Marketing Plan and Strategies: Hotel Hilton Hospitality Essentials

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of Hotel Hilton's marketing strategies within the hospitality sector. It begins with an introduction to the industry, followed by an examination of the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function, including information management, distribution, risk management, promotion, and product/service management. The essay then explores how these roles relate to the wider organizational context, highlighting the interdependencies between marketing and departments like HRM and Foods and Beverages. A detailed analysis of the marketing environment, including brand equity, marketing research, and market strategies, is also provided. The core of the essay compares how Hotel Hilton and Hyatt Hotels apply the marketing mix (7Ps) to achieve business objectives. A specific marketing plan for Hotel Hilton is produced, encompassing situational analysis, budgeting, and evaluation measures. The essay concludes with a strategic marketing plan that utilizes the 7Ps and monitoring metrics to meet overall marketing objectives, providing a comprehensive overview of Hotel Hilton's approach to marketing.

HOSPITALITY
MARKETING ESSENTIALS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
LO 1 ................................................................................................................................................3
P1. Explain the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function within a selected
hospitality.....................................................................................................................................3
Discuss how roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to the wider organisational context 4
Analyse the roles and responsibilities of marketing in the context of the marketing
environment.................................................................................................................................5
LO2..................................................................................................................................................7
Compare the ways in which different hospitality organisations apply the marketing mix to the
marketing planning process to achieve business objectives........................................................7
Evaluate different tactics applied by Hotel Hilton to demonstrate how business objectives are
achieved.......................................................................................................................................9
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................9
Produce a basic marketing plan for a hospitality organization to meet marketing objectives.....9
Tagline – “Travel should take you places”................................................................................10
Produce a detailed, coherent, evidence-based marketing plan that applies the marketing mix to
meet marketing objectives ........................................................................................................10
Design a strategic marketing plan that tactically applies 7Ps and measures for monitoring and
evaluation to achieve overall marketing objectives...................................................................12
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14
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INTRODUCTION
Hospitality sector is growing exponentially these days due to onset of globalization and
technological advancements through internet and social media platforms. Their purpose is to
enhance customers’ expectations by providing high standards of facilities and along with this,
increment in their overall profits and progress. This sector works on basis of proper collaboration
between various departments that assist the marketing team to flourish successfully with
excellent execution and innovation. This report will be based on the marketing of Hotel Hilton,
UK. It is based on the leisure activities with tourism and hospitality. It will include about their
roles and responsibilities of marketing functions with their entire organizational environment.
There will be an evaluation of marketing mix with respect to Hotel Hilton to provide insights
about the significance of elements of 7p’s. Furthermore, it will also present a coherent and
detailed marketing plan to put light on the operational activities of Hotel Hilton situational that
involve analysis, budgeting and evaluation of monitoring their growth.
MAIN BODY
LO 1
Explain the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function within a selected hospitality
The marketing functions have substantial amount of influence on the potentiality in terms
of identification the source for selling products at various marketplace successfully. Hotel Hilton
UK has strategically implanted these functions to understand the nuances of marketing plan and
product development, research for marketplaces and distribution for pricing, sales etc. They
mainly deal in resorts and hotels on full service basis, situated at the Park Lane, Mayfair,
London.
SL No. Roles and
Responsibilities
Description of its execution
1 Marketing Information
Management
This mainly deals with the performance of all the
activities related to marketing. It comprises of
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collecting, utilising, managing and implementing the
entire information to enhance the decision making of
Hotel Hilton. This is a permanent setup so that there
will always be continuous provision of sufficient and
relevant information related to Hotel Hilton operational
activities. It consists of reporting system, analysis of
research to support decision making and emphases on
the external environment.
2 Distribution This helps in evaluating of the best dealings and
methods to identify customers through localizing them
in terms of utilising the product or service of Hotel
Hilton. It is a web of interconnected chain of
intermediates so that the customers get the product or
service on time (Bowie and Buttle, 2013). There are
number of people involved retailers, distributors,
wholesalers and the internet.
3 Risk Management Due to sudden rise of employing internet tools, there is
also a need of stringent measures taken to manage risk
attached with it such as security breach, hacking etc.
Hotel Hilton has a reputed name and has prominent risk
of incurring failures or losses in context of distribution,
promotion, product development and more (Rollins,
Nickell and Ennis, 2014). It comprises of price wars,
sales risk like high performing salesperson quits, drop
in processes related to brand’s awareness etc, inventory
risk and more.
4 Promoting products Hotel Hilton marketing team can use many promotional
mediums, both online and offline to attract new
customers and along with, able to retain the existing
ones. Inclusion of IT and social media marketing tools
like using Facebook, twitter, mobile app, website, etc
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have revolutionised the advertising scenario in effective
ways.
5 Product and Service
Management
Hotel Hilton completes their marketing research after
setting prices so that the next time, the budgeting is
done in appropriate manner. Their ultimate aim is to
maximise the profits by overseeing allocated resources
and products efficiently. Here, Hotel Hilton
management must look after proper delivery of services
by responding to customers’ requirements and needs.
Discuss how roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to the wider organisational context
There are many elemental key functions such as finance, HRM, Customer service
management etc. that are inter-linked with the marketing department of Hotel Hilton. There are
many differences but if these departments work together, it will result in the best possible
outcomes at the highest level.
Marketing and Human Resource: Both these departments can work together to enhance the
progress of Hotel Hilton. It’s a common practise for marketing team to segregate the customers
on basis of factors like location, demand, awareness etc. If Human Resource department support
them by involving them in recruitment, then it would target the propositions laid by the employer
to send their messages under branding tactic. Additionally, marketing team are tech savvy and
keep updating with the latest trends to know the current advancements that can help them to
know the marketplace and also help HR to retain and engage customers.
Marketing and Foods and Beverages: This is an interesting combination to help Hotel Hilton
in gaining attention of customers by mixing the current taste, cuisines and variety in this sector.
It will help the marketing team to promote their brand on their standard quality of food and
hospitality. By implementing social media platforms, the marketing department can promote
awareness about their pricing, new offers, discount and many more facilities to keep customers
updated about it.
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Figure 1. Organizational Chart
Analyse the roles and responsibilities of marketing in the context of the marketing environment
This consists of implementation of forecasting various marketing concepts such as sales,
promotion, pricing etc. It helps in targeting the right audience of Hotel Hilton that maximises
productivity and generation of revenues.
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Foods and
Beverages
Front Desk
Services
Human
Resources
Marketing

SL No. Role Responsibility Relation with each other and the
marketing environment
1 Brand Equity VP has the authority to look over
utilising their products or services
from customers’ side to add value
to their overall brand value and
assist in increasing the sales
volume.
This has a direct connection with
market strategies as well as research
part. If Hotel Hilton has good
positioning at one specific location,
then their strategies can be flexible
to increase the brand’s equity after
doing suitable research analysis.
2 Marketing
Research
This is done by the entire
marketing team including
assistants and managers that
impact the ongoing operations in a
volatile manner, but also changes
the business environment by
gaining insights on the price,
consumers and products.
This entire marketing research
depends on the Hotel Hilton’s
popularity in the competitive
marketplace. They identify the
problem areas and hindrances after
conducting proper marketing
research and helps in maintain the
distribution, promotion and risk
management.
3 Market
strategies
It is an imperative role for
developmental planning of Hotel
Hilton. Managers of this
organisation must recognise the
consumers’ needs, demands and
specifications to give them product
or service accordingly.
Hotel Hilton team gathered data
from research so that they can
design a plan to recognise their
competitors, overall strengths and
drawbacks. It can help in
maintaining their brand equity,
along with the outcomes can be
utilised in maintaining the
distribution channels to improve the
promotional activities by
minimizing the MIS and risk
strategies.
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Critically analyse the key elements of the marketing function and how they interrelate with other
functional units within Hotel Hilton
Production and Marketing: These departments are interdependent on the basis of pricing and
product. Their motive is same but production concentrates on quality with maximising utility of
resources. Whereas, marketing is concerned with propagating it with use of suitable distribution
channel.
Front Desk Services and Marketing: When marketing team promote its Hilton’s product, service
or any offer through any tools, it’s the staff’s responsibility too to have a good communicative
integrative channel to avoid any miscommunication plus improving connectivity with respect to
the advertising gimmicks taken by the team.
LO2
Compare the ways in which different hospitality organisations apply the marketing mix to the
marketing planning process to achieve business objectives
Hotel Hilton has a USP (Unique Selling Proposition), along with few tactics based on “7
P’s of marketing” that has supported them to attract their new clients and helped in retaining
their customers by applying successful campaigns which are logical and accessible in nature.
Here, a comparative study between Hotel Hilton and Hyatt Hotel has been given to
understand their approaches in applying 7 P’s as both are from the same sector.
Elements Hyatt Hotel Hotel Hilton
Product They are known name in providing
recreational, leisure activities, along
with proper accommodation services
with respect to comfort and quality
standards. They are diversifying their
services by stimulating towards the
current trends.
They have a huge range of services
like executive ones with suites,
lounges, spa sessions or Hilton
Garden Inn. They concentrated on
special services programs organised
for leisure as well as convention
sections. Their services are divided
on subsidized prices into blue,
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silver, gold and diamond.
Price This is one of the most important
elements and has a strong impact as the
entire marketing strategy depends on it
(Khan, 2014). Their pricing is mostly
neutral and sometimes, the customers
perceived it as outrageous in terms of
skimming practises or penetration.
They have a pricing strategy of
seasonal based low prices as per the
location specific like nearby
airports or sea view. Along with
this, various services like breakfast,
restaurant, swimming, spa etc. are
also add to their value to maintain
its segmented premium process.
Place Their target markets are well defined in
terms of accessing to their buyers and
customers. Their expansion is also well
reach by having diverse distribution
strategies such as franchising, intensive
etc..
Its extension is in almost 103
countries. They are into luxury
hotels, vacation hotels, airport ones
and many more as per the growth
of their international business by
applying marketing with
distribution tactics.
Promotion They are implementing both traditional
and online methods to bring their
customers’ attention. This has boosted
their public relations with higher sales.
They have managed to be in limelight
through word of mouth.
To enhance their reputation
globally, they have merged with
various agencies, firms and
companies. Subs multinational
equently, Hilton hotel collaborated
with other local restaurants and
Payment banks so that their reach
will be quicker and effective by the
help of local company’s popularity
(Baker and Magnini, 2016). This
also helped them in promoting
awareness in a more convenient
manner.
People They are the representation of large
management and workforce including
They are successful in maintaining
their quality standards wherever
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customer services and employees. They
have opened an honest feedback pool to
understand their drawbacks and able to
work on it.
they have expanded and served
their customers which led a loyal
base with consistent employees’
engagement.
Physical
Evidence
Their presence is still in little slurp as
they are still in an ongoing process of
establishing a name in this sector.
This is an international worldwide
name in the hotel industry and with
inclusion of website and other hotel
booking chains applications; it has
assisted in increasing their success
monumentally. It is a difficult
sector to survive in due to tough
competition but they are able to
make their presence evident by
constantly renovating themselves
on various parameters.
Process A well-defined process has been
implemented by their executives to
maintain delivery, services, etc. on time
with cost effectiveness.
They have an intact management
chains because of smooth running
of operational processes and
services that have supported them
to deliver the best at all ties. Their
reliability and validity have been
proved due to flow of services,
booking availability on both online
and offline channels and suitable
distribution arrangement
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Figure 2. 7 P’s of Marketing
(Source: The Marketing Mix, 2016)
Evaluate different tactics applied by Hotel Hilton to demonstrate how business objectives are
achieved
Hotel Hilton has a brand image to maintain and enhance and thus they should use few
tactics to attain their objectives by optimising their resources that assist in increased profits and
productivity.
 Promotion: This hotel can promote collaborations with online travel websites and others
such travelling booking platforms like Booking.com, agoda.com etc. so that their brand
promotion can be done professionally with cost effectiveness and time efficiency (Chen,
Wang and Chu, 2011). For e.g. when this hotel invested in South Africa with two of the
famous local restaurants, they not only attracted localities but quickly got attention due to
the already established customer base of those restaurants. This helped in cost cutting on
the promotion.
 Pricing: They also implemented their pricing on the basis of their market segmentation
which was based on a thorough research and surveys done for their expansion plans in
locations like China, India and more. They deviated from the premium pricing to
reasonable strategy to attract the local people to indicate a growing number of tourists
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coming from other countries to such locations, where Hotel Hilton just started emerging
as a competitor.
LO 3
Produce a basic marketing plan for a hospitality organization to meet marketing objectives
The marketing plan for Hilton Hotel is as follows: -
Executive Summary: This put insights on its purpose to make its financial security at pars with a
heartfelt experience of Hotel Hilton’s customers by providing high quality standards in all
services and delivering exceptional time.
Overview: Hotel Hilton is amongst the top organizations in the world. It’s known for its rich
architectural set-ups for both travelers and corporate employees as well for their best services in
the hospitality sector (Schmitt, 2011). It has its operations in more than 85 countries with around
570 properties worldwide. It was founded in the year 1919 by Conrad Hilton.
Objectives: The following are the major objectives of this hotel since it has secured the top rank
on the list of the top most valuable brands and is third time in the row (Bhasin, 2018).
Mission – “To be the most hospitable company in the world – by creating heartfelt experiences
for Guests, meaningful opportunities for Team Members, high value for Owners and a positive
impact in our Communities.”
Vision – “To fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality –by delivering exceptional
experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time.
Tagline – “Travel should take you places”
Produce a detailed, coherent, evidence-based marketing plan that applies the marketing mix to
meet marketing objectives
Situational Analysis:
SWOT Analysis-
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