Hospitality Marketing Report: GLH Hotels and Marketing Strategies

This report delves into the core aspects of hospitality marketing, using GLH Hotels as a central case study. It begins by outlining the significant responsibilities and roles of the marketing function within the organization, including product development, promotion, and market strategy. The report then explores the functions of marketing within the broader marketing environment, such as market research and environmental monitoring. A key focus is the interrelationship between marketing and other functional units like finance, R&D, and HR, emphasizing the importance of departmental synergy. The analysis extends to a comparison of GLH Hotels' marketing mix with that of Travelodge, examining product, price, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence strategies. Finally, the report develops a marketing plan tailored to meet overall business objectives, providing a comprehensive overview of marketing practices in the hospitality industry.

Hospitality Marketing
Essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Significant Responsibilities and Roles of marketing function..............................................1
M1. Functions of marketing in marketing environmental context..............................................2
P2. Interrelationship of marketing with other functional units...................................................3
M2. Significance of Interrelationship within departments..........................................................4
D1. Critical Analysation..............................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3. Marketing Mix .....................................................................................................................4
M3. Evaluation of tactics used by an organisation.....................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................1
P4, M4. Marketing Plan..............................................................................................................1
M4. Marketing plan that applies marketing mix.........................................................................4
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Marketing refers to the business processes for forming relationship with customers by
providing goods and services in order to meet their expectations. By focusing upon its customers,
marketing has become one of the vital component of business management. Marketing is
important in each sector whether its manufacturing, retailing, and so on. This report revolves out
the functions played by marketing within a hospitality organisation. This report is based upon
GLH Hotels which is a British based hopsitality organisation that deals with services like
accodomation, health centres, restaurents, etc (Glh. Great london hospitality, 2019). This report
covers important roles and responsibilities of marketing function within GLH Hotels and the
way in which marketing is interrelated with other functional departments. It also covers
comparison between enterprises regarding how they utilise marketing mix in order to achieve
business objectives. At the end, it covers development of a marketing plan for meeting overall
business objectives.
TASK 1
P1. Significant Responsibilities and Roles of marketing function
Marketing is the set of activities that are undertaken by an organisation for promoting,
purchasing or selling of a good or service. It consists of advertising, delivering and selling
products to other businesses or customers.
Development of Marketing Concept
The concept of marketing focuses upon identifying suitable products or services for customers
rather than identifying suitable customers for the product. Marketing concept has been developed
and its processes keeps on changing as the time passes by (Developing Marketing Concepts,
2019). It has four concepts, the first is production concept, in which customers purchase those
products that are easily available in market. The second is product concept in which, customers
keep thier focus on such products which provide them better quality and features.The other
concept that came into existence is selling concept in which customers do not purchase enough
and in this enterprise uses aggressive form of promoting its products in order to achieve
competitive edge in market. The last is customer concept under which company pays attention to
its customers and provide them products or services in accordance.
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Marketing function is determined as function that helps an organisation in identifying and
sourcing appropriate products or services for marketplace in which it operate and than helps in
promoting them by distinguishing them from same products. In GLH Hotels , marketing function
plays certain roles and responsibilities which are determined as follows-
Product Development- It refers to developing and innovating a particular product or
service as per the cutsomer's tastes and preferences (Caliskan, 2019). In order to make an
enterprise function for a long run in a market, it is important for it to update its products or
services. Product can be develop in two ways, first is to bring a completely fresh product in
market and second is to make certain changes in the existing product. In GLH Hotels , marketing
helps in developing a specific serrvice by analysing the marketing environment and
understanding cutsomer's tastes andv preferences.
Promotion- This marketing function helps the company by informing, reminding and
persuading customers regarding products and services offered by the company. Whenever an
enterprise launches a new service or product, it can become successful only when customers will
be aware about its availability. Here, promotion comes into existence by advertising and
promoting company's products or services in the target market. GLH Hotels promotes its
services by using digital promotional measures such as television, social media, websites, and so
on.
Market Strategy- It is determined as a forward looking approach that helps in
formulating a plan with a fundamental objective to attain competitve advantage in a market.
These strategies can be developing a product, entering into new market, entering into market
with new products, and increase promotional and distribution activities for attracting customers.
It is important for an organisation to choose the most suitable strategy by identifying the target
market and understanding its customer's requirements (Crain and et. al., 2019). GLH Hotels uses
product development strategy amd always update its services as per customer's -preferences.
M1. Functions of marketing in marketing environmental context
The roles and responsibilities of marketing is not limited within an organisational context
and it has some other roles in marketing environment. In GLH Hotels , functions of marketing in
environmental context are-
Market Research- It is determined as collective efforts for gathering information
raegarding targeted customers and market. In order to understand the tastes and preferences of
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customers and in order to know what strategies are adopted by competitors, it is important for an
organisation to indulge itself in market research. GLH Hotels before developing any service,
conduct a market research in order to analyse its customers and competitors (Dixit, Lee and Loo,
2019).
Monitor Market Environment- Marketing function also helps in monitioring its
marketing environment and analysing the current market trends, strategies used by competitors,
and in identifying the tastes and preferences of company's target audience. It is important for a
business to monitor its market environment in order to understand the prevailing marketing
conditions. GLH Hotels monitors its marketing environment in order to identify the forces that
can impact its functioning.
P2. Interrelationship of marketing with other functional units
Marketing role is not limited within its own functioning but it has vital role in its all
functional departmental units. In GLH Hotels , all the functions are closely linked with each
other in order to achieve business objectives. The interrelation of marketing with other
departmental units in this organisation are elaborated as follows-
Marketing and Finance department- Finance and marketing department are clsely
interlinked with each other. In hospitality enterprise such as GLH Hotels , both marketing helps
in identifying customer's choices and finance function makes sure that this enterprise
appropriately use the monetary resources. If explained more accurately,marketing function helps
in creating a demand and finance department provides financial funds to fulfil these demands
into products by developing appropriate services.
Marketing and R&D department- In context of GLH Hotels , both marketing as well as
research and development function in an appropriate manner to achieve various goals and
objectives of an organisation (Gehrels, 2019). Marketing function helps to generate certain needs
to specific services among consumers and Research and development department helps the
organisation helps it in providing latest innovation and technology. An example can be seen in
the form of company's mobile application that helps customers in finding out the suitable deals
and pacakges. In this context, marketing helped in identifying customers who are looking for fast
services that can be available to them online and R&D department helps in developing this
mobile application with its innovation and technology.
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Marketing and HR Department- Another role of marketing function can be seen in HR
department. In GLH Hotels , marketing helps human resource department by promoting if any
job vacancy is available within an organisation by using both internal and external advertising.
Similarly, HR department train and develop marketing team by conducting certain training and
development programmes within an organisation (Goh and Jie, 2019). This helps the marketing
team in improving their performance towards achieving organisational objectives.
M2. Significance of Interrelationship within departments
In order to achieve overall objectives and goals of an organisation, it is very important for
it to form an healthy relationship among all of its departments. In GLH Hotels, all the
departmental functions are closely interlinked with each other in order to achieve overall
business objectives and goals. R&D department helps marketing department by providing it
innovation and technology which it can use in creating a product. Whereas, finance department
helps marketing function in providing monetary resources by which marketing can promotes
goods and services of a company. Similary, marketing helps HR department in advertising
vacant job vacancies if available within an organisation. It is very important for this enterprise to
maintain a balance between its departments for achieving various organisational goals and
objectives.
D1. Critical Analysation
Marketing function plays an important role in all the other departments in order to
achieve business objectives. Marketing helps the human resource department by advertising if
anf kind of job vacancy is availabel within an organisation. Finance department helps the
marketing department by providing them monetary funds which it can utilise in promotional
activities (Guillet and Kucukusta, 2019). Marketing department helps research and development
department to use its technology and innovation in producing such goods that meet customer
expectations. Without formulating an effective balance among all these departments, thse
functions will become ineffective and will not able to meet company's overall objectives.
TASK 2
P3. Marketing Mix
Marketing mix refers to the combination of all those factors that are under the control of
an organisation and on these factors purchase and sale of particular product or service is
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dependent. These factors includes product, price, place, promotion, people, process and physical
evidence. Various organisations uses marketing mix differently. Here, marketing mix of GLH
Hotels is compared with another hospitality organisation named, Travelodge.
Marketing Mix GLH Hotels Travelodge
Product This organisation offers
various services to its
customers such as
accommodation, restaurants,
swimming pools, spas, health
centres, dining, wedding, etc.
It provides hospitality and
hotel services such as
accommodation, bars,
restaurants, cafes, and so on
(Travelodge's, 2019).
Price At initial level, this enterprise
charges high price to its
services but due to decline in
its profits, it has now adopted
moderate pricing strategy. It
targets both middle class and
upper middle class customers.
It offers moderate pricing
strategy to its customers and
offers budget friendly services
that are affordable.
Place This organisation serves its
services within UK. It sells its
services directly through
online site and it also sells its
services to wholesalers who
sell it retailers all over UK
(Catherine, 2019).
It provides its services in
various countries such as UK,
Spain, Italy, Central Europe
and Britain.
Promotion It promotes its services among
its customers by using
television, radio, YouTube,
social media, and so on.
In order to promote its
services, it uses online
promotional measures such as
YouTube, Facebook, and its
official website.
People Its digital marketing team It has around 11,000 workers
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always updates its services in
its official website and its
customer service department
helps in solving certain issues
and queries faced by
consumers.
that work together in achieving
business goals and objectives
by solving customer's queries.
Process It has online delivery
procedure in which it receives
orders in its system and on this
basis, the relevant services are
offered to customers.
It has a simple procedure in
delivering its services to
customers (Crain and et. al.,
2019). Consumers can easily
look out for certain packages
and book which is suitable as
per their preference. They can
easily book by using online
payment method.
Physical Evidence Its official website is its
physical evidence and its
maintained flights are cruise
can also be considered as its
physical evidence.
It has beautiful and attractive
ambience of its hotels, bars
and cafes that acts as its
physical evidence.
M3. Evaluation of tactics used by an organisation
GLH Hotels uses all the elements of marketing mix in an appropriate manner in order to
achieve its overall business objectives. It develops services as per the demand and preferences of
its targeted audience. Moreover, it price its services as per the price prevailing in the market or
the price charged by its competitors. It uses online promotional measures and approprite
distribution channels for its services. It make its services available to its customers online by its
official website which also serves as its physical evidence. Its employees work hard in
developing such services that will satisfy customer's demands. In short, this enterprise uses all
the marketing mix elements properly and effectively to meet business objectives (Horton, 2019).
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TASK 3
P4, M4. Marketing Plan
Marketing Plan refers to a document that helps in oulining marketing and advertising
efforts for coming year. It determines activities of a business that is used to accomplish particular
marketing goals within a set period of time. Basic market plan and strategic marketing plan are
two different terms which is elbaorated as follows-
Basic market plan Strategic market plan
A basic market plan includes the goals,
objectives, mission, vision and budget towards
which a particular plan is developed (Malik
and Sharma, 2019).
On the other hand, a strategic marketing plan
refers to a plan in which company uses
marketing strategies to develop an effective
plan. It is a detailed version of basic marketing
plan.
Overview
GLH Hotels is an UK based hospitality organisation that is situated in London and has
around 5,000 hotel rooms within UK. It operates its services in the name of four brands of hotel
such as Amba Hoteld, Hard Rock, Guoman, Thistle and Thistle Express. It offers certain services
to its customers such as restaurent, accomodation, bars, meetings and events, and so on. This
enterprise is planning to launch pick up and drop facility to its customers in order to gain
competitive advantage in market. For this purpose, a market plan is developed which covers the
objectives, mission, vision, objectives, and various tools are also utilised such as STP model and
SWOT analysis (Marčeková, Šebová and Pompurová, 2019).
Mission
The mission of GLH Hotels behind launching this mobile application is, “To meet
customer expectations by providing them high quality services.”
Vision
The vision of GLH Hotels is, “To create the most enjoyable, profitable and successful
experience to its customers and be ahead of its competitors.”

Objectives
The objectives towards which this company is providng pick up and drop facility to its customers
are-
 To increase its market share up to 10% in coming 1 year by providing quality services to
customers.
 To enhance its sales and profitability up to 15% in coming 1 year by indulging in various
promotional activities.
STP Model
This model refers to distributing market into different segments, targeting potential
customers for specific products and positioning the image of product in customer's mind. GLH
Hotels uses this model in order to appropriately formuate market plan as follows-
Segmentation: It refers to dividing market in different segments such as geographic,
demographic, psychographic or behavioural segment. This service of pick up and drop facility is
segmented on behavioural segmentation as now a days customers wants more luxury services
from companies (Prodanova, San-Martín and Jimenez, 2019).
Targeting: This is the most vital part of this model as in this concept, an organisation
targets those customers towards whom it is developing specific products and services. GLH
Hotels is targeting pick up and drop facility service to those people who prefer luxurious
facilities.
Positioning: It refers to developing an image of a specific product or service in the mind
of potential customers. In this regard, GLH Hotels has created an image of this service as a
luxurious facility that will help customers in reaching the hotel room in appropriate time.
SWOT Analysis
This analysis refers to all the internal factors such as strengths and weaknesses and
external forces such as opportunities and threats that has impact upon the organisation
(Stalmirska, Whalley and Fallon, 2019). This tool is used by enterprises to identify the
competitive advantage in a market. It is used by GLH Hotels as follows-
Strengths Weaknesses
The strength of this company is that it has a
strong brand image and market presence that
helps this company in achieving high margin
The basic weakness which can be seen in this
organisation is that its expansion is limited and
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of profits. Moreover, it uses latest innovative
and technologies in its services to make it
distinguish from its competitors.
it provide its services within UK only.
Opportunities Threats
It can expand its services in another markets
and in other countries to enhance its market
share and can also update its services such as it
can provide cruise lines, flight services, and so
on.
The basic threat which can be considered in
GLH Hotels is its competitors such as
Travelodge, Hilton, etc. Which are giving
tough competition to this enterprise (Siu,
2019).
Budget
MARKETING BUDGET (£)
PARTICULARS Ist Year IInd Year IIIrd Year IVth Year Vth Year
Initial money 3900 7000 13200 15260 18670
Investment 9300 10300 13730 31630 13350
TOTAL 13200 17300 26930 46890 32020
MARKETING OUTLAY
Promotion 5646 2559 5793 2775 2111
Sales publicity 1365 800 2552 1292 1050
Direct selling 2135 1800 4851 800 4334
TOTAL 9146 5159 12996 4867 7405
Monitoring and Controlling
While formulating and evaluating this market plan for bringing up new service in target
market, it is important for GLH Hotels to monitor and control its business activities in order to
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achieve its overall objectives. This organisation has to make sure that it must use adequate
promotional techniques in order to advertise its services and must conduct an appropriate market
research for the same purpose (Teoh, Wang and Kwek, 2019). It must also ensure that the
activities are conducted as per the plan and if it lacks something, than changes must be made on
time.
M4. Marketing plan that applies marketing mix
For formulating an effective and strategic marketing plan, it is important for an
organisation to appropriately use the 7P's of marketing mix. Here, marketing plan for GLH
Hotels as per introducing new service which is pick up and drop facility is developed as follows-
Product Here, the service which is offered in target
market is pick up and drop facility.
Price For enjoying this service, customers have to
purchase the membership card that costs £50
which is available online (van Ginneken,
2019).
Place This service will be made available to all its
hotels all over UK.
Promotion The promotional measure which will be used
while promoting this service is online
promotional measures such as social media, its
official website, and so on.
People Its digital marketing team will update about
this service to its customers. Its customer
service team will solve all the queries and
issues that will faced by customers.
Process Its process will be simple, customer have to
purchase the membership card online and fill
all the details. Then customer will be provided
this service (Caliskan, 2019).
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Physical Evidence Its online website, its car and drivers can act as
its physical evidence.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been concluded that marketing plays many major roles in
hospitality industry such as promoting services among the customers and indulging in market
research to identify the tastes and demands of customers. Further it has been concluded that
maintaining an adequate interrelationship among departments is significant to achieve business
objectives. Marketing helps the HR department by advertising any job vacancy available within
the department while HR function helps in developing training and development programmes to
marketing team. Further, it has been concluded that it is important for an enterprise to effectively
utilise the marketing mix elements to conduct business activities appropriately. At last, it has
been concluded that for formulating certain strategies, a marketing plan must be developed.
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