Tourism

The Ten “P’s” 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 “P’s”
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 customer’s eyes. The closer we can determine how to satisfy the customer’s needs, the more successful the destination will be.

Ten “P’s”
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 “P’s”
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 “P’s”
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 “P’s”
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 “P’s”
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 “P’s”
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 “P’s”
8. Positioning

1.

2.
3.

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. Ten “P’s”
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 “P’s”
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 “P’s”
Successful marketing means putting the customer first. If you follow “The Ten ‘P’s’ 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 515-242-4770

Western Iowa Tourism Region
Michele Walker witr@traveliowa.org 712-623-4232

Central Iowa Tourism Region
Ann Vogelbacher ann@iowatourism.com 515-832-4808

Eastern Iowa Tourism Association
Carrie Koelker carrie@easterniowatourism.org 563-875-7269