Aspects of Social Advertising

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Tour Operators/ Wholesalers

Based internationally, tour operators are businesses that combine two or more travel services (e.g. transportation, accommodation, meals, entertainment sightseeing) and sell them through travel agencies or directly to final consumers as a single product

(called a package tour) for a global price (stats.oecd.org).

Tour operators provide benefits for both tourism consumers and tourism businesses. The benefits are provided by the tour operators / wholesalers are listed below (Erol, 2003: 95):

- Tour operators help tourism companies by purchasing its products before tourists. Tour operators solve financial problems of tourism businesses.

- Tour operators create new ideas and campaigns in order to attract customers. They create new usage area for tourism companies and its products.

- Tour operators inform tourism businesses about price, quality level, and types of the product.

1.4.3.2.2. Travel Agents/ Retail Agents

Travel agent is a retail establishment in tourism distribution system. The primary task of travel agents is to supply the public by travel services. However, a travel agent can offer travel related services to the customer such as: foreign exchange or insurance (Cooper, et al., 2008: 385).

On the other hand, travel agents ensure many benefits to consumers. These are listed below (Barutçugil, 1989: 131):

- Travel agents provide and sell train ticket, plane ticket and ferry ticket. An agent makes reservations for hotels.

- Travel agents offer guidance counselling and city tours for tourism consumers.

- Travel agents fulfil travel insurance and visa processing of customers.

- A travel agent assists to tourists about how to find tourist product, and plans travel

1.4.3.2.3. Internet

Internet is one of the most important distribution channel in tourism industry. Recently, tourism companies are choosing internet and social media platforms as a distribution tool (Aymankuy, et al., 2013: 379). Internet provides that the creation of tourism product and it also provides the coordination among many of intermediaries (Gürses, 2006: 62).

Companies create a website on the internet which provides e-commerce facilities and motivating knowledge for customer (tourism consumers). Businesses ensure global communication networks among users. Global communication networks are not directly owned by any organization, and is accessible with personal computers therefore interaction between consumer and manufacturer (Middleton and Clarke, 2001: 294).

1.4.3.2.4. Others

Hotel Representatives: The main task of the representative of hotel is to accept reservations and increase sales level. Many hotels in developed countries provide employment for hotel representatives (Kozak, 2006: 167).

Global Distribution Systems: Rent a car companies, hotels, travel agents and tour operators use their own reservation systems. Nowadays, global distribution systems are the fundamental tool of international tourism marketing (Uygur, 2007: 315).

Airline Ticket Agents: Airlines companies sell their tickets through their ticket agents both domestically and abroad. Not only airplane tickets but also accommodation and tour package are sold by these agents (Hacıoğlu, 2005: 67).

1.4.4. Promotion

Promotion is one of the significant elements of marketing mix. It is the illustrative term for the mix of communication activities that tourism organizations carry out in order to influence the public on whom their sales depend (Cooper, et al., 2008: 593).

However, companies must communicate with target groups in order to facilitate in their change process. This communication is carried out by the elements of promotion mix. In this case, promotion is the process of intercommunication and persuasion in order to facilitate the sale of goods or services (Öztürk, 1998: 70).

According to Weaver and Lawton (2006: 223), promotion attempts to increase demand by conveying a positive image of the product to potential customers through appeals to the perceived demands, needs, tastes, values and attitudes of a particular target market segment. Promotion consists of the set of publicity, merchandising, advertising, presentation, and personal sales promotion.

In the tourism industry, following statements can be said about the importance of promotion (Rızaoğlu, 2004: 270):

- Promotion is needed in order to ensure brand loyalty in tourism industry.

- Because of the strong competition among tourism products, promotion is essential.

- Promotion is necessary to encourage consumers who have never seen or used the product before.

- Due to the seasonality of demand of tourism product, promotion is necessary.

1.4.4.1. Factors Affecting Promotion of Tourism Product

There are some factors that affect promotional activities of tourism product, these are listed below (Pehlivan, 2009: 71):

The Quality of Market: The number of consumers, the number of rivals and the geographical distribution of the tourism market clearly affect the formation of promotion mix.

The Budget of Promotion: The promotional mix of high–budget tourism businesses consists of several tools but that of low budget tourism businesses consists of few.

The Quality of Tourism Product: The basic products of any accommodation business, airline services, and package tours of tour operators need different promotional tools.

The level of Knowledge of Consumers: The level of knowledge of consumers about tourism product affects the elements of promotion mix and its implementation.

1.4.4.2. Elements of Promotion Mix

1.4.4.2.1. Retail Sales

Retail sales are one of the leading promotion methods for individual tourism sales firms because tourism is a human activity and requires face-to-face human relations. Therefore, the success of tourism firms heavily depends on individual sales (Rızaoğlu, 2004: 292).

Individual sale has some superiority such as targeting particular customer group, and more direct contact and feedback. When compared with advertisement and other promotional activities, individual sale costs higher and requires investment in the training of the salesperson, which could be its weaknesses (Öztürk, 1998: 80).

Individual sale is normally a 7-stage process. These are finding potential customer, preparing for sale, meeting the potential customer, presenting the product or service, listening to complaints, addressing doubts, selling, and monitoring the customer (Doğan, 1998: 439).

1.4.4.2.2. Public Relations

Public relations are based on two-way communication. Companies have public relations to sustain their relationships with target institutions and people and to earn their respect, support and sympathy. Public relations provide publicity with little or no cost, which an advertisement scheme would cost a fortune (Hacıoğlu, 2005: 78).

Public relations are more convincing compared to the advertisements and can also contact people who do not like salespersons but are potential customers. Messages are not for direct sales but more like informing potential customers. Public relations campaign can be utilized efficiently with other promotional activities in a cost wise manner (Mucuk, 2006: 181).

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