Travel & Tourism Marketing: Marketing Mix, Service Mix & Total Product

This report analyzes the marketing strategies employed in the travel and tourism sector, with a specific focus on the Thomas Cook Group. It begins by examining the traditional marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) and the challenges faced by Thomas Cook within each element, particularly in a competitive market. The report then delves into the importance of the service sector mix (people, process, physical evidence) in enhancing service delivery and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, it explores the application of the total tourism product concept, highlighting how travel agencies have expanded their offerings beyond basic travel packages to include ancillary services like amenities, accommodation, transportation, and activities, all aimed at increasing customer satisfaction. The report concludes by referencing relevant academic sources that support the analysis and provide further insights into the discussed marketing concepts.

Marketing in Travel and
Tourism
TASK 3

Introduction
Marketing is a process that defines the offering made by the sellers
to offer them something that they want and that creates value for
them. It is something that anticipates the need of the customers and
then create a product offering them that value. Travel and tourism
sector is at boom nowadays and it is because of their marketing
abilities that they have reached to every customers. And can offer
their products and services.

3.1 Marketing Mix and its issues
Marketing Mix is a combination of four core elements
product, price, place and promotion. Each element has
its own benefits and losses and it differs from company
to company. Marketing mix is very useful aspect for
every organisation in different aspect. It is used in
different way in different type of organisation.

Continue.
Each firm faces issues in marketing mix, Thomas Cook
Group also faces issues with the core elements of
Marketing mix. These are the issues faces by Thomas
cook group-
Product: Product is the vary offering made by the
company to customers. The core product offered by
Thomas Cook group is reasonable priced flight ticks
and hospitality(tourism). Tourism industry is highly
competitive and there are many service providers
providing similar services as Thomas cook.

3.2 Importance of service sector mix for travel and tourism
sectors
Services are intangible in nature and they are way
different from products.
Service mix has been the essential aspects for
marketing and it have been essential in increasing the
efficiency of the services offered. These elements are
people, process and physical evidence.

Continue.
People: The customer base of Thomas cook is very
wide and people are their valuable assets. The people
of the organisation plays a very crucial role especially
if it is a service industry.
Process: As services are intangible so the process by
which the service is delivered must be of good quality.
The quality standards are to be ensured and they must
be up to the mark.

3.3 Application of concept of total tourism product for business
of tourism
Travel and tourism as itself become a very large sector
that is contributing in the economy. The travel agencies
has now not being limited to just travel packages only,
they have started to provide ancillary services also.

Continue.
These services includes amenities, access to the roads
and locations, accommodation in best comforted hotels
or guest houses, activities like sports, adventures,
attractions like famous tourist spots or famous places
to visit, choice of mode transportations etc. their main
focus is onto increasing the customers satisfaction their
motive is to provide quality services to the clients.

REFERENCES
Dasgupta, D., 2011. Tourism marketing. India: Dorling
Kindersley.
Turner, L., 2012. Beyond" medical tourism": Canadian
companies marketing medical travel. Globalization and
health. 8(1). p.16.
Hall, C.M., 2013. Wine, food, and tourism marketing.
Routledge.
Sigala, M., Christou, E. and Gretzel, U. eds., 2012.
Social media in travel, tourism and hospitality: Theory,
practice and cases. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd..