BHO6505 Marketing Management: Healthcare Tourism Case Analysis Report

This case study provides a comprehensive analysis of marketing strategies within the healthcare tourism sector, focusing on the partnership between the hospitality industry and healthcare organizations. It addresses the importance of using segmentation information to refine marketing appeals and the strategic advantages of partnerships in a competitive environment. The study explores how hotels can leverage segmentation to target specific patient needs, develop tailored packages, and access new customer bases through medical organizations. Furthermore, it discusses effective marketing communication approaches, emphasizing the use of digital channels and innovative content to attract both travelers and patients. The analysis concludes that adopting innovative marketing approaches and adapting to changing market dynamics are crucial for hotel organizations to maintain competitiveness and expand their market share.

Running head: MARKETING & MANAGEMENT
Marketing & Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Content
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Question 1:.................................................................................................................................3
Question 2:.................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
This report provides a detailed analysis of case scenario give in the case study, which
is revolving around the partnership and segmentation. The report discusses how the
organizations in the hotel industry should apply their marketing approaches partnering with
healthcare organizations as the purpose of increasing customer base. In order to address the
first question, the importance of using segmentation information to become more specific in
their appeals. In addition, the first question has also been addressed by presenting the
importance of partnership in a competitive business environment.
Question 1:
I strongly agree with the proposed marketing approaches of using segmentation
information of London Firm because it is certain that hospitality industry has become
dynamic with respect to needs, demands, and trends. Moreover, Blomme, Van Rheede and
Tromp (2010) mentioned that hotel industry will be more competitive in next 10 years
compared to today’s scenario because understanding the increased number of travellers, the
new organizations are entering the industry which is could be a biggest threat to the existing
hotel organizations. Thereby, it is necessary for the organizations in the hotel industry to
think of applying the alternative marketing approaches. The segmentation information help
the organization to learn about customers and patients separately. When the organizations
have separate information about the patients, they target those patients with more developed
packages. According to the case study, there are some patients with serious medical
conditions requiring hospitalization of longer period and thereby, the hotels can approach
those patients with better deals and offers that come under patients’ financial packages. This
strategy would certainly help to increase the customer base.

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Furthermore, Wedel and Kamakura (2012) have also mentioned that when the
organizations are able to know who their target customers are, it become easy for them to
design and develop their marketing strategies. Moreover, using those segmentation
information will help the hotels to develop their market. Focussing only on the travellers
somehow restrict the business from growing and transforming to another stage. Therefore, it
is worth mentioning when the existing customer base is not able to provide the desired to
return to the business, it is effective to think of an alternative option.
Nonetheless, according to Ansoff’s market development strategy, the new markets
can be developed when the organizations pay attention to new geographical areas or
developing a new pricing strategy but paying attention to customers of a different industry is
certainly a unique one, which can generate competitive advantages (Swarbrooke and Page
2012). In addition to this, if the medical organizations come under such partnership the hotel
organizations can access their customer base as well as strengthen their market positions. On
the other side, Hussain et al. (2013) commented that market saturation is common problem
that every business has to face at some of point of the operation and in that phase, the
organization should have an alternative way to generate profit such as gaining revenue from a
different segments. Thereby, in the case of London firm, when thee organization experience
market saturation in its existing customer base, it can receive a separate amount of revenue
from patient-customers. Consequently, a persistent flow of revenue would come from this
segment.
Question 2:
If I wish to follow the first strategy –which is about using the segmentation
information to segment customers, then the marketing communication should be broad and
specific. This means, firstly, the hotel organizations need to utilize the technology such
digital marketing channels to promote its products and services. In this context, the

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organization needs to create a unique and separate content of advertising which is not similar
to the promotion of existing hotel services such as creating awareness of a health disease and
its importance of curing. Now, the organization needs to show that in order to get the
treatment effectively, the patients need proper relaxation and connection with calm and
peaceful environment which a hotel can provide.
After showing the importance of curing the disease and now the content of the
advertisement should include the importance of relaxation during treatment period. This
extended promotional content can be designed by including available hospitality services
which the hotel provide. Now, this content can be should be published on the popular social
media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other mostly visited media. This
approach can be treated as an innovative one which could grab the attention of the customers-
patients-end users. This is because hence, the patients have the opportunity to know more
about the popular and available healthcare setting from hotel which they will hire to stay for
the treatment.
On the other side, if I wish to follow the second strategy which is about not using
segmentation information, the marketing communication approaches should be little similar
to the existing ones. In such a context, the hotel organization should modify their existing
communication content. The organization need to create awareness about the new packages
that cover all needs of customers. However, in the advertising content, the organization
should show the places such as undiscovered or rarely visited forest, hills, waterfall instead of
showing food items and internal hotel facilities. This approach help can the hotels to attract
new customers or influence the existing customers to avail the deals because Chang, Gong
and Shum (2011) in their hospitality management mentioned that hotel industry should
incorporate innovation into business but there is hardly any organization which wishes to
promote the places.

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Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth mentioning that hotel organizations need to think of
innovative marketing approaches like segmentation information because the industry has
been a changing environment and there is constant threat from the new entrants in the sector.
Thereby, the existing organization in the sector may lose their marked share due to the
restricted customer base and lack of innovation. In addition, the marketing approaches should
be developed on the basis of market needs and customer response.

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References
Blomme, R.J., Van Rheede, A. and Tromp, D.M., 2010. The use of the psychological
contract to explain turnover intentions in the hospitality industry: A research study on the
impact of gender on the turnover intentions of highly educated employees. The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, 21(1), pp.144-162.
Chang, S., Gong, Y. and Shum, C., 2011. Promoting innovation in hospitality companies
through human resource management practices. International Journal of Hospitality
Management, 30(4), pp.812-818.
Hussain, S., Khattak, J., Rizwan, A. and Latif, M.A., 2013. ANSOFF matrix, environment,
and growth-an interactive triangle. Management and Administrative Sciences Review, 2(2),
pp.196-206.
Swarbrooke, J. and Page, S.J., 2012. Development and management of visitor attractions.
Routledge.
Wedel, M. and Kamakura, W.A., 2012. Market segmentation: Conceptual and
methodological foundations (Vol. 8). Springer Science & Business Media.
Bibliography
Li, M.L. and Green, R.D., 2011. A mediating influence on customer loyalty: The role of
perceived value. Journal of Management and Marketing research, 7, p.1.
Volo, S., 2012. A consumer-based measurement of tourism innovation. In Innovation in
hospitality and tourism (pp. 85-100). Routledge.