Tourism Marketing

II. Detailed class schedule

Week 1 Introduction.

Week 2 Characteristics of services, the challenges of service marketing. The role of marketing in tourism. The tourism marketing mix: 4P, 5-8P, 4C, 4E. Application of the marketing mix in the tourism marketing process.

Week 3 The composition of tourist demand. The factors affecting tourist behaviour and decision-making. Consumer behaviour models in tourism.

Week 4 The destination choice process. Factors affecting destination choice and product/service choice. Segmentation of tourist demand. Characteristics of the most typical tourist segments.

Week 5 Product policy and product development in tourism. The composition and levels of the tourist product. Innovation in tourism product development. Destination and product lifecycle models in tourism.

Week 6 Positioning and differentiating in tourism. Brands in tourism – at destination and service level. Consumer loyalty programmes in international tourism.

Week 7 Pricing policy and price setting in tourism. The role of pricing in demand management. Characteristics of tourist services affecting pricing. The strategic and tactical role of pricing in tourism.

Week 8 Distribution in tourism 1. Traditional distribution channels: tour operators and travel agencies. The process of tour operation. Trends in the travel intermediary sector.

Week 9 Distribution in tourism 2. E-commerce and internet-based marketing. The impacts of information technology on tourism marketing.

Week 10 Marketing communication in tourism 1. The concept and role of information and promotion. Advertising and PR in tourism. Measuring the effectiveness of advertising and PR campaigns.

Week 11 Marketing communication in tourism 2. Sales promotion and personal selling. The role of travel fairs in marketing communication.

Week 12 Marketing research in tourism. Marketing research techniques – qualitative and quantitative methods in tourism.

Week 13 Marketing strategy and planning in tourism. The structure and components of the marketing plan. Measuring the effectiveness of marketing planning in tourism. The National Tourism Marketing Plan of Hungary.

Week 14 Destination marketing. The destination marketing mix. The role and operation of national, regional and local DMOs. Destination image and brand development. Partnership in destination marketing.

Week 15 Summary and assessment.


Required reading
• Handouts
• Kotler, P. – Bowen, J.T. – Makens, J.C. (2005): Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th ed. Prentice Hall, Harlow.


Recommended reading:
• Morgan, N. – Pritchard, A. – Pride, R. (2004): Destination Branding: Creating the Unique Destination Proposition, 2nd ed. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford.


III. Assessment and grading
1. For exchange students
The grade is based on coursework and assignment:
• Presentation of marketing plan (30%)
• Groupwork and class participation (70%)
2. For students of Kodolányi János University of Applied Sciences
The seminar accounts for 50% of the final Tourism Marketing grade. The assessment of the seminar performance is based on coursework and assignment:
• Presentation of marketing plan (30%)
• Groupwork and class participation (70%)