Basic marketing principles applied to travel and tourism marketing, is fairly straightforward. Read on for a guide to developing a marketing plan for your destination. The first thing to understand is that marketing not only the promotion of your destination, but also the creation of a product that meets consumer needs.

Modern marketing gurus are adamant that destination must create “products” that meet traveler needs. The product of a destination is the experience and hospitality that you offer. Gurus also say to focus your marketing on a segmented group of people, rather than trying to mass market yourself.

Experiences are not tangible, but can still be effectively marketed by touching the emotions of travelers. Learn how your target market wants to feel when they are on vacation. Giving them that experience is the creation of your product, promising the experience is the marketing of your product.

An effective marketing plan has nine ingredients.

1. Your objective or goal. This is something you can measure, usually stated as sales, market share, ADR or occupancy rates, for example. Make sure it’s a realistic goal.

2. Figure out any economic, political or social factors that might affect your goals. Success or failure lies in the changes of demographics and lifestyles. Don’t be afraid of these. When you know what they are, you can turn them to your advantage.

3. Resources. What do you have to offer travelers? What staffing do you have to accomplish your goal? How much money?

4. What is your target market segment? Do not be all things to all people…that is the kiss of death. Figure out what group of people can most benefit from what you have to offer and you have a winning combination.

5. Marketing objective: should be measurable and stated clearly. For example: increase wedding bookings by 10% over the next two years.

6. A marketing strategy for your target audience. Put together an offering package that will attract your target market. Think about your product (experiences and hospitality), price, location and promotion.

7. Plan how you will implement the marketing strategy. Will you add a new line of service? Will you upgrade the service you offer now? Will you change your price?

8. Your budget. Include money to spend as well as time your staff will spend, bearing in mind your available resources as defined in Step 3.

9. Figure out how you will measure success, and plan to change your approach if it’s not successful. You must monitor and evaluate your plan as it is being implemented regularly. If it’s not working, you need to know immediately, so you can modify it based on the results. Your chance of success is much greater this way.

Conclusion

Marketing is a very good way to gain new visitors, but it is also a way to decide what you will offer them. For the greatest success and profit, it’s very important to be sure that the quality of what you offer is the same or better than what is promised.

Work is necessary. However, once in a while a person should also learn how to value one’s self and give in to its wants and cravings. If the body reaches the point where doing the daily routines becomes almost impossible to bear, it is an indication that one should at least take the week off and go somewhere far from the responsibilities placed on one’s shoulders. Some would regard this as a selfish act, leaving everything behind to relax and unwind. But take note, a tired soul is never effective when it comes to working because at the end of the day, he or she will just be working for everybody’s sake. The goal is not to produce quality product but produce only.

Resting once in a while especially if the body asks to is not a sin. Wherever the vacation may take place-safari holidays, beach resorts, spas and salons or even at the comfort of one’s house-it doesn’t matter. The point is, the body, the mind and the soul have a short time for themselves only.

Travel and leisure, although a bit expensive, is recommended to those who have worked almost all their life forgetting about their own happiness. This will be more than worth it though because after a week-long vacation in one of the breathtaking safari holidays, the person can feel renewed and ready to work again.

There are other options aside of course from the safari holidays in South Africa. There is a wide variety to choose from when your goal is to travel and find leisure. Sports can be a good alternative as well since they energize your worn-out muscles. With travel though, you get the chance to see unfamiliar places and persons so you would feel like a new person. There are also other forms of leisure in different places, so it is like hitting two lions with one shot.

If the goal is to be one with nature and to reflect on things, certainly, those places near to Mother Nature is most suggested. An accommodation near the mountains, rivers, beach or the most wanted safari holidays would be of great help merely because you get the chance of seeing face to face the wildest creatures in the wild.

Travelling may not be your main activity. If that is so, going shopping may be the right one for you then. No need to exceed your credit card limit. Just a little upgrade in your wardrobe and a few things that would make you feel relax is what you need. New make ups for the females, or a new necktie for the males can change a lot.

You may choose to stay in your house instead of going out to spend thousands of dollars. But it is not a big deal. Bake cookies and breads to take your mind away from your responsibilities. Do the garden if you want or stay in your room for a beauty rest.

We are working very hard to earn money. But then what is the use of all the wealth if we can’t even give in to our want to experience safari holidays even for once. We deserve this. And depriving ourselves with the right for travel and leisure may not be a good idea. Think about it.

It has been said that those who are considering vacation travel to the great, golden state of California really have an underlying desire to “be Californians,” even if it’s only for the brief time that they are vacationing there. As a result, more and more potential California vacationers are looking to the state’s completely redesigned travel and tourism website to help them learn all about becoming a “temporary Californian.”

The state of California has an official department, or commission, that is structured to help promote and encourage people to travel throughout the vast state to take in all of the sights and wonders of the many tourist attraction destinations. It is the California Travel and Tourism Commission, or CTTC, which began promoting the idea of calling vacation travel visitors “Honorary Californians.”

The essential idea of this nomenclature is to encourage tourists to do much more than just visit the various tourist destinations. Instead, the California Travel and Tourism Commission wants vacationers to embrace the full experience of California’s easygoing, laid-back lifestyle and soak up the culture just like a local.

The CTTC has put together an extensive website. The impressive online presence is an attempt to compete aggressively for the attention of those planning to travel and who are looking for vacation ideas, for the ideal family vacation and great tourist destinations. They have provided an online tourism and travel guide that is intended to help potential visitors to the state to fall in love with the destination even before they arrive.

The CTTC website has gone a long way in accomplishing this goal by giving the website visitor a great deal of information about the “must see” tourist attraction options, as well as highlighting the many world renowned landmarks around the state. And, if that were not enough, there is also extensive revelations about “inside scoops” that further give people insights about where to go and what to see to make the vacation travel visitor feel even more connected and like a Californian, honorary or not.

And, true to the very image of style, fun and uniqueness, the state’s website provides all of this information, and much more, in a way that is visually appealing, engaging, and fun. This approach certainly helps to set the stage for the California experience and helps to draw people in and retain their attention. In the highly competitive world of travel tourism, this is very important and the consensus is that the CTTC has done a very good job at providing a compelling tourist guide.

From where to gingerly sip a trendy drink at a casual Los Angeles hideaway, to catching the rays on a sun-baked San Diego beach, to soaking up the high life at a posh Napa Valley spa, the California Travel and Tourism Commission’s website, at “Visit California”, has captured and cataloged the local California hotspots and revealed hidden state treasures. For travelers who like to pre-plan their itinerary, the site even offers an extensive menu of trip ideas, complete with Google maps.

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There are many destinations all over the world that people have been able to book and enjoy. When looking for the right travel and leisure best hotels there are a few pointers that should be noted. Take the time right now and see how easy it can be to book one of the top hotels and still save a few hundred dollars in the process.

It is important to make sure to plan ahead of time. When the dates are not chosen properly, travelers are going to have a very hard time saving money. Looking at the calendar and making the date is going to make things much easier and travelers will have plenty of time to plan and get that time off from work.

There are many travel deals that can be located on the internet. There are many great online travel sites that offer great vacation deals. When traveling off to New Zealand, be sure to look into travel and leisure best hotels such as Auckland airport hotels and Skycity Hotels Auckland. There are many great places to stay here and booking a room online is going to make things much easier.

Group travel is very common these days and often bring on a number of great benefits. If there are more than 5 people attending the trip, the hotel as well as the airline is going to offer a great discounted rate. Each person will be able to afford their share of the trip and the discount is well worth it.

When booking the trip, be sure to take advantage of any and all activities that can be booked at the same time. Look for extra guided tours and other city passes that will enable any traveler to save on all of their meals and other forms of entertainment. Take time to look closer into these deals and add them to the trip before checking out.

The fact of the matter is, there are great deals out there that anyone can take advantage of. Take some time to search the net and find out what deals are out there. Do not forget to take advantage of any group deals and rates for travel and leisure best hotels.

When looking to pursue a career in travel and tourism an education will help you to obtain the skills and knowledge you need to be successful. Becoming a professional can require you to learn various skills in order to provide the best services. Online career preparation is available through numerous schools and colleges. Online learning programs offer training at the certificate and degree level. You can start by looking into the level of education and career you wish to obtain.

Learning to work in the field of travel and tourism can be done by completing an accredited educational training program. This can be done online from the comfort and leisure of your own home. Training options include being able to pursue various certificates and degrees ranging from an associate to a master level. The length of training will be based on the level of education you decide you want to earn.

Certificates can require anywhere from several weeks to one years of accredited online training.
Associate degrees typically take two years to complete and obtain in the field of travel and tourism.
Bachelor degree programs can require you to fulfill four years of online learning to obtain.
Master degrees will take you an additional two years of accredited online study to earn.

When you choose to pursue an education and career in this field, you will be able to study various topics that will help you to complete all required training.

Coursework differs between online career preparation programs as well as the level of desired education. You can expect to learn a variety of subjects that relate to your specific career and education goals. Subjects of study may consist of:

Marketing and Sales Techniques
Computer and Reservation Systems
Accounting and Bookkeeping Courses
Cruise Line Information
Travel Destinations

…and many other courses that may relate. Online learning provides you with skills in these areas to help you enter into a successful career. You can choose from a number of professions in travel and tourism by earning an accredited online degree or certificate.

Possible career will vary based on the level of education you choose to pursue. You can expect to receive the training needed to enter into employment as a:

Cruise Sales Manager
Reservationist
Travel Agent
Corporate Travel Counselor
Property Manager

…and many other travel and tourism related professions. You can be sure that the education you receive will prepare you for career such as these by ensuring it carries full accreditation.

When you hear about travel and leisure vacations what thought or imagination gets into your head? Most people tend to think of travel and leisure vacations as eating to your maximum, filling up with as much alcohol as you can take, sandy beaches and fancy hotels. Others usually take travel and leisure vacations to be expensive dining, drinking yourself crazy, Broadway theatre, or hi-rise buildings. All these imaginations are good and valid. Nonetheless, whatever thought, picture or imagination that one may have be it, a tropical Caribbean getaway to a relaxed bed and breakfast in a secluded five star hotel, only few people put into consideration deep adventure and travelling.

Although the idea of overseas travel and leisure vacations is relatively a new thing in town, they have been accepted very well and they are gaining quick publicity and popularity. Many groups are now organizing hiking vacations where they sleep in tents, eco-lodges or in sleeping bags under the stars of night. Travelling is usually through road or on a horseback. Similarly, if the distance is not too far, you can also go on foot. During these types of travel and leisure vacations, you are supposed to carry your food as you will be getting to areas where there are no shops or supermarkets available. Although such an idea may not look possible, it is already in place in most parts of America and Africa.

According to my past experience, travel and leisure vacations should not be a time to always lie down from dawn to dusk. Take for example a person who is trying to cut weight and off he or she leaves for an overseas vacation. This should not be the time to regain all the weight he or she had lost earlier on. Your vacation should most definitely be a time to relax from the normal hustles and bustles of each day at work or school. However, as much as you relax you should never forget about tomorrow.

Doing the abnormal

Travel and leisure vacations are guided by one concept of getting away from the normal routine. This concept draws knowledge from simple ideas such as, venting, relaxing and enjoying nature and avoiding anything that might bring back the normal stress of each working day. With the latest dimension on travel and leisure vacations, you should also expand your view to include other activities such as walking, jogging, biking or going to the gym in the morning.

Earlier concepts that were there from centuries ago and still find importance and massive support from many people include; meeting and interacting with new people, adventure travelling, visiting historic sites and tourist destination cities, and exploring other realities that have just heard over the media.

Eco-tourism has been the heart of travel and leisure vacations because of its uniqueness and the dynamic environment. It incorporates very amazing facts and ways of manipulating most traditional theories behind vacation. This has led to the inception of many tour companies all over the world.

Career education programs are available online for those who can’t commit to attending traditional classes. Deciding to pursue a career in the hospitality field can give students the chance to gain the skills they need to enter the workforce. Knowledge learned will prepare students to seek employment in the specialized area of their choice. Online schools and colleges provide students with the opportunity to obtain an accredited education in travel and tourism. By doing so students can pursue a number of careers by obtaining various certificates and degrees.

Students can learn a number of things prior to enrollment in an online training program.
The level of education students choose to obtain will decide on the career possibilities available to them. Coursework will also depend on the level of education and desired career of each student. Students can prepare to work with people providing travel services and information when needed. Studies can be completed from the comforts of home at the students own leisure, allowing students to continue their current employment.
Obtaining an education will prepare students to seek the employment that they dream of.

Degree Options

Online career training programs can be completed at a variety of levels. Each individual student will need to complete the degree program that is necessary for their desired career. Training options can include earning a:

Certificate
Diploma
Associate Degree
Bachelor Degree
Master Degree

Students who pursue an education at these levels will be able to prepare for the successful career they need in travel and tourism. These levels of education can be completed by studying and passing all required courses.

Coursework

Students will be required to study various subjects based on the career they long for and the level of education being pursued. Accredited online training will allow students to attend courses in accounting, reservation systems, bookkeeping, travel destinations, cruise lines, sales techniques, and other subjects that related to specific careers in this field. Learning the skills and knowledge provided by these courses will prepare students for an exciting travel and tourism career.

Careers

There are numerous career possibilities when it comes to working in the hospitality field. Students who choose to gain an accredited online education have a number of career options to pick from. Training will prepare students to work in hospitality as travel and tourism managers, travel coordinators, travel agents, travel clerks, and other professions in this field. By pursuing the online educational training needed to enter into these careers, students will be on their way to seeking successful employment.

Accredited online travel and tourism training programs give students the chance to gain the quality education they deserve. Fully accredited online schools and colleges are approved by agencies like the Distance Education and Training Council ( http://www.detc.org/ ) to provide students with the best quality education available. Enrolling in an online educational program will allow students to prepare for their desired travel and tourism career. Students can research to learn more about the one that’s right for them.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.org.

Copyright 2010 – All rights reserved by PETAP.org.

For the discriminating consumer, nothing gives them a better option for all travel and leisure related information than a magazine travel and leisure magazine subscription. With a travel and leisure magazine subscription you can always be constantly aware of all the exciting places to travel and relax worldwide. You will also be given opportunities to save on all travel related costs. A travel and leisure magazine subscription will also save you a significant amount on the costs of your favorite travel and leisure magazines. Plus, you’ll have the added convenience of having your favorite travel and leisure magazines delivered right to your front door.

Travel magazines make an excellent gift choice for all those hard to buy people with cultivated tastes. It is a gift idea than will keep on giving every time that person opens their mailbox and finds the informative and entertaining travel and leisure magazine they’ve been waiting to read. So let someone you care about know how you feel about them by ordering a travel and leisure magazine subscription for them and you might as well order yourself one, because you do not want to be left out of all the information, discounts, reviews and travel tips available in a travel and magazine.

A leisure and travel magazine subscription will be a valuable resource if you are planning a business trip or vacation excursion anywhere in the world. It will have informative articles, features and reviews about the travel and leisure industry. But better still, is will have money saving tips and discounts on a variety of travel related products. Anything from discounts on transportation, whether by airplane, train, cruise ship or car, you’ll save money by having a travel and leisure magazine subscription. You will read fascinating articles about hot travel spots in every corner of the globe. You will read from travel industry professionals about a variety of subjects that could be used to ensure that your business trip or next vacation is safe and fun.

With a leisure and travel magazine subscription, you will know the world’s best travel, will be aware of the best restaurants, hotels, resorts, and cruises. You will be aware of some of the best food and best shopping from Paris to Singapore. Readers with travel and leisure magazine subscriptions will be informed about hot vacation travel deals and get insider tips for traveling that will save them money and allow them to get the best out of their trip.

A lot of people love to travel, but not many know how to travel smartly. Or they may not be aware of the superb deals that can be had simply by knowing about it, Being informed about travel deals on hotels, airfare and sight-seeing tours can vastly increase the success of any business trip or pleasure vacation. With all the great deals you will discover by having a travel magazine subscription, you will be able to travel a lot more frequently and at a fraction of the costs you used to spend on traveling.

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