Marketing of tourist product has certain characteristics. Although general principles of marketing could be applicable to marketing the product, there are certain differences in approach. These differences are because of the peculiar character of the tourist products.
Some special characteristics of tourist products are as follows:
Some special characteristics of tourist products are as follows:
1. Tourism is an intangible product
Tourism is related to service, facility, pleasure, leisure, etc. which is not possible to visualize.
2. Ownership of tourist product is non-transferable
In tourism, buying and selling of a product does not mean buying things like other properties. It is buying or selling the service. In the process of buying and selling of the tourism product, no transfer of ownership of goods is involved as compared to tangible product.
3. Production and consumption are closely interrelated
Production of the tourism product is not to create a new item. It is related with idea. Tourism product is the amalgamation of attraction, facilities and accessibility. The travel agents who sell the product neither produce them nor own them. The travel agent cannot store them. Production can only take place and can only be completed if the customer is actually present. Most of the tourist services cannot be consumed in a time difference. Once consumption starts it cannot be stopped, interrupted or modified. The customer cannot inspect, compare or try before deciding to buy the tourism product.
4. Tourism is an assembled product
The tourist product cannot be provided by a single enterprise. Each of the components of a tourism product is highly specialized and all these combined together makes the final product. The tourist product is not an airline or rail seat or a visit to historical sites but rather an amalgamation of many components which together make a complete product. In tourism, each of the components of the tourist product is sold as an individual product. Airline ticket, hotels, resorts have their own sales outlets. Because of these peculiar characteristics coordinated effort is required in tourism marketing.
5. Tourism product does not move
The tourism product cannot be transported. It does not move to the customer but customer needs to move to the product. As attraction, hotels do not move. Transport moves but it moves to its destination only. The customer must get it to enjoy it.
6. The demand of tourism product is very unstable
The demand of tourism product is influenced by different factors such as season, economy, politics, religion and other special events etc. The seasonal change greatly affects the demand. The tourism plant is used for a limited time of the year. Many tourists areas have a short season. The seasonal business create unemployment, develop idle investment on staff, transport, office rent and increase the cost of production.
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7. Wide coverage
Marketing of general product may be limited or producers can limit their sales campaign and marketing to the local area but in tourism, it must be done outside or in different locations where tourism product is produced, because tourists are the outsiders.
8. A luxurious concept
Tourism product being leisure, pleasure and comfort is the most luxurious concept, so it must be marketed. In the modern world of mass tourism it has become more important to be marketed than before.
