TOURISM MARKETING

The aim of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the key concepts of marketing applied in the tourism and hospitality industries. Students will learn about the role of tourism and hospitality marketing in the public, private and third sectors and in a variety of contexts including destinations, transport and hotels. The students will be able to demonstrate an awareness to tourism management operations in an international marketplace and in the following areas: 1) Critical thinking: ability to evaluate and compare diverse perspectives in the tourism management industry. 2) Creative thinking: ability to develop logical and consistent solutions to organizational problems. 3) professional development: students will be able to apply career planning concepts and job search strategies linked to the diverse industry opportunities. At the conclusion of the programme, students will be able to synthesise strategic, organisational and marketing processes of a hospitality enterprise or commercial enterprise within the context of the global nature of the tourism business. They should be able to confidently debate, research and synthesise different theories while evaluating their organisational learning

The teaching and learning activity takes place through lectures, in class tutorial discussions, online presentations, research works and group works, active questioning within lectures, tutorials and case studies.

1. Introduction to key marketing concepts and the characteristics of services marketing and tourism marketing.
2. Drives of tourist motivations, behaviours and the needs of customers and their potential application in the development and marketing of tourism products.
3. Market segmentation – analysis of tourism markets, targeting and positioning, the importance of niche markets.
4. The main characteristics and components of tourism products, product positioning and the role of branding and packaging in tourism; approaches to new product development.
5. The variety of distribution channels in tourism, including the influence of ICT, social media and how new products and services are brought to the market.
6. Methods of pricing and their application to tourism products.
7. The role of the various techniques of marketing communications within tourism marketing.
8. Marketing information and research.
9. The importance of destination image and branding.
10. The structure and organisation of the tourism industry and how is changing and why;
11. The development of new tourism products and service (for example, food experiences, wine tasting, outdoor activities, bike, hiking, diving, ecc.).
12. The end of competitive advantage, also and above all in the tourism business.

1. Rita Gunther McGrath, La fine del vantaggio competitivo, Roi Edizioni, Macerata, 2019.
2. Maria Pia Favaretto, Mariagrazia Villa, Food&Wine - Marketing 4.0, Flaccovio Editore, Palermo 2019.