Travel and Tourism

Product: A good, idea, method, information, object or service that is the ultimate result of a process and serves as a need or want satisfier.

Services: Services are provided to consumers with the great manner.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/product.html

➢ Thorpe Park rides

The Swarm Ride

The Swarm ride is new ride in Thorpe Park for 2012, they have a unique winged seating position, noting above or below you but air, terrifying 127ft inverted drop under a plane wing, speeds of up to 92 KPH, pull up to 4.5gs and 2,543 feet relentless, twisted metal.

The SAW ride

The Saw ride is now more terrifying than ever because a nerve shredding beyond vertical 100ft drop down so quickly, 3 insane inversions, speeds of up to 55 MPH, pull up to 4.7GS and 2,397 feet of mean metal track. Anyone can ride this Saw ride but they need to be at least 1.4m tall and 51 inch torso restriction.

The Rush Ride

Rush is one of the thrill ride in Thorpe Park because it’s really scary ride that anyone would like to try. To seat on this ride you need to be at least 1.3m tall otherwise you wouldn’t be able to seat for security reason.

The Nemesis Inferno Ride

The Nemesis Inferno Ride is flips the rollercoaster on its head with inverted Hell ride into the fiery pit of a volcano which can make people a bit scared and they enjoy this. In order to sit on this ride the person must be at least 1.4m tall and 51 Inch chest restriction.

The Tidal Wave Ride

The Tidal Wave Ride is thrill for seekers who ride a tidal wave they can kiss dryness goodbye, experiencing a heart-stopping 85ft plunge into the blue, producing the tallest wall of water this side of the North Sea. Whoever sits on this ride they will get drench. To sit on this ride you should be at least 1.2m tall.

The Samurai Ride

This ride is simply great and anyone can enjoy siting on this ride because it spins relentlessly through 360 degree of stomach-churning terror. This ride is one of the most extreme thrill rides the Thorpe Park has to offer everyone who visit to them. To sit on this ride you need to be at least 1.4m tall and 51 inch torso restriction.

Nature of product

The nature of product of and service at Thorpe Park is intangible, which mean their customer have a thrill-seeking experience.

Perishable means it is expired that mean you cannot use it same ticket after that date expired.

Thorpe Park delivered good customer service or bad customer service. For Example, Thorpe Park on their website it is it they provided sufficient information on their website for their customers if not then it is bad customer service which means that they have less customers come to Thorpe Park. Thorpe Park produces products and services to meet marketing objectives for a particular product might include increasing product awareness among targeted consumers.

Characteristics
Describe the brand name of Thorpe Park?
Thorpe Park is owned by Merlin Entertainments group.
Thorpe Park is used for several reasons: To help recognition, to make the product different, to create brand loyalty, to develop a brand image

If the customer really likes the brand they trust the product and buy the same product again. Thorpe Park as a brand looks to attract to their customers.

Describe the unique selling point (USP), offered by Thorpe Park? According to Thorpe Park the unique selling point of the ride is that guests are not restrained in; the centrifugal force is enough to keep people tight in their seats, which is quite a feeling, No other ride at Thorpe Park inverts riders without giving them any restraint whatsoever; in fact, most provide full over the shoulder restraints for good measure. As with all Thorpe Park rides, it is actually very secure, but one can’t help feel daunted by it. Sitting in the carriages, riders are quite protected from the wind-in-your-face feeling, and on a similar vein, the visuals aren’t great. Riders can’t see ahead of themselves, and can’t see other riders. (http://prezi.com/iluycvec_gdm/thorpe-park/)

Describe Thorpe Park history using the Product Life Cycle?
This picture I took it from the Google by typing (Thorpe Park Life Cycle Graph) The product life cycle shows the stages of popularity of a product which has four stages:

Product Development – during which time the firm devises and creates a new product. Whilst the end aim of this development process is to have a profitable, well-performing product on the market, this initial stage is characterised by zero sales, the firm bearing the costs of such development, typically resulting in negative profitability (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004). http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/product-lifecycle.php

Introduction – The business begin to build product awareness and develop a market for the product.

Growth stage – The business begin to build brand presence and increase market share.

Maturity stage – Strong growth slows and competition may appear. Marketing efforts switch to defending market share and maximising profit.

Decline stage – the sales of the product decline.

Thorpe Park is stage of maturity because before 2 years they are very attractive and busy organisation and had a strong growth of customers.

Promotion

Define the term promotion

‘’The advancement of a product, idea, or point of view through publicity and/or advertising’’. Businessdicitonary.com

Thorpe Park has to tell its customers about their product many ways, for example, TV, radio, posters, newspapers, internet, magazines, public transports.

Describe the different types of promotional techniques and promotional materials used by Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park uses promotional techniques and promotional materials to meet the marketing objectives of raising awareness, the materials and techniques they use are is following,

• Direct marketing
• Public relations
• Personal selling
• Advertising and sales promotion

Thorpe Park using personal selling at special events and this is done by face to face. E.g. of fright night- therefore they selling scary masks and glow sticks.

They use sales promotion to encourage people to buy products to increase more people to visit Thorpe Park; therefore, they give, Money off vouchers, Discounts, Competitions, PR Promotions. Place

Define the term place

“In marketing mix, location of the market means of distribution used in reaching it.” (Businessdicitionary.com)

Describe the location of Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park is located on the south west London closes to junction 12 of the M25 by car and coach.

Thorpe Park has a massive land that they could expand to developing more thrill rides and add up more restaurants.

Thorpe Park could have many benefits from the location such as, large customer base, good transport links (roads, air and train) and Thorpe Park can expand place if it’s needed.

Describe the distribution channels used by Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park the path taken to get products from organisations to customers is called a distribution channel. Thorpe Park gives information via, internet, tourist information centre, TV and website or you can get information at Thorpe Park from their staffs. Price

Define the term price

‘’Price is the money or unit of value exchanged for the purchase or use of a product, or service’’. (businessdicitonary.com)

Describe how Thorpe Park uses different pricing strategies

Thorpe Park is uses different material for the pricing strategies for example, discounting and seasonality.

They are link with Tesco and many other companies that people can get voucher for Thorpe Park and this will help Thorpe Park to get more people to visit them.

Example of Pricing Strategies of Thorpe Park

• Competition based pricing – There is more Theme Parks that is set up price is fairly similar to avoid a price war between the organizations.

• Market orientated pricing – Thorpe Park looks at what is going on in the market when they set their prices and to see what customers are willing to pay at certain times.

• Peak and off Peak pricing – Thorpe Park For school trips they only offer peak and off peak pricing

• Discounts – Thorpe Park offers discounts on their normal prices e.g. large groups, students, OAP’s, Schools.

• Special offers – Thorpe Park products are offered at a special low price, this encourages the sales of products to increase more customers to visit them.

Explain the results of your secondary research, making specific reference to your sources of information. (P4)

To do secondary research I can find out about Thorpe service and products.

My objective is to identify what Thorpe Parks’ customers think of their image by 5th of October 2012.

Thorpe Park customers think about their product and service is they have a thrill rides in Thorpe Park that their customer having good experience with them. Their staffs is very useful in order to help customer, for example, ’’ if the people scared to sit on ride their staff encourage them to sit on ride by telling them that be brave and try the experience with our rides’’. This can be Thorpe Park good image on public.

I have collected this information from the internet where Thorpe Park customer stated on their feedback on website called: http://new.thorpeparkmania.co.uk/ride/reputation

‘’Thorpe Park is currently one of the largest Theme parks in Europe and arguably the best in the country. It operates in a massive 500 acre plot and on a good day, can make a profit turnover of nearly £500,000’’.

http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=122794

‘’Promotions- Promotion or advertising helps improve the reputation of a product. At Thorpe Park there are many advertisements on T.V, newspapers and radio to attract people to the park. Also there have been many promotional discounts which again attract people to the park. An example of this is the temporary discount for Adults and children, where admission for one child per family is free’’. This can be Thorpe Park good image on public.

‘’90% of people asked said they had no problem with the security of the park and only 10% said they had ‘small concerns’. So overall the security was ok’’

The most popular age group at the park was the ’16-25 year old’ category with 60%. The least popular was the 60+ group. This shows that the park is obviously aimed towards the younger generation.

http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=122794

The rides were amazing mostly suitable for teens and above but not for children 8 years old and below. There is a great atmosphere and when you go on a ride, you’ll want to go on it again. If you have children and you are going to Thorpe Park, children at least 10 years old can go on a lot.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g642238-d216468-Reviews-Thorpe_Park-Chertsey_Surrey_England.html

Always busy here so you will have to do some queuing but take a picnic in your bag and some good company and it’s not a problem. The rides are brilliant with lots of different ones. Frights nights are the best time to go if you can handle a long day. There’s time to do all the rides in the day and then again on the dark which is really something special. I must admit I don’t bother with the mazes as they don’t excite me but it’s fun to watch those of a more nervous disposition in them.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g642238-d216468-Reviews-or10-Thorpe_Park-Chertsey_Surrey_England.html#REVIEWS

INFULENCES AFFECTING MARKETING M1

I am going to select a travel and tourism organisation and I need to explain how factors have influences marketing decisions.

Thorpe Park

I have chosen the Technological, Political and Social factors and now I am going to explain how these factors have influences marketing decisions.

Technological Factor has influence marketing decision by use of internet marketing I can collect the information of any organisation. for example of Thorpe Park do use technologies to provide information about their organisation and this will influence marketing decision, therefore, Thorpe Park put their rides clips on YouTube, Facebook and twitter to inform people that they have an extremely thrill rides on Thorpe Park and this will persuade more people to visit them. This makes technological factor to influence marketing decision to Thorpe Park.

The advantage of the Technological Factor is that Thorpe Park target audience is ages between 15 to 35 years old. As they targeting young and adults who use the internet most nowadays and this influence the use marketing, for example, Thorpe Park always advertise on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook these are the three main ways to inform people to on future feather.

Political factor has influence marketing decision by using new law introduced of Thorpe Park for their every new rides release and also regulation for specific area, for example, Thorpe Park recently introduced new smoking area that their customer can go and smoke within that area as their customer are not permitted smoking in queue lines. This can influence marketing decision of Thorpe Park.

Tourists can visit to Thorpe Park as they have a right to stay in UK and Thorpe Park warmly welcomes everyone who wants to visit Thorpe Park.

Social Factor has influence marketing decision by gives discounts to their customers such as, seasonality, group, and student and booked an advance they can get some percentage off. Thorpe Park Release their new product every year for example of Swarm is new ride for 2012 ultimate thrill-seeking experience. This will influence marketing decision to increases the number for customer.

Advantage of Thorpe Park is that they persuade more people to visit them during opening time by giving discounts on such as, newspapers, shops and many other ways that they could get coupon.

Explain how the components of the marketing mix work together within your chosen organisation, using specific examples. (M2)

Thorpe Park

I explain how the components of the marketing mix work together within Thorpe Park.

Marketing are used by Thorpe Park to increase visitor numbers, for example of marketing mix which is Price, promotion, place and product,

Price- Thorpe Park gives discounts to their customers such as, seasonality, group, and student and booked an advance they can get some percentage off.

Promotion: Thorpe Park when new products come then they advertise on T.V, YouTube, social network such as Facebook, and Twitter. They also work with the companies, Tesco to give them coupon 2 for 1.

Place: Thorpe Park located in great area where anyone can go through transports for example, by car they can take M2 route throughout junction 25, they are also work with coach company as well.

Product – Thorpe Park Release their new product every year for example of Swarm is new ride for 2012 ultimate thrill-seeking experience. This marketing mix increases the number for customer.

Fright Night is the main event of Thorpe Park which they have aimed to achieve marketing objectives and therefore they can attract more visitors. Fright Night gives the customers excitement experience that will horrify even the bravest of thrill-seekers to their heart.

Thorpe Park use pricing strategies such as discounting, Competition based pricing Market orientated pricing, Peak and off Peak pricing and seasonality. They have a good deal of group of 7 for Fright Night It only cost £24.

To make fright Night wonderful event and to attract to their customers, Thorpe Park advertises their event on face book, twitter and their email newsletter but people can find Thorpe Park event on online rather than advertise on Newspaper. As more people visit Thorpe Park and this will shows that Thorpe Park is achieving the marketing objectives as their marketing objectives is to bring more visitors into their park.

Thorpe Park use channel of distribution to market their Fright Night event because the channel of distribution get products from organisations to customers. Thorpe Park gives their product and services on internet, tourist information centre, TV and website.

Thorpe Park has a Fright night event every years to attracted more people to bring more customer. They have a dark and prison facility where society’s most dangerous and deranged criminals have been locked away never to be seen again. To such new things people would love to come again. This is how Thorpe Park is achieving the marketing objectives to bring more visitors every year.

Analyse the marketing decisions for one organisation in relation to the marketing mix of the organisation and the factors that have influenced these decisions. (D1)

Thorpe Park

For Thorpe Park The first marketing decisions is to changes products, Thorpe Park analyses what their customers are looking into fluctuations and Thorpe Park make changes to the their Products with their rides, for example, changes to the design of rides, colour, accelerate speed of rides and they also include the music during customers riding which could be makes riders exciting and give thrilling experience of seating on rides

Marketing decisions for Thorpe Park is usages different pricing strategies e.g. discounting, Competition based pricing Market orientated pricing, Peak and off Peak pricing and seasonality.

Marketing decisions for Thorpe Park is use of internet marketing, generally 15-120 year olds use internet a lot and this will grow of the young people to passing Thorpe Park popular ride clips to each other which creating a huge following guide of Thorpe Park to use the U tube clips such as, on www.Youtube.com to advertise their new rides to inform people this how people can persuade and this makes technological factor to influence marketing decision to Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park is growing rapid pace and this influences the use of internet marketing as young people are fastest growing group using internet such as face book and this has influenced Thorpe Park to use the internet to advertise their products on such as online because it’s one of the most common promotional techniques.

Thorpe Park analyses what other rival companies has put price on their product so Thorpe Park will set up price strategy to see that customers are willing to pay at certain times. Thorpe Park made offers discounts on their normal prices for example, large groups, or students, because Thorpe Park can bring more people to giving discounts and the factor that have influenced marketing decisions is economic factor which have influence marketing decision by fluctuations of pricing, and this makes economic factor to influence marketing decision to Thorpe Park.

According to Thorpe Park features is they have range type of products, e.g. the SAW ride is one of the scary ride in Thorpe Park, the swarm is new ride for 2012 with exclusive element, the Rush is one of the exciting ride that anyone would like to go and many more so on. Some of the Thorpe Park products are intangible, which mean people could not take anything with them but their visitors can have a thrill-seeking experience and the factor that have influenced marketing decisions is social factor which have influence marketing decision by changes to products, and this makes social factor to influence marketing decision to Thorpe Park.

Make recommendations as to how your findings could benefit the organisation, you need to analyse the graphs and charts that you have put your results into. (D2)

Evaluation and recommendations

on the whole, I think Thorpe Park is successful in its marketing but I have some recommendations. I will show these under the four separate headings of marketing.

Product

The rides at Thorpe Park seem adequate to the ages of 16-25 year olds, however if they want to appeal to older people or even families they should interest a few less exhilarating rides. This is because, I believe there is more money to be made from families, than young people as they generally have more money and therefore be prepared to spend more at the park. Also I think, to improve the attraction of the park they must replace or regenerate some of the old rides which are nearing the end of their product lifecycle. This may cost money short term, but the increased appeal the park will get from new rides will eventually increase profit turnover.

Place

Although 45% of people at the park had difficulty getting to the I think it would not be beneficial moving the park to another location as this would have minimal advantage considering the cost of moving. However I think the park should consider buying more land for parking as 20% of people said they had trouble with this.

Price

a massive 70% of people thought the park was too overpriced. Therefore I think it is extremely important for Thorpe Park to lower its price as many consumers could look elsewhere for entertainment. Although the park would loose money short term, the increased amount of people coming to the park for its low prices would soon cover this.

Promotion

As 50% of interviewees said the promotion was the main reason they came to the park I think Thorpe Park should consider using more promotional offers as this would increase the popularity of the park over its competitors. Also I think more advertisement is needed as 28% had not even heard of any promotion.