Marketing Strategies for Thomas Cook: Tourism Report and Analysis

This report delves into the core concepts of marketing within the travel and tourism industry, using Thomas Cook as a case study. It explores key marketing concepts like needs, wants, and demands, and examines the impact of the marketing environment on tourism businesses and destinations, including both micro and macro environmental factors. The report analyzes consumer behavior, including factors affecting demand and motivation, and discusses the principles and applications of market segmentation. It emphasizes the importance of strategic planning and marketing research, highlighting the influence of marketing on society. Furthermore, the report examines promotional mix strategies, covering advertising, public relations, and other tools used to attract customers. The analysis includes a discussion of how Thomas Cook can develop effective promotional campaigns to increase sales and market share, focusing on destinations like Morocco and Egypt. The report emphasizes the need for understanding customer preferences and adapting marketing strategies accordingly, and it provides insights into how companies can leverage marketing research to gain a competitive advantage. Finally, the report outlines how the travel and tourism industry can use marketing to enhance its services.

Marketing in Travel
and Tourism

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Core concepts of marketing..................................................................................................1
1.2 Impact of marketing environment on tourism businesses and destinations..........................2
1.3 Factors affecting demand and motivation of consumers.......................................................3
1.4 Principles of market segmentation and its uses.....................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Importance of strategic planning...........................................................................................4
2.2 Importance of marketing research and information..............................................................5
2.3 Influence of marketing on society.........................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
Covered in PPT...........................................................................................................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
4.1 Nature and role of promotional mix......................................................................................6
4.2 Justification of integrated promotional campaign.................................................................7
Covered in poster........................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Travel and tourism is one of the growing and emerging sector and plays an important role
in the growth of the economy. It generate large number of employment opportunities for local
people and helps in increasing their standard of living (Brent Ritchie, Wing Sun Tung and
Ritchie,2011). As needs and wants of the customers are changing at a fast speed that's why it
provide large number of growth opportunities to firm. Thomas cook, provide large number of
travel and tourism services to its customers is chosen under this report for study. Firm is making
a holiday package for the destination of Morocco and Egypt and tries to attract large number of
customers. Various promotional tools which can be used by firms in order to attract or influence
large number of customers is detailed under this report. For this it is very important fir a
marketer to have detailed understanding about the factors which affect the purchasing process of
a customer.
TASK 1
1.1 Core concepts of marketing
Studying main core concepts of marketing help the marketers in understanding needs and
wants of customers and then designing the products accordingly. Main key concepts of
marketing of travel and tourism industry includes the following: Needs, wants and demands: This concept states that needs and wants of every customer
is different from each other (Brent Ritchie, Wing Sun Tung and JB Ritchie, 2011). To
better satisfy the needs of different customers and to capture a greater market share, it is
essential for every business organisation to understand this concept. Thomas Cook needs
to provide or maintain the safety of tourists during travelling as it comes under the
psychological requirement of people. Marketing offer: It refers to the overall quantity and quality of a product which a firm
offers to its customers as per their different needs and requirements. For this, Thomas
Cook can design various customised travel packages by considering the needs of its
consumers. Customer value and satisfaction: Under this, firm tries to deliver high quality products to
its customers in order to ensure that everyone gets value for the money he or she paid for
a particular service. Various features can be added by Thomas cook on this basis.
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 Markets: It refers to the place where company offers its products to end customers.
Thomas Cook delivers or provides its services on domestic as well as on international
market. Dealing in international markets increase both threats and opportunities for
company (Buhalis and Foerste, 2015). For instance: increasing terrorism in Morocco and
Egypt enhances the threats for customers. So, in this case, Thomas Cook can look for
other countries in which visitors can feel safe.
 Marketers and prospectus: Marketer is known as the person or individual who use
various methods in order to influence the person for buying the product. Success of
firm’s products depend upon the ability of marketer.
1.2 Impact of marketing environment on tourism businesses and destinations
As Thomas cook is planning to make new packages for customers in order to attract them
at places like Morocco and Egypt, there are number of factors which affect the functioning of an
organisation and understanding of the following factors can help the firm while making the tour
packages for customers.
 Micro environment: This includes various elements present in the internal environment
of enterprise. Main factors which can influence the functioning of Thomas Cook include
the following:1. Competitors: To achieve success, it is essential for the firm to evaluate actions, policies
and strategies adopted by its rivals companies (Crooks and et. al., 2011). For this,
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Thomas Cook can consider the local service provider of Morocco and Egypt which can
directly affect the functioning of firm.2. Customers: Customers are the end users of a product or service. To better satisfy the
needs of consumers and to enhance their level of satisfaction, Thomas Cook needs to
evaluate or collect the information from them. Marco environment: It includes various external factors of the enterprise. This involves
the following: Technology: This includes the effect of technology on business of enterprise. For
attracting large number of customers, updated technology can be used by Thomas Cook.
 Legal and political factors: It includes the rules and regulations set by firm which affect
its functioning. Every enterprise is liable to set these rules and procedures while
executing their business operations.
1.3 Factors affecting demand and motivation of consumers
Behaviour of customers plays an important role and affect their purchasing decision in
various ways. Thomas Cook can influence customers for buying products or services by
understanding their behaviour (Dibb and et. al., 2012). Following are the main factors which can
affect the demand of Thomas Cook: Economic conditions: It refers the economic conditions existin the market. These
conditions affect the decision of customers in various way. For example: increment in the
disposable income of consumers reflects that individuals are ready to spend more on
tourist activities. Purchasing power of the customers: It refers to the ability of consumers to spend on
different services offered by the firm. Price of firm's offering should be under the
purchasing limit of consumers (Herlihy and Bicker, 2011). To earn large amount of
profits, Thomas Cook can divide its customers on the basis of their income level. Group behaviour: Family, friends and reference groups of a person affect his/her buying
decision. This factor plays an important role on tour packages of family, friends or large
number of people. Thomas Cook can give consideration on these factors while making or
combining a family or friend tourist package.
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 Individual preferences: It includes personal likes and dislikes of a person which affect
his/her decision. Various personal factors play an important decision and affect the
buying behaviour of a customer
For satisfying the needs and wants of the customers Thomas cook can use the economic model of
consumer behaviour. Under this model demands and buying behaviopur of customer change
according the change in his income level..
1.4 Principles of market segmentation and its uses
Segmentation refers divide customers on the basis of their interest, needs, wants in order
to make better business strategies. Segmentation can be done on the following basis: Geographic segmentation: This type of segmentation is done on the basis of country,
nation, states and regions. It helps the enterprise in dividing customers and then targeting
them accordingly. Thomas Cook can make tour packages for the individuals of UK. Behavioural segmentation: Under this, marketers divide customers on the basis of
attitude, behaviour, knowledge and many more(Evans, Stonehouse and Campbell, 2012). Psycho graphic segmentation: This type of segmentation done on the basis of lifestyle,
interest and thinking of the people..
 Demographic segmentation: Age, gender, income level and education are the basis of
this type of segmentation. This helps the firm in offering products to people according to
their age and income level. By doing this, Thomas Cook can offer adventurous trip to the
young people and a tour of religious events or places to the old age customers.
TASK 2
2.1 Importance of strategic planning
Strategic planning is a process of creating strategies for achieving the objectives of the
firm. Under this top management of the firm create or design strategies. Main strategy of
Thomas cook is to expand business on international level for increasing the sales. This can be
achieve by the firm by creating effective strategy and by attracting large number of customers.
Strategic planning guides or help manager in identifying the various strengths of the firm and
utilise them in a prosper manner in order to decrease the effect of its deficiencies. Thomas cook
can attract large number of customers by effectively planning future actions of the business.
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For attracting large number of visitors to the Morocco and Egypt Thomas cook can plan
its future activities and strategies (Gössling, Scott and Hall,2015). This will help customers in
getting and consuming effective services and this will add value to their whole trip. It helps firm
in attracting large number of customers towards its offering. This help firm in generating profits
and decreasing the cost of execution of business activities. It helps firm in proper utilising its
resources at an maximum level for generating large amount of outputs. Top manager of Thomas
cook can increase the number of customers or visitors by doing strategic planning.
2.2 Importance of marketing research and information
Marketing research help firms in collecting relevant information related with the needs
and preference of the customers. This collected data help manager in targeting customers in an
effective way. It become important for Thomas cook to include the process of marketing in the
organisation for achieving long term success. By doing this firm can be benefited from the
following advantages: It is a customer centric approach: This mainly deals with the dissatisfy needs and wants
of the customers and provide a chance to the company to satisfy them in order to gain the
loyalty and trust of the consumers (Hall, Timothy and Duval, 2012). This will help
Thomas cook in building sound relationship with their customers. Provide growth opportunities: Marketing research help firm, in identifying any
opportunity exist in the business environment. Opportunities can be identified or used by
the company to increase their of profits and increase the value of their brand. Oriented towards future activities: Research helps marketer in identifying the future
needs of the customers and help firm in design its future activities. By doing this
Thomas cook can ensure that long term needs and wants of the customers should be
satisfied. By doing this firm can achieve competitive advantage in the market.
 Helps in identifying the competition: Marketing research helps firm in identifying the
level of competition exist in the market by analysing the strategies adopted by its
competitors.
2.3 Influence of marketing on society
Marketing is a process of using communication tool or mix of communication tools to
influence customers for buying the company's product. It is one of the main and most important
process of every enterprise and affect the society and its activities. Thomas cook provide wide
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range of services to its customers like 24 hours hotel services at an competitive price. Firm
deliver quality and value added services (Hudson and Thal 2013). Other than this firm do lot of
charitable activities in order to maintain a good public image and to help the children. All these
activities of firm influence large number of customers to buy the product or service of the
organisation.
Other than this in order to attract large number of customers to buy the offering of the
firm, marketer of the company can use various communication tools. As marketing is one of the
important function of every enterprise so proper tools and funds should be allocated by
enterprise to this essential activity. This is the only activity which gives information to the
customers about the price and quality of the firm's product.
TASK 3
Covered in PPT
TASK 4
4.1 Nature and role of promotional mix
For increasing the sale of its products Thomas cook can use various promotional tools: Advertising: Thomas cook can advertise or promote the features of its products on
television, radio, newspapers and many more. Popular tag line is used by Thomas cook
“leave on us, you are on holiday” to attract large number of customers. Public relation: Public relation is a communication tool used create or maintain good
relations with customers (Moutinho, 2011). This enhance the goodwill of the firm and
will attract customer towards the Morocco and Egypt. Sales promotion: Under this enterprise use tools like sales contests, discount and many
more in order to influence large number of customers to buy the product.
 Personal selling: Personnel can be used by the firms to communicate the features of the
product with large number of customers. This not only increase the sales of the product
but helps firm in maintain strong relations between customers and management. For this
sales personnel can be hired by the firm to describe the features of product to large
number of customers.
Thomas cook can use mix of communication tools to enhance the value of its brand in
front of its customers (Neuhofer, Buhalis and Ladkin, 2014). Along with this, various
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promotional tools and platforms can be used by the firm to increase the different customers
towards the company's product.
4.2 Justification of integrated promotional campaign
Covered in poster
CONCLUSION
From the above information it can be concluded that marketing of various activities in
travel and tourism sector is very important for a firm like Thomas cook. Various promotional
tools can be used by the firm to attract large number of customers at Morocco and Egypt.
Marketing environment and factors exist in the marketing environment affect the activities of
tourism activities in various ways. Various factors are there which affect the decision of tourist,
all these factors should be consider or understand by the marketer in order to deliver quality
services to the customers.
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REFERENCES
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management research: Emergence, evolution and future directions. International
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creation of value. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management. 4(3). pp.151-161.
Crooks, V .A. And et. al., 2011. Promoting medical tourism to India: Messages, images, and the
marketing of international patient travel. Social Science & Medicine. 72(5). pp.726-732.
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Gössling, S., Scott, D. and Hall, C. M., 2015. Inter-market variability in CO 2 emission-
intensities in tourism: Implications for destination marketing and carbon management.
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Hall, C. M., Timothy, D. J. and Duval, D. T., 2012. Safety and security in tourism: relationships,
management, and marketing. Routledge.
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experiences. International Journal of Tourism Research. 16(4). pp.340-350.
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Al Fayoum, Egypt. Journal of Vacation Marketing. 17(3). pp.225-235.
Sun, X., Jiao, Y. and Tian, P., 2011. Marketing research and revenue optimization for the cruise
industry: A concise review. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 30(3).
pp.746-755.
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Tham, A., Croy, G. and Mair, J., 2013. Social media in destination choice: Distinctive electronic
word-of-mouth dimensions. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing. 30(1-2). pp.144-
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Vanhove, N., 2011. The economics of tourism destinations. Routledge.
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