Familiarization Trips Are a Major Marketing Strategy Tool Because Of
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Strategic coordination: Agència Valenciana del Turisme Text and graphic design: El Santo Comunicación March 2018 edition 1/ Introduction page 7 2/ Background page 9 3/ Current Scenario page 11 Current Global scenario page 11 Current Regional scenario page 14 Current Markets scenario page 17 Current Online scenario page 22 4/ Global Objectives page 25 Global Objective 1 page 26 Position, publicise and promote the Region of Valencia as an authentic and unique Mediterranean destination Global Objective 2 page 36 Strengthen the structural role of the Valencian region Global Objective 3 page 39 Improve conditions in destination Region of Valencia towards sustainable quality tourism “Culture deals with objects and is a phenomenon of the world; hospitality deals with people and is a phenomenon of life” Hannah Arendt 1. Introduction The current tourism scenario 2018 is presented as a tool for sential factors such as the region and is undergoing a constant process of drawing together actions taken by its structure, design and innovation, change. This necessary evolution is the Regional Government to drive research and knowledge, welcome basically due to the various social, and promote the tourism economy and hospitality, are the most pressing cultural, technological, economic and in the Region of Valencia. issues in this much-needed change. environmental spheres that intercon- The plan therefore focuses its atten- nect with each other and that affect This document has also been com- tion on a tourism model that avoids the and are affected by tourism activity, piled from the perspective of a new homogenisation of experiences and resulting in continuous readjustment. approach to tourism. There are many makes a decisive stand for the unique For this reason, and in order to adapt reasons for this, in particular because essence of the Valencian region as the interventions by the Agència Valencia- it conceives the tourism industry as repository for the area’s values and its na del Turisme to real circumstances, a major public-private ecosystem re- cultural identity. the 2018 Marketing Operating Plan quiring a transversal, holistic view. Es- City of Arts and Sciences 7 2018 marketing operating plan AGÈNCIA VALENCIANA DEL TURISME The main planning instruments on which rience, rooted in the collective experien- and oversee the decision-making pro- this plan is based are firstly, the Region ces of the Valencian lifestyle throughout cess, inevitably involves a monitoring of Valencia Tourism White Paper, for the year. To achieve this, we shall be process in which technology will play its integrated approach to the region’s proposing that the Region is declared a major role. tourism industry and the two funda- capital of Mediterranean hospitality. A mental pillars on which it was based: capital that is trustworthy, reliable and It is time to move towards a renewed competitiveness and sustainability. with a completely credible provision. management model that is better able The second is the new Law on Tourism, to meet visitors’ expectations; one that Leisure and Hospitality in the Region What better way of proving our worth ensures people visiting us behave res- of Valencia, promoted as a benchmark than by attending a greater number of ponsibly and respectfully towards the regulatory framework across the region, meetings, at both national and inter- environment and that also ensures due to its innovative content and its national level, focused on experiences a better quality of life for people living ethical approach to sustainable tourism. and on the specialist product, as well in the Region of Valencia. Hospitality and a culture of welco- as receiving experts, professionals and me, safety and guarantees, regional tourism operators here in the Region This real, measurable and achievable target is based on public-private part- nership, coordination between admi- A hospitable, open region with a unique and authentic “ nistrations and a greater degree of local tourism provision, this is the tourism journey of the community involvement, the only Region of Valencia towards its own distinctive character way in which tourism can become ” consolidated as a structural player in the Valencia region. structure, sustainability and landscape, so they can see the Valencian art of competitiveness, quality and diversifi- living for themselves. To put this pro- cation, product modernisation and spe- motion in place, a tourism experiences cialisation, human capital and knowled- open platform will be set up (together ge, ethics and social responsibility, with its counterpart in offline media) transparency in decision-making and to make companies’ own provision participatory bodies, joint responsibility available to the market. All with a and governance, are the main structural shared objective: the commitment to lines on which the evolution of tourism pursuing deseasonalization. activity in the Region of Valencia will be focused in decades to come. Publicising this objective must of necessity entail tackling the challenges Human beings interpret involved in digitisation, an unavoidable the world around them goal. Today’s visitors are technologi- according to their cultural cally aware individuals, who consume values, and it is through and use the Internet before, during and that gaze that nature is after their travelling experiences. This transformed into resources means that supporting and encouraging Adapted from Simmons (1982) the creation of smart destinations that provide synergy between technology All these pillars will forge a positioning and inhabitants (whether they be per- strategy based on a hospitable, open manent or temporary) will be another of region with a unique, authentic tourism the actions scheduled in this 2018 plan. provision, shaping the Region’s very In addition to this, shaping a sustainable own distinctive tourism narrative. We are destination, with sustainability being a strongly committed to a unique expe- fundamental aspect that must guide 8 2. Background A. DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARKETING STRATEGY As tourism activity has been in recent years, emerging products have they have always been and still are the developing over the years, the various been steadily gaining a firm foothold region’s main targeted regions, on which Region of Valencia marketing plans and increasing the Region’s portfolio of a greater advertising effort has been have been adjusting to the changing assets: marine, wellness, golf, cruises, concentrated. In terms of target mar- scene, in terms of both form and cultural and active, gastronomy and ru- kets, changes have been observed in content. This is proof of the need for ral tourism, plus a range of others. There the European market, where in addition an ongoing adaptation to the require- has clearly been a huge specialisation to some traditionally strong markets like ments and trends in tourism demand. and diversification of tourism provision, France and Germany, there has been as a global strategy to tackle seaso- remarkable growth in others like the Since the initial positioning and adverti- nality and deal with the obvious fact Netherlands, the Nordic countries, Italy sing, marketing and products strategy, that visitors are increasingly seeking and Portugal. Similarly, emerging and massive changes have taken place bet- distinctive products. intercontinental countries are showing ween online and offline communication. significant development, with opportu- At the same time, there has also been a The Agència Valenciana del Turisme is nities presented by markets like the USA reorientation towards end consumers, in aware of this and is focusing its action and Russia, as well as others like China an attempt to anticipate their expecta- on giving greater prominence to new and Latin America, these last two being tions and wishes. All this enables a more products, whilst also conferring new markets with exceptional potential in accurate strategy to be defined, with ob- values and attributes on more establis- both the medium and the long term. jectives focusing on generating a diver- hed products. Aspects such as sustai- sified, distinctive, high quality tourism nability, regional identity, inclusiveness Another significant area of change, and provision. Besides promoting products and hospitality are basic features one that is extremely interesting for like sun and sand, this kind of strategy for creating not merely products but a marketing strategy, is related to air is also intended to encourage the con- experiences adapted to the new trends traffic connectivity. This factor is a top solidation of emerging products or the and profiles of tourism demand. This priority for attracting and strengthening appearance of other innovative products focused on expanding markets. Plus, the first glimmers of interest in innovating “ There has clearly been a huge specialisation and di- and adapting to technological change versification of tourism provision, as a global strategy to are just now starting to be seen in the tackle seasonality sector. Innovation and technology are ” gaining ground in marketing strategy, with actions taking place in online media and distribution via Internet becoming is, undoubtedly, one of the essential the relationship with other markets, increasingly popular. features of tourism planning currently since more than two thirds of the being promoted. international tourists who visit us, plus a Segmentation strategy is also showing significant number of domestic visitors, variations in terms of products.