MG410 Career Viewpoint: Career Research Report on Tourism Marketing

This career research report delves into the dynamic field of tourism marketing, analyzing current industry trends, including the impact of technology, changing customer needs, sustainable tourism, and transformative travel. The report identifies essential skills for marketing managers, such as communication, teamwork, flexibility, and problem-solving, and provides insights from industry professionals. It also explores the author's reasons for selecting a marketing career within the tourism sector, highlighting the potential for personal and professional growth. The research includes primary data from interviews with industry professionals, providing real-world perspectives on the evolving demands of the profession. Overall, the report offers a comprehensive overview of the tourism marketing landscape, equipping readers with valuable knowledge for career planning and development.

Career Research Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
ANALYSIS AND APPLICATION.................................................................................................3
General trends that impact on tourism industry...........................................................................3
Skills, knowledge and experience required for working as marketing manager in tourism
industry........................................................................................................................................5
EVALUATION................................................................................................................................6
Reasons of selecting marketing profession..................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Career research is a process of searching out the best career as per the skills and interest.
This study is going to discuss some latest trend in tourism sector that can have critical impacts on
its overall performance (Hirschi, 2018). It will further show some skills such as flexibility,
communication and others that is required for better performance in tourism sector. Marketer
also plays an important role in tourism sector and it helps company in becoming competitive in
the market.
ANALYSIS AND APPLICATION
General trends that impact on tourism industry
There are numbers of tourism trends that can affect tourism sector in both positive and
negative manner.
Technology/automation: Technology is one of the main factor that has changed this
sector and also made easier for marketing to perform their all roles. In ancient era and before
development of technology, marketer had to promote goods or services by meeting customers
face to face. It was time consuming but now technology has made their work easier as they can
promote goods and service by making use of internet, social media platforms and others (Ivanov,
2020). In regard to technology, it has found from research that nowadays tourists use mobile
apps like: compass app, online booking apps, google map apps and others. Tourism sector have
to focus on maintaining their website by providing detailed information to customers.
Social factors/Personalization: Changing and different needs of customers is one of the
main other factor that is affecting this sector to the great extent. Marketers and managers find
problems in satisfying customers’ needs. Customers focuses on enjoying accommodation
amenities that provides all unique services like: free Wi-Fi, candle light dinner arrangements by
hotels, free travelling facilities and others (Catherine, 2020, 9 Tourism Trends that will Shape
Travel Industry). This sector is striving hard for satisfying customers by providing all these
services to them. By offering flexible experience that can be tailored to travellers’ needs,
companies can satisfy their clients in a better manner.
Environmental changes/sustainable tourism: Sustainable tourism is all about making or
having positive impacts on economy, culture and people at the destinations that tourists visit.
Carbon offsetting or making use of tools that can help in reducing waste is the main current
trend. Environmental changes like climate changes, covid-19 and others have also affected this

sector. It has forced some countries to travel restriction and workers were bound to do work from
home (Wilkins and et.al., 2018). It made difficult for marketers to promote their goods and
interacting with people. But advanced technology made able for all to adapt this changes and
performing all roles without getting affected the most.
Transformative travel: It is a new tourism trend that is gaining popularity. It is all about
making a difference in the lives of others and oneself while travelling for leisure. Volunteering
trips, self-catered accommodation where tourists have to cook for themselves, increase their
experience. It reduces food wastage (Font and McCabe, 2017). Tourists go for wellness holidays
where they all relax, enjoy nature, join yoga classes and attend some classes for learning new
skills. The main aim of this trend is to get involved in something that can add purpose to the trip.
It can affect marketers’ role as marketers need to focus on identifying new things and unique
features of services that can attract tourists and can make their tours memorable.
Name Jacob
Company Alan Rogers travel group
Job title HR
Date of contact 1st July, 2021
Modes of
communication
Phone
Question: According to you what is the main factor that has changed tourism sector the most?
Summary of response: Respondent stated that according to him, climate change or pandemic is
the main factor that has changed this sector and affected this sector the most. As for 2 months,
travelling were restricted and people also suffered the most. They stated that they compared the
sales of previous years with current year and found decreasing in sales to the great extent.
Unemployment, poor economy all these increased because of this current changes or factor.
Name Oliver
Company Aspria tourism
Job title Marketing

Date of contact 30st Jun, 2021
Modes of
communication
Phone
Question: According to you what is the main current trend that can increase profitability of
tourism sector if it focuses on this trend?
Summary of response: In regard to current trend in tourism sector, Oliver as marketing
manager stated that transformative travel, solo travel or self-catered accommodation are main
trends that have changed this industry. Respondents stated that if their company and all this
sector focuses on all these trend then it can attract tourists to the great extent and can increase
guests’ experience (Walker and Manyamba, 2020). By allowing flexibility to tourists, by
developing yoga session, meditation programs, tourists can be made feel valued.
Skills, knowledge and experience required for working as marketing manager in tourism industry
Working in tourism industry is not an easy task as all employees have to strive hard
because of changing needs of customers, changing political situations, economic, climate
changes and other environmental factors. Marketer can work effectively in this sector if they
possess some skills and capabilities. From research, some skills have been identified that are
vital for working in this sector in marketing job role such as:
Communication: Communication is one of the common skill that is required for working
effectively in tourism sector. Marketer is the one who have to interact with numbers of people in
order to promote goods and services of their company (Carlisle, Ivanov and Dijkmans, 2021).
So, it is vital for marketer and others to have an effective communication skill by which they can
influence target people and can attract towards buying products and services.
Team working: Team working is other effective skill that is vital for better performance
and getting positive outcomes in tourism industry. Marketers need to work with all other
departments in order to know about requirements of labour forces, sales target, financial stability
of company and others. By working with all these departments and employees, they can provide
qualitative services to customers that can improve image of the company.

Flexibility: Flexibility is must as tourism and hospitality industry is the one that get
affected the most because of changing external environmental factors. Covid-19 is one of the
best example and for this, employees were asked to do work from home. So, for working without
getting affected and with effectiveness, all employees and marketers require having an ability to
adapt changes and working accordingly.
Problem solving: Problem solving and decision making are other skills that can also
support employees in working and performing their roles with concentration. Numbers of
changes arise in environmental factors and employees need to take decision and solve all
problems in a timely manner otherwise it can frustrate them (Løseth, 2018). So for performing
with refreshed mind, marketers and employees require having this skill.
Name Amelia
Company Audley Travel
Job title Finance
Date of contact 28st Jun, 2021
Modes of
communication
Phone
Question: According to you, what is the main skill that can make competitive to tourism
sector?
Summary of response: Amelia stated that according to her having an ability to adapt
changes and new things is important. By having this skill, tourism sector can perform and
operate business in any situation and employees can also perform their roles under pressure as
well (Bustreo and et.al., 2018).l
EVALUATION
Reasons of selecting marketing profession
Marketing is one of the best profession that plays a vital role in all sector or industry. I want
to discuss some reasons of selecting this profession as industry. I wanted to work as a marketing
manager in travel and tourism industry as I researched about this sector and found that this is one

of the best sector that helps in improving economic condition of country. The main key of
success of this sector is quality of services and customers’ services. Customer services can be
improved when marketing manager and assistant communicate with them and try to attract them
towards buying products. Marketing role is the one in which people learn a lot of new things and
I believe that by working as a marketing manager in this sector I can improve my communication
skill, I can improve relation with other and can get opportunities of exploring different places
and interacting with different cultures of people (Sharma, Sharma and Chaudhary, 2020). It can
increase my knowledge of different culture and I can help my company in meeting their goals by
making people aware about effectiveness of products and services.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized from the above study that marketer plays a vital role in tourism
sector as they perform numbers of role for meeting goals of company. It has discussed some key
trends as well as factors in tourism sector that are impacting on performance of this sector and
marketing job role. It has further shown some skills and experience that is required for working
effectively in tourism sector.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bustreo, M. and et.al., 2018. The impact of successful cross-competencies on a career in tourism
in Italy: the meeting point between the students’ perceptions and the requirements for
professionals. Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism. 18(3). pp.179-201.
Carlisle, S., Ivanov, S. and Dijkmans, C., 2021. The digital skills divide: evidence from the
European tourism industry. Journal of Tourism Futures.
Font, X. and McCabe, S., 2017. Sustainability and marketing in tourism: Its contexts, paradoxes,
approaches, challenges and potential. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 25(7). pp.869-883.
Hirschi, A., 2018. The fourth industrial revolution: Issues and implications for career research
and practice. The career development quarterly. 66(3). pp.192-204.
Ivanov, S., 2020. The impact of automation on tourism and hospitality jobs. Information
Technology & Tourism. 22(2). pp.205-215.
Løseth, K., 2018. Knowledge development in adventure tourism businesses–the influence of
serious leisure. Annals of Leisure Research, 21(5), pp.575-591.
Sharma, A., Sharma, S. and Chaudhary, M., 2020. Are small travel agencies ready for digital
marketing? Views of travel agency managers. Tourism Management. 79. p.104078.
Walker, J. and Manyamba, V.N., 2020. Towards an emotion-focused, discomfort-embracing
transformative tourism education. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Education. 26. p.100213.
Wilkins, E. and et.al., 2018. Effects of weather conditions on tourism spending: implications for
future trends under climate change. Journal of Travel Research. 57(8). pp.1042-1053.
Online
Catherine, N., 2020. 9 Tourism Trends that will Shape Travel Industry. [ONLINE]. Available
through :< https://pro.regiondo.com/tourism-trends-2018/ >