UNIT RESPONSIBLE TOURISM MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Picture source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/41894171246@N01/2824822534 Unit outline Objectives By the end of this unit, participants will be able to: • Describe the types of different dissemination channels for interaction with visitors • Explain the importance of marketing and communicating about Responsible Tourism • Explain the importance of authenticity and accuracy in marketing Responsible Tourism • Identify the types of sustainability marketing messages that can be delivered to tourists • Explain the importance of customer data protection • Describe the communication channels for disseminating Responsible Tourism provisions Topics Importance of responsible marketing and communications in tourism Communicating authentic and accurate messages Marketing and communicating sustainable practices Maintaining data privacy in marketing Collecting visitor feedback UNIT RESPONSIBLE TOURISM MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TOPIC Importance of RESPONSIBLE MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS IN TOURISM The role and function of marketing and communications Management Management process process Engages Engages audiences audiences Aims Aims for for attitudinal attitudinal or or behavioural behavioural response response Presents Presents messages messages The marketing and communications mix Advertising Promotions g Direct marketin lati Public re Personal selling on s The “4P” marketing mix Products in tourism marketing • • • The goods and services that enable the tourism process The combination of products creates a visitor “experience” Common types of products include: – – – – – – Accommodation Attractions Transport Recreation Shopping Restaurants Pricing in tourism marketing • • Refers to the amount charged for a tourism product • • • May be adjusted for different circumstances • Cost of end product as well as at points along distribution chain Regulated through conditions Amount should consider operating costs, profit margin and distribution network costs Other influences include demand, seasonality, target market, and competitors Place in tourism marketing • • The link between the product and the consumer • • Direct or through distribution channels Considers where and how a consumer may make a purchase decision Choice of distribution depends on factors like: – – – purchasing behaviour of target market associated costs distributor familiarity and enthusiasm of the product Promotion in tourism marketing • • • Aims to influence, inform, and / or persuade Usually a mix of: – – – – Advertising Public Relations Personal selling Sales Promotions Promotional mix depends on consumer profile - what they read, where they go, who influences them ? UNIT RESPONSIBLE TOURISM MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS TOPIC collecting visitor feedback Picture source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurgenappelo/5201223017/ The role and importance of obtaining regular visitor feedback • • Crucial to improving businesses and the tourism industry as a whole Enables organisations and destinations: – • – – Know their strengths and make the most of them Know which existing or new products, services and experiences can be developed Know who their visitors are, why they come and what they value about the experience For business it is also helps prevent issues that can lead to complaints Picture source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurgenappelo/5201223017/ Methods for collecting visitor feedback A Collecting visitor feedback through surveys • • Set of predetermined questions about specific topics • • Good for benchmarking performance • • Often used to gauge customer satisfaction after the use of a product or service Enable businesses to align their services to the expectations and needs of visitors Can be online, by phone, mail or face to face Best to repeat visitor satisfaction surveys at least every 3-4 years (minimum) Potential types of information to collect in a satisfaction survey Tips to writing efective survey questions B Collecting visitor feedback through focus groups • • • • • Open discussion of a small group of people led by a moderator Gets in depth understanding of thoughts and opinions Structured around predetermined questions Group is homogenous ‰Requires repetition Developing efective focus group questions Characteristics of questions • • • • • • Short and direct ‰Focused on one dimension each ‰Unambiguous ‰Open-ended or sentence completion Types of questions Engagement questions: introduce participants to the topic of discussion Exploration questions: get to the core of the discussion Exit question: check to see if anything was missed in the discussion ‰Non-threatening or embarrassing ‰Not resulting in “yes” or “no” answers Source: Duke University 2005, Guidelines for Conducting a Focus Group, Duke University, USA, Available [online]: http://assessment.aas.duke.edu/documents/How_to_Conduct_a_Focus_Group.pdf, Accessed: 22/01/2014 Example of basic questions for a focus group on visitor satisfaction of a destination ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONS What motivated you to visit the destination? How did you find out about the destination? What was your experience in organising travel arrangements? EXPLORATION QUESTIONS What were the best things you saw or experienced in the destination? What were the most disappointing aspects of your holiday in the destination? How you feel about the standard of service and quality of the attractions in the destination? How well did the holiday represent good value for money? EXIT QUESTION Would you recommend the destination to family and friends? Is there anything else you would like to say about your holiday in the destination? C Collecting visitor feedback through feedback forms and comment cards • • Physical, paper cards or forms with one or more survey questions Designed to gather feedback after a good or service has been consumed • E.g Visitor book at cultural heritage site, providing hotel guests with a comments card Example of questions in a guest feedback form • • • • • • • • How friendly was the front desk staff? How quick was the check-in process? • How clean was your room upon arrival? How clean did the housekeeping staff keep your room throughout your stay? How well-equipped was your room? • How helpful was the concierge throughout your stay? How comfortable were your bed linens? How quickly did the hotel restaurant serve your order? • • • • How convenient was the hotel breakfast service? How delicious was the hotel breakfast service? How affordable was the hotel breakfast service? How affordable was your stay at our hotel? Overall, were you satisfied with our hotel, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied it, or dissatisfied with it? How likely are you to recommend our hotel to others? D Collecting visitor feedback through social media • Enable both direct feedback and feedback on consumer attitudes and trends • Allows product feedback before implementation through questions and discussions • • • Enables monitoring of brand awareness through search results Allows for answering of basic questions via polls and e-surveys Can elicit emotional feedback via YouTube E Collecting visitor feedback through on the spot feedback and observation • • Observe what visitors are doing • • • Simple, cheap and fast Understand what visitors are thinking Helps fix problems before visitors depart Attitude: “all feedback is good feedback” Finally, don’t forget to follow-up on feedback! • Prioritise improvements and put into action promptly • Communicate actions to visitors via email, newsletters, organisation website etc Xin trân trọng cảm ơn! Thank you!