Marketing Plan for Travel and Tourism: A Thomas Cook Case Study

This report examines the core concepts of marketing within the travel and tourism sector, focusing on strategic planning, market segmentation, and promotional campaigns. It analyzes the impact of the marketing environment, consumer motivation, and demand factors. The report uses Thomas Cook as a case study, exploring the importance of strategic marketing planning, marketing research, and the influence of marketing on society. It delves into the integrated nature of the promotional mix, including public relations, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, and internet promotion, and proposes an integrated promotional campaign for a travel and tourism business. The report emphasizes the importance of adapting marketing strategies to meet customer needs and preferences, considering both micro and macro environmental factors.

MARKETING IN TRAVEL AND
TOURISM

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Core concepts of marketing for travel and tourism sector...............................................3
1.2 Impact of marketing environment in travel and tourism sector.......................................4
1.3 Factors affecting consumer motivation and demand in travel and tourism sector...........5
1.4 Principles of market segmentation and its uses in marketing planning............................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Importance of strategic marketing planning for Thomas Cook........................................6
2.2 Relevance of marketing research and information to managers in travel and tourism sector
................................................................................................................................................6
2.3 Influence of marketing on society....................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
Covered in PPT.......................................................................................................................7
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................13
4.1 Integrated nature and role of promotional mix...............................................................13
4.2 Plan and justify an integrated promotional campaign for travel and tourism business .14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Marketing plays important role in every kind of organisation. It is necessary that
administration frame marketing plan and uses promotion mix to advertise information about
products and services offered by them. Besides this, they even require to conduct internal and
external analysis to acknowledge market position of firm (Buhalis and Foerste, 2015). Present
report is based on Thomas Cook, which is operating business in travel and tourism industry. So,
management require to conduct market survey to enquire about need and wants of people.
Thereby make changes in offerings and launch new items to grab attention of customers. Thus,
firm is able to attract customers and generate adequate profit for business.
TASK 1
1.1 Core concepts of marketing for travel and tourism sector
Marketing is term which specifies that companies require to communicate information to
people about products and services offered by them. This will help firm to accomplish needs and
wants of consumers. It is necessary that management formulate efficient marketing plan, which
state marketing mix such as product, price, promotion and place. This will help enterprise to
improve sales and profitability, by satisfying needs of people.
Products/Services: Firm require that to deliver offerings, so that customer's requirement
are attained timely. As in case of Thomas Cook, which is a travel and tourism sector provide
adequate services like luxury rooms, bus facility and at reasonable rates to attract people.
Customer needs: It is necessary that companies formulate packages in according to
segment that is to be targets. As either customers will be going for family trip or for business
purpose. So, Thomas Cook uses strategies and provide various deals and offers to fulfil needs of
people.
Exchange process: It is a step which defines that company deliver products and services
which consumers purchase as per their requirement. For this, buyers spend money through which
their demands are fulfilled (Xiang, Magnini and Fesenmaier, 2015).
Place: Thomas Cook firm provide adequate facilities and take visitors to those
destinations, which are attractive locations of country. This help them to attract customers and
make their experience wonderful.

1.2 Impact of marketing environment in travel and tourism sector
Marketing environment consists of internal and external components which affect
business operation directly or indirectly. So, it is necessary that firms operating business in travel
and tourism sector examine micro and macro environment.
Micro environment: In this components which are present inside firm are evaluated by
administration, to get information about strengths and weaknesses of system (Becker, 2016).
This includes following elements which are stated beneath:
Suppliers: Thomas Cook require that superior have healthy relationship with other firms,
whom raw material and other facilities are taken by company. This will help them to deliver
adequate services to tourists.
Intermediaries: Firms require to have connection with retailers, agent and brokers; so
that customers are approached easily.
Customers: Thomas Cook provide packages and offers to attract people, by providing
them services require by them. This help company to enhance sales and profitability of business.
Competitors: All firms which are operating in same industry require to provide effective
products and services to position higher than rivals. Thomas Cook offers packages and services
at reasonable prices to attract people.
Macro environment: It is necessary that external analysis is undertaken to examine
market opportunities and threats (Cook, Hsu and Marqua, 2014). This benefit Thomas Cook to
develop and make organisation function as per needs of clients. This includes following
components which are stated below:
Demography: It is essential that companies deliver products and services as per trends
and place in which business is being conducted.
Technology: As there is advancement in technologies, it is necessary that firms update
tools and technologies to make system function in according to market conditions (Leung, Au
and Law, 2015). Thomas Cook provide information about services and packages offered by them
to attract people. This help them to advertise business and enhance number of customers.
Politics: It is essential that companies make system function in according to country
taxation and exchange policies.

1.3 Factors affecting consumer motivation and demand in travel and tourism sector
In travel and tourism sector, social cultural and technological are various elements which
influence motivation of people. This also impact on demand of customers and their purchase
function. Tourists preferences to visit destinations have increased due to low expenses involved.
As, nations in which there is high level of unemployment; will result in lower down of tourist
attraction. Besides this, as technological advancements have taken place. So, visitors are able to
book services through online travel sites. This motivate people which are easily able to access
data and exchange it through social media. Thus, people can acknowledge experience of others
which have visited those destinations (Keating and et. al., 2015). Thomas Cook uses pull tactic to
increase morale of people by providing adequate information through various sites like
Tripadvior and so on. These are websites, where visitors get other options and reviews of people.
This impact on customers demand and motivate them, by providing appropriate packages and
offers.
1.4 Principles of market segmentation and its uses in marketing planning
Companies require to divide population in segments, so that products and services are
delivered in according to customer's needs and wants. This help superior to provide items
according to demand of people and satisfy them. These are various forms through which market
segmentation is undertaken is stated beneath:
Geographic features of people: This form of segmentation, country, region, city are used
to divide customers and deliver products according to their needs and wants.
Demographic features of people: This factor is used to divide customers on basis of age,
gender, caste, religion and income.
These are various methods which are used by administration to direct marketing team
and make them build appropriate marketing plan which is benefit for company (Xu and et. al.,
2016). Thomas Cook's Summer 2018 is to attract tourists to visit Morocco and Egypt. So, it is
necessary that services are provided in according to preference of customers.

TASK 2
2.1 Importance of strategic marketing planning for Thomas Cook
Strategic marketing planning consists of these steps which companies have to follow in
system are as follows:
Segmentation of market: Thomas Cook company is able to target customers and provide
them adequate service to people. This benefit firm to conduct strategic marketing plan for
Morocco and Egypt, as summer tourism places. Thereby, use marketing mix to communicate this
information to customers.
Profiling the market segments: It is step through which profile of people are made on
basis of their income (Chon, 2015). This benefit Thomas Cook to identify profitable customers
and segment them on basis of their characteristics.
Develop a market segment strategy: This is last step which is used by Thomas Cook in
its Summer 2018 for its holiday destinations, Morocco and Egypt. By framing appropriate
strategies and policies to accomplish firm's goals and objectives. Thereby, enhance sales and
generate adequate revenue for business.
2.2 Relevance of marketing research and information to managers in travel and tourism sector
In organisation, management require to conduct market survey and research to
acknowledge needs and wants of people. Thomas Cook which is conducting business in travel
and tourism industry, require to examine internal and external factors which impact operations.
Thereby, they require to make system function in according to market conditions (Liu and Park,
2015). As, tourism market is dynamic; so it is necessary that changes are made in as per taste and
preference of customers. Thomas Cook' s Summer 2018 was design to enhance service and
setting adequate package to attract people to Morocco and Egypt. This benefit company to
satisfy clients by providing them adequate services.
2.3 Influence of marketing on society
In organisation, marketing is effective tool through which people are informed about
products and services to make them purchase as per their demands. Thomas Cook which is
operating business in travel and tourism require to use marketing mix to communicate and
influence customers; by providing them information about their services (Schegg and Stangl,
2017). As, company is launching Summer 2018 to attract people to Morocco and Egypt. For this,

promotion tools are used to communicate about package and other relevant information. Through
this management is able to deliver quality services and enhance market image.
TASK 3
Covered in PPT