The role of the marketing mix in tourism is to bring the customers or tourists to the destination, product or service that the tourism company wishes to sell. The four parts of the marketing mix in tourism include the product, pricing, promotion and place or distribution.
The product role of the marketing mix in tourism is to make the tourists aware of what the company is trying to market or promote. The product for tourism may be a bus tour, a hotel stay or a cruise. The product or service is one that is especially targeted to the tourist market, but can range from a tangible product, such as a souvenir to an intangible product, such as a bus tour of the city.
Pricing is another major aspect of the role of marketing mix in tourism. Pricing has to be set so that any competitors that are offering the same business or substitute business is comparable. In other words, if the tourist activity is kite sailing and there are two other kite sailing companies in the area, the company that is opening a new kite sailing company needs to see what their competition is charging.
Promotion is the role of the marketing mix in tourism. It encompasses all of the ways that the company markets and advertises the business. This may include typical types of marketing, such as placing ads in tourist magazines and offering discount coupons in travel guides. It may also include going from hotel to hotel in the area and leaving a postcard or flier for the service at each hotel room door.
In tourism, it is also beneficial to create joint ventures with other tourism businesses. For example, going back to the kite sailing company, it is wise to visit and speak with the concierge at each hotel. The concierge is the person that tourists tend to go to find out what to do in the area. Establishing a relationship with the concierge and stocking them with marketing materials can really boost the business.
Place is the role of the marketing mix on how the product or the service is connected with the client, customer or tourist. If it is a tourist product, then this portion of the marketing mix entails distributing the product to store retailer shelves or other ways of getting it to paying tourists. When it is a tourism service, it typically entails drawing the tourists to where the service is.