Marketing Essentials Report: Thomas Cook's Marketing Strategies

This report delves into the marketing essentials within the travel and tourism sector, using Thomas Cook PLC as a case study. It begins by outlining the roles and responsibilities of the marketing function, emphasizing customer needs, competitive analysis, market expansion, pricing strategies, and target market identification. The report then explores the interrelationships between the marketing department and other organizational units, including IT, research and development, finance, and human resources, highlighting how these departments collaborate to achieve organizational goals. Furthermore, the report compares the marketing mix strategies of Thomas Cook PLC and TUI, examining their product offerings, pricing, promotional activities, distribution, people management, process optimization, and physical evidence. Finally, the report proposes a marketing plan tailored for Thomas Cook PLC, designed to meet its marketing objectives. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the application of marketing principles within the travel and tourism industry.

MARKTING ESSENTIALS
FOR TRAVEL AND
TOURISM

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Roles and responsibilities of the marketing function.............................................................3
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing to the wider organisational context........................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P3 Comparison of marketing mix in different organisation to achieve business objective........6
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
P4 Marketing plan for Thomson cook plc to meet marketing objectives.................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is the process, which is undertaken by the company to attract the potential
customers through promoting buying and selling of the products and services in the market. This
include the advertising, selling and delivering of the products and services to the end users
(Marketing,2019). This report of marketing essentials is based on the Thomas cook group plc
which is UK based travel and tourism company work in Hospitality industry. It was formed on
19 June 2017 by merger of Thomas cook AG and MY Travel group plc. It provides the various
services to the customers like scheduled passenger Airline, holiday packages, cruise lines, hotel
and resorts.
This report will include the different roles and responsibilities of the marketing functions
within the organisation to promote its growth. This will also include the interrelationship of the
marketing with the other department hos does it help to other department of their smooth
operation. Further more this will explain how the marketing-mix of the organisation is different
from the other organisation. At last will include basic marketing plan to meet the marketing
objective of the organisation.
TASK 1
P1 Roles and responsibilities of the marketing function
Marketing is refers to activities of the Thomas Cook travel and tourism organisation
which is associated with buying and selling of the services by advertising, promoting and
delivering the hospitality services to the customer to make them satisfy and fulfil their needs
(Babin and Zikmund, 2015).
There are various different roles and responsibilities which is performed by the marketing
department of the Thomas cook plc to Marketing promote their services in the market and to
increase sale and make image in the hospitality industry. These roles and responsibilities are as
follows:
Listen to the customer needs – For establishment of the marketing strategies, it is important for
the manager Thomas cook plc to get closer to the customers to find out their buying and
purchasing behaviour, what are their need and wants from the company. This help the Thomas
cook company to make their marketing strategy in order to attract more customer by delivering
the services to them as per their choice and need (Kotler and et.al, 2017). Thomas and cook use

internal and external channel to get the information about the customers and their choice. In the
internal channel company take support from the sales team and report on the basis of the sales
report they identify the which services attract the customers most.
Monitor the competition – in the hospitality industry it is very important to know the position
of the competitors in the market that what they are doing their best and apply best strategy, what
mistakes they are doing that the Thomas cook organisation will apply it in their organisation to
avoid falling into them. What services and products they are provide to customers at what price.
Theses are very necessary things for the Thomas and cook company to make their plans and
strategies according to it. If competitors provide holiday packages only to the adults than the
Thomas and cook can make changes in their holiday packages to attract more customers (Baker,
2016).
Widen the market – It is the responsibility of the marketing mangers of Thomas cook company
to increase their market size and widen the market. Marketing managers of the Thomas cook
company use the different tools to widen their market via advertising, promotion ad by using
different communication tools to make better and effective marketing strategies to increase the
market. Thomas cook company can take the help of the social media as well to promote their
services and increasing the brand image in the market (The Role of a Marketing
Department,2019).
Adapting right price – It is another important responsibility of the marketing department of the
Thomas cook to set and maintain the right pricing strategy for their holiday packages and
services, that any level of customers can easily afford their services. For this Thomas and cook
marketing adapt the right pricing strategy and provi9de the services to the customers at lower
price than competitors but price is like that give profit to the company, without objective of
gai8nging more profit no company can work (Stewart and Gugel, 2016).
Identifying the target market – Another role of the marketing department of Thomas and cook
is to identify the right target market where they can sale their services easily. Thomas cook plc
identify their target market and divide it into different segment on the basis of the customer's
need. Before expanding business in new country or a market company need top have identify
target market in which company can perform and where reaching to the customers is easy.
Conducting customer and market research – It is the responsibility of the marketing
department to conducting a re4search for the market and customers to take feedback from them

in order to get more information about the current market and needs and wants of the customers.
And id there is any issue and problem that the Thomas cook's manager can make changes in their
services to attract more and more customers to increase the market demand and image of the
company (Feng, Morgan and Rego, 2015).
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing to the wider organisational context
Marketing department of the Thomas cook plc has connected with the other department
of the organisation as well and help them to operate smoothly. Marketing department of the
Thomas cook has inter linked with the production, Human resource, research and development,
finance and other department as well to help them by providing data regarding the customer's
need, wants, and sale of the products,demand of he products in the market according to these
factors other department make changes and develop plans and strategies that could help the
Thomas cook company to increase sale and gain more profit.
Marketing with IT department: As the marketing department of Thomas cook plc have all the
data and information regarding the customers choice and demand and their requirements.
Marketing staff provide these information to the IT department and on the basis of these
information IT staff develop the websites of the company that what things and pricing and can
attract the customers. How the handle the technical problem of the customers at the time of
travelling (Ekpo and et.al., 2015). Also give statics which h social media channel customers use
mostly and make decision whether Thomas ad cook have to develop their mobile application or
not, or if its going to be develop than then on what platform or operating system does it will
work. In this way marketing helps the IT department.
Marketing and Research and Development: In the Thomas cook travel company, marketing
department is connected with the Research and development unit. Before entering into the new
market of producing the new product and services for the customers, research and development
department conduct a survey and analyse the market and make research report that helps the
Thomas cook plc to entering into the segment market and easy to targeting the customers, also
examine the new market or the country, there geographical nature, culture, customers nature
social, political and economical condition. As the research and development department generate
new ideas, innovation and creative services in the travelling packages to attack customers. In this
marketing department help the research and development to provide the potential customer;s

need and wants in order to deliver services regarding, holiday packages, airlines and cruise
booking and hotel booking to satisfy their customers (Matthyssens and et.al., 2016).
Marketing and Finance Department: Marketing department need to closely work with the
finance department to make ensure that there is an adequate budget that requires to meet the need
of research, advertising and promotion. As Thomas cook company's finance department pass the
budget of the whole year for every department in the organisation in which marketing
department has to work according to this available capital. All the profit and loss information of
buying selling of the product has to give financial department to make balance sheet at the end of
the year which helps the finance department to maintain the balance and out flow and inflow of
the Thomas cook company. Marketing may wish to overspend in their activities like promotion
and advertising if profitable marketing opportunities emerge over the year. Finance department
also help the marketing department to set the price of the services and packages as compared to
their competition (Bowie and et.al., 2016).
Marketing and Human Resource Management: As Human resource management helps to
hire the people according to need and the position in the Thomas cook company, HRM helps the
marketing to hire the employee that can handle all the making functions according to the
requirements and for smooth operating. The relation between HR and marketing should be very
strong as human resource help any department to gather experienced people and make them
experienced through training and ensure the appropriate skills and staffing in the Thomas cook
organisation to take place to research and develop new services, meet production target and
create an ambitious and competent sales team. Human resource helps the marketing to scoping
out the job and conduct interview and help to asses the candidates that can work effectively in
the marketing in the UK and also in the global context. And they both department have important
communication role, because of this aspects these both are closely related with each other
(Marketing department functions and relations with other departments,2012).
TASK 2
P3 Comparison of marketing mix in different organisation to achieve business objective.
Marketing mix is the action and tactics which is taken by the marketing manger of
Thomson cook plc and uses to formulated the product and services to customers. It also use to
promotes its brand image and services in the market. The marketing mix include the 7 elements

which are product, price, promotion , place, people,process, and physical evidence which help
the Thomson cook travel company to make strategies to increase the sale in the market and to
satisfy the customers.

Thomson cook plc TUI
Products Its product strategy regarding
product is that it launched the
series of coupons that can be
exchanged for stay and meal.
Soon this coupons get popular.
And the core products of
Thomson cook are
international holiday, domestic
holiday, weekend holiday and
senior citizen holiday. This
Thomson cook is one of the
largest fore exchange
facilitator and deals with 26
currencies. Thomson also
provide borderless prepaid
card which can add multiple
currency for travelling in
various part of the world. This
eliminate to carry multiple
currency with us. Thomson
cook also provide insurance
services to personal accident,
medical expense, loss of
checked baggage and loss of
passport.
It has set a 5 category for
products for the different
category of the costumers. Its
services are perceived as
higher quality (Leung, Xue
and Bai, 2015).
Price It applies discounting pricing
strategy. Thomson cook plc
has set their product's price in
range that is available for all
It follows the competitive
based pricing strategy.
Because of the data of the
competitors are easily

type of the customers. Product
price of Thomson cook travel
are reasonable that middle
class customer even can
willingly pay. There is high
price services and packages
are also available for the
different customers (Carpenter
and Lehmann, 2015).
available. It set higher price
than the competitors because it
offers more features. But every
customer can not afford its
services. And it also charge
greater price if which product
which sell online.
Promotions Thomson cook travel company
promotes its business and
products by showcasing its
holiday packages with
different theme like festive
holiday, group tour, adventure
holiday, beach holiday,
honeymoon holiday, cruise
special holiday and many
more. It promote and advertise
their services via different
tools like, through TV, social
media, hoardings, news paper,
magazines, internet and many
more.
This company uses traditional
methods for promoting its
services and products like
Television and radio to
promotion because it is the
easiest way to reach with the
people because of the easy
availability of these channel.
And uses the social media
platform as well.
Place The Thomson cook travel
company is available all over
the world in form of physical
form or in online stores. But
being a travel and tourism
company mostly people prefer
It uses both direct and Indirect
process to provide products to
customer. First is where it sells
it products directly through
online and second indirectly
through the mediator and

to deal face to ace situation.
But the availability in the
internet is make easy for
Thomson to expand business
and reaching with the
customers .
agents.
Process As this company use direct
method to provide goods to
end costumers, its process is
very smooth that there are no
hurdles that company have to
handle. There are several
process which is followed by
the Thomson cook. Customer
acquisition is done by lead
generation through ads. When
customers comes for enquiry
customization is done in the
holiday packages as according
to the their demand and
choice.
As this uses both methods to
supply hospitality services to
end customers so it has to
handle problems from
mediator. But it actively
involved in market activity to
reach out with the customers.
People To manage the employees and
customers there is customer
care cell who handles the
customer's queries and all kind
of problems. Workforce of
Thomson include trained
employees who are able to
guide and provide safety in
any injury and at the time of
This also solve the problems of
their customers directly by
face to face interaction and on
the telephone as well (Kotler
and et.al., 2017).

adventures tour all the time
present with guests.
Physical evidence Its infrastructure is so
attractive that every clients get
attract to it. It has number of
hotels across the worlds and
provide the services of holiday
packages all over the world.
All the offices are the biggest
touch points of the company
where customers easily can
meet and greet with employees
face to face.
It also has a good
infrastructure of the all the
stores. And its online website
which is user friendly and
allow the customers to view its
services and packages to
purchase.
TASK 3
P4 Marketing plan for Thomson cook plc to meet marketing objectives
Executive summary
Marketing plan is the process of a business document that monitor the strategies through
which company can meet its overall organisation goal. Marketing plan includes the marketing
strategies, objective, budget, monitoring and controlling activities to meet the organisational goal
(Kolb, B., 2006). This marketing plan will help the Thomson cook plc to meet the need of the
customers and to obtain the objective of the organisation.
Vision and mission
Thomson cook plc vision and mission is to provide best value products to their customers
and committed to and determined to challenges and overcome barriers and solve problem.
Marketing Objective
 start operating in other countries and online app till the end of the 2019.
 To increase the sell of the products by 45% till the end of the 2019.
Situation Analysis (SWOT and PESTEL analysis)
SWOT Analysis of Morrison