Institute of Commercial Management | Qualification Subject

Tourism Marketing & Promotion

ICM Professional Diploma Unit

Introduction to Travel and Tourism

  • Travel and tourism demand
  • Component sectors of travel and tourism supply
  • Changing prospects for twenty-first century tourism

What Does Marketing Mean?

  • What is marketing?
  • Management attitudes, customer focus and the external business environment
  • The marketing propositions
  • Marketing feasibility

Characteristics of Travel and Tourism Marketing

  • Marketing goods and services
  • Services and their characteristics
  • Particular characteristics of travel and tourism services
  • How marketing in travel and tourism differs from other forms of marketing

Factors Influencing Demand for Tourism: Tourism Motivations and Buyer Behaviour

  • Main determinants of demand
  • Marketing response to the determinants of tourism
  • Buyer behaviour model for travel and tourism
  • Buyer characteristics
  • Consumer decision-making process
  • Using consumer behaviour data for marketing

Market Segmentation

  • Multiple segments in travel and tourism
  • Reasons for segmenting markets
  • Conditions to effective segmentation
  • Segmentation methods
  • Benefits of effective market segmentation

Product Formulation in Travel and Tourism

  • Components of travel and tourism products
  • Components of the overall tourism product
  • Marketing implications of the overall tourism product concept
  • Customer as a participant in the production process
  • Co-branding and co-marketing

The Evolving Marketing Mix for Tourism Services

  • Original marketing mix
  • Four Ps and four Cs
  • Marketing mix in the context of the marketing system
  • Internal marketing
  • The service delivery process
  • Consumer centric marketing

Marketing Research in Travel and Tourism

  • Categories of marketing research and their uses
  • Marketing research methods
  • Commissioning a market research agency
  • Researching customer satisfaction

Planning Marketing Strategy

  • Need for strategic planning
  • Model of strategic planning process
  • Business portfolio analysis
  • Corporate strategy and objectives
  • Marketing planning process
  • Branding and image
  • Corporate communication role of marketing plans

Marketing Planning Process: Budgeting and Evaluating Marketing Performance

  • Significance of marketing plans
  • Steps in the marketing planning process
  • Marketing campaigns in travel and tourism
  • Marketing campaign budgets
  • Budgeting methods
  • Performance measurement: evaluation, monitoring and control
  • Campaign plan monitoring

Growth and Role of Information and Communications Technology

  • Evolution of Information Communications Technology (ICT)
  • Future of ICT
  • How is ICT influencing tourism marketing?
  • Barriers to the growth of E-tourism
  • Impact of ICT on the marketing mix
  • Uses of websites in marketing
  • Database marketing and the internet

Distribution Channels in Travel and Tourism

  • Strategic choices in distribution
  • Principles of distribution
  • Distribution channels or access systems
  • Benefits and costs of using intermediaries
  • Evolution of distribution systems
  • Managing the marketing channel

Integrated Marketing Communications

  • Principles of integrated marketing communications
  • Stages in the marketing communication process
  • Promotional mix
  • Role of advertising agencies
  • Public relations
  • Sponsorship
  • Sales promotions
  • Advertising
  • Types of print materials used in marketing travel and tourism
  • Stages in producing effective information materials
  • Distributing information to target audiences
  • Electronic alternatives to print

Marketing Tourism Destinations

  • Dimensions of destination marketing
  • Marketing role of NTOs
  • Destination promotions
  • Destination positioning, themes, images and concepts
  • Marketing facilitation strategies for an NTO
  • Consumer assistance and protection

Marketing Accommodation

  • Serviced and non-serviced accommodation
  • Role of accommodation in the overall tourism product
  • Nature of the accommodation business
  • Strategic marketing tasks for accommodation businesses
  • Accommodation marketing budgets

Managing Marketing Passenger Transport

  • The nature of transport systems
  • The nature of the transport product
  • Vehicle technology
  • Information and communications technology
  • Operational constraints on public transport marketing
  • Strategic linkages and alliances
  • Tactical marketing

Marketing Visitor Attractions

  • Traditional and modern concepts of attractions management
  • Characteristics of managed visitor attractions
  • The attractions product: marketing the experience
  • Market segments for visitor attractions
  • Marketing strategy for attractions
  • Operating constraints on marketing

Marketing Inclusive Tours and Product Packages

  • Nature of inclusive tours and product packages
  • Process of constructing an inclusive tour programme
  • Strategic issues for contracting tour operators
  • Positioning, branding, image
  • Choice of distribution options
  • Tactical marketing

Example Candidate Response Booklet

Example Candidate Response (ECR) Booklets are a source of crucial information for Centres and Candidates as they use real candidate responses. We ask Senior Examiners to comment on five or more responses in terms of why the mark was awarded with commentary about how to improve the answer (if necessary).

Recommended Reading

Main Text:

Marketing in Travel and Tourism, 4th edition, V.T.C. Middleton, A. Fyall. M. Morgan & A. Ranchhod, Routledge.

Indicative Text:

Alternative Text and Further Reading:

Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, Kotler, Bowen and Makens, 6th edition, Pearson.