to increase its sales. Both functions are interrelated for
example, marketing manager of Thomas Cook UK advertise in news papers, brochure, posters,
online marketing etc. that helps sales department to complete their target and gain higher profits.
Moreover, it helps to retain the regular customers by providing valuable information and other
facilities that helps to make continuous sales (Shinohara, 2018).
Interrelationship between marketing and other function
Marketing is related with all function which are performed by manager in any
organisation it helps to increase the productivity and profitability. All functions are interrelated
for instance HRM department conduct interview round and select best candidates for marketing
department that helps it to increase number of passengers. It is also related with sales and
production departments such as by using marketing activities, sale of organisation can be
increased. Moreover, it provide maximum satisfaction to customers by providing better quality
of travelling packages and services.
Task 2
P3 Marketing mix to the marketing planning process
Marketing Mix – It is a structure of seven P's that are used by business organisation to
operate their business independently. Such factors are controllable that can be control by
business organisation for the purpose of making profits. Moreover, it is a tool set that focused on
customers needs and wants and make feel them good by providing attractive services. In context
to Thomas Cook UK, marketing manager focuses on different factors that helps to make correct
business decisions and increase productivity by comparing with other organisation (Paniandi and
et. al., 2018). The marketing mix Thomas Cook UK and Brightsun Travel organisation that are
as defined:
Marketing mix of Thomas Cook UK and Brightsun Travel

Basis Thomas Cook UK Brightsun Travel
Product This is a travel and tourism organisation
that offers principle services like
destination management, business
travel, incentives & conference
solution, domestic holidays, outbound
tourism, foreign exchange etc.
(Marketing mix of Thomas Cook UK,
2019).
It is travel organisation that attracts
customers by providing travelling
services such as domestic holidays,
couple vacations, business tours,
outbound tourism and destination
services according to customers
(About Brightsun, 2019).
Price The tour and travelling package are
provided by Thomas at reasonable
prices that attracts people. Moreover,
premium pricing strategy is also used by
such organisation in which it charge
high prices from luxurious people who
wants advanced level services (SINGH,
2018).
It provides travelling services by
applying economic pricing strategy
according to income level of people.
By using this strategy people avail
more services as it provides relevant
travelling services at reasonable
prices.
Place Thomas Cook is a large organisation
that has many physical and online stores
all over the world. The headquarter of
such company is in Peterborough, UK.
It operates it business at different places
like Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi
etc.
Brightsun is also providing
travelling services in different
countries that helps to make higher
profits by providing better quality of
services Kolkata, UK and other
places
Promotion Such organisation promotes its business
by using different promotional
activities. Such as it launches several
advertisement in magazines, hoardings,
TV, internet, newspapers and social
media. It attracts people by operating
It also uses magazines, newspapers,
TV internet, you tube and social
media by posting blog posts,
discounts and trivia related
information (Birdir, Dalgic and

cruise special holiday, adventure
holiday, beach holiday, honeymoon
special etc.
Birdir, 2018).
Process It make sure that services which are
provided by organisation are available at
low fare. It has an online delivery
process, where orders are received in
computer system and relevant product is
shipped to delivery service provider.
It is adopting online as well as
offline delivering process where
customers can book tickets online
and get delivery of products and
tickets.
Physical
evidence
It sales its product in different colour
packaging which is easily identifiable
on retail shelves. Moreover, its online
website is user friendly and allows
customers to view its products in high
quality images (Llopis-Amorós, and et.
al., 2018).
It also give different colour
packaging products that can be
identify easily by customers.
Moreover, it uses online websites
that provides customers a high
quality images taken from different
angles.
People It has working people such as sales
team, marketing team, customers
services department, production
department, finance department, trip
planner and suppliers who works for
running a business (Abou-Shouk and et.
al., 2018).
Brightsun has different people such
as marketing employees, finance
department, trip planner, customer
service department that solve
customer's query and provide
solution.
Different tactics applied by organisation
Tactics are the strategic plan which is used by organisation to improve their business
performance. For instance, Thomas Cook uses marketing mix tactics by comparing with
Brightsun travel company that helps to make right decision about product, price, place,
promotion physical evidence, process and people that is important. Higher profits can be

maintain by manager of selected company through such tactics that helps to achieve business
objectives.
Task 3
P4 & M4 Basic market plans for a business organization
Marketing plan is an activity or structure which is used to develop the products and
services effectively. It is prepared by managers who have knowledge about customer needs and
have idea to satisfy them. Marketing plans also helps to introduce new products and services
which is going to launch by company (Tadic, Ratkic, and Suput, 2019). Any organisation should
have good marketing plans that helps customers to understand why their products is better than
or different from other competitors. In context to Thomas Cook UK, marketing plan is prepared
by managers in order to increase number of customers and profitability. The marketing plan for
such organisation is described as:
Executive summary: Thomas Cook UK is a travel and tourism organisation that
provides different travelling services to customers and increase productivity. Marketing manager
of such firm set a marketing plan to introduce from new service in their travel and tourism
industry that is recognition technology that involves fingerprint, facial recognition and retina
scanning that helps to collect data and identifying personality of traveller easily.
Mission and vision: “We go further to make dreams come true”. Moreover, to deliver
better quality of services and increase brand image.
Objectives:
 To deliver better quality of travelling packages and services.
 To increase the profit margin 30% by 2020.
 To provide maximum satisfaction to customers by identifying different needs of
customers.
 To increase the brand image by retain regular customers.
SWOT Analysis:
Strength Weakness
 It is a large organisation that provides
different types of travelling services at
different fares that attracts customers.
 Volatile market situation that
create big problem for Thomas

 It is oldest and largest travel company in
Europe that offers multiple services.
 The core strength is to maintain good
relations with customers and getting feedback
from customers on regular basis.
 Better quality of travelling services and
travelling packages.
Cook UK.
 It has limited market share due to
having heavy competition in
market.
 Low cost of competitor
organisation that offers tour
packages at less prices than
Thomas cook UK.
Opportunities Threats
 It is growing travel industry that run business
by providing better services.
 New trend in customer behaviour that open
new market for Thomas Cook UK.
 New environment policies that creates
opportunities for Thomas Cook.
 It is one the largest company that expand
business at global level And its new services
attracts more customers.
 Uses of new technology that helps many
customers to booking tickets online and by
using mobile apps.
 Changes in customer demands.
 Uncertainties that can arises any
times.
 Decline in exchange rates and
increase in inflation rate.
 Dynamic government regulations.
Marketing mix: The marketing mix for new services which will rendered by Thomas
Cook that are as defined:
Product New services that is recognition technology that involves
fingerprint, facial recognition and retina scanning in order to data
maintaining and recognising different personality.
Price Manager has decided to charge very less prices by following
penetration pricing strategy.
Place Such recognition technology will be operating in all countries

that will helps to make easy recognition.
Promotion Hoardings, brochure and online website going to use to inform
people regarding such new services.
Physical evidence Computer system and technical equipment are involves in
physical evidence that make feel good customers.
Process Online website and computer system will help organisation to
deliver travelling services.
People Technical team will play a major role in developing the
recognition technology that helps customers to get better services
while travelling.
Segmentation, targeting and positioning strategies:
Different STP approach is used by Thomas Cook's manager that supports its business.
Segmentation, targeting and positioning are as defined:
 Segmentation: In this strategy marketer of Thomas Cook focus on demographic and
behaviour segmentation in which it focus on UK market area and all ages of people.
 Targeting: It targets to male and female, income level of people, perception, beliefs and
values of customers to provide the information.
 Positioning: It will maintain a high position in UK market by launching new services in
travelling industry. (Gupta, 2019).
Budget: Marketing budget is used by Thomas Cook's marketing manager:
MARKETING BUDGET (£)
PARTICULARS Ist Year IInd Year IIIrd Year IVth Year Vth Year
Innovative services 2000 4300 8200 9160 12970
Investment 6300 9500 12830 18630 23550
TOTAL 9300 13800 21030 27790 33520
MARKETING OUTLAY

Promotional
activities 4746 1459 4593 1875 1211
Selling activities 1365 800 2452 1492 1050
Direct selling 2235 1900 4651 1000 4434
TOTAL 8146 4159 11896 4467 6405
Monitoring and Controlling: All business activities in context to Thomas Cook UK are
monitored by marketing managers through recording performance and analysing that will helpto
perform business activities. Manager of such organisation make sure that all strategies are
formulated properly that will attract customers and increase profitability.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that organisation used marketing activities that
helps to perform all functions easily and maintain the profitability. It involves different activities
such as advertisement, online marketing, hoardings, posters and many more which are used to
provide information to customers and increase number of sale. Marketing mix is a combination
of different factors that are used to perform all activities effectively. Basic plan refers as business
tool which is used to accomplish future goals by making strong planning. Marketing, HRM,
production, research and finance are the functional units of organisation that are interrelated with
each other and helps to achieve business objectives.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Abou-Shouk, M. A., and et. al., 2018. The role of international exhibition venues in marketing
exhibitors’ destinations. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 24(2), pp.136-147.
Birdir, S. S., Dalgic, A. and Birdir, K., 2018. A critical review of destination marketing. In The
Routledge Handbook of Destination Marketing (pp. 7-15). Routledge.
Gupta, G., 2019. Inclusive Use of Digital Marketing in Tourism Industry. In Information
Systems Design and Intelligent Applications (pp. 411-419). Springer, Singapore.
Jeon, H., Ok, C. and Choi, J., 2018. Destination marketing organization website visitors’ flow
experience: an application of Plog’s model of personality. Journal of Travel & Tourism
Marketing. 35(4). pp.397-409.
Llopis-Amorós, and et. al., 2018. Marketing destinations through events: Research on
satisfaction and loyalty in festivals 1. In The Routledge Handbook of Destination
Marketing (pp. 133-153). Routledge.
Paniandi, T. A., and et. al., 2018. Marketing mix and destination image, case study: Batu Caves
as a religious destination. Almatourism-Journal of Tourism, Culture and Territorial
Development. 9(17). pp.165-186.
Sharma, S. and Kaurav, R. P. S., 2018. Marketing destinations to domestic travelers. In The
Routledge Handbook of Destination Marketing (pp. 123-132). Routledge.
Shinohara, Y., 2018. Tourism Strategy towards 2020: Promotion of Tourism and the
Revitalization of Regional Areas. In Economic Challenges Facing Japan’s Regional
Areas (pp. 67-73). Palgrave Pivot, Singapore.
SINGH, M., 2018. UNDERSTANDING SOUVENIR AS AN ESSENTIAL INSTRUMENT
FOR GUIDING TOURISTS: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK. Journal of Tourism
Intelligence and Smartness, 1(2), pp.75-87.
Tadic, D. P., Ratkic, H. and Suput, B., 2019. ONLINE MARKETING COMMUNICATION
FOR PURPOSE OF BRANDING OF TOURISM ORGANISATIONS AND
DESTINATIONS WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON SOCIAL NETWORKS. Economic
and Social Development: Book of Proceedings, pp.219-227.
Yanenko, L., 2018. Marketing in the Hotel and Tourism Business (Doctoral dissertation).
Yilmaz, I., 2018. Service quality and marketing. In The Routledge Handbook of Destination
Marketing (pp. 92-99). Routledge.
Online
About Brightsun. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.brightsun.co.in/>
Marketing mix of Thomas Cook UK. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.essay48.com/term-paper/9118-Thomas-Cook-Group-Plc-Marketing-
Mix>