TABLE OF CONTENTS The five promotional mix methods by which any company can promote their product to consumers include advertising, public relations, sales incentives, direct marketing, and personal selling. Of these, four advertising, public relations, sales incentives, and direct marketing are the most useful methods for tourism marketers promoting to individual potential tourists.
However, besides communicating a promotional message to individuals, tourism marketers will need to communicate the benefits of their product to travel intermediaries in the hope that they will then recommend the city to their customers. These travel intermediaries include tour operators and convention-planning businesses who work with trade associations. This type of promotional communication is referred to as trade promotion. Advertising can promote to individual tourists and to travel intermediaries. In tourism marketing, personal sales has limited value for promoting to individual potential tourists. However, it is essential when promoting to travel intermediaries. Other promotional methods, such as familiarization tours and trade shows, are unique to trade promotion.
However, even though advertising can function to promote to both individual potential tourists and travel intermediaries, a different marketing message must be developed and communicated for each. The promotional message communicated to individual potential travelers will stress the emotional benefits provided by a visit to the city. This message will not be effective in promoting to travel intermediaries. When communicating with travel intermediaries, a rational message must be developed that provides factual information on the features of the city and the price and package components of tours. In addition to...
