Marketing in Travel and Tourism: Strategic Planning for Thomas Cook

This report examines marketing strategies within the travel and tourism industry, focusing on Thomas Cook and its tour packages to destinations like Morocco and Egypt. It explores core marketing concepts, the impact of the marketing environment (macro and micro) on the travel sector, and factors influencing consumer motivation and demand. The report analyzes market segmentation principles, strategic marketing planning, the importance of marketing research, and the influence of marketing on society. It also discusses the product, price, and place elements of the marketing mix, the service sector mix, and the concept of the total tourism product. Furthermore, the report assesses the integrated nature of the promotional mix and proposes a promotional campaign for Thomas Cook's 2018 holidays. The report highlights the importance of understanding consumer needs, adapting to environmental factors, and employing effective marketing strategies to achieve business objectives and gain a competitive advantage in the travel and tourism sector.

MARKETING IN
TRAVEL AND
TOURISM

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
1.1 The core concepts of marketing for the travels and tourism..................................................3
1.2 Assess the impact of marketing environment on individual travel and tourism sector within
Thomas Cook Group and tourist destinations like Morocco and Egypt......................................4
1.3 Discuss the factors affecting consumer motivation and demand in travel and tourism sector
......................................................................................................................................................5
1.4 Analyze the principles of market segmentation and its uses in marketing planning at
Thomas Cook Group....................................................................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Analyse the importance of strategic marketing planning......................................................6
2.2 Relevance of marketing research and marketing information to managers...........................8
2.3 Influences of marketing on society........................................................................................8
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
3.1 Discuss issues in the product, price and place elements of the marketing mix.....................9
3.2 Assess the importance of service sector mix elements to the travel sector.........................10
3.3 Apply the concept of the total tourism product to an individual tourism business such as
Thomas Cook ............................................................................................................................11
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
4.1 Assess the integrated nature and role of promotional mix...................................................12
4.2 Plan and justify an integrated promotional campaign for Thomas Cook 2018 Holidays....13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19

INTRODUCTION
Marketing plays a significant role in enhancing current market conditions of an entity as
their desired aim is to create awareness among customers. It can be compared with the magic
wand that transforms poor condition of an entity into its strength as marketing principles and
concept used by an entity owner in order to improve the existing quality of all the business
operations in order to deliver right amount of services to satisfy the needs of variety of
competitors. Thomas Cook has been selected for the current project report whose major aim is to
design its tour packages of summer holidays by considering two particular tourist destinations
such as Morocco and Egypt which are famous Mediterranean places. This project is segmented
into four major parts out of which initial phase belongs to core concepts of marketing that
emphasises on enhancing overall performance of Thomas Cook in extending its overall market
share in the external business environment. Second part of this report is all about the role of
marketing in inducing current performance of an entity which needs to be linked with all the
aims and the objectives develop by an entity owner. Third part of the report focuses on different
factors of marketing mix which needs to consider by an entity in order to grab higher market
advantage by improving current performance of Thomas Cook in the external environment.
Lastly this particular report emphasises on launching new campaign of starting new tour
packages especially for summer holidays as exotic paces are enclosed in the tour packages such
as Morocco
1.1 The core concepts of marketing for the travels and tourism
1 Demand / need/ wants – it is a desire or wish that the costumer want to get fulfilled thorough
the services. Needs are the basic requirements like food clothing shelter and safety. In terms of
travel and tourism the organizations like Thomas cook has to provide the basic need to be
fulfilled of the customers to whom they are providing the summer holiday packages.
2 Products-goods/services/place – the product or services the organization like Thomas cook
provide to customer should satisfy the customer . The places Thomas cook select for the stay
should be proper for the travels to take rest, it is important so that they can travel in the fresh
mood next day

3 Value/ cost/ satisfaction- the value that customer is paying to the Thomas cook should get the
return off what they are paying for the services. Customer should get the satisfaction and the
Thomas cook must deliver for the cost.
4 Exchange- their should be two parties and each party must have value for other party. Thomas
cook and the customer exchange the money and the services .
5 Relationship/ networking – relationship with the customers is important in travel and tourism.
It can be achieved by delivery of high quality good services st fair price
6 Market- a market consist of all the potential customers. The travel and tourism organization
like Thomas and cook has to target the market in which they get the more and more customers .
1.2 Assess the impact of marketing environment on individual travel and tourism sector within
Thomas Cook Group and tourist destinations like Morocco and Egypt
Thomas cook is a huge player in travel and tourism sector. It has been spread wide across
the world. The environment of different tourist destinations like Egypt and morocco is divided
into two broad categories. Macro environment and micro environment.
1 macro environment
a) Political- Thomas cook can achieve the high growth because the political conditions of Egypt
and morocco are highly supportive economic growth and development and are highly secured in
nature.
b) Economical- economic growth is stable and high that can be supportive factor for Thomas and
cook in Egypt and morocco.
c) Social- the culture of Egypt and morocco are of various kind. It is the positive factor for
Thomas and cook as they can provide the variety of cultural experience.
d) Technological- In today's world technology is developing rapidly. Egypt and morocco adapt
this technology time to time it helps in growth to company.
e) Legal- Egypt and morocco has the lenient rules and regulation that helps Thomas and cook to
achieve high growth.
f) Environment- the environment of the Egypt and morocco is attractive and positive in nature
that helps Thomas and cook to growth.
Micro environment

a)Suppliers- the travel agents from Egypt and morocco provides the complete facilities and
solution that helps Thomas and cook to get success in the tourism sector.
b)Competitors- Thomas and cook had the limited number of companies which they managed
properly with the evaluation of the competitors strategies.
c) market- travels and tourism is a huge market. Thomas and cook with the help of Egypt and
morocco agents has lots of customers and are satisfied with the services.
d) organization- Thomas and cook has achieved the goodwill through the satisfaction they
provide to the customers.
e)customers- Thomas and cook makes the holidays packages to attract the customers
f)Intermediaries- Egypt and morocco plays a mediator role for the Thomas and cook to gain
more and more customers.
1.3 Discuss the factors affecting consumer motivation and demand in travel and tourism sector
Thomas and cook management varies while preparing the tour packages for Egypt and
morocco. The factors affecting consumer motivation and demand in travel and tourism are
Tourist destination –The two Islamic destination Egypt and morocco are at two different
corners of north Africa. This two sides of the country has highly grown in the travel and tourism
sector . It happens because Egypt and morocco has attracted the tourist across all over the world .
This country attracts the tourist because of ancient architecture and culture.
Tour attraction- attraction plays and most important role to influence the individual decision to
select the destination to visit. Morocco has been the most Islamic culture. It includes cities like
Rabat and meknes on the other side the Egypt has master piece of ancient architecture it includes
pyramids and sphinx.
Hospitality services- Services are based on Islamic tradition and culture. Both the countries
provide huge hospitality services. Hotels provide all kind of cuisine food according to the taste of
the tourist. It plays an important role in the selection of the destination for the traveler.
Connectivity- Airline companies and tour agencies offers a different service of transportation
from respective countries to reach the destination. Connectivity attracts the customers because it
makes then convenient. After, the reach to the destination the local transportation services are

also needed to travel. The organizations like Thomas and cook has the good connectivity across
the world.
1.4 Analyze the principles of market segmentation and its uses in marketing planning at Thomas
Cook Group.
Thomas and cook makes a plan to attract the customers for tourist destination to Egypt
and morocco to select customers to whom to target. Market segmentation helps Thomas cook
target the customers
Geographical segmentation- Segmentation is done on the basic of the location as the Thomas
cook target the Islamic religion to get the customers or tourist for the Egypt and morocco.
Demographic segmentation- The segmentation is done on the bases of the age and gender of an
individual. Thomas and cook target the youth those who are interested in culture and ancient
architecture history.
Psychological segmentation- this segment is based on the lifestyle of the people. They target the
people who is interested in the ancient architecture, people who want to do research etc.
Positioning- Positing play an important role in order to attract the tourist to the variety of tourist
destinations Positioning is set in the minds of the customers and plays a distinctive place in the
minds of the customers (Roque and Raposo, 2016). Positioning is created by the services given
to the customers and the satisfaction level that has reach the customers. Thomas cook has well
settled the positioning in the minds of the customers.
Targeting- targeting is the focus of the organization. They target the segment which the
management select and which will grow their business. Targeting plays and important role to get
the customers as the organization targets the wrong segment then they will not get the potential
customers. Thomas and cook has managed to target the segment on the basic of religious to get
the tourist for Egypt and morocco.
TASK 2
2.1 Analyse the importance of strategic marketing planning
Strategic marketing is regarded as one of the important framework that guides an entity in
order to aware all the consumers located in the external business environment as the desired aims
of the business is to grab higher market opportunities. This kind of plan is prepared by an entity
owner that guides the action of the business as this helps an entity in improving their current

market performance by resolving all kinds of problems currently faced by an individual.
Strategies crafted by an entity after observing the strategies of all the competitors located in the
similar industry such as Cox&Kings that gives tough fight to an entity.
This kid of plan prepared by an entity will be effective fir an enterprise in order to grab
higher market opportunities after analyzing the overall strengths and capabilities of an entity that
needs to be improved with passage of time as this is essential in order to grab higher market
advantage in order to deliver right amount of services to all the end consumers for the services
offered by the business in the travel and tourism industry.
Tours destinations like Morocco and Egypt included as one of the factor's int the travel
and tourism package need to be used as one of the important factors in improving current
performance of an entity in order to gather large number of audience in the external business
environment. Gathering large amount of audiences is essential as this will prevent an entity's
current strengths. Marketing and promotion of the Thomas Cod is essential as this would help an
entity in order to gain higher market advantage in the external market by emphasises on
achieving all the desired aims and the objectives within a particular time period in attaining the
success in the plan prepared by an entity for the betterment of the firm.

2.2 Relevance of marketing research and marketing information to managers
Thomas Cook plan for conducting summer holiday for Egypt and Morocco therefore,
researcher of organization conducts research for analyzing tourists' views for further planning.
However, this research is conducted through different methods by conducting survey, face to
face interview and several methods for research (Wachowiak ed., 2016). Further, these collected
data are analyzed that generates different ideas for implementation of entity and increasing
efficiency at high level. In addition to this, market research is able to conducting getting
customers' views that presents market demand as well actual performance of organization is
presented through this process. However, Thomas Cook role in tourism sector of country is
obtained through this method that presents current market position. In this regard, effective
market position is obtained that proceed to make decisions for better quality services at high
level.
After collecting data, information are transferred for different level managers of the
organization. In this process, marketing manager of company uses management information
system that is considered as between top level and low level employees. Therefore, transaction of
data is presented in effective manner that proceed to make decisions and also able to
coordinating among managers of middle level. However, marketing information are essential to
be gained for managers therefore on the basis of analysis, they can make decisions for further
business operations. In this process, proper management of all business operations can be
achieved as well effective for creating positive environment of organization. However, on the
basis of consumers' opinions, several plans are made for creating holiday package more attractive
to gain high level of satisfaction.
2.3 Influences of marketing on society
In this process, different ideas of customers created for holiday package of Thomas Cook
regarding destination for Egypt and Morocco. Therefore, these are impacted to prepare strategies
for operating activities as well creating innovations in traveling and accommodation services.
Under this system, marketing manager of organization plans for crating innovations and
uniqueness in package plan therefore society can get aware through planning process of
organization's effectiveness. In addition to this, decisions are made regarding attracting tourists
of country and of other nations. It influences productivity and profitability of Thomas Cook for

better quality services and improving efficiency at high level. Moreover, several tools and
techniques are created for implementing summers holidays efficiency as well making decisions
related to marketing strategies for increasing in demand for holiday planning at large scale.
TASK 3
3.1 Discuss issues in the product, price and place elements of the marketing mix
Role of marketing has increases with the increasing level of competition in the existing in
ravel and tourism industry where its of new entrants affect the overall performance of an entity
that need to be managed by using several factors of the marketing mix (Wachowiak ed., 2016).
Aim pf the marketing is to aware all kinds of customers of the external environment by attracting
them towards the bu sines of Thomas Cook by showing all the strengths of an entity and
covering its weaknesses by adopting several innovative and creative method in boosting
performance of the business.
PWachowiak, H. ed., 2016roduct- One of the important aspects of marketing mix is to design
the products or services according to the tastes and preferences of different kinds of customers as
their major aim is to accomplish all the goals and the objectives within a given period. The tour
packages designed by Thomas Cook for Summer Holidays is one of the products that included
two important tourist destinations such as Morocco and Egypt. The classification of all the
products includes two important categories such as tangible as well as intangible criterion's in
improving the existing conditions of the business in attracting wide number of customers
towards their products.
Tangible elements
The tangible attribute of tour packages includes food provided at the hotel, designing of
room, ambiance of hotel, swimming pool and spa.
Intangible elements
Services provided by the Thomas Cook in satisfying-all kinds of needs and the
expectations of several customer's includes travel services, itinerary plan, amenities, flight
insurance.
Price- The cost aspects affecting the sale of all the tour packages designed by an entity like
Thomas Cook by catering all the needs and higher expectations of the customers. Price is the
monetary consideration paid by an individual to the firm as in exchange they get all kinds of

important services offered by an entity. Price sensitive customers always seek for affordable
prices for different products or services offered to them in order to satisfy their higher Roque, V.
and expectations. The designing of all kinds of prices is essential as this is regarded as one of the
important in stealing the attention of most of the customers towards the services of an entity.
Cost plus pricing- In this kind of approach different kinds of costs will be included in the
pricing of products such as fixed as well as variable costs along with specific percentage of profit
included in the price of all the products or services.
Break-even pricing- In this particular approach, pricing of products will be based on the break
even point in which pricing of product will be based on break even point.
Break-even point= Fixed costs/contribution per unit
Place- The place play an important role in the tour packages as the exotic beauty of particular
lace will attract wide number of customers towards all the services offered by an entity in order
to achieve al the desired aim's and the objectives within a given period (Roque and Raposo,
2016). In the give case scenario, place selected by an entity which will be included in the tour
packages involves Morocco and Egypt as the attractive beauty of these places will treat the
interest of most of the customer. Various tourist spots located in the Morocco and Egypt such as
Pyramid of Giza in Egypt and other beaches and sand dunes in Morocco will attract most of the
customers towards the historical background of the places which in turn increases the current
business of an entity.
Promotion- The basic aim of the business is to aware external market customers located in the
external environment in order to grab higher market opportunities in order to cater all needs and
the expectations. Promotion in the case of Thomas Cook is done in form of distributing all the
brochures of different tour packages offered by an entity in order to satisfy all their needs and
higher expectations as their major aim is to accomplish all the goal and the objectives within a
given period as they held responsible for improving existing performance of an entity.
3.2 Assess the importance of service sector mix elements to the travel sector
Quality of service is regarded as one of the important aspects in the travel and tourism
industry which is renowned for providing services to al kinds of services in order to get higher
market advantages in the business (Leung, Xue and Bai, 2015). Thomas Cook will offer different
kinds of services by designing different tour packages as all kinds of services offered by an entity

in order to seal the attention of most of the users exists in the external business environment as
their desired aim is to accomplish all kinds of goals and the objectives within a given period.
Thomas cook offers variety of services to all the customers that includes flight and airlines
services by booking different tickets according to the tastes and preferences of several numbers
of customers located at the external business environment.
Internal marketing- It is also reamed as inward facing marketing in which marketer will utilize
all internal business functions in order to motivate all the customers in order to increases the
higher level of customer satisfaction as the services of an entity is offered in achieving all the
goals and the objectives develop by an entity. Such as IT technology is used by an entity in order
to cater variety of needs and the expectations towards the services of the business.
3.3 Apply the concept of the total tourism product to an individual tourism business such as
Thomas Cook
Total tourism product is regarded as one of the important concept used by an individual
in order to gain higher market advantages in the external market. The basic aim of an entity is to
gain higher market advantage by catering all aims and targets of an individual in order to get
higher level of customers satisfaction located in the external business environment. Role of
Thomas Cook gets increases with the passage of time as their desired aims is to accomplish all
the aims and targets by providing all their services in minimizing all the obligations imposed on
an entity from the external business environment.
Total tourism product is act alike a bundle which included all kinds of important services
which is required by an entity in order to design the best suitable tour packages in order to satisfy
all the needs and the expectations of different customers (Wang and Xu, 2015). Thomas Cook
will gain of experience while designing the tour packages which is regarded as one of the
important technique in improving existing performance of an entity in order to grab higher
market advantage in the external business environment as the overall scope of the business gets
increases with the time.
In the current business scenario of Thomas Cook who intends to launch new tour package
for summer holidays in 2018 by emphasises on two important tour destinations such as Morocco
or Egypt as the designing of tour packages is based on all kinds of factors considered by an entity
in the external business environment in order to achieve the attention of most of the buyers in the

external business environment. Total product tourism used by Thomas Cook which emphasises
on various things which includes tourist destinations that is Morocco and Egypt. Variety of
airlines used by an entity as per the tastes and preferences of different customers.
TASK 4
4.1 Assess the integrated nature and role of promotional mix
Promotion is regarded as one of the important approach that helps in enhancing overall
conditions of the business who are taking advantages of all kinds of promotional tools and
technique in improving existing business performance of an entity (Tse, 2015). Promotional mix
is one of the element of marketing mix which created awareness among all the customers
located in the external business environment. Promotion is essential for every business as this
helps in improving existing business fer taken into considerations all business aspects in
identifying the real strength of the business. Marketing is regarded as the essential tool used by
an entity like Thomas Cook who understand their actual strength in order to design all of their
products or services according to needs and the higher expectations of all kinds of customers
located in the external business environment in order to heal all the wounds of the business due
to the attack of competitors exists in the business. Thee are various kinds of promotional tools
used by Thomas Cook in improving current performance of the business is given as below:
Advertising- It is that kind of promotional tool in which the strength of the business will reflect
the ideas and all goods or services offered by an entity to all kinds of customers (Wang and Xu,
2015). This kind of approach used by Thomas Cook will present all kinds of tour packages
current designed by an entity will be presented among all kinds of customers in animated form
along with audio and video to create larger impact on the minds of an individual to influence
them in order to purchase the packages of the business.
Personal selling- it is that method in which special employee is appointed by an entity who will
search in the market and identifies the potential customers for the business who will book the
tour packages of the business concern. In this approach, motive of an entity is to satisfy all the
needs and higher expectations of the firm in order to grab higher market advantage in the
external business environment as in this way an individual specially appointed by the firm will
directly interact with all the customers in order to tell bout the pros and cons about the tour
packages in order to achieve all kinds of and the objectives within given period.

4.2 Plan and justify an integrated promotional campaign for Thomas Cook 2018 Holidays

CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above assignment that marketing play a significant role in
improving existing business performance of an entity like Thomas Cook. Existing market
performance need to be evaluated by an entity owner as they held responsible for understanding
all the needs and higher expectations of all the customers located in the external business market.
This report emphasises on developing a tour package on summer holiday on two important
destinations due to several tourist attractions of these places as the sales and the revenue of an
entity will get increases with the time in getting higher level of customer satisfaction. Role of an
entity is to analyze its current core competencies that can be used in the favor of Thomas Cook in
capturing higher market share in the external business environment. This report emphasises on
market segmentation which is essential in order to classify all their customers according to
geographical and demographic market segment in achieving all the desired aims and targets
within a given period as this helps in gaining higher market opportunities lies in the external
business environment.

REFERENCES
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Tse, T. S., 2015. A review of Chinese outbound tourism research and the way forward. Journal
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Fernández-Morales, A., Cisneros-Martínez, J. D. and McCabe, S., 2016. Seasonal concentration
of tourism demand: Decomposition analysis and marketing implications. Tourism
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Wang, S. and Xu, H., 2015. Influence of place-based senses of distinctiveness, continuity, self-
esteem and self-efficacy on residents' attitudes toward tourism. Tourism Management. 47.
pp. 241-250.
Zhong, L., Wu, B. and Morrison, A. M., 2015. Research on China's tourism: A 35‐year review
and authorship analysis. International Journal of Tourism Research. 17(1). pp. 25-34.

Lai, I. K., 2015. Traveler acceptaBuhalis, D. and Foerste, M., 2015. SoCoMo marketing for
travel and tourism: Empowering co-creation of value. Journal of Destination Marketing &
Management. 4(3). pp. 151-161.
Horner, S. and Swarbrooke, J., 2016. Consumer behaviour in tourism. Routledge.
Liu, Z. and Park, S., 2015. What makes a useful online review? Implication for travel product
websites. Tourism Management. 47. pp. 140-151.
Rihova, I. and et.al., 2015. Conceptualising customer‐to‐customer value co‐creation in tourism.
International Journal of Tourism Research. 17(4). pp. 356-363.
Wachowiak, H. ed., 2016. Tourism and borders: contemporary issues, policies and international
research. Routledge.
Leung, X. Y., Xue, L. and Bai, B., 2015. Internet marketing research in hospitality and tourism: a
review and journal preferences. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management. 27(7). pp. 1556-1572.
Roque, V. and Raposo, R., 2016. Social media as a communication and marketing tool in
tourism: an analysis of online activities from international key player DMO. Anatolia.
27(1). pp. 58-70.
Tse, T. S., 2015. A review of Chinese outbound tourism research and the way forward. Journal
of China Tourism Research. 11(1). pp. 1-18.
Fernández-Morales, A., Cisneros-Martínez, J. D. and McCabe, S., 2016. Seasonal concentration
of tourism demand: Decomposition analysis and marketing implications. Tourism
Management. 56. pp. 172-190.
Wang, S. and Xu, H., 2015. Influence of place-based senses of distinctiveness, continuity, self-
esteem and self-efficacy on residents' attitudes toward tourism. Tourism Management. 47.
pp. 241-250.
Zhong, L., Wu, B. and Morrison, A. M., 2015. Research on China's tourism: A 35‐year review
and authorship analysis. International Journal of Tourism Research. 17(1). pp. 25-34.