CHAPTER 10

THE MARKETING PLAN

Table of Contents

01. 02.
PARTS OF A THE TOURISM
MARKETING PROMOTIONS
PLAN BOARD
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, we should be able to.
Identify the parts of a marketing plan.
Create a simple marketing plan for a tourism
establishment; and
Discuss how the Tourism Promotions Board is
marketing the Philippines.
Now that we have almost
reached the end of this
marketing subject, it is essential
to be able to integrate all these
marketing concepts into one
cohesive, practical, and strategic
program of action.
A written marketing plan
will help will help
consolidate ideas and
suggestions to improve
the business.
 What is a
Marketing Plan?
A Marketing
Plan is….
A working document developed
by hospitality and tourism
establishments that seriously
want to grow their business in
the forthcoming year. Due to the
never ending technological
advancement of technology in
the marketplace, it is necessary
to have a yearly plan.
With the fast pace of changes in the marketplace
mainly due to technological advancements, a
yearly plan is recommended.

Though long-term plans may be drawn over a

five-year or ten-year period, a marketing plan
prepared yearly is ideal.

This annual plan is reviewed on a quarterly

basis so that all stakeholders know where they
stand by comparing actual versus projected
figures.
 A MARKAND SHOULD…..
 Encourage marketing
 Serve as a road map managers to review and
for all marketing objectively think
activities of the firm. through all steps in the
 Align the marketing marketing process; and
activities with the  Assist the budgeting
corporate strategic process to match
plan; resources with
marketing objectives.
 Shoemaker et al. (2007) states that there are three key elements to a
successful marketing plan.
WORKABLE
REALISTIC AND
It must be simple FLEXIBLE
and easy to execute. Since the plan is subject
It should not be a for review to adapt to
bunch of changes in the
uncoordinated and marketplace, especially
disconnected to respond to what
activities. competition is doing, the
plan has to be stable yet
flexible.
MEASURABLE AND
ACHIEVABLE
GOALS
The marketing plan should
take consideration that goals
is needed to set a high
company’s strength but not
too high for the employees to
become frustrated. The
company needs to ensure that
it has ample resources to
achieve its goals.
The marketing plan has to be
simple and easy to execute. It
should not be a bunch of
uncoordinated and
disconnected activities
The goal is productivity and not just
activity. Since the plan is subject for
review to adapt to changes in the
marketplace, especially to respond
to what competition is doing, the
plan has to be stable yet flexible.
Finally, it has to be achievable. A lot of
companies end up frustrated mainly
because of its grand plans. The marketing
plan should take consideration that goals
need to be set high so the company will
stretch but not too high that employees
will become frustrated. The company
needs to ensure that it has ample
resources to achieve its goals.
THE EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The marketing plan starts with an executive
summary. It is similar to the abstract of a
research paper.

The goal of the executive summary is to give a

brief and logical presentation of the contents of
the marketing plan.

It should possess adequate information such as

objectives, strategies, and budget of the
company.
It is written with a “buy-in” strategy mind.
It should be brief and simple using short
sentences and paragraphs. The summary
should be convincing enough for the top
executives to give the marketing team its
support.

16
Introduction: Executive Summary
◦ Current situation of the Company
◦ Environmental Factors
◦ Competitive Analysis
◦ Marketing Trends
◦ Market Potentials
◦ Marketing Research Findings

17
01.
INTRODUCTION
 CURRENT SITUATION OF THE COMPANY

The marketing plan It discusses the existing product It then compares actual sales
begins with an lines, current distribution system, performance versus sales targets.
introduction of the and the promotional strategies Percentages are used to analyze the
current situation of the implemented to reach its actual company’s bottom line. Occupancy
company sales target. rates, and all other profitability
measures will show how the company
performed in the previous year.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
The external environment have an impact
on the marketing success of the business.
External factors can cause the decline or
increase of one’s business. These factors
may include tourism promotions done by
the local/regional/national tourism office,
development of airline routes and
infrastructures, new tourist attractions in
the area, new convention centers being
built, etc. these external factors may
positively or negatively affect one’s
business.
 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Competition plays a big role in the success of a business. How a tourism establishment
responds to new players in the market and new strategies of existing markets will actually
make an impact on the firm’s profitability. The marketing team must have a thorough
knowledge of its competitors and their activities. This will enable the company to know how
to respond accordingly.
 MARKETING TRENDS
Knowledge of marketing trends will help
marketers plan out product
development and promotional
strategies. How has traveler
motivation changed in recent years?
Do people still prefer tour packages or
have they moved to do-it-yourself
tours with the advent of online
bookings? What’s the impact of
smartphones and social media to
dining choices of individuals?
Recently, buffet dining has been the
trend for family celebrations.

Examples:
Vikings
Yakimix
Buffet 101
MARKET POTENTIAL
Business development strategies
are created based on the market
potential of certain products and
services. Creating new demand
for an existing product may be
tough but creating new demand
through the introduction of a
new product may be an excellent
way to gain profit.
 MARKETING RESEARCH
FINDINGS
Some established hotel chains and
restaurants employ market research
firms to evaluate the external
market and identify business
opportunities. Smaller firms who
may not have the resources to do
this can actually look into market
research findings available online
or industry trends published in
research journals to have an idea of
an external environment,
competitive analysis, marketing
trends, and market information.
 BACKGROU
ND OF THE
PLAN
This section reveals the background of why the marketing
plan should be created.

• Property Needs Analysis

• SWOT
• Marketing Positioning Statement
• Objectives
Property Needs Analysis
Instead of just simply identifying problems
encountered, this section looks into gaps within
the company’s profit areas. A property needs
analysis is an analysis of major profit areas of
the establishment to see where revenue can be
maximized. A property needs analysis will
reveal areas of neglect which could actually
generate profit if given the right attention.
Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, Threats (SWOT)
The usual SWOT analysis needs
to be employed when doing a
marketing plan. The marketing
team should be able to
verbalize is strengths, and
weaknesses (internal and can
be controlled) as well as its
opportunities and threats
(external, whose effects can be
either maximized or
minimized).
 Market Positioning Statement
In line with its corporate mission
and goals, a marketing plan
should have a positioning
statement of how it wants to
differentiate itself and its
positioning in the marketplace.
Everyone in the organization
should know how the company
would want to position itself.
Objectives
Objectives are goals that
companies want to achieve for
a certain period of time. They
provide a clear direction for
the strategies, tactics, and
activities that will be done. By
writing them down, the
company is committing to put
all its resources together to
achieve them.
Be careful, however, in coming up with objectives that
are vague and immeasurable such as “to be the best
hotel in the region” or “to provide quality service to all
our guests.”
Objectives need to have the following qualities:

Quantitative SMART
Expressed in Specific
monetary terms, Measurable
units of Attainable
measurements, Realistic
time specific and Time-bound
profit margin
specific
Target Market
This section shall discuss the
primary, secondary, and marginal
accounts of the business. A brief
description of the demographics and
psychographics of the market
segments identified shall be places in
this portion.
 Primary Market- Key result Areas
 Secondary/ Marginal Accounts
 New Accounts
Marketing Strategies
An overarching creative strategy
can help put together the marketing
strategies. Similar to how the
Philippines declares that “It’s more
Fun in the Philippines” and comes
up with products, services and
promotional tactics that revolve
around the common theme of “fun”.
Tourism products and services,
based on its positioning, image,
and branding can create a
marketing slogan that would
summarize what the product or
service is about.
Marketing Strategies
◦ Product Strategies
◦ Pricing Strategies
◦ Promotional Mix
◦ Distribution Strategies

35
 Product Strategy
1. A discussion on new products
to be launched, innovations,
upgrading of products and
services are included in this
section. This may also include
new packaging ideas, product
bundles, and new product
features or enhancements.
 Pricing Strategy
– A review of pricing objectives, pricing
strategies, and possible discounting
schemes are covered in this section.
Marketers may propose variety of
advertising options, sales promotional
tools, public relations activities, direct
mail campaign, personal selling
techniques, and the like to meet the
marketing objectives.
Promotional Mix
A presentation of promotional
tools to be used to achieve
strategies are the main content
of this section. Marketers may
propose a variety of advertising
options, sales promotional tools,
public relations activities, direct
mail campaign, personal selling
techniques, and the like to meet
the marketing objectives.
Promotional Mix

A media plan on when and what media

channels will be used are also included. It
is necessary to use all the promotional
tools. Use only the tools that will help meet
both objectives of the plan and the
company’s budget.

39
Distribution Strategy
This section should include the key
intermediaries that will be helpful in
achieving the marketing objectives. It
should carefully assess the current
distribution system and make
recommendations on how best to
maximize the product’s reach using
different distribution channels and
marketing intermediaries.
Timetable
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

This section should include specific activities, their

expected time of roll-out- duration and person in
charge. It can be in the form of a Gantt chart or any
chart.
41
Gantt Chart
Week 1 Week 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Task 1

Task 2 ◆

Task 3

Task 4 ◆

Task 5 ◆

Task 6

Task 7

Task 8

42
BUDGE
T
The marketing budget is a numerical representation of the
marketing commitment. Some companies do not think of
marketing as an investment , but rather, as an expense.

The budget is a control mechanism that ensures

that the marketing efforts yield the target
revenue within a specific period of time.
(Lumsdon 1997)
Budget
A marketing budget outlines all the money a business intends to
spend on marketing-related projects over the quarter or year.
Marketing budgets can include expenses such as paid advertising,
sponsored web content, new marketing staff, a registered blog
domain, and marketing automation software.
Items incorporated in the budget should include projected annual
income (broken down on a monthly basis to address seasonality) and
the resources needed to implement the marketing plan. These
resources shall include all-expense items for each marketing activity,
manpower requirements, capital expenditures, and other monetary
support.
45
Conclusion

This is a short reiteration of the salient points of the marketing plan.

Your conclusion should; reiterate the opportunity, highlight the key

strengths of your plan, summarize your vision, and remind the reader
why your business is in a position to successfully execute the plan. If
you are looking to raise funding with your plan, you should detail the
finance required.
Marketing Nuggets: Outline of a Marketing Plan

Executive Summary
I. Introduction
II. Background of the Plan
III. Objectives
IV. Target Market
V. Marketing Strategies
1. Product
2. Price
3. Promotion
4. Distribution
VI. Timetable
VII. Budget
V. Conclusion
Point to Ponder:
● What is the purpose of a marketing plan?
THE TOURISM
PROMOTIONS
BOARD
• The Philippine Tourism Promotions Board
is an attached agency of the Department of
Tourism which is primarily responsible for
implementing an integrated domestic and
international promotions and marketing
program for the Philippines as a tourism
destination as well as for tourism
investments.
Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9593, otherwise
known as the Tourism Act of 2009, which
was enacted into law on 12 May 2009 with
its implementing Rules and Regulations
(IRR) promulgated by the Secretary of
Tourism last 10 November 2009, the
Philippine Convention and Visitors
Corporation (PCVC) was reorganized as the
Philippine Tourism Promotions Board.
The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) is the
marketing arm of the Department of Tourism
(DOT). They tasked to come up with
strategies on how to promote the Philippines
as a destination. From presentations,
accomplishment reports, and press releases
coming from the DOT and TPB.

Atty. Maria Anthonette C. Velasco-Allones

Chief Operating Officer (COO)
How did the The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) exists
to market and promote the Philippines
Tourism Promotions domestically and internationally as a world-
class tourism and MICE destination, in
Board market the strategic partnership with private and public
Philippines as a stakeholders to deliver a unique high-value
experience for visitors, significantly
destination? contributing to increased arrivals, receipts
and investments to the country.
Highlights of their current strategies:
• With the slogan “It’s More Fun in The Philippines,” the TPB has aggressively
promoted our country in global areas with the use of tri-media advertising.
1. TV stations (CNN, BBC, Discovery, Euronews, etc.)
2. Print ( New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Newsweek, Action Asia,
etc.)
3. Public advertisements (subway ads in Seoul, bus ads in New York and London,
billboards in Paris, airport ads in Dubai, etc.)
• sponsorship of the Dutch TV show “Who Is The Mole?”
• Asia One Adventure Race in Singapore
• partnership with the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club for the annual San Fernando
Race
Is it effective?
Digital and online presence via social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, etc.)
Official website (www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.com)
Partnership with sites and booking engines (Tripadvisor, Opodo, etc.)

1. A placement of emphasis on B2B (business-to-business) and e-commerce

platforms also had the country send some 30 travel-related companies to
Japan for the Philippine Business Mission, where they were able to meet
with as many 250 of their Japanese counterparts.
2. Intensive marketing and promotions project, which translated to about 204
international and domestic marketing promotions projects, compared to
only 38 in 2012.
With the emergence of MICE tourism, the TPB also boosted
MICE promotions which amplified the country’s image as a
host destination for international conventions and congress,
and at the same time took part in five major MICE events in
North America, China, Europe, and Australia. This move
created around 265 clear sales leads, confirmed events, and
bids assistance that are likely to materialize within the next
three years.
 THANK YOU
AND MAY GOD
BLESS US ALL!