| Guidance
on specific markets Within
this section our main priority will be to bring you guidance
on
a range of different markets so you can decide which are most
appropriate for you. We'll be adding more information each month
so keep checking the site or subscribe to our free
marketing newsletter so you don't miss out.
We currently
have information about business
tourism, a case
study on marketing to gay people and the VFR
market (visits
to friends and relatives).
Before
you begin focusing on different markets, it's important to make
an initial distinction between leisure tourism, business tourism
and influencers.
Most
tourism marketing targets consumers in leisure markets,
i.e. people who are visiting somewhere for pleasure rather than
business-related
reasons. Leisure visitors can be further segmented, according to
whether or not they are day trippers, overnight visitors, short
break or holiday takers. Other criteria are often added such as
"empty nesters" or family with young children as well as lifestyle
and some other factors.
Business
tourism is a broad sector encompassing:
• Business or corporate travel by individuals, which can be very difficult
to influence;
• Incentive
travel – “trips of a life-time” offered to key
personnel as an incentive or reward;
• Meetings
and conferences – the British Conference Market Trends Survey
estimates this is worth around £7.3 billion annually;
• Exhibitions
and trade fairs – estimated to be worth around £2 billion
annually but possibly now declining in importance due to the domination
of the internet as a means of obtaining information about companies
and products.
The
third area of "influencers" include the travel
trade as well as people like Blue Badge Guides and the press who
can influence visitors'
decisions. Acting as an intermediary
between consumers and tourism products, the travel trade has multiple
purchasing power.
One
tour operator can make arrangements on behalf of literally hundreds
of other people. The travel trade can act as an external and unpaid
sales force. Incoming tour operators, coach operators, tour operators
and special interest operators need suitable information, compelling
reasons to bring visitors to the area and familiarisation trips.
The
travel trade are likely to bring both individuals and groups.
Susan Briggs
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