Strategic Marketing Plan for Travelodge: Achieving Objectives (7Ps)

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Travelodge's marketing strategies and functions within the travel and tourism sector. It begins by explaining the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function within Travelodge, analyzing its significance in the context of the marketi...Read More

Marketing Essentials
for Travel and
Tourism

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Explain the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function within a selected
travel and tourism organisation..............................................................................................1
M1. Analyse the roles and responsibilities of marketing in the context of the marketing
environment............................................................................................................................2
P2. Discuss how roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to the wider organisational
context....................................................................................................................................3
M2. Analyse the significance of interrelationships between marketing and other functional
units within a selected travel and tourism organisation..........................................................4
D1.Critically analyse the key elements of the marketing function and how they interrelate
with other functional units within a selected travel and tourism organisation.......................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Compare the ways in which different travel and tourism organisations apply the marketing
mix to the marketing planning process to achieve business objectives..................................5
M3. Evaluate different tactics applied by travel and tourism organisations to demonstrate how
business objectives are achieved............................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P4, M4. Produce a basic marketing plan for a travel and tourism organisation to meet
marketing objectives organisation..........................................................................................7
D2. Design a strategic marketing plan that tactically applies the use of the 7Ps and includes
measures for monitoring and evaluation to achieve overall marketing objectives..............10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Marketing refers to a business process in which relationships between customers are
created and developed for the purpose of providing them satisfaction by producing quality goods
and services (Avila-Robinson and Wakabayashi, 2018). This report is based upon Travelodge
which is a UK based travel and tourism organisation that provides hotel and hospitality services
throughout UK. It is the second largest hospitality sector that deals in United Kingdom
(Travelodge's, 2019). This report covers significant responsibilities and roles of the functions of
marketing within Travelodge and in context of its business environment. It also covers
interrelation of marketing with other departmental function and how they together achieve
organisational objectives. Further it covers comparison between various ways in which travel
and tourism sector uses marketing mix elements in its business process for attaining business
goals. At the end of this report, a marketing plan is developed for this organisation for
formulating certain strategies to meet business objectives.
TASK 1
P1. Explain the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function within a selected travel
and tourism organisation
Marketing refers to actions and business processes that helps in selling and promoting
goods and services in the target market. Marketing concept focuses upon attaining business
objectives by developing a company which is more effective than its competitors. It is developed
in four concepts such as production, product, selling and customer concept (Anche, Hozouri and
Mehdizadeh, 2014). In production concept, customers purchase those products which are
inexpensive. In product concept, they prefer products that has innovative features and is of better
quality. In selling concept, customers do not buy products by which an enterprise puts a lot of
efforts in achieving competitive edge in market. In customer concept, company focus upon
customers and provides goods and services as per their demand.
Marketing function plays a major role in formulating various business strategies and in
achieving various objectives of an organisation (Dileep and Mathew, 2017). In each sector,
marketing is important as it helps in making customers aware about current products and services
provided by the company. In travel and tourism sector, marketing has a wide role in promoting
and advertising certain services to its customers and in formulating an effective market plan and
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strategies as required. In Travelodge, there are various roles and responsibilities played by
marketing function in its various business process.
Roles and responsibilities of marketing function
1. Promotion- It refers to the procedure of making targeted customers aware about the
existence of a specific product or service. The basic role and responsibility which is
played by marketing in an organisation is to promote and advertise company's products
and services among its customers. This function helps the customers in knowing about
the availability of a particular product or service (Anche, Hozouri and Mehdizadeh,
2014). Travelodge uses both online and offline promotional measures in promoting its
services among customers. It has a mobile friendly application that makes consumers
aware about deals and offers offered by this company.
2. Product development- It refers to introducing and launching a brand new product in a
target market. Although product is developed in two ways, either by introducing a new
product or by making changes to the existing product by adding certain features to it.
Marketing plays an important role in developing a product by indulging itself in market
research. By conducting market research, Travelodge can develop its products in
accordance as per the changing demand and preferences of its target audience
(Aswathappa, 2013).
3. Marketing strategies- Marketing function is also responsible in formulating various
marketing strategies by analysing marketing environment. These strategies refers to long
term fundamental approach of market planning that helps the business in achieving its
competitive advantage (Othman and et. al., 2019). An organisation can choose from
various strategies such as market penetration, diversification, product and market
development. Travelodge keeps on updating its services by adopting product
development strategy by appropriately analysing current market conditions.
M1. Analyse the roles and responsibilities of marketing in the context of the marketing
environment
The role and responsibility of marketing is not limited to the organisational context but it
is more than this. Marketing plays a major role in analysing business environment and
identifying customer's tastes and preferences thereby. On that basis, it formulate various business
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strategies and provide products in accordance (Aswathappa, 2013). In Travelodge, the role of
marketing in environmental context is elaborated as follows-
Market research- It refers to the activities and actions for the purpose of gathering
information about tastes and preferences of customers. Marketing plays a major role in
conducting market research and in identifying customers preferences.
Monitoring marketing environment- Marketing plays a major role in monitoring
marketing environment by interpreting and assessing important data and information which is
collected by environmental scanning (Chang, Yu and Lu, 2015). Marketing helps in monitoring
marketing environment and analyse customers tastes and preferences and then produce products
and services in accordance.
P2. Discuss how roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to the wider organisational context
All the organisational functions are interlinked with each other for the purpose of
achieving business goals and objectives. In Travelodge, all the departments are closely
interlinked with each other and healthy relation is formed among them. Interrelation of
marketing with other departments are elaborated as follows-
Marketing and Finance department- These departments are closely interlinked with
each other for the purpose of achieving overall objectives of a business. In travel and tourism
organisation such as Travelodge, marketing function plays an important role in identifying tastes
and preferences of customers. It also helps in developing needs among consumers in regards to
specific services by using certain technology of promotion. Also, finance function ensures that
the company in appropriately utilise financial resources in order to carry on its activities of
promotion (Gengler and Mulvey, 2017). In short, marketing department helps in creating
demand in market and financial department provides monetary resources for the purpose of
fulfilling these demands by developing suitable services. It provides funds to marketing
department for carrying out its activities in proper manner.
Marketing and R&D department- In Travelodge, both research and development and
marketing department plays various functions and conducts business processes together in
achieving various goals of business (Chang, Yu and Lu, 2015). Marketing helps in generating
needs for certain services among the consumers and R&D department helps the company for
developing technology and innovation. If R&D will not able to generate different packages to its
customers than marketing will become ineffective. Similarly, if marketing will not convert these
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technologies into an appropriate product than research and development department will become
useless.
Marketing and HR department- In context of Travelodge, both the human resource as
well as marketing function plays a major role in achieving various aims and goals of a business.
Marketing department helps the HR department in advertising the job vacancies that are
available within an organisation through internal and external advertisement. (Glanz, Bader, and
Iyer, 2012). It also helps the organisation in positioning its brand image in the mind of
consumers. On the contrary, HR department provides certain training and development
programmes to marketing team which improves their performance. It is very important for this
enterprise to develop a balance between these two functions in order to achieve business goals.
M2. Analyse the significance of interrelationships between marketing and other functional units
within a selected travel and tourism organisation
It is very important for an organisation to have interrelation among its departments in
order to achieve overall business objectives in a more appropriate manner. In Travelodge,
marketing function helps in creating a demand in market and finance function helps in providing
financial resources to convert that demand into a product or service (Gengler and Mulvey, 2017).
Similarly, marketing helps the HR department in promoting certain vacant position available
within an organisation by indulging in advertisement. R&D department helps marketing in
providing certain innovation and technology that helps it to develop a suitable service that meet
overall customer's demands. So, it is very important for Travelodge to form balance between all
its department in order to achieve its overall business objectives (Gummesson, Kuusela, and
Närvänen, 2014).
D1.Critically analyse the key elements of the marketing function and how they interrelate with
other functional units within a selected travel and tourism organisation
Marketing is one of the most important function of an organisation and it do not only
responsible to the functioning of its own department but it also plays major role in other
departmental functioning. It helps the HR department in its recruitment procedure by promoting
vacant job positions among candidates. R&D department helps marketing by providing latest
technologies which it can use in order to develop a service that will meet customer's demands
(Glanz, Bader and Iyer, 2012). Finance department helps marketing function by providing
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monetary and financial resources. In short, all these departments are closely dependent upon
each other and a dis functioning of one department will make other ineffective.
TASK 2
P3. Compare the ways in which different travel and tourism organisations apply the marketing
mix to the marketing planning process to achieve business objectives
Marketing mix is described as mixture of factors which are controllable by the company
for influencing its customers to buy its products or services. Different organisations uses
marketing mix in a different manner which is dependent upon what objectives a company want
to achieve (Henriksen, 2012). Here, marketing mix of Travelodge is compared with marketing
mix of another travel and tourism organisation named Cosmos Holidays, that is a UK based
travelling company (What is the Marketing Mix and How Can You Use It?, 2019).
Comparison of marketing mix
Marketing Mix Travelodge Cosmos Holidays
Product This organisation provides
hospitality and hotel services
all over UK and other
countries. The major services
offered by this company are
modernised rooms, king size
beds, full licensed bars, cafes,
free Wi-Fi, and so on (Yusop,
Zin and Kurniawan, 2016).
It offers certain holiday
packages to its customers
which includes travelling, food
and accommodation services.
Price Travelodge uses moderate
pricing strategy in its services.
It offers budget friendly hotel
rooms that any person can
afford.
It uses low pricing strategy
which includes budget friendly
travelling packages which can
be easily affordable by middle
class person (Jobber and Ellis-
Chadwick, 2012).
Place It has around 560 hotels across It provides its services in many
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UK and Ireland. It also
provides its services in US,
Canada, Spain, Asia,
Australia, and New Zealand
(Gummesson, Kuusela and
Närvänen, 2014).
countries along with UK such
as Italy, Spain, Britain and
Central Europe.
Promotion It basically uses online
promotional measures for
promoting its services in the
target market such as social
media, its official website,
YouTube, and so on.
This organisation utilises
digital promotional measures
to advertise its services such as
Television, YouTube and
social media. It also provides
information about its services
in its official website.
People Travelodge has around 11,000
employees that work together
for looking out for its
customers. They provides
customers satisfaction by
solving their queries and
developing services that meet
customer's expectations
(Möller and Parvinen, 2015).
Its people includes its digital
marketing team that keeps
updating its travelling
packages and certain deals in
its official website. Also, the
tourist guide makes a good
impression in customer's mind
which results in enhancing
company's goodwill.
Process It has a simple procedure for
delivering its services among
customers. Consumers can
easily book hotels from its
official website or mobile
application as it provides
online payment method.
Its process is simple and easy
to understand. Customers get
information about various
deals and packages offered by
this company from its website
or other areas. Than, they can
simply book packages as per
their preference and pay
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online.
Physical Evidence Its official website is its
physical evidence. Moreover,
its beautiful and attractive
ambience of its hotel rooms,
bars, and cafes can also be
considered as its physical
evidence.
Its online website and
headquarter can act as a
physical evidence for this
company (Nagle and Muller,
2017).
M3. Evaluate different tactics applied by travel and tourism organisations to demonstrate how
business objectives are achieved
The elements of marketing mix are under the control of an organisation and its very
important to use them in an appropriate way to achieve business goals and objectives.
Travelodge uses marketing mix properly for developing suitable services that meet customer
expectations. It uses services as per consumer's demand, offers them by using moderate pricing
strategy, distribute its services in many countries and promote them by using both online and
offline measures (Linden and Linden, 2017). It has many employees that works together for
achieving its overall objectives. Customers can easily enjoy its services as it offers online
booking and payment facility. Moreover, its attractive ambience and website helps in building its
physical evidence.
TASK 3
P4, M4. Produce a basic marketing plan for a travel and tourism organisation to meet marketing
objectives organisation
Market plan is a component of overall business plan which is formulated to achieve
business objectives in an effective manner. A basic market plan includes mission, vision,
objectives and budget (Tanner and Raymond, 2015). For achieving overall objectives of
marketing plan, tools like STP model and SWOT analysis is prepared. It is a written document
that helps in determining certain activities if business which is involved in executing particular
marketing objectives within a specified period of time.
Marketing plan
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Overview
Travelodge is a British based travel and tourism organisation that provides hotel and
hospitality services to its customers at multinational level. It has more than 560 hotels all across
UK, Spain and Ireland. It offers certain services such as hotels, bar, cafes, restaurants, and so on.
Recently this organisation is planning to launch self check-in and self check-out service in order
to attract its customers (Anche, Hozouri and Mehdizadeh, 2014). For this purpose an effective
market plan is developed in order to formulate this service in effective manner.
Mission
The mission of Travelodge for launching this self check-in and check-out service is, “To
become people's favourite hotel for value that provides high satisfaction level to its
customers.”
Vision
The long term vision of Travelodge is, “ To become the number one travel and tourism
industry in the world and be ahead of its competitors.”
Objectives
The objectives of Travelodge towards launching self check-in and check-out service are-
 To increase its market share up to 10% in up coming one year.
 To increase the sales and profitability of this company up to 15% in up coming year.
STP Model
It is determined as a wide market framework that helps in segmenting market into various
categories, target customers and market, and position company's products and services in
customer's mind (Aswathappa, 2013). For the purpose of formulating marketing plan for
Travelodge, this model is used as follows-
Segmentation: It includes breaking down market into various categories which is done in
various forms such as demographic, psycho graphic, geographic, etc. Travelodge is launching
self check-in and check-out service in which it has segmented its market geographic segment and
is providing it in its major areas such as UK, US and Canada.
Targeting: It is the most crucial part of STP model and it helps the company in aiming at
customers and market that will most profitable for its business venture. In this approach,
company targets its customers and market to whom it is developing certain products or services.
In context of Travelodge, it is targeting this service of self check-in and check-out to those
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customers who has a very busy life and do not have much time to indulge themselves in check in
and check out proceedings.
Positioning: It refers to creating an image of company's products or services in
customer's mind. It is the process that includes what a marketer do to the minds of its targeted
audience. Travelodge has positioned its self check-in and check-out service as a service which
will help the customers in saving their time.
SWOT Analysis
This analysis refers to all internal factors such as company's strengths and weaknesses
and all external factors such as threats and opportunities which will have large impact upon an
organisation (Travelodge's SWOT analysis, 2019). In order to formulate this marketing plan in an
effective manner, this company can use SWOT analysis and it will also help Travelodge in
identifying its competitive advantage. SWOT analysation of this company is done as follows-
Strengths Weaknesses
Travelodge offers a variety of services to its
customers such as online booking, double
room, family rooms, etc. which are budget
friendly. Its Travelodge green programme
helps in reducing carbon foot print in its
services.
Although it offers many services to its
customers but it do not offer certain services
which are room, porter and concierge services.
This enterprise has very limited presence in
international markets and it pays attention only
into UK and Ireland markets (Chang, Yu and
Lu, 2015).
Opportunities Threats
It can renovate its interior by using latest
technology and innovation. Moreover, it can
also expand its services in more global markets
to earn profits.
Its basic threats are its competitors that
provides similar services to its customers.
Moreover, there are increasing number of new
entrants that are entering into market with
updated services.
Budget
MARKETING BUDGET (£)
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PARTICULARS Ist Year IInd Year IIIrd Year IVth Year Vth Year
Initial money 4000 7200 13300 15360 18770
Investment 9400 10300 13830 31730 13450
TOTAL 13400 17500 27130 47090 32220
MARKETING OUTLAY
Promotion 5746 2659 5893 2875 2211
Sales publicity 1465 900 2652 1392 1150
Direct selling 2235 1900 4951 900 4434
TOTAL 9446 5459 12296 5167 7705
Monitoring and Controlling
It refers to keeping an eye to all the activities of marketing in order to ensure that
business is able to achieve its overall objectives as per the market plan. As Travelodge is
launching self check-in and check-out services than it is the responsibility of this organisation
that all the activities are evaluated in an appropriate manner and marketing plan is executed
within a given budget. It must ensure that adequate promotional measures are utilised in order to
make customers aware about the existence of this new service.
D2. Design a strategic marketing plan that tactically applies the use of the 7Ps and includes
measures for monitoring and evaluation to achieve overall marketing objectives
Strategic marketing plan refers to a procedure by which a company developed certain
plans and strategies for achieving business goals and objectives (Gengler and Mulvey, 2017). For
Travelodge, strategic marketing plan is developed as follows that uses marketing mix in order to
achieve business objectives.
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CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that marketing plays an important role
within an organisation as well as in marketing environmental context. It helps in making
customers aware about the existence of products by promoting them in the target market. It also
help in identifying tastes and preferences of customers by indulging in market research. It serves
its functions in organisational departments. It helps HR department in advertising if any kind of
job vacancy is available within an organisation. Further, it concludes that company must utilise
all the elements of marketing mix in an appropriate manner to achieve business objectives. At the
end, market plan is essential for formulating marketing strategies in a proper way.
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