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0.047

To analyze the marketing activities of the Pink Elephant travel agency, it is necessary to evaluate the overall management system formed in this company during its existence, since it is within the framework of this system that the company's marketing activities are carried out.

The travel agency management system includes strategic, operational and current management, through which the process of constant movement of the company to the highest economic and managerial efficiency is carried out.

The purpose of the activity of the travel agency "Pink Elephant" is to provide a variety of high-quality tourism services to their clients.

The implementation of this goal involves the formulation of certain tasks of activity, namely:

• 1) the formation of a diverse and high-quality tourism product;
• 2) effective interaction with firms-tour operators;
• 3) development of own tour operator activity;
• 4) ensuring a high level of public service based on a differentiated approach to different groups of clients;
• 5) expansion of its presence in the market of the tourist industry in Rostov-on-Don.

To implement these tasks at the strategic level of management, the owners of the travel agency and its managers plan the activities of the company in its entirety, namely:

• - carry out external and internal analysis of the company's activities;
• - evaluate their own opportunities for progressive development in the current conditions of external and internal environment;
• - determine the tasks of activity for the planned period;
• - determine the strategy of the company's behavior in the tourism industry market.

At the tactical level, the company's strategy is implemented by achieving effective interaction its management and specialists, line managers. As part of the adoption of managerial tactical decisions, quantitative and qualitative justifications for these decisions are developed, measures for their implementation are determined, direct executors, forms of control over execution, etc. are determined. At this level, the tasks of managing the personnel of the company, its motivation, issues of material, technical and financial support of the company's divisions, etc.

At the current level, to manage the activities of the travel agency, line managers determine specific mechanisms, procedures and algorithms for the implementation professional duties employees of the company, ensure the return of each employee and, in general, in each area of ​​work. These efforts make it possible to ensure its uninterrupted functioning at the level of the entire company, the provision of tourist services to customers in full quantitative and qualitative scope.

It should be noted that the management of the activities of the Pink Elephant travel agency at all levels is carried out on the basis of a mandatory analysis and consideration of the factors of the external and internal environment in which the company operates. This work is already carried out directly by the marketing specialists of the travel agency, within the framework of the system of functions of the marketing department.

This organizational structure is a traditional linear-functional management structure, with a predominance of vertical links, reflecting the relevant functional relationships that have developed in the organization. It reflects the main activities of the company (Russian and local tourism, foreign tourism) and the focus of the company on the implementation of marketing activities (marketing department).

Let us turn directly to the analysis of marketing management in the Pink Elephant travel agency, which is carried out by specialists from the marketing department.

Marketing activities are carried out in a travel agency in the aggregate of all stages assumed within the framework of such management - analytical, stages of developing a marketing policy, organizing the promotion and sales of a tourist product and subsequent control. Their development is carried out by specialists of the marketing department in agreement with the director of the company and under his direct supervision and control.

The analytical stage involves marketing research, which form the information base for the subsequent planning of the marketing activities of the travel agency. At the planning stage, a marketing plan for a travel agency is formed - medium or short-term. At the stage of implementing the marketing plan, the development of measures and mechanisms for the formation, promotion and effective marketing of the tourist product takes place. The control stage involves the implementation of the control function of marketing, without which it is impossible to manage marketing in any organization.

In general, the activities of the marketing department of the Pink Elephant company are aimed at flexible adaptation of its activities to the conditions of the regional market of the tourism industry, its changes and combines a set of research, economic and marketing activities. The purpose of the department is to contribute to the main goals of the company: to meet the needs of customers in tourism services, subject to profit optimization.

Given the specialization of the company, its status as a travel agent and tour operator, the marketing department pays special attention to the study of the target audience, which, as indicated above, is heterogeneous. For marketers, it is important to determine the circle of potential customers of the company, their needs and wishes, financial capabilities, and, based on this, then determine the set of actions aimed at winning and retaining them.

It is on this basis that a marketing plan for a travel agency is formed, the basis of which is primary data on the state of the market and the state of the target audience of the Pink Elephant company, collected during surveys of the firm's clients, selective surveys on the streets of the city, as well as secondary information data (press, travel agency reports etc.). Such a plan is necessary as a guide to action for the company's employees who practically implement each of its activities.

The marketing plan of a travel agency has several goals:

• - determines the directions in which the marketing activities of the travel agency should be built and developed (sales territories, types of tourism, sales volumes, etc.);
• - links the marketing goals and the overall objectives of the travel agency;
• - obliges the company to proceed from the real situation in the market of tourist services;
• - helps to correlate marketing costs with the financial and material capabilities of the travel agency.

Such a plan is drawn up at the Pink Elephant travel agency once a year. In itself, the preparation of a marketing plan stimulates management, line managers to analyze and think through all the issues of its content, and therefore deepen their knowledge and practical skills in the field of marketing. Discussing this plan in a team contributes to maintaining the spirit of a single team and is good training for ordinary workers.

To date, the strategic marketing goals of the Pink Elephant are focused on two areas:

• a) development of a tourist product, taking into account the status of the company as a travel agent and tour operator;
• b) strengthening its market position in the tourism industry market of Rostov-on-Don.

From these positions, the elements of the marketing mix are being developed in the travel agency:

• 1) tourist product;
• 2) pricing;
• 3) place of sale;
• 4) promotion of goods on the market.

By implementing this marketing mix, the marketing department of the Pink Elephant company solves the following tasks:

• - analysis of the market position of the travel agency based on the analysis of the factors of its external and internal environment and the position of its competitors;
• - analysis of pricing, marketing, advertising activities of the company, methods of sales promotion, identifying their strengths and weaknesses;
• - development of medium and short-term forecasts for the sale of tourist products;
• - selection and development of target segments of the market of tourist services and practical actions focused on them;
• - development of elements corporate identity travel agencies, their correct use in the design of the office, in the advertising media used;
• - development of an action plan for advertising and public relations using the most effective means of advertising, operational analysis of the effectiveness of their implementation and, if necessary, adjustments;
• - development of proposals for the formation and adjustment of a positive image of a travel agency in the minds of consumers of tourist services and a unified corporate culture in the company, direct participation in their practical implementation using advertising media.

These tasks are solved by two specialists of the company's marketing department: a manager for planning, forming and selling a tourist product and a public relations specialist.

Consider how the elements of the marketing mix are implemented in the Pink Elephant company.

The tourism product is a product of the company, and therefore its formation in the quantity and quality demanded by the target audience is a key task for the marketing department. In addition, the tourist product of the Pink Elephant company should be somewhat different from similar products offered by its competitors, in principle, for the same target audience.

To date, the tourism product of the Pink Elephant company includes tours formed by the company itself in Russia and the Rostov region, and tours abroad purchased from large Russian tour operators.

In the first case, when forming a tourist product, the marketing department of the company forms a portfolio of orders for the year and quarterly. This is done on the basis of contracts for the provision of relevant services with the owners of tourist centers, sanatoriums, hospitals in the Rostov region, based on the places they have available for receiving vacationers. It is obvious that in the conditions of fierce competition between local travel agencies, high demand of the population for holidays in the Rostov region and limited opportunities for service owners, the Pink Elephant company receives a rather limited number of places that it can sell to its customers.

Such implementation occurs as a result of active promotions, for example, advertising proposals for organizing New Year holidays, May holidays, summer holidays, holidays, etc. These promotions are held long before the start of each offer, and before that time, up to 85% of available vouchers are in demand. The rest of the places are sold immediately before the start of the offers, but at higher prices.

This method of forming and promoting a tourist product is quite effective, especially when working with corporate clients. Today, an increasing number of employers are striving to be socially oriented.

When forming and promoting this tourist product, the Pink Elephant company, as a tour operator, makes a profit by varying the size of the margin on the initial cost of services, established by their owners under contracts. The size of the mark-up varies, depending on the place of rest, class of service, seasonal demand, time spent by customers in the place of rest, form and time of settlements, etc., from 20 to 75%. At the same time, every quarter, the marketing department analyzes the amount of profit received, the types of tour operator services provided by the company, the volume of tourist traffic for each service and the level of prices for them from the standpoint of their own commercial benefit.

The tourist product and the price level for different kinds services when a travel agency offers sightseeing, medical, educational and other tours in Russia. It also hosts promotions, contracts are concluded with the owners of travel services and carriers, but so far on a very limited range of routes (Moscow, St. Petersburg, tours along the Golden Ring of Russia). Medical, educational tours, collective tours for schoolchildren, etc. are carried out according to preliminary applications, and, based on the existing demand, the company forms groups for certain dates.

Accordingly, pricing for such services is carried out depending on the level of consumer demand and ranges from 25 to 50% of the price set by the owners of the services. Transportation costs are not subject to such extra charges. During the peaks of seasonal demand (for example, for holidays at camp sites, in holiday homes and sanatoriums on the Black Sea coast), prices can be set individually - depending on the place of rest, the time of purchase of the tour, the number of vacationers, forms of payment, etc.

Foreign tours are formed differently. Being in this case travel agent, the Pink Elephant company only sells tours formed by Rostov tour operator firms to its customers, taking a commission of 10% for this, which is determined in the agreement between these entities. Consequently, the profit from the travel agency activity of the company depends on the number of tours sold by it, since for every 100 tours sold, the company receives an additional percentage of profit from its counterparty (usually 1%).

At the same time, depending on the state of consumer demand for certain routes, seasonal factors, etc., the travel agency offers its customers discounts throughout the year, which can reach 70% for "hot tours". Thus, the pricing process as an element of the marketing mix is ​​carried out in the Pink Elephant company quite flexibly, which is largely due to the high level of competition.

The specified activity within the framework of the marketing complex being implemented is also subject to analysis by the specialists of the company's marketing department, who quarterly and annually determine the volume of tourist traffic in each of the presented directions and the volume of profit received.

The places of sale of the tourist product as the next element of the marketing mix in relation to the Pink Elephant company are due to two points: the company's location in Rostov-on-Don and purposeful work to attract new customers to the company's services. At the same time, additional work in this direction is aimed at corporate clients, in connection with which the company's managers form a list of corporate clients throughout the entire period of the company's operation on the market.

Here, this element of the marketing mix is ​​inextricably linked with the promotion of the tourist product on the market. The main way of such promotion, of course, is advertising. Usually the Pink Elephant publishes it in the local print media, as well as in the form of a "creep line" on local TV channels. The latter give advertisers a good opportunity to simultaneously publish their advertisements on all Omsk TV channels broadcasting in the city and region, as well as in 5 local newspapers. This allows the company to significantly save on advertising, given that with this method of presenting advertising information, the coverage of a potential audience amounts to hundreds of thousands of people - viewers and readers.

In general, the costs of the company for marketing activities are not too high yet and amount to no more than 8% of the profit. When determining the marketing budget, the company's management uses the method " fixed interest”, which is based on the deduction of a certain percentage of last year's sales. This method is quite simple and convenient, and at that stage life cycle where the firm is currently located is quite acceptable. At the same time, when expanding its activities in the future, the company should use a more advanced method of determining the marketing budget.

Thus, the analysis of marketing management in the Pink Elephant travel agency showed that this management in the company is carried out, and quite professionally, within the framework of a special structural unit created in her organizational structure. At the same time, it is too early to talk about the high efficiency of marketing management, since the company still works too little in the tourism industry market to declare its success. In addition, a number of problems in this area should be noted, which in the future may reduce the effectiveness of marketing management in the Pink Elephant company and weaken its market position in comparison with the positions of competitors.

Content

Introduction

1. Theoretical aspects direct marketing of the modern organization

1.2 Features modern stage development of direct marketing in Russia

2. Study of the activities of Adriatic-Tour LLC in the field of direct sales

2.1 Characteristics of Adriatic-Tour LLC

2.2 Analysis of the marketing activities of Adriatic-Tour LLC

2.3 Evaluation of the effectiveness of company activities in the field of direct sales

3. Recommendations for improving direct sales in Adriatic-Tour LLC

3.1 Develop strategic direct marketing goals for the company

3.2 Recommendations for improving direct marketing tactics

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

The direct verbal appeal of the seller to the potential buyer preceded chronologically all other forms of commercial communication. IN modern conditions this type of formation of connections with target audiences defined as direct marketing.

Direct marketing is currently one of the most rapidly growing areas not only of marketing communications, but, perhaps, of all marketing activities in general. According to some forecasts, in the coming years, the proportion of sales through direct marketing in total sales will increase dramatically. It is expected that direct marketing will seriously replace advertising as the main means of marketing communications between manufacturers and individual consumers.

The object of study in this work is Travel Company LLC "Adriatic-Tour"

The subject of the study is the elements of direct marketing in this company.

The purpose of the work is to develop measures to improve direct marketing in Adriatic-Tour LLC.

Work tasks:

1. Determine the theoretical foundations of direct marketing.

2. Conduct a study of the activities of Adriatic-Tour LLC.

3. Analyze the effectiveness of measures to direct marketing LLC "Adriatic-Tour"

4. Determine the main directions for improving activities in the field of direct marketing.

To solve the problems posed in the work, educational and methodological literature in the field of marketing and advertising, the results of marketing research (internal information of the company), travel agency materials, periodicals, as well as materials from the official websites of marketing companies and advertising agencies.

The practical significance of the work lies in the fact that in the course of the work, calculations will be made of the effectiveness of the company's marketing communications and proposals will be made to improve it, which will allow the company to more rationally spend money on direct marketing.

1. Theoretical aspects of direct marketing of a modern organization

1.1 The essence and place of direct marketing in the enterprise communications system

In recent years, along with the growing role of marketing, the role of marketing communications has increased. It is not enough to have good products and services - in order to increase their sales and profit, you need to convey to consumers the benefits of using products and services.

Marketing communications allow the transmission of messages to consumers in order to make the products and services of companies attractive to the target audience.

Marketing communications, considered as a process, implies a close connection with the target audience, carried out through any contact with the consumer. These contacts occur constantly when the consumer is involved in the process of the seller's activity, for example, when he is transferred from the "evaluation of options" stage to the "purchase decision" stage. Certain outcomes and market reactions are prepared by the marketing mix.

Marketing communications refers to managing the process of promoting goods and services at all stages: before selling, at the time of purchase, during and after the consumption process.

Marketing communications systems should be developed individually for each target market segment and contain not only information transfer mechanisms for the target audience of buyers, but also functions feedback buyer and seller of goods and services. It is the analysis of feedback data that allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of investing in a marketing campaign.

There are several types of marketing communications that make up the marketing communications system. These include advertising, sales promotion, public relations (public relations) and direct marketing (from English direct marketing). In order to more accurately describe direct marketing, let's take a brief look at other marketing communications.

Advertising, as a rule, created and published by an advertising agency, informs about the manufacturer or its product, forms and maintains their image and is paid by the advertiser in accordance with the tariffs for placing advertisements in the media.

Sales promotion - the activity of implementing commercial and creative ideas that stimulate the sale of the advertiser's products or services, often in a short time.

Public relations involves the use of the editorial part of the mass media in order to carry out prestigious advertising aimed at winning a favorable attitude towards the product families or the firms releasing them.

Direct marketing is ongoing directed communications with individual consumers or firms that have an obvious intention to buy certain products. Direct marketing activities are mainly carried out through direct mailing list or through highly specialized advertising media. Income advertising agency in his work in the field of direct marketing are formed from commissions and depend on the amounts spent by the client.

In today's saturated market, the success of marketing communications is one of the main guarantees of business prosperity. The management of the marketing communications system must be approached systematically, just like the management of finances or logistics. The widespread policy of targeted marketing activities, as a rule, does not achieve results that would largely meet the needs of medium and large businesses.

The differences between the above elements of communications are also in their goals (Table 1).

Table 1 Types of marketing communications and their goals

Type of communication	Target
Advertising	Creating an image of the company, product, achieving awareness of potential buyers about them;
Sales promotion	Encouragement to make purchases, stimulation of the work of the commodity-producing network
Public relations	Achieving a high public reputation of the firm
Direct Marketing	Establishment of long-term two-way communications between producer and consumer

Direct marketing is designed to obtain a measurable response (response) and has as its goal the establishment of long-term relationships with customers (client relationship). The Direct Marketing Association of America (DMA) defines it as "an interactive marketing system that uses one or more advertising media to generate a measurable response or close a sale, regardless of the location of the seller and the buyer."

N.D. Eriashvili divides marketing into active and passive, and classifies direct marketing as active: active marketing includes a system of the following activities:

· holding one-time events, in particular presentations and conferences, at which the process of direct study of consumer assessments of the quality and completeness of the product range takes place;

Chapter 15

Marketing complex (marketing program) is a set of controllable marketing variables that a firm uses in combination to elicit a desired response from its target market. The tourism marketer must constantly design the marketing mix—the right mix of elements that generates profits by satisfying the needs of the consumer and in ways that are more efficient than those of competitors.

The marketing strategy of a firm is determined only after the overall business strategy has been established. The marketing program is a tactical plan developed for 1-2 years. So, the company "Natalie Tours" with its long term strategy determined the conquest of a larger market share. And the goal of this company is the global development of the market. The means to achieve this goal are the maximum use of telecommunication technologies in working with travel agencies, the high level of qualification of the company's personnel, the focus of marketing policy in one direction and the choice of strategic partners.

Numerous elements of the marketing mix have been reduced to the concept of "four P", which includes Product (product), Place (place), Promotion (demand stimulation) and Price (price). This concept is a simple and precise formula that represents all marketing activities and makes it easy to draw up a marketing program.

Under product not only its physical characteristics are implied, but also the activities of planning, developing a new product or service. This is where decisions are made regarding product diversity, branding and packaging. When planning the creation of a product (goods, services), all these aspects should be taken into account.

Under place involves making decisions about the appropriate methods of product distribution, i.e. which channels and in what way of distribution should be used to create the easiest access for consumers to the goods and services of producers.

Incentive methods- this is all kinds of activities of the company to disseminate information about the merits of its product and convince target consumers to buy it. Promotion methods include not only advertising but also personal selling techniques, sales promotion activities, and public relations.

Price is a very important variable in the marketing mix. It must satisfy consumers and at the same time correspond to the goal of making a profit by the enterprise. The price charged by the firm must match the value proposition, otherwise buyers will buy competitors' products.

The starting point for effective marketing is the consumer. After identifying and analyzing a specific group of consumers, the manager, using all four elements of a marketing tool, provides effective service to this segment. Since consumer orientation is important, it is customary to consider the people themselves (consumers of the tourism product) as the fifth element of the marketing mix, since they are the central point of the marketing program (Fig. 4.1).

Rice. 4.1. Elements of the marketing mix

§ 1. Planning and development of a tourist product

The goal of most travel agencies is to run a profitable and sustainable business. To achieve this goal, companies need to produce the product or service that would satisfy the needs of potential buyers and thereby ensure business growth. Product planning is an important component in developing a profitable and sustainable business. It is often referred to as "five rules" planning - planning to create the right product, deliver it to the right place, at the right time, at the right price, and in the right (right) quantity.

A product for the consumer is more than a combination of tangible components and services. This is a set of benefits, tangible and intangible values. Therefore, product planning should be carried out taking into account how consumers themselves would like to see it. Creating the right product (good or service) is not an easy task, because the needs, requirements and desires of customers are constantly changing; The forces of competition act on the product life cycle in such a way that products that are successful at a certain stage of the life cycle later fall into decline or die.

On fig. 4.2 shows the life phases that a tourist product goes through: launching a product on the market, growth, maturity, saturation, decline. Due to the rapid changes in people's lifestyles and technological changes, the life cycle of individual goods and services has become shorter than it used to be, so the concept of product life cycle plays an important role in strategic planning and each stage of the product life cycle also has specific objectives for marketing.

Rice. 4.2. Product life cycle

The stage of bringing the product to market. This phase of the life cycle requires promotional spending (this is the best time to advertise a new product or service). This stage is characterized by high costs, slow sales growth and advertising campaigns to stimulate initial demand. It is in this period of the life cycle of a tourism product that there is a large percentage of failures, and due to the high costs of bringing a product or service to the market, there is still no profit at this stage.

Growth stage. In this period, the novelty (if it is in demand in the market) satisfies the interests of the market, which is reflected in the growth of sales and profits. Profit growth can make the market attractive to competitors. A firm's sales promotion costs remain high, but the emphasis here is on motivating purposeful selection and purchase of a particular firm's product rather than on motivating consumers to buy and try the product. During the growth phase, the number of retail outlets for a product or service usually increases. In this period, the market becomes attractive to competitors, but due to the effect of economies of scale, prices for a product (service) may decrease.

stage of maturity. A mature product is a product or service that is already firmly established in the market. Its sales rates may continue to increase, but at a slower pace. Then they gradually level out. At this stage of the product life cycle, many retail outlets selling a product or service are very competitive. Firms are trying to find ways to maintain their market share. Ski resorts are the most appropriate example of a mature product. After several years of increasing sales growth, sales growth is gradually slowing down, resorts are trying to maintain their market share and diversify the offer.

saturation stage. At this stage, sales volumes reach their highest point, the product penetrates the market as much as possible.

Mass production and the use of new technologies make it possible to reduce the price level and make the product more accessible to everyone.

Decline stage. Many tourism products remain at the saturation stage for several years. However, many of them become obsolete over time and new products are introduced to the market to replace the old ones. At the stage of decline, the demand for the product is reduced, advertising costs are reduced. As demand and profits fall, firms that cannot withstand competition leave the market. Only a small number of competing firms remain, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to maintain their market share.

For example, the offer of "Natalie-tours" in Spain is very wide: it is a vacation in Spanish resorts popular with Russian tourists, the number of which is increasing every year; a variety of excursion offers, including trips to other countries; combined tours combining leisure and educational tourism. The offer is diversified in time: tours are offered for the summer and spring - to Spain, and in the off-season and off-season - to Thailand.

The offers of this company are designed for a wide range of customers with different income levels. In order to cover the regional market as much as possible, routes are offered departing not only from Moscow, but also from various regional centers: Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and other cities.

§ 2. Strategies for setting the price of a tourist product

One of the most important marketing decisions is the decision to price a product or service. The price reflects how consumers perceive the product. It strongly influences other marketing mix variables as well.

The costs associated with the production, promotion, distribution and sale of the tourist product, as well as the rate of return, must be included in the price. In order to establish the correct price for a tourist product, it is necessary to analyze many factors.

When setting prices, first of all, the nature of competition in a given tourist market and analysis of competitors' pricing policy.

In a purely competitive market, no single buyer or seller has much influence on the level of current market prices. Businesses in this market do not spend much time developing a marketing strategy.

On the market monopolistic competition enterprises set prices for their goods in a wide range, since the offers of various tourist enterprises differ from each other in quality and special properties. Businesses develop different offerings for different segments and make extensive use of branding, advertising, and personal selling techniques.

The oligopolistic market consists of a small number of tourist enterprises. It is difficult for new applicants to enter this market. Each manufacturer is sensitive to the strategy and actions of competitors. The oligopolistic nature of competition has developed in the more mature Western tourist market. Here, as a rule, several large travel agencies dominate. For example, in Germany in 1955, the three largest firms controlled 57% of the tourist market.

In a pure monopoly, there is only one seller in the market. It can be a state monopoly, a private unregulated monopoly and a private regulated monopoly. In each case, pricing is different. The state monopoly can be on tourist sites of unique quality (the Moscow Kremlin). The state may set a price below cost if the product is of great importance to buyers who are unable to purchase it at full price. The price may be set high to reduce overall consumption (demarketing). In the case of a regulated monopoly, the state allows the company to set prices that ensure the required rate of return. In the case of an unregulated monopoly, the firm can set prices as it sees fit.

In Russia, during the 90s, the tourist market had the character of a free, non-monopolized one. About 10,000 firms worked on the tourist market in Russia. After the crisis (August 1998), a significant number of companies went bankrupt. In order to survive in a difficult economic situation and in the face of competition for a more limited tourist, companies are joining forces. The market is moving to the stage of concentration and consolidation of capital. This transition began even before the crisis. For example, at the end of March 1998, the Russian financial and industrial association AFK Sistema, which, as subholding divisions, includes VAO Intourist and its subsidiaries, acquired a controlling stake in the large Moscow tour operator Begemot 1 . Free competition has been replaced by oligopoly. Leading companies emerged. These large corporations divided spheres of influence, agreed with competitors to constantly maintain prices at a high level. It is important to introduce antimonopoly mechanisms that restrain manifestations of unfair competition, since corporations pursue their own selfish goals, which often do not coincide with the interests of society as a whole. In pricing decisions, firms have a choice of one of three product pricing strategies:

1. Firms may decide to sell their product at the market price, i.e., at a price generally accepted in the market. In this case, firms are considered to operate in conditions of non-price competition. Selling goods at the same price as competitors prevents price cuts and thus the price covers marginal cost. Since there is no price differentiation in the market, firms will use non-price techniques to stimulate demand.
2. Firms may charge a lower price than current market prices. Firms that practice this type of price discounting policy create a reputation for asking for low prices, and thus trying to achieve higher sales compared to competitors. When using this pricing strategy, the firm must ensure that the demand for the product (service) is elastic in order to succeed; otherwise, it will turn out that the firm will receive more by poaching customers of its competitors, which can lead to the beginning of price competition.
3. Setting a price above the market. The use of a strategy of inflated prices should be subject to best quality product in the industry or backed by various attractive benefits and uniqueness of the product to justify the high price. This approach focuses on quality, which many customers believe is a function of price. Quality generates more costs. It is a source of income used for demand promotion activities. However, setting high prices reduces sales, results in increased overheads, and encourages the creation of substitute products. Nevertheless, many travel agencies successfully use this approach in pricing.

Some firms choose to use two or three pricing strategies to create a product that meets the needs of each market segment. Ramada, Quality, Marriott, Holiday Corporation and other travel companies are developing products that are attractive to most market segments.

The pricing strategy is determined by a preliminary decision on market positioning. When setting a price, first of all, it is necessary to determine the goals of the price. neoformations. They may be the following:

Ensuring survival - firms are forced to set low prices in order to survive in the market in an environment of intense competition and constantly changing customer needs;
- maximization of current profit - a price is chosen that will ensure the maximum flow of current profit and cost recovery;
- gaining the position of a leader in terms of market share in order to achieve leadership in terms of share, firms go to the maximum possible price reduction;
- Gaining leadership position in quality.

Another basis for making a pricing decision is the level of demand for a tourism product.

When setting a price for a product, it is necessary to take into account the type and number of potential consumers. If a price decrease of 1% increases demand, and a price increase of 1% it decreases significantly, then demand is price elastic. If the market has a small number of consumers, then the price should be high enough to compensate for the limited market. However, shopping habits and purchasing power must also be taken into account.

The price must include the gross cost of production. The firm charges for the product a price that covers all gross costs, as well as the costs associated with promotion and sale, as well as the profit margin. The profit embedded in the price of the product must remain to offset the business risk after payment of liabilities to all contract partners and after payment of all taxes.

Firms that aim for long-term market survival may absorb losses in the short term in order to then gain a favorable market position or leadership position.

If tourism enterprises buy services from manufacturers in bulk, they receive significant discounts. Scale effect is triggered - with an increase in production volumes, they decrease fixed costs. Discounts are also provided for an additional number of clients and for the timely fulfillment of their obligations under the contract.

Travel agents make a premium on the tour operator's selling price, thereby covering their overheads and making a profit. Tour operators determine a floor price level below which travel agents are not allowed to lower prices.

In addition to these factors, you must also consider:

1. Availability of substitute products from competitors. If competitors sell tour packages in the same direction, then with a significant increase in the price of the product, you can lose your customers.
2. Income, the degree of saturation of the needs of its target market, changes in the environment (political, economic, legal). All this must be constantly analyzed.
3. Product quality. The quality of a product reflects the price-value relationship. A product that has greater utility for the consumer and satisfies more consumer needs, i.e., is more valuable than the product of competitors, has the right to be sold at a higher price.
4. Distinctive characteristics of the product.
5. Competitors. When pricing a product that is similar to a competitor's product, the prices of competitors' products must be taken into account.
6. Seasonality. When developing the price of a product, the time aspect must be taken into account.
7. Psychological features. It has been found that consumers respond psychologically well to odd-numbered prices, and there seems to be something magical about prices that end in 9. Thus, the price of a tourist product should be set not at $300, but at $299. Then for many consumers, this tourist product will cost more than 200, not 300 dollars.

For the tourist services market, it is not uncommon for there to be a gap in time between the moment of price setting and the moment of purchase and sale. tourism product. Day of the tour operator in Moscow between the moment of publication of information on prices for a tourist product and the moment of its implementation foreign tourists months pass.

Pricing in the tourism industry is affected by the inability to store services due to their intangible nature, resulting in retailers do not share the risk of unsold inventory with the manufacturer.

In addition, the tourism market is characterized by extensive state regulation, which often includes elements of price controls and seasonal price differentiation.

When setting the price of new goods (services), two pricing philosophies are distinguished: the strategy of "skimming the cream" and the strategy of solid introduction to the market.

Cream skimming pricing strategy. In this strategy, firms charge high prices for their products. Here, attempts are made to attract the attention of the product not to the entire market, but only to some of its segments with a higher level of income, so the strategy is called "skimming". The results of using this approach are high profit and faster return on investment in product development and promotion. The strategy helps to attract competitors to the market.

Pricing strategy for a solid introduction to the market. This is a penetration strategy, when the seller sets the lowest possible price for the product in order to penetrate the market more. Low prices make the product accessible to consumers with different income levels, so sellers quickly gain a large market share. When using this strategy in pricing, the original price becomes the constant price of the product. The results of the strategy are slow cost recovery and high levels of sales to cover costs.

The prices of travel agencies are reflected in the price lists. The price list is compiled for the entire season and contains the prices for the tour for the entire season. However, they are subject to change depending on the duration of the trip, prices and living conditions. Ideally, the price list should meet the requirements of all market segments. There should also be price differentiation depending on the level of income, age, number of tourists.

A good price list gives the consumer the opportunity to:

Visually compare the prices of the company with the prices of competitors;
- analyze the rise and fall of prices depending on the season;
- at home calculate and plan your upcoming trip according to the catalogue.

Thus, the strategy of "Natalie Tours" is a large market share, i.e. greater market penetration, so the goal of pricing is to gain a leadership position in terms of market share. Comparative analysis The prices of Natalie Tours and its main competitors showed that the company sets the lowest prices in an attempt to attract more consumers. The gap in prices between "Natalie Tours" and its competitors made it possible to get rid of several Moscow competitors working in the Spanish direction.

In addition, there is a seasonal differentiation of prices, while in the off-season the prices for tours are reduced by 150-200 US dollars compared to the prices for tours in the summer.

§ 3. Distribution channels

Another difficult decision that the marketing manager must make is the selection of suitable tourism intermediaries that connect consumers of tourism goods and services with the producers of these services (airlines, hotels, car rental firms, etc.). The decision to use distribution channels affects other elements of the marketing mix. In a well-designed marketing mix, all aspects must be compatible with each other.

When choosing one or another channel for the distribution of goods and services, it is necessary to carry out:

Product analysis;
- characterization and determination of the size of the market;
- analysis of distribution channels in terms of sales, costs and profits;
- determining the assistance that can be expected from this channel in the sale of goods and services;
- determining the assistance that will need to be provided to this channel in the distribution of goods and services;
- determination of the number of retail outlets.

American market researchers who have studied tourism intermediaries have identified three main categories of distribution channels: tour operators, travel agents, and specialized distribution channels. The category of specialized channels includes incentive travel agencies; persons involved in the planning of meetings and conferences; hotel representatives, association executives; corporate travel agencies, etc. (Fig. 4.3).

Rice. 4.3. The system of distribution of goods and services in tourism

Intermediaries can influence when, where and how people travel. To some extent, they control what percentage of the business an airline, hotel, cruise line, or car rental company gets. Even among three

Each vertical link in Fig. 4.4 represents a possible intermediary linking tourists with tourism service providers. The leftmost link shows that consumers themselves book places on a vehicle, a hotel room and organize their holidays directly with manufacturers (suppliers) of travel services. Each of the subsequent links is not a direct connection, but mediated by one or more intermediaries. All of these links must be examined by the tourism marketing manager in order to select the best channel or combination of distribution channels in order to successfully promote the company's goods and services on the market. The manager must also be always aware of the changes that occur in the distribution system. The entry of new competitors into the system always requires additional methods of distribution of goods and services.

Rice. 4.4. Channels of distribution of tourist goods and services of different levels

In the Russian tourist market, there are two main forms of selling a tourist product: through a tour operator and through a travel agent. tour operator- a tourist enterprise that develops tourist routes and completes tours, ensures their functioning, organizes advertising, calculates in accordance with current regulations and approves in the prescribed manner the prices for tours on these routes, sells tours to travel agents for the issuance and sale of vouchers under their licenses. Travel agent- a company that purchases tours developed by a tour operator, issues vouchers for these tours and sells them to the consumer.

The specifics of the tour operator's activity is the selection and combination of basic and additional travel services, their preliminary planning and standardization. The functions of a tour operator in the market can be compared with the activities of wholesalers: it buys wholesale services from travel service providers (hotels, transport companies, tour agencies, catering companies and other tourism industry enterprises) and combines their own tour programs from them.

Travel agencies theoretically differ from tour operators in that they act as intermediaries for retail software packages of both operators and enterprises-suppliers of travel services. Along with the marketing of tourist products, an important function of travel agencies is to provide the client with complete reliable information about the purchased tourist product, advice on the intended purpose of the trip.

In practice, an enterprise can be both a tour operator and a travel agent. Russian tour operators, for example, often do not form a tourist product, but add a foreign partner to the product transport services and insurance services, therefore, in essence, they are travel agents of a foreign tour operator. The large Russian tour operator Inna Tour, in addition to being a tour operator, is also engaged in travel agency activities, as it sells air tickets for both Russian and foreign airlines. But there are travel agencies that develop their own tour programs. These are, as a rule, small and medium-sized firms offering highly specialized tours. They are quite capable of working as tour operators in separate, narrow market segments.

The trend towards the merging of the functions of a tour operator and a travel agent within the framework of one enterprise is determined by the creation of global electronic data banks, global booking systems and business computerization.

In connection with the expansion of the activities of many large tour operators, contracts are concluded with regional travel agencies for the sale of the tour operator's product. Thus, a smaller part of sales goes through the tour operator's own distribution network, while most of the tours are sold through independent travel agencies. Under the current conditions, it becomes difficult for a tour operator to implement its own marketing concept, since a travel agency that sells tours of dozens of companies cannot implement the marketing concept of each of them. Therefore, tour operators are looking for ways to increase the degree of controllability of distribution channels by expanding their own sales network, buying shares in travel agency enterprises, and franchising.

Franchising- vertical integration of enterprises, based on the transfer of a well-known company to another party (usually a small or medium-sized enterprise) of its work methodology, including know-how, trademark, consulting support and assistance in staff training. This form of cooperation allows firms to reduce the risk of failure when entering the market, to purposefully use financial resources, minimize current costs through a single advertising campaign and the use of ready-made technological developments.

In the more mature Western market, this form of business has become the main concept of development for many well-known tourist enterprises - "Hilton", "Sheraton", "Holiday Inn", "TUI", "Carlson", "Wagon Lit". On Russian market one of the leaders in the development of franchising relations is the corporation "Academservice". Since 1994, the company has been expanding the Academexpress franchise network, which includes 20 metropolitan and regional agencies successfully operating under a well-known brand. The travel agencies of the franchise network operate within the framework of a single marketing concept, including an established approach to market research and a flexible program of activities in the field of advertising and brand promotion. General advertising campaigns provide cost reduction in the field of product promotion. Agencies use constant consulting support, possibilities of "hot line" of booking in central office firms, as well as a scheme for optimizing financial flows and organizing financial statements.

Developments in the field of distribution and promotion of products from the producer to consumers (for example, computer technology) provide quick access for buyers to products that (especially in tourism) are consumed hundreds of kilometers from their point of sale, facilitate the booking of goods and services. Computerization of the work of the "Natalie Toure" office, the introduction of advanced software, active development of the Internet has led to the fact that more than 40% of tours are sold through electronic systems booking. The travel agent has the ability to track through the Internet all the stages of the passage of his order in the Moscow office (confirmation of receipt of the order, receipt of money on the account of the tour operator, issuing air tickets, issuing a visa). More than 200 main agencies of the company operate in this mode.

§ 4. Demand stimulation methods

The purpose of promoting goods and services is to create demand for these goods and services. Promotion of a product or service is a broad concept that includes advertising in the press and print, personal selling techniques, public relations, and sales promotion activities.

The use of demand promotion tools in the field of tourism is aimed not only at the end consumer, but also at numerous producers of tourism services, intermediaries (travel agents, tour operators), as well as their contact "audiences" (mass media, financial and insurance companies, public organizations).

In order to sell a product, you must:

Attract the attention of potential consumers;
- arouse consumer interest in the product;
- arouse the desire of consumers to buy this product;
- to stimulate buyers to real action.

Both forms of personal selling and advertising are highly effective. But the most effective is to use these two forms together. Advertising is ideal for drawing attention and creating interest among potential buyers for a particular product or service. The personal selling technique is best suited to create a desire in the buyer to purchase a particular tourist product. However, even more effective in promoting a product is the use of both advertising and personal selling techniques, supported by print advertising and various forms of sales promotion.

In tourism, such means of stimulating demand as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and propaganda are widely used.

Advertising. Advertising can be defined as a form of non-personal communication with customers for the presentation of goods, ideas and services, carried out through paid media, with a clearly identified source of funding. In tourism marketing, these appeals to the traveling public are designed to introduce a particular tourist destination in order to attract buyers. Such messages are conveyed to potential buyers through the main media, such as newspapers, magazines, direct postal items, television, radio, and outdoor advertising.

Advertising aimed at tourist areas;
- advertising directed to work with related industries and enterprises;
- advertising for work with intermediaries;
- advertising for work with consumers (real and potential).

1) those who feel the need for the subject of advertising and are looking for information about it;
2) those who are in a state of indifference or uncertainty in relation to the subject of advertising;
3) those who feel the need, but for some reason have a negative attitude towards the subject of advertising.

The challenge for advertisers is to turn these three categories from potential consumers into real ones. In the first case, you just need to inform (supportive advertising); in the second - to form an opinion (stimulating advertising); in the third - to influence with the greatest force in order to break the prevailing stereotype (conversion advertising).

Advertising should be directed to certain market segments. This results in cost minimization and cost savings. To conduct a successful advertising campaign, it is necessary to segment the market and select the target group of people to whom the advertising message will be sent. When choosing means, time, content, duration and frequency of circulation, segmentation signs are taken as key ones. With a large coverage of market segments, various types and forms of advertising are selected.

Each travel company chooses the form of appeal in advance, even when the advertising campaign is commissioned by advertising agencies or media personnel.

Distinguish between commercial and communicative effectiveness of advertising. The sales effectiveness of advertising is determined by the increase in the percentage of sales before and after the start of promotional activities. The communicative effectiveness of advertising is determined by research methods and questionnaires.

Each advertising medium has its own advantages and disadvantages. In the process of developing a strategy for promoting a product, it is important to choose the right advertising medium in order to obtain the desired effect from the funds invested in promoting the tourist product. Therefore, it is necessary, with the help of research, to obtain complete information about the consumer, his interests, hobbies, and requests.

Main advertising media are newspapers, magazines, radio, television, signs, catalogs, booklets, stands, leaflets, billboards, announcements on vehicles. They have the following advantages and disadvantages.

Newspapers. The newspaper gives comprehensive information about the local market. Compared to other advertising media, advertising in a newspaper is less expensive. In addition, newspapers are published more frequently and are more flexible in the sense that information is constantly updated. Newspapers are published at a certain time, have a wide audience and cause a quick reaction from consumers to an advertising message. Many newspapers have a tourism section as well as advertising sections. But the newspaper as a tourist advertisement has disadvantages: poor printed quality, short lifespan and a small audience of "secondary" readers.

Magazines. The main advantage of advertising in magazines is their print and graphic quality, which attracts the attention of readers. The advantages of the journal are reliability, prestige, long life span of messages, a significant number of "secondary" readers and low cost. Many magazine messages successfully reach specialized market segments and make it possible for these messages to reach target markets. The negative aspect of magazine advertising is that they are not published as often as newspapers, and it is impossible to quickly make the necessary changes to messages, as can be done with radio and television advertising.

When choosing a printed advertising medium, it is necessary to take into account to whom it is addressed, whether the territory of residence of the target consumer is covered. For example, the newspaper "Turinfo" covers the region of Moscow and the Moscow region and is distributed by private subscription. Its readers are mainly managers and employees of travel agencies and organizations related to tourism.

Book advertisement. Advertisements are placed in new book editions. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the correspondence of advertising to the content and design of the book. It is worth placing advertisements for a travel agency only in books related to programs included in guidebooks, country guides, and fiction books about countries. Payment for such advertising is high and approaches sponsorship (participation in the cost of publishing and distributing the book).

Booklets. These are special editions dedicated to one company and its products. In booklets, next to the advertising text, photographs and short biographies of the company's faces are placed, its sponsorship and charity events are called. The participation of the company in international exhibitions, in the political life of the country is revealed in the booklets. Booklets are usually multicolored and printed on paper. High Quality, unlike leaflets, which are printed on ordinary paper and in one color. They are issued when visiting a company, at a presentation, an exhibition or when concluding contracts.

Catalog. This is a printed publication that advertises a large list of travel destinations, tour packages and related services with brief explanations and prices. Catalogs are distributed upon purchases or agreements between tour operators, travel agents and other travel organizations.

Direct mail. Although postage costs are high, direct mail advertising is of the greatest importance to tourism entrepreneurs. Postal advertising is personal in nature, addressed to a specific group of people. Thus, it is the most effective advertising tool, because it allows you to reduce the cost of sending messages to people who are not interested in this product. Direct mail advertising is addressed to people who are ready to make contact, and you can expect a response from them. By the number of responses received, you can evaluate the effectiveness of this advertising medium. Another positive feature is the absence of competitors' advertising.

Advertising tours designed for business tourism are distributed by direct mail. Direct mail can be effective if the travel agency has a wide connection with tour operators in various countries and a certain range of potential and real customers - firms that regularly use business tours.

The disadvantage here is the acquisition and constant updating of the list of people to whom this message will be addressed. Such lists can be purchased for a fee from specialized companies.

In the travel industry, the primary source for compiling such mailing lists are former clients of the firm. Mail lists must be kept on the computer and always available.

Radio. Radio advertisements may be constantly updated. They are relatively cheap. The disadvantage of such advertising is that advertising messages are perceived only by ear and cannot convey colorfully designed advertising messages, as television can do. Typical listeners of advertisements on the radio are people driving a car. Many tourist destinations consider radio to be the most effective means of advertising.

A television. Television presents messages that can be perceived both aurally and visually. Television advertising does not require special efforts from the audience in the perception of the message. It affects a variety of people's feelings. Television is able to reach a wide audience and has a high degree of attention-grabbing. Television advertising is more expensive than other media. However, despite the high cost of television advertising, television is used in advertising for many tourist destinations, as the effectiveness of television messages justifies the high costs.

Outdoor advertising. essence outdoor advertising is a reminder. Its feature is instantaneous perception. Outdoor advertising cannot start an advertising campaign, it can only continue or end it. The main thing when placing outdoor advertising is the territorial location. Outdoor advertising is used with great success by many tourism organizations. This tool is quite flexible, low cost and covers virtually the entire population. The disadvantage of outdoor advertising is that the message should be as short as possible, although it is most likely to reach potential tourists.

Exhibitions. Tourist expositions, exhibitions and fairs are indispensable for presenting and advertising new programs and directions of tours, as well as for attracting more visitors - potential tourists.

National tourism products, tourism products of individual regions, as well as tourism products of individual travel agencies are promoted at international level exhibitions. The Russian tourism product is presented at the following international exhibitions: "Tursib" in Novosibirsk, MITT in Moscow, Inwetex in St. Petersburg, ITB in Berlin, BIT in Milan, Fitur in Madrid, World Travel Market in London. In Russia, there is a need to create and hold an exhibition on domestic tourism.

So, tourism advertising can take many forms and types. Restrictions in the choice of advertising can only arise when planning the advertising budget and focus. There is no definite formula for determining the advertising budget. Indicators that determine it can be the percentage of last year's sales and the percentage of potential sales. These indicators must be taken into account, since the role of advertising is to raise demand for the company's products. It will spend as much money as is absolutely necessary to achieve its intended sales targets. The best method for establishing an advertising budget is to determine the desired goal and in the media that will help achieve this goal.

Promotion of a new tourist center on the market will require more funds than maintaining the image of an object already mastered by tourists. The distribution of the advertising budget between advertising and sales promotion depends on each specific situation.

A travel agency cannot spend more than 10% of its turnover on an advertising campaign. The specificity of tourist advertising is that the advertising messages of tourist organizations should be more targeted than advertising in other sectors of the economy.

Advertising agency services. To run a successful business, professional advertising managers must not only know the basics of marketing, advertising, public relations, personal selling techniques, but also use the services of specialized agencies with experience in the field of advertising.

When planning a program for conducting advertising activities, first of all, a clearly defined and realistically achievable goal should be set (which is what we expect from advertising). An advertising agency can help determine this goal. When choosing an advertising agency, it is necessary to take into account the experience of its work. It is necessary to check the previous advertising campaigns carried out by this agency, as well as ask clients about the effectiveness of its work.

The advertising program must be consistent with the product being offered and the expectations of consumers. Positive customer feedback is the most persuasive form of personal advertising. Tourists who have received excellent service and the feeling that they are the most important customers will not only return to this tourist center or hotel again, but will also recommend it as a holiday destination to their friends. The material base, services, hospitality and pricing - everything should be focused on achieving one goal - a satisfied, happy client.

Research. Successful tourism marketing relies heavily on research. Activities to stimulate tourist demand without proper research are just a waste of time and effort. Advertising costs will not be productive if it is not known in advance: the contingent of customers, their addresses and travel and leisure preferences, their interests; which tourist destinations they prefer. These questions can only be answered through research.

Personal Selling Techniques. This is the oldest and most widely used method of creating customer demand, the most persuasive and effective type of sales promotion, since the seller in this case has direct contact with buyers. Unlike advertising, which is not a personal means of communication, personal selling is an individual, personal communication between the seller and the consumer. Many organizations spend more money on personal selling (8 to 15% of sales) than on advertising.

The widespread use of personal selling techniques is explained by the fact that the seller can quickly adapt to the buyer, his requests and quickly change tactics based on a particular situation. The seller can determine which approaches to working with customers are effective and which do not work, and therefore, appropriate adjustments can be made.

However, personal selling is an expensive means of reaching potential customers, and it is not always possible to find a person with the necessary characteristics for a seller.

All sellers must be specially trained in order to be able to present the tourist product in a favorable, attractive light for buyers. A friendly and sympathetic salesperson is an important part of the sales process, while unfriendly behavior can alienate customers and will not stimulate sales.

Sales promotion- is the use of a variety of incentives designed to accelerate or enhance the response of the market.

Incentives (competitions, coupons, bonuses, commissions) have three characteristic qualities:

1) attract attention and contain information that can lead the consumer to the product;
2) imply a concession, benefit, assistance that are of value to the consumer;
3) contain a clear offer to immediately make a transaction or purchase.

Firms resort to sales promotion, which includes incentives for consumers and intermediaries. Stimulation of consumers is carried out through the distribution at the exhibition of coupons for the purchase of tourist products of the company with discounts (thus, the percentage of consumers contacting the tourist organization increases), as well as through contests and free distribution of advertising and information products, souvenirs. Discount systems are used to expand the circle of regular customers of the company. Pioneers in this area were such firms as "Svetal", "Sodis", "Skyter". The economic effect of using the technology of discount cards in "Sodis" can be estimated by the following indicator: the number of those who applied to the company exceeds 50%. Usually, to attract the same number of customers, you need to double the advertising budget 2 .

A large tour operator VAO "Intourist" and Insurance Company presented at the exhibition "MITT-98" new project- purchase of tours abroad in installments. The project is designed to attract, first of all, Russians, whose income level does not allow paying for the ticket in full at once. Installment is provided for a period of 1 year with an advance payment of 30% 3 .

Agents are stimulated through high commissions, bonuses, joint marketing activities (research, advertising campaigns).

Organization public opinion(public relations), go propaganda. Public opinion activities have several objectives, including providing the firm with favorable publicity, creating images of it as an organization with high civic responsibility, and preventing the spread of unfavorable rumors and information about it. Public relations can be defined as the social consciousness of the firm, where the public interest is a priority in the process of making any decision. Public relations permeates the entire tourism organization, including relationships with many structures such as customers, company employees, suppliers and local residents.

Recognition and approval of society is very important for the activities of any tourism organization. It is tourism, more than any other areas of business, based on human relations, where all public interests must be taken into account. Such a fact as quality service one social group and the neglect of another, is the result of a bad, ill-conceived public relations program. Conversely, internally organized social relations are based on respect for people. The company must take care of its employees, and they must be sure of the safety of their workplace. Tourism workers represent their company in the eyes of society, so they must be trained in polite and respectful behavior towards customers and a constant readiness to help them. Their attitude to work can either support or destroy all the efforts made in creating a favorable image of the tourism organization in the eyes of society.

Constant communication with your customers is the basis for creating or maintaining a favorable image of the company. The reputation and image of a travel company is largely determined by the way of resolving disputes that arise with customers and partners, as well as the procedure for resolving complaints. Tourist organizations that care about preserving their positive reputation, they try not to bring the situation to court, but to resolve everything peacefully. In disseminating favorable information about a travel organization, it is necessary to provide consumers with only reliable and complete information about a product or service. False information for a long time or even forever will create an unfavorable image of the company in the minds of society.

So, the advertising activity of many Russian tour operators is limited to advertising in the press, while experience shows that such advertising campaigns bring the maximum effect, which provides for a combination of various means of advertising and demand stimulation.

So far, the marketing activities of many Russian travel agencies are of an impersonal mass character, while the marketing strategy should be personal-oriented.

Survival in the market requires the use of a direct marketing strategy, the essence of which is the individualization of sales, establishing direct contacts directly with a specific consumer, with each potential client.

The concept of direct marketing involves:

Identification of target groups to which marketing activities should be directed;
- development of a set of measures to stimulate the sale of tourist services;
- Creation of a data bank on the clientele of the company;
- creation of an effective system of stable feedback and quick response of the travel services provider to complaints and claims from the client.

The formation of a permanent clientele of the company is the main condition for the commercial stability of the company in the future.

In a difficult economic environment, the survival and maintenance of the competitiveness of many small and medium-sized firms is primarily seen in the cooperation of such activities as marketing, training, wholesale purchase of goods and services. Even the major travel agencies have recognized the need to team up with other market participants. The union of travel agencies takes on a variety of forms. As practice shows, a special place is occupied by tourist clubs (associations in the areas of tourism). The process of formation of such associations intensified, during 1998 they were created in almost most countries of mass tourism. There are two forms of integration - horizontal and vertical. horizontal shape- associations of tour operators and carriers at embassies or national tourism committees. vertical form- associations of irreconcilable competitors, consisting of large tour operators of the same direction.

Associations built on a horizontal principle are able to solve the main problems of tour operators in terms of obtaining visa support, negotiating optimal tariffs with local carriers, as well as in terms of establishing direct contacts with the host country. Membership in the club strengthens the position of the company, formally is a guarantee of professionalism and stability. The clubs jointly form new tourist products. Participation in clubs allows tour operators to avoid large investments in marketing and development of new offers from scratch, as well as reduce advertising costs.

The financial crisis forced even large companies look for new ways and mobilize material and intellectual resources to find better ways of doing business. Members of vertical clubs - large firms - are also forced to create strategic alliances to reduce risk. Among the tactical tasks of such clubs is the effective solution of issues related to filling charters, the optimal use of quotas in hotels. The strategic goal is to divide the spheres of influence in the market among themselves in such a way as not to compete, thereby not reducing the volume and profitability of each other's business.

For example, members of the Bulgarian club (38 travel agencies, including Solvex Travel, Bayana, Turenergoservis, Balkan Express, etc.) conduct joint advertising of the Bulgarian direction, plan to publish catalogs, study tours for travel agencies, in their the composition includes representatives of embassies, major air carriers.

A minority of tour operators' sales go through their own sales network, and a large part through independent travel agencies, so it is difficult for firms to sell their marketing strategy. In this regard, in the Russian tourist market, there is a subordination of travel agencies based on the purchase of shares in travel agencies and franchising to ensure greater manageability of their distribution channels.

conclusions

The modern concept of marketing in tourism requires taking into account the holistic and comprehensive nature of the tourism business. To implement such a concept, it is necessary to develop a mechanism for coordinating marketing various organizations in the field of tourism.

The success of tourism development directly depends on the level state support this industry.

In a crisis, marketing activities at the federal level should be aimed at stimulating the development of domestic and inbound tourism.

The experience of the largest Russian tour operators has shown that the right strategy and an effective marketing program allow the company to identify target markets, choose permanent reliable partners, and significantly increase sales and market share.

The most common method of conducting research in the work of a significant part of Russian tourism organizations is desk research.

Need more effective implementation research on a scientific basis. To conduct the most in-depth comprehensive research, it is necessary to invite specialists or create your own marketing department with qualified personnel. It is advisable for small and medium-sized tour operators to unite to conduct joint marketing activities and market research in order to reduce the cost of attracting marketing specialists and specialized marketing companies.

The specific nature of marketing in the Russian tourist market is determined by the fact that the prevailing number of Russian tour operators limit their marketing activities to advertising campaigns, mainly in the form of print advertising. A variety of forms of advertising is needed.

Tourism marketing should be addressed not only to end consumers - tourists, but also to intermediate authorities - travel agencies, partners, public tourism associations, government bodies for the regulation of tourism.

Direct Marketing- a sales method that involves establishing direct contacts with the consumer.

According to experts, catalog sales and telephone marketing have good prospects in the Russian market, as for telemarketing (“Shop on the sofa”, “TV-shop”, etc.), experts state its unprofitability (not cost recovery) and gradual extinction in the domestic market.

For the tourism industry, personal selling plays a very important role, which involves personal, individual communication between travel agency employees and customers. The specific features of the services impose certain requirements on the company's employees and require high qualifications and professionalism from them. The same goes for telephone marketing, as the majority of agency sales take place over the telephone.

Many managers do not take into account that the client will come to where the employees have shown the most friendliness and attention. The trust of potential customers in the manager becomes one of the main conditions for successful work and profit. Managers must understand that a lost call is a lost profit for a travel agency, and managers need to motivate the Company's employees accordingly.

One of the main advantages of direct marketing over all other forms of marketing communications is that the travel company has the ability to work with target audiences. Techniques such as personal selling and telephone marketing are fundamental to the successful operation and growth of a business.

telephone marketing

The extraordinary importance of telephone communication is one of the features of the Russian tourist market. The quality of service becomes a decisive factor in the competitive struggle of travel companies and agencies. The uniqueness of tourism activities lies in the fact that it requires the staff to have a large amount of knowledge about countries, peoples, geography, history, religion, culture and much more. Telephone sales are more complex than personal sales because the only means of communication in a telephone conversation are voice and speech. In order not to undermine the potential client's trust in the company, but to strengthen it, the following telephone marketing rules must be observed:

1. Don't be indifferent. If the manager is not interested in his work, then the company's management does not motivate its employees well, or the person is simply not suitable for such work.

2. Follow the manner of communication by phone. The tone of voice should be friendly, it should be spoken slowly, calmly, loudly enough and clearly.

3. Choose a communication style depending on the characteristics of the client speaking on the phone. The style can be businesslike, friendly, creative and productive, flirting, etc. The communication style reflects a person’s communication abilities, his character, psychological and social personality.

4. Follow the rules of etiquette. Pick up the phone, say hello, name the company, introduce yourself. Say goodbye at the end of the conversation. During the conversation, you can not eat, drink, smoke, pause, be distracted by employees.

5. During a call find out the name of the interlocutor and use it during the conversation. This psychological technique is based on the fact that the name is a symbol of personality, and by calling a person by name, you thereby show him respect.

6. Have mental toughness , which allows you to work with the first client at 9.00 am, and with the last one at 19.00 pm.

7 . For a conversation to be productive, find out from the client the range of services he is interested in (purpose of trip, number of tourists, if children are traveling - their age, planned vacation period, number of days, hotel class, meals, group or individual trip).

8. All necessary data for answering questions should be at hand or on a computer, There should be a pen and paper on the table.

Travel agencies in their work need to use telephone marketing, which is based on

sonic appeal to the client. To do this, it is necessary to compile a register of clients with addresses, telephone numbers, birthdays, trips made, their dates, paid amounts. Indicate a service manager in it, constantly replenish it with new data for the convenience of conducting direct marketing campaigns. With all clients it is necessary to establish a "feedback" relationship:

before leaving on a trip, call all tourists in order to clarify all the formalities;

after the end of the trip (preferably the next day), find out whether the trip went smoothly, find out the real situation, whether the client was satisfied with the quality of the service, whether the price corresponded to the services offered, whether the terms of the contract were fulfilled. Thus, you can evaluate the work of your business partners;

throughout the year, send out catalogs to customers with offers of their tourism product for each season (winter, summer). A further development of such personal contact may be a telephone call;

invite to tourist exhibitions MITT and Otdykh by sending a ticket by mail;

congratulations on calendar holidays.

Such an attitude towards customers will allow to form a stable clientele and create a positive image of the travel agency.