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Marketing Strategy of Common Tourist Destination Sokobanja - Varshets

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Marketing Strategy of Common Tourist Destination Sokobanja - Varshets Project "Tourism and futurism", Varshets- Sokobanja, No CB007.2.12.068. MARKETING STRATEGY OF COMMON TOURIST DESTINATION SOKOBANJA - VARSHETS The project is co-funded by the EU through the Interreg-IPA CBC Bulgaria-Serbia Programme. DISCLAIMER We have no obligation to update our findings and conclusions for changes in market conditions, which may occur subsequent to our fieldwork. Any such changes in market conditions will affect the validity of our estimates. Since changes in market conditions are likely to occur, it is expressly understood that we have no obligation to revise the report or the analysis of prospective conditions subsequent to the submission of our findings. Our study and report are based on assumptions and estimates that are subject to uncertainty and variation. All information provided by others has been accepted without audit or verification and is assumed to be correct. In addition, we have made assumptions as to the future behavior of consumers and the general economy, which are uncertain. STATEMENT OF LIMITING CONDITIONS This report is confidential to the party to whom it is addressed for the specific purpose to which it refers. No responsibility is accepted to any third party and neither the whole of the report nor any part or reference thereto may be published in any document, statement or circular or in any communication with third parties without our prior written approval of the form and context in which it will appear. The information contained in the report has been prepared in good faith and with due care by Horwath HTL. We have been provided with information by various third parties whom we have relied upon. Whilst due care has been undertaken in the application of the information, its accuracy cannot be verified by Horwath HTL. Should it be revealed any of this information is inaccurate or misleading so its use would affect our assessment, then Horwath HTL reserves the right to amend its opinion without liability. © COPYRIGHT 2020 by HORWATH HTL All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of Horwath HTL or a license permitting restricted copying. This publication may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, without prior consent of Horwath HTL. TABLE OF CONTENT 1.1. ASSIGNEMENT .............................................................................................................. 7 1.2. PROCEDURES ................................................................................................................ 7 2. GENERAL DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT __________________________________ 11 2.1. REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA ............................................................................................ 11 2.1.1. General info ........................................................................................................ 11 2.1.2. Demographic trends ........................................................................................... 12 2.1.3. Education ........................................................................................................... 12 2.1.4. Snapshot of tourism performance ....................................................................... 13 2.1.4.1. Tourism Economics .................................................................................. 13 2.1.4.2. Demand ................................................................................................... 14 2.1.4.3. Supply ...................................................................................................... 14 2.1.4.4. Varshets – “The Green Soul of Bulgaria“ ................................................. 16 2.2. REPUBLIC OF SERBIA ................................................................................................. 20 2.2.1. General info ........................................................................................................ 20 2.2.2. Demographic trends ........................................................................................... 21 2.2.3. Educational Structure of the population ............................................................. 21 2.2.4. Snapshot of tourism performance ....................................................................... 22 2.2.4.1. Tourism Economics .................................................................................. 22 2.2.4.2. Demand ................................................................................................... 23 2.2.4.3. Supply ...................................................................................................... 24 2.2.4.4. Sokobanja - “Sokobanja, Sokograd, one comes old but leaves young” ..... 25 3. SITUATION ANALYSIS _______________________________________________ 33 3.1. GLOBAL TOURISM MEGATRENDS ............................................................................. 33 3.2. DIGITAL PRESENCE ANALYSIS .................................................................................. 36 3.2.1.1. Digital presence analysis – Varshets ......................................................... 36 3.2.1.2. Digital presence analysis – Sokobanja ...................................................... 39 4. SWOT AND BENCHMARK ANALYSIS __________________________________ 44 4.1. SWOT ANALYSIS VARSHETS ..................................................................................... 45 4.2. SWOT ANALYSIS SOKOBANJA .................................................................................. 46 4.3. BENCHMARK ANALYSIS ............................................................................................ 47 4.4. CONCLUSONS OF SWOT AND BENCHMARK ANALYSIS ........................................ 52 4.4.1. Varshets ............................................................................................................. 52 4.4.2. Sokobanja ........................................................................................................... 52 4.4.3. Conclusions of benchmark analysis ..................................................................... 53 5. MARKETING, PROMOTION STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN_____________ 57 5.1. ESTABLISHMENT OF A MARKETING COOPERATION PLATFORM – BALKAN WELLNESS CLUSTER (BWC) ....................................................................................... 57 5.2. DEFINITION OF MARKETING OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK .......... 59 5.3. ELMENTS FOR POSITIONING OF VARSHETS - SOKOBANJA AS TOURISTIC DESTINATIONS........................................................................................................... 60 5.4. STRATEGIC GOALS OF TOURISM MARKETING ........................................................ 61 5.5. KEY GEOGRAPHICAL MARKETS ................................................................................ 62 5.6. TOURIST TARGET SEGMENTS ................................................................................... 63 5.6.1. DINKS - Double incomes, No kids ........................................................................ 64 5.6.2. EMPTY NESTERS ............................................................................................... 65 5.6.3. FAMILIES WITH YOUNGER KIDS ..................................................................... 65 5.6.4. FAMILIES WITH GROWNUP KIDS .................................................................... 66 5.6.5. GOLDEN OLDIES ............................................................................................... 66 5.6.6. BACKPACKERS ................................................................................................. 67 5.6.7. MICE (Meetings, Incentive, Conventions, Exhibitions) ............................................ 67 5.7. PRIORITY PRODUCTS ................................................................................................ 68 5.7.1. Health & Wellness .............................................................................................. 69 5.7.2. Short breaks ....................................................................................................... 70 5.7.3. Events & culture ................................................................................................. 71 5.7.4. Touring ............................................................................................................... 72 5.8. STRATEGIC MARKETING AND PROMOTION INITIATIVES ...................................... 73 5.9. STRATEGIC MARKETING OBJECTIVES AND MEASURES .......................................... 76 5.9.1. Increase the number of guests visiting the destination........................................ 76 5.9.2. Increase attractiveness of (both) tourist destinations ......................................... 81 5.9.3. Improve the overall experience of guests ............................................................ 86 CHAPTER 1 ASSIGNEMENT AND PROCEDURES Marketing strategy of common tourist destination Sokobanja - Varshets MARKETING STRATEGY OF COMMON TOURIST DESTINATION SOKOBANJA - VARSHETS 1. ASSIGNEMENT AND PROCEDURES 1.1. ASSIGNEMENT The purpose of this assignment is to create a unified Strategic Marketing Plan for cross-border joint products, Sokobanja in Serbia and Varshets in Bulgaria, with task to create and promote joint, unified, regional tourism
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