The purpose of this work is to design a marketing plan for the Aguas Calientes Tourist Complex which requires the application of strategies that promote the influx of tourists to its facilities based on the increase in income. It begins with the description of the current situation of the complex, based on which the objectives to be applied are established, highlighting opportunities and threats, as well as the segmentation of the business market, strengths and weaknesses of the target audience, the designed strategies, product, distribution and other elements that make up the marketing plan. Ending by referring to specific conclusions obtained during the completion of the same.
Introduction
Today the world faces a constant social transformation, under which organizations have to arm themselves with innovative strategies that satisfy such need for change. Since the problems that companies face evolve over time, the answers they offer are continually adapted in an attempt to find new solutions. (Morera s / f).
The marketing plan is one of them because as expressed by infomipyme (s / f): “it is a tool that serves as the basis for the other plans of the company; assigns responsibilities, allows periodic reviews and controls to solve problems in advance ”. Such is the case of the Aguas Calientes Tourist Complex.
The purpose of this work is to design a marketing plan for the Aguas Calientes Tourist Complex which requires the application of strategies that promote the influx of tourists to its facilities based on the increase in income.
It begins with the description of the current situation of the complex, based on which the objectives to be applied are established, highlighting opportunities and threats, as well as the segmentation of the business market, strengths and weaknesses of the target audience, the designed strategies, product, distribution and other elements that make up the marketing plan. Ending by referring to specific conclusions obtained during the execution of the same.
Current situation
The Aguas Calientes Tourist Complex is located in the Carabobo State, Venezuela, in the central region of the country, with an excellent mountain climate, diversity of flora and fauna, good access roads, close to highly populated cities such as Valencia and Maracay, and another less populated but of high heritage and historical value such as Puerto Cabello, twenty minutes by land from the Carabobo coasts (beaches and rivers).
It has a unique hot spring source in the region, a battery of mud pools and pools of waters of different temperatures, saunas, spa, restaurant, basic services, water, electricity, telephone, internet, first aid, transportation, mini shops, gym, outdoor areas for the practice of aerobics, accommodation in a four-star hotel, which has 200 comfortable rooms, protocol room, conference rooms, bars and restaurants.
The flow of tourists that enter the Tourist Complex comes from the central region and they know it basically by reference to other people who have already visited it.
Goals of the marketing plan
• Increase the promotional level of the tourist complex, in order to increase the flow of tourists from the region.
• Increase the influx of tourists during the low season, in order to lessen seasonality.
Opportunities and threats
Opportunities
• Promotion to increase the number of tourists.
• Encourage local commerce, diversifying the economy and the quality of life of the population.
• Attention from local people.
• Establish agreements with the regional government that promote tourist activity in the area.
Threats
• Expropriation by the central government.
• Invasion of the Complex areas by third parties.
• Change in national tourism policies that may affect the progress of the Complex.
• Possible environmental disturbances such as excessive rains that cause landslides or landslides that cut off the access roads to the area or affect the facilities of the Complex.
• Implementation of Marketing Plans by the competition in the region that may affect the growth of the Complex.
Business market segmentation
The marketing plan is aimed at the national market, it is intended to serve the Central region: Carabobo state, center of Aragua state, center-east of Cojedes state, south-east of Falcón state and center-west of Yaracuy state (geographic segmentation) with the current product and the design of new products that they may need in this segment. The reasons for selection are due to the fact that the complex has natural conditions to succeed in this segment, it offers strong future expansion and has limited funds.
Strengths and weaknesses of the target audience
Strengths
• Public that live in cities with high population such as: Valencia, Maracay, etc., very stressful who frequently visit the complex and can potentially visit it.
• Public located close to the complex.
• Good access roads for the population to the complex.
• Unique complex of its kind (use of hot springs) in the region that meets and can potentially meet the needs of this population.
Weaknesses
• Ignorance of the majority of the public of the tourist attraction of the complex.
• Public with preferences also on the beaches and rivers of the Carabobo coasts, which are close to the complex.
Strategies
• Growth of the existing market, given that the segment has not been worked on until now, it is intended to introduce the product that is available for a better use of the destination.
• Diversification towards new products, until now the offer is based on a single product: the use of the complex's thermal waters, it is intended to create new products.
Product to offer
Three Tourist Packages were designed:
1. 03 days and 02 nights at the resort's all-inclusive facilities.
2. 04 days and 03 nights at the resort facilities with all inclusive and transfers to Patanemo Bay (beach and river) and to the colonial town of Puerto Cabello, Carabobo state.
3. 05 days and 04 nights at the all-inclusive complex facilities and transfers to Patanemo Bay (beach and river), to the colonial town of Puerto Cabello, Carabobo state and to the keys of Morrocoy National Park in the state Falcon.
Offer price
According to the packages designed, the prices will be:
1. It has a cost of Bs. 1,000.00.
2. It has a cost of Bs. 1,500.00.
3. It has a cost of Bs. 2,000.00.
Distribution
To develop the distribution channels and increase the penetration of the products in the points of sale of travel agencies and wholesalers, resources such as:
• Use of the internet, sending advertising and the attraction page through the Web, so that tourism service providers in the region know the complex.
• Prepare sufficient triptychs and diptychs in order to distribute the information to tourism service providers in the region.
• Keep the complex's website up to date with the latest news and promotions.
Promotion
• Launch of an advertising campaign aimed at positioning the image of the tourist destination and publicizing the website.
• Design and implementation of advertising campaigns to support the marketing of products.
• Participation in fairs and events of the tourist industry of interest to the destination.
Budget
Costs for distribution and promotion were estimated during the 90 days of implementation of the Marketing Plan:
• Production of 500 copies of Triptychs and Diptychs at a cost of Bs. 3,000.
• Maintenance of the website. for Bs. 9,000.00.
• Promotion on the website. for Bs. 1,500.00.
• The cost of the design of the advertising campaign and publicity is Bs. 30,000.00.
• The cost of marketing the products will require a budget of Bs. 255,000.00.
• The stand at the most important tourism fair in the country (FITVEN) will cost Bs. 26,750.47 (with VAT included).
Conclusions
With the completion of this work, the following conclusions were obtained:
• The Aguas Calientes Tourist Complex has not previously implemented a Marketing Plan that allows it to increase the influx of tourists during the year.
• The Aguas Calientes Tourist Complex has been positioning itself in the current market by reference and not by Promotion actions.
• On a competitive level, the Complex is the one that offers a unique attraction, the best facilities, services and breadth in the region to meet the needs of tourists.
• The development of the Complex represents an income for the state and a possibility of development for the municipality and the quality of life of the population's inhabitants.
• The application of the Marketing Plan for the Aguas Calientes Tourist Complex will result in an increase in the promotional level that it currently has and an increase in the demand for the destination by potential tourists from the Central region of the country.
• The implementation of the Marketing Plan of the Aguas Calientes Tourist Complex will have a total cost of Bs. 325,250.47.
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