Marketing Essentials for Travel and Tourism: Cosmos and Thomas Cook

This report provides a detailed analysis of marketing essentials specifically tailored for the travel and tourism industry. It begins by outlining the key roles and responsibilities of a marketing function, emphasizing its significance within an organization. The report then delves into the specific roles and responsibilities of the marketing department within the context of travel and tourism, highlighting its interrelation with other departments like production, finance, and HR. A significant portion of the report is dedicated to a comparative analysis of the marketing mix strategies employed by Cosmos and Thomas Cook, two prominent players in the industry. The comparison covers various aspects of the marketing mix, including product, price, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence. Finally, the report culminates in the development of a marketing plan specifically for Cosmos, providing actionable strategies and insights. The report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of marketing principles and their practical application in the travel and tourism sector.

MARKETING ESSENTIALS
FOR TRAVEL AND
TOURISM

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of Marketing function:...........................................................1
P2 Roles and Responsibilities of marketing related to the travel and tourism organisation.......3
P3 Comparing marketing mix used by Cosmos and Thomas Cook ...........................................4
P4 Marketing plan for Cosmos..................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION ..............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
Books and Journals...................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Marketing mix deals with the strategies that the company use for promoting its brand and
product in the world. The marketing mix has 7 elements product price, place, promotion, people,
process and physical evidence. The below report will include the roles and responsibilities of the
marketing department and its interrelation with the other departments for overall growth of the
company. Tourism is different as it has to deliver excellent services and the best products to
remain competitive in the market. So the below analysis will give the ideas about the importance
of its marketing department to the organisation .
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of Marketing function:
Marketing research:
Marketing research includes collecting data or information about offered product or the market,
understanding demands of the customers in the past and present. This also involves gathering
information regarding its competitors. Marketing research is used to develop competitive
position of the company and to increase its sales and demands. Cosmos company have done
enough of the research before starting its business about its product value in the market and
about its competitors and continuing researching for developing its business and competing with
others
Marketing planning:
Marketing planning is outlining of business plans including information about goods and
services offered, budget, time management as well as planning of strategy about competing with
its competitors. This elucidate the efforts need to made by the firm to maintain its competitive
position in the market. This also describes all activities performed to achieve specific goals and
the success.
Cosmos company is continually planning to increase its business so that they can reach
objectives of the company.
Branding:
Branding is the process of creating name, sign or design of its own company so that customers
can easily identify its products and can differentiate it from other products. It helps targeting
large number of the audience from the market. Cosmos company have created its own brand
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which is very popular in the market, which results in its high selling of products meanwhile
increasing profits to the firm.
Customer service:
Customer service is the assistance given by the company before, after and during the transaction
of the goods. It helps in providing product guarantee and satisfaction to its customers and also
helps company to maintain its continue relationship with customers which is essential for its
ongoing earnings. Customer service of the company is giving 100% satisfaction to its customers.
Designing and developing the product:
This includes creation of the unique products that is new formation, or the modification of the
old one by adding more quality features with it. This helps in increasing the attraction of the
customers towards the product and its marketing demand. Cosmos has developed unique and
different quality products.
Packaging and labelling:
Cosmos company is using both the packaging and labelling. Packaging is preserving, storing or
enclosing of the products to save it from the external contamination for the safety and
convenience of the customers. It is also used for advertising the product for increasing its
identification in the market or to grab the attention of the customers. Labelling is done for
providing all the data about the ingredients, nutrition and the safety and it is done to meet the
legal practices of giving all the information about products to its consumers.
Grading:
Grading is classification of the products using criterion that is its quality, shape, size, type,
weight, and performance etc. into A,B, or C grade. A grade products will have higher quality
with heavy prices, B grade will have comparatively low prices with maintaining its good quality,
C grade will have lower quality and lower prices. Cosmos use A and B grade products to
maintain its reputation and the competition in the market as well as balancing the number of its
sales, meanwhile its profit margins.
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P2 Roles and Responsibilities of marketing related to the travel and tourism organisation.
Marketing is a very broad area not just limited to selling of products and services.
Marketing department has motive of promoting the company but the sole responsibility does not
lies on it all alone and therefore it is important for the Cosmos to realise the interdependence of
the departments on each other for the success of the company.
Interrelations with the Production Department.
The marketing department has to work with production department as it cannot fulfil the
demands of the targeted customer if the company is not able to produce the required products
and to avail the services which are generated by the marketing department of the company.
Marketing department has to ensure whether the production department is taking adequate
measures in the field of researching new developments which it can bring for meeting the
customer demands and requirements. Marketing departments will help the production
department to know the quality and specific requirements of the customers in the services
provided by the Cosmos. Production department will produce and arrange for the services for
meeting the targets of the marketing department. Marketing department will stretch the
efficiency level of production department by setting the targets they have to meet.
Interrelation of Marketing with the Finance Department.
Interrelation of the finance with the marketing as the Cosmos cannot promote its business
without adequate funds. Marketing and Finance are the two pillars of the company on which the
grwth prospects of the company are standing. As the company cannot survive without any of
these two. They both are equally important for the company to generate revenues The finance
department will ensure that there are necessary funds available so that the company can promote
its business. Finance department has the responsibility of making budget for the promotional
activities of the marketing department. On the other hand marketing department by making
effective strategies for promoting the business of the company can increase the sales of the
company which will generate more revenues for the Cosmos. With the increased revenues
company will not be required to borrow from the outside sources. The marketing department has
the key focus on generating more and more revenues for the company and to increase the market
sharing and also to help the company in gaining recognition in the market. Marketers also have
the responsibility of managing funds that are given for the promotions of the business. They have
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to operate properly within the budgets set by the finance department otherwise the whole budgets
of the company will be disturbed.
Interrelation of the Marketing with the HR department
Along with other departments marketing also has its association with the HR department.
As for efficient marketing company will require good marketers who can promote the company
effectively. The HR department will recruitments of the employees who have adequate skills and
knowledge and can help the marketing team in achieving their objectives. HRM will also provide
timely training to the team to enhance their skills. Good marketing will automatically attract
expert candidates. The company can attract the candidate by giving advertisements on the online
portals and other sources. Marketing will create the reputation of the company in the outside
world which will help the HR department to acquire new talents which can help the company in
achieving the goals and vision of the company.
P3 Comparing marketing mix used by Cosmos and Thomas Cook
Marketing mix
Marketing mix can be defines as putting right products and services over right place, at
the perfect timings and at the reasonable prices. 7Ps of marketing mix are product price place
promotion
7 Ps Cosmos Thomas Cook
PRODUCT Tourism being a service industry
sells product in the form of
experience that the customers
receive. Cosmos is providing its
customers with products such as
destination stays, unique wedding
destinations, car hires, foods and
accommodations for corporate and
other business resources. The
company facilitates the customers by
making arrangements for the
currencies of different countries. The
other services of the company are the
Thomas cook was known for promoting
mass tourism. Company launched
number of coupons for the food and the
stays at accommodations. The company
gains a considerable popularity in the
society. The products offered by the
company are holiday packages, hotel
stays, insurances, travelling and other
tourisms related services. The company
is under the group of Thomas(Barrett
and Weinstein, 2015). The company has
gained promotions because of its
services which are completely different
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special adventure and other cultural
trips in different countries. The
company is specialising in giving its
customers quality products.
from the other companies. It is also
providing its customers with the cards
which can be used in multiple countries
as it has the facilitate he customers with
multiple currencies in the single
account(Marketing Mix, 2019).
PRICE Thomas Cook is using premium
pricing policy for its products and
services. The company is able to
charge premium price as it is
providing the services which no
other travel company is providing to
the customers. The destination trips
and the adventure trips with high
insurances and safety measures help
to charge premiums.
Pricing has an important aspect in the
marketing mix and the Thomas cook has
excelled in managing effective prices
and is using penetration pricing policy.
The company charges it customers as per
the packages availed by them. The prices
charged by the Thomas cook are
reasonable and justified which is helping
them to remain competitive in the
market(JAIN, 2017).
PLACE Cosmos is big company but is
available through online and have
limited number of physical stores.
The company has its stores at almost
all the tourists places and around the
big corporate offices. The locations
of its offices have helped the
company in getting more awareness
among the people. The company
being a premium one also attracts the
attention number of tourists.
Company has its stores all round the
world and its is present both in physical
and over virtual platform. The easy
availability of the stores has helped the
company in gaining competitive
advantage. People can approach the
stores in case of misconceptions about
the services provided by the company
and get clarifications about the trips or
any other related issues.
PROMOTION The company is using push
strategies for promoting its strategy.
The company is using Pull strategy for
attracting the customers. The company
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The company is collaborating with
the big corporates to promote their
products by giving them heavy
discounts for encouraging the
employees to go on vacations. The
company is also promoting its
services by providing new
conference places at the first on
discounted prices (Javanmard,
Noruzi and Nakhoda, 2016).
promote its products through online over
websites and social mediums. The
company is using the free trips coupons
scheme, collaboration with other
corporates for planning their packages.
Discounting and offers attract people
towards the services provided by the
company. The company is also
advertising through the brochures and by
visiting the stores, malls and other public
places.
PEOPLE Cosmos is having various policies
for benefiting its employees. The
company is providing its employees
with the free accommodation
facilities and make necessary
arrangements for their livings. The
company provides strict but flexible
environment to its employees and
the employees are allowed to keep
their views about enhancing the
services. The employees are the
people who will actual deal with the
customers so it is important that the
company ensure their satisfaction so
that they can reflect the company in
the best possible way.
The company is very much conscious
about its staff and provides proper
satisfaction to the employees working
with the organisation. The company is
maintaining over 5000 employees all
around the world. The employees are the
people who help the company to achieve
its objectives and goals. The company
offers free trips to the employees on
achieving the targets(Fahmi, Fathoni
and Harini, 2019).
PROCESS The company follows customized
system for providing its services to
the people of the company. Cosmos
Process of the Thomas cooks to deal
with the customer and to deliver its
services is properly managed. The
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customizes its services as per the
customer requirement. The company
has processes for providing its
customers with all other services
such as arranging for their visas and
other documentation for their tours.
company. The company ensures that
customers grievances are sorted out on
immediate basis to help them and the
company provides with proper guidance
procedures and the structure of their
packages or any other services being
provided by the company.
Physical
Evidence
The company is having its existence
in almost all the locations of tourists
and the corporate areas which is
attracting the target customers who
can afford to take the holiday
packages and other services of the
company(Venaik and Midgley,
2019).
The company is having more than
150000 hotels all around the globe. The
physical access of the company stores
ease the people to have face to face
interactions to the company.
P4 Marketing plan for Cosmos
Executive summary
Company is planning to bring new services for enhancing the customer experience. The
company keeping in view the increased competition in the market is coming out with new
marketing plans for promoting its product. The company is adopting the new marketing plan
keeping in mind the mission and vision of Cosmos. The objectives of the marketing plan are
defined. The company has applied SWOT analysis for knowing the position of the company.
And has framed the new budget for the plan.
Vision
The vision of the company is to become the world's most lovable holiday company. The
company is aiming to put the customers at heart for gaining the trust of the customers.
Mission
To mission of the company is to help the people to get out of their shells and experience
the beauty of the world. The mission of the company is to gain 100% of the satisfied customers.
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The company will be providing quality services to he company which no other travel company is
providing(Lovelock, and Patterson, 2015).
Objective
Objective of the marketing plan is to provide new experience to the customers within the sane
budgeted rates.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
only company which has access over the islands and is having the proper connevting channels
which no other travel agency possess.
Weakness
The holiday packages of the company are very high and the company does not have the plans for
the low budget group.
Opportunities
the trend of destination weddings has opened bi opportunities for the company as the company
provides full wedding plans(Rowley, J., 2016).
Threat
There are various competitors who are also now providing the destination at much lower rates
which can pull the customer base from the people.
7 Ps of the new plan
Product – the company will be now providing free pickup and drop services to the customers
free of cost
Price – The company will be lowering its prices by 5% to attract the customers and by giving gift
hamper discounts.
Place – company has gained access over new destinations which is all new for the world to
explore.
Promotion – Company will tie with banks ad other business associates who will promote the
business of the company over their cards and other business events.
People – Company will be employing new staff who are localities who will be giving traditional
experience to the customers.
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Process – company to ease the process will be visiting the places of the customers for personally
guiding them.
Physical Evidence – New destination will add to the large group of the company and it will
further increase its presence.
Budget of the Cosmos for the new plan
Advertisement GBP10000
Rent GBP15000
Salary GBP35000
Administration GBP 20000
Total GBP 80000
Monitoring and Controlling
From the above budget managers can make necessary arrangements for the
implementation of the marketing plan. The budget has prepared by the experts keeping in mind
the policies of the Cosmos. The company can achieve its plan by taking the above strategies
properly.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that the company for achieving its objectives has to
implement the marketing mix effectively. Cosmos deals in premium holiday packages and
destination weddings. The company can achieve its target only by the proper application of the
marketing mix. The comparison shows the companies have to be deliver everything new which
other competitors do not provide to remain competitive in the market and there is a need for the
company to come up with new marketing plans for promoting its business.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Javanmard, M., Noruzi, A. and Nakhoda, M., 2016. Identify factors affecting the increase of
users of the libraries of Astan Quds Razavi based on the marketing mix 4C. Iranian Journal of
Library and Information Science. 18(4). pp.31-54.
JAIN, M.K., 2017. An analysis of marketing mix: 7Ps or more. International Journal of Advance
Higher Education Research & Development. 1(7).
Barrett, H. and Weinstein, A., 2015. Corporate entrepreneurship, the marketing mix, and
business performance. In Proceedings of the 1997 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual
Conference (pp. 144-150). Springer, Cham.
Fahmi, F., Fathoni, A. and Harini, C., 2019. THE EFFECT OF MARKETING MIX, PRODUCT
QUALITY, AND BRAND EQUITY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION THAT IMPACT ON
INTEREST TO BUY (Case Study in CV. IKILHO KONVEKSI). Journal of Management. 5(5).
Ahmed, S. and Rahman, M., 2015. The effects of marketing mix on consumer satisfaction: A
literature review from Islamic perRowley, J., 2016spective. Turkish Journal of Islamic
Economics. 2(1). pp.17-30.
Venaik, S. and Midgley, D.F., 2019. Archetypes of marketing mix standardization-adaptation in
MNC subsidiaries: Fit and equifinality as complementary explanations of
performance. European Journal of Marketing. 53(2). pp.366-399.
Lovelock, C. and Patterson, P., 2015. Services marketing. Pearson Australia.
Rowley, J., 2016. Information marketing. Routledge.
Ashraf, T. and Bhalla, A.S., 2018. Marketing Mix Strategies: A Case Study of Jammu &
Kashmir Cements Ltd. ZENITH International Journal of Business Economics & Management
Research. 8(3). pp.96-105.
Alserhan, B.A., 2017. The principles of Islamic marketing. Routledge.
Online
Marketing Mix. 2019. [ONLINE] Available through <https://www.smartinsights.com/marketing-
planning/marketing-models/how-to-use-the-7ps-marketing-mix/>
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