The Ten Ps of Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Marketing*

* From Best Practices for International Tourism Development for Rural Communities (2002) by David L. Edgell, Sr., PHD

Marketing

. to design a product/service combination that provides real value to targeted customers, motivates purchase, and fulfills genuine customer needs. -James Makens et al., Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 1999

Ten Ps
1. Product
The tourism product differs from other products due to the wide range it covers, including such areas as accommodations, transportation, food, recreation and attractions. Often the product includes intangibles such as history, culture and natural beauty. Many times the hospitality or tourism product is viewed as more of a service in the customers eyes. The closer we can determine how to satisfy the customers needs, the more successful the destination will be.

Ten Ps
2. Price
This refers to the amount customers pay for the product or service provided. A quality tourism experience at a fair price is what the customer is looking for in most cases. Pricing should be based upon clear-cut goals and objectives: survival, profit maximization, market share, competition or positioning.

Ten Ps
3. Place
The place where the customer buys the tourism product can vary greatly. Travel agents, tour operators and tour wholesalers are a few examples of the distribution points for tourism products. Look for new distribution points in which you can sell your services. For example: web sites like Country-Adventures.com.

Ten Ps
4. Promotion
A range of activities can be used to convince customers to buy the product, including information kits, web sites, advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, travel shows, and public relations. Utilize tourist information centers, such as welcome centers. Participation with your state, regional and local tourism offices and associations.

Iowa Tourism Office Promotional Opportunities

Traveliowa.com Tradeshows
International Travel, Group Travel and Meetings

Iowa Tourism Office Promotional Opportunities

Iowa Travel Guide Iowa Calendar of Events (Print and Online) Communications and Public Relations Cooperative Advertising Program
Publications such as Midwest Living, AAA Living, The Iowan, Better Homes and Gardens, The Group Travel Leader, Minneapolis Star Tribune and more.

Ten Ps
5. Partnership
By forging partnerships with companies that share the same business objective, you can better meet the overall demands of the tourism customer while sharing the total marketing costs. Strategic Alliances- Two or more organizations that can benefit from each others strengths. Example: A winery might form alliances with restaurants, many attractions form alliances with hotels. Coopetition- Cooperative efforts between competitive local or regional organizations that enable them to compete effectively at the national and international levels. Example: Silos and Smokestacks, tourism regions and boards

5. Partnership (cont)
Iowa Tourism Office Opportunities
Three Tourism RegionsWestern, Central and Eastern Educational, Networking, Promotional and Partnering Opportunities Grant Programs Conferences and Educational Sessions Annual Educational Conference Unity Day Industry Research Information
Welcome Center Surveys, Domestic Travel Reports, etc

Ten Ps
6. Packaging
Because the tourism product often includes a variety of attractions, facilities and services, packaging must also take on several different forms. A presentation of products and/or services that would normally be purchased separately, but are combined in a single purchase for the convenience of the consumer in ease, pricing, etc...

Ten Ps
7. Programming
Programming special events and activities enhances and enriches the tourism product and makes marketing much easier. Generates new business, encourages repeat business, increases customer spending, increases customer satisfaction, promotes off peak periods, etc Effective programming can provide an effective return on investment. Programming, just as any marketing, should include a plan of action including the customer groups to which it is to be aimed.

Ten Ps
8. Positioning
Finding a special place in the market for the product to differentiate from your competitors. Niche marketing is a case in point. Identify a set of possible competitive advantages upon which to build a position. Select the right competitive advantage. Effective communication and delivery of the chosen position to a selected target market.

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Ten Ps
9. People
The people who sell and service your product are an extremely important part of tourism marketing. Friendly personal service and trained employees can make or break a tourism business. Because much of the tourism industry is based upon wordof-mouth advertisingparticularly about the service received- what your customers say after they depart can thrust your business forward or send it into a downward spiral.

Ten Ps
10. Planning
An important part of a viable business plan is to develop a strategic marketing plan in an effort to identify customer expectations. Research and planning also helps design and devise means by which you can meet these expectations. Provides a road map. Is a working document. To be effective the plan must be maintained, reviewed and revised. Should have an annual marketing plan, with a component that mentions long-term goals as well.

10. Planning (cont)

A marketing plan should include
Executive Summary Vision and Branding Statement Community Connection Analysis (S.W.O.T) and Forecasting Market Segmentation and Targeting Long Range Measurable Objectives and Tactics Current Action Plans: Strategies and Tactics Resources needed to support your strategies and ultimately meet objectives

Ten Ps
Successful marketing means putting the customer first. If you follow The Ten Ps of Tourism Marketing, your customers will come first because you will be able to understand them better. You will also make more effective use of your marketing dollars and, by doing so, increase your profits.

Tourism Contacts
Iowa Tourism Office
Jeff Spence jeff.spence@iowalifechanging.com Western Iowa Tourism Region Michele Walker witr@traveliowa.org Central Iowa Tourism Region Ann Vogelbacher ann@iowatourism.com Eastern Iowa Tourism Association Carrie Koelker carrie@easterniowatourism.org 515-242-4770

712-623-4232

515-832-4808

563-875-7269