At the present time the world is eager to know and travel, with which countries like Ecuador can use themselves to offer their tourist alternatives, improving the country's economy, which would give a great opportunity to generate development in small towns of the national territory.
It is important to note that Ecuador, highlighting Manabí, has tourism development plans (PLANTETUR 2020), which in some way is a compass to direct the cantons and private enterprises that still do not have a tourism planning of their own resources and proposal.
The social and political changes in the country, at present, force that rigid plans are not structured in the tourism sector, but rather there is a need to structure flexible proposals duly articulated in the short term, which can be implemented jointly between measures. the public sector and the private sector. This strengthening of tourism encourages provincial, cantonal and parish governments to plan production in the tourist area with the country's tourism entrepreneurs.
When thinking about and executing tourism actions, it is necessary to always think about what the tourist needs and wants, that is, to think from the demand, but without this meaning that the offer does not fit a certain target group; In other words, tourism development, too, is a mechanism for connecting travelers with host regions. Ultimately, the proposal is comprehensive, not segmented, which becomes a working and analysis tool for development managers in the field of tourism; Likewise, this research could be a reference element to delineate undertakings of the company.
SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON THE CASA CEIBO HOTEL
Casa Ceibo Boutique Hotel & Spa, is located on the coast of Ecuador, 20 miles south of the equinoctial line, in the estuary of the Rio Chone 5 kilometers from Bahía de Caráquez.
The charm and hospitality of the Ecuadorian coast will make our guests live an exceptional experience at all levels. Our location offers easy access to the bay, the ocean and the cozy town of Bahía de Caráquez. This was the first city in Ecuador to be declared an “Ecological City” thanks to the work and standard of living of its inhabitants.
The best hotel on the coast of Ecuador conceived under the modality of Boutique Hotel, offers activities and tourist services of the highest level. It is the best alternative for frequent travelers, national and international, who like rest, tranquility, comfort and the best service.
CASA CEIBO has 15 luxurious rooms and 3 suites, equipped with a double Jacuzzi in each room, WI-FI, internet, air conditioning, 32 ”LCD screens with Direct TV installation, clay tennis court, swimming pool with bar service, restaurant, gym and spa. It keeps on its walls a collection with works by some of the best visual artists in Ecuador.
Crystal clear beaches, tropical and dry forests, wetlands and mangroves, estuaries, contact with fishermen and natives of the area, make the Hotel's activities have a perfect balance between relaxation and entertainment.
And if we talk about flavors, CASA CEIBO offers you a culinary experience that blends the wonderful Manabita food with the most exquisite recipes of international gastronomy.
In the construction of the facilities, the use of wood and good taste in decoration details stand out; Stained glass lamps, furniture of the finest wood transmits us the neat and talented work of our artisans.
OBJECTIVES
OVERALL OBJECTIVE
Develop alternatives that help with the commercialization of the Hotel Casa Ceibo in the Eco-city of Bahia in the Province of Manabí.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
- Raise general information on the services offered by the Hotel Identify the tourist attractions that the Hotel Casa Ceibo sells and the reception of them by the Guests Establish a definition of the Market with respect to the Hotel Generate alternatives that help the tourism development in the province of Manabí.
MANABÍ TOURIST DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The context of national tourism planning (PANDETUR 2020) served as the basis for the Provincial Council of Manabí from the year 2005 to begin a sustained process to achieve the tourism development of the province and began with the signing of agreements with the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) and the German development agency, GTZ for its acronym in German, to then continue with the necessary diagnoses.
The Manabí tourism table is made up of public, private and academic sectors, with technical assistance from GTZ and AECI and with the coordination of the Tourism Unit of the Provincial Council of Manabí.
One of the results of the actions undertaken by the table and each of the components is the Provincial Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourism of Manabí, which contains the basic guidelines for tourism to be a true productive activity, generating sources of employment and environmental care, as well as a sustained articulation of the actors, both from the political and from the operational point of view.
A second result is the Manabí Marketing Plan, prepared thanks to support from the IDB through CONAM and its Decentralization Support Program, which sets the following goals for 2011 as its purposes:
- Achieve a strategic positioning of Manabí as a tourist destination. We want Manabí to be seen in the tourism market and identify itself with the type of tourism we want to offer. Extend tourism geographically. Achieve a quantitative and qualitative increase in the volume of short-term to long-term tourism in Manabí; In other words, reduce the number of hikers and increase the number of tourists. Target market niches promoting Manabí as a destination for ecotourism, sports and adventure tourism, whale watching, bird watching, rural tourism, conventions and congresses. Increase the participation of the national tourist in the income of the tourism sector of Manabí, and therefore promote wealth creation and an equitable distribution of income in the province.
Likewise, the Plan establishes other aspects to consider so that the above is feasible to meet its objectives:
- Safety for tourists in a comprehensive system Improvement of the quality of direct and related services Training and job skills Sustainable tourism management or prevention of negative impacts on the environment and socio-cultural Fight against poverty through the creation and strengthening of micro and small businesses Comprehensive marketing o Place emphasis on promotion and publicity of the offer Integration with other productive chains Information systems or market intelligence Implementation of an inter-institutional coordination mechanism for tourism.
Finally, the Plan recommends creating and implementing a system of tourism indicators, in such a way that it is possible to verify and control the actions carried out and their effectiveness in the tourism development of Manabí.
ECOTOURISM
Mass tourism and carry it out without rational planning can cause irreversible damage to the environment. As a response to this "aggressive" tourism, ecotourism has been born, a new way of enjoying nature, which has the permission of respect for it, the basic idea of ecological tourism is to teach tourists to enjoy it, without causing hurt; in recent times ecotourism has taken off in all parts of the plant.
It is actually a new concept of travel, designed mainly for those who long for direct contact with nature and who want to make an alternative trip avoiding conventional travel and tourist destinations.
In Latin America, some countries are carrying out a significant ecotourism boom, due to the exuberance of the landscape and the large number of natural parks that exist, which highlights the richness of flora and fauna. Ziffer (1989) warns that the term “nature tourism” is not necessarily compatible with the natural environment where it is practiced, since the natural environment is used based on the wishes and motivations of tourists.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CERTIFICATIONS.
Certification is a market-based tool. It links the actors in the value chain by guaranteeing or certifying to users (tourists and tourism intermediaries) that (tourism) providers adhere to a specific set of standards and indicators of sustainable practices. In this age of globalization and growing tourism to remote destinations, the certification label provides the trust and security that unites the various market participants.
So; Why do tourism companies access the certification? Why:
- They improve the quality and performance of their companies and staff “Do the right thing” to protect the environment and local communities Reduce costs Gain a marketing advantage Avoid being confused with “green washing” companies, which are not sustainable, even if they claim to be so.
Is there a marketing advantage? How can we create it?
Most certification programs are underfunded to conduct effective large-scale consumer marketing, which can be notoriously expensive. Furthermore, they often lack the expertise to market to tourism intermediaries (such as tour operators), the media, travel exhibitions, or elsewhere. Business planning must include marketing as an important item. Effective marketing of certification programs takes time and money. There are methods to lower costs, while at the same time effectively spreading the benefits of tourism certification to a wide range of audiences.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF THE HOTEL CASA CEIBO
AVITURISM
The extraordinary biotic richness is due in part to the fact that Casa Ceibo is located between two of the areas with the greatest diversity and ornithological endemism in the world - Choco and Tumbes. The area also has a variety of aquatic systems: mangrove forests, the estuary of the Chone river, shrimp pools, the La Segua wetland, river systems, and even the same ocean where species from other recognized areas of endemism have been sighted. The Galapagos Islands.
1.- “CERRO SECO” dry tropical forest
It is a deciduous forest which loses its leaves by season. The most characteristic plant species is the Ceibo (Ceiba trichistandra), a deciduous tree that is recognized for its large size and green, bottle-shaped trunk. Many endemic birds are common here, which you can observe by walking its small trails of approximately two hours through a comfortable walk from the center of Bahia.
2.- “CABO PASADO” humid forest
It is the most difficult site in terms of accessibility, most of the rain falls on the eastern slopes. This place is home to a greater number of species but it also represents a challenge for bird watchers: many species such as toucans turkeys and striking Spectacled Owls. As well as howler monkeys and vegetation typical of these ecosystems are characteristics of this place.
3.- Mangroves "CORAZÓN ISLAND AND FRAGATAS WILDLIFE REFUGE"
Here is part of the most extensive mangrove swamp of the Rio Chone estuary which is home to a colony of large frigates, as well as mollusks, fish and invertebrates. You can also travel the island in small fiberglass boats through tunnels inside the mangrove as well as take a walk along a path that winds through the vegetation where you can identify the different species of mangrove, until you reach an observation tower and once there you can see the canopy of the trees.
3.- Ramsar Wetland of International Importance "LA SEGUA"
Some of the most elaborate birds in the area and even in the country, can be seen without much difficulty in this extensive wetland, where there is an Observation tower, a path and a dock for the ease of visitors. Here you can take a walk and then take a boat to combine it with the aquatic part where you will be surprised by the existing birdlife.
It is one of the most distant attractions of Casa Ceibo, but surely it is still the most spectacular.
4.- City Tours "BAHÍA ECO-CIUDAD"
It is a small and beautiful city located in the center of the Pacific coast of Ecuador in the province of Manabí. It is simply known as “Bahía”. Bahía de Caráquez has a rich and interesting history. Based on the book "The history of the Reign of Quito", written by Juan de Velasco, Bahia is the place where the tribe of the first aborigines of Ecuador "Los Caras", arrived for the first time in South America in balsa wood canoes.. Later this same point was used by the Spanish when they arrived in South America in their attempt to conquer the "Inca" empire.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Bahia was one of the main ports in Ecuador, the bay had the right conditions and depth for it. After deforestation in the 20th century, sedimentation descended from the Andes during numerous rainy seasons, making the bay shallow. Today it is a beautiful eco-city. Guests can explore the city in the famous Eco-Taxis. In which they can visit museums, cultural centers, leisure and recreation centers.
MARKET DEFINITION
Marketing strategies to relate supply with demand in such a way that the CASA CEIBO tourism product manages to enter, maintain and expand in the market in the world of travel and Hospitality.
PRODUCT PROPOSAL
By definition Tourist product is the set of tangible and intangible components that offer benefits capable of attracting certain groups of tourists, because they satisfy the expectations that motivate their trip. The tourist product is 'on the shelf', ready for the tourist to purchase.
In general terms, the Casa Ceibo tourist product is a service that has 17 luxury suites designed to satisfy the travel expectations of people who have chosen to visit this area to learn about its tourist attractions and resources. As well as personalized attention. Added to this is the exclusivity and interest in international certifications on quality and sustainability that are very important when it is marketed as a product.
Specifically, CASA CEIBO is an institution, whose efforts offer Eco-tourism experiences with cultural, gastronomic, nature, leisure and sports elements, whose development axes are sustainability and business responsibility.
MAIN SEGMENTS
Once the product is established, the next step is to establish the segment of tourists or consumers of this product; that is, what are the characteristics of the people who will make tourist use of the CASA CEIBO Product.
For this purpose, it is established that consumers of the Tourist Product are of two types: visitors, which are any person who travels to a place other than their usual environment for a period of less than 12 months and whose main purpose of the trip is not to carry out a paid activity in the place visited. They can be tourists (visitors who spend the night at least one night) and hikers (those who return to their usual surroundings the same day).
Likewise, for the purposes of establishing the tourists and hikers of the Casa Ceibo Product, it is defined that Internal Tourism is that carried out by resident visitors of a country to different regions of the same country, while Incoming Tourism is that carried out by the Non-resident visitors in the country of reference and Outbound Tourism is that made by visitors residing outside the country in question.
Likewise, to determine the markets to which the Junín product is directed, it is determined that there is Internal Tourism, which is the one carried out by resident visitors of a country to different regions of the same country, while Incoming Tourism is the one carried out by non-visitors. residents in the country of reference and Issuing Tourism is that made by visitors residing outside the country in question.
The next point that it is necessary to make clear that there are no studies on the characteristics of visitors or tourists, which implies that determining the segment will start from the characteristics of the tourist flow of Manabí, Ecuador and world trends in this regard.
Consequently, the CASA CEIBO product is designed for upper-class Incoming and Internal Tourism in a first phase, the second phase for upper-middle-class Incoming Tourism. Outbound Tourism is not considered, since the objective is to bring tourists / guests to CASA CEIBO and not take them to other destinations.
Now, according to the data established by the Manabí Tourism Marketing Plan, the main source markets for domestic tourism are Quito, Guayaquil, Ambato and Cuenca; To which, on a smaller scale, tourists from the Sierra Norte, Sierra Sur, Sierra Centro, Los Ríos and El Oro are added.
Other characteristics of the tourist flow in Manabí is seasonality, that is, the tendency of tourist demand to concentrate at certain times of the year such as Carnival and other holidays, as well as in certain geographical areas, especially the Sun and Beach segment and the Machalilla National Park. In the first case, it would be seasonality in time and in the second, seasonality in space.
According to the data obtained from the Tourism Unit of the Provincial Council, the characteristics of the tourists of Manabí are the following:
TABLE 1: SEX
It can be determined that there is gender equality of the tourists who visit the Province.
TABLE 2: AGE
The presence of tourists between the ages of 26 and 50 predominates by 52%, with which we can deduce that the province is mostly visited by adult tourists.
TABLE 3: OCCUPATION
It is appreciated that 50% of the tourists are professionals, which reveals important economic possibilities for the province.
TABLE 4: ORIGIN
National tourism is the one that predominates in the province with 90%, with a minimum participation of foreigners with 10%, therefore it is necessary that the offer points its best efforts towards the national market.
TABLE 5: NATIONAL ORIGIN
The largest number of national visitors come from the Sierra with 69%, who take advantage of their holiday periods to visit this province, it should be noted that of this percentage 44% comes from the province of Pichincha.
SEGMENT CHARACTERIZATION
Consequently, from the data analysis, it is possible to indicate that the segment for the CASA CEIBO product is the following: men and women between 26 and 50 years old, who have high income and who are based in Quito, Guayaquil and Ambato.
For the international market, according to the guidelines of the Mixed Fund for Tourism Promotion of Ecuador, the actions are aimed at attracting tourists from the United States of America, England, Germany and Italy; in addition to the Andean countries: Colombia, Peru and Chile, so they would also be the market for CASA CEIBO.
In travel preferences, tourists will have preferences for knowing ecotourism with an emphasis on birds or ornithology, which will be accompanied by cultural and nature aspects, as well as places for recreation. With the best comfort and convenience.
INSERTION AND POSITIONING STRATEGIES
From knowing the segment of tourists for the CASA CEIBO tourism product, it is necessary to propose insertion and positioning strategies; that is, the policies to put supply in contact with demand.
Insertion refers to the ways in which both the public and private sectors will put the CASA CEIBO product on the tourist “market” so that the determined segment knows it and can be motivated to use its services; while the positioning are the actions that are carried out so that that segment is aware of it and is part of the purchase options at the time of the trip, precisely, of that segment.
INSERTION STRATEGY
In the tourist aspects it is complex to propose a strategy based on an analysis of the “competition” since each tourist offer in general is a form of competition, therefore it is pertinent to work on criteria of competitiveness; In other words, the important thing is that the Casa Ceibo tourism product is a highly desired travel option.
- The visualization actions imply making public presentations about the tourist opportunities and services that Casa Ceibo offers, the presentations that can be press conferences, work shops and conferences. Implementing a system for information through the Internet and other communication technologies; The initial step for the fulfillment of this objective is the construction of a WEB page with sufficient information, in addition to creating a blog for online consultations and for the distribution of newsletters, photographs and testimonies, to carry out quality and sustainability certifications, to have a position in the field from quality boutique hotels.
POSITIONING STRATEGIES
After the Casa Ceibo product is presented, it is necessary to keep the target group and tourism sellers informed about the existence of Casa Ceibo.
The positioning objective of casa ceibo implies:
- Create and maintain a bank of photographs Feed the WEB page and the Blog daily Organize national and regional press trips Organize familiarization trips with national and regional operators Deliver differentiated tourist information to other WEB pages Participate in meetings, fairs and other tourist events Increase new eco-tourism leisure programs.
OPERATIONAL TACTICS
The operational tactics refer to the specific actions and the ways of executing the different actions based on the established strategies to insert and position the CASA CEIBO Tourist Product.
These operational tactics are detailed and explained below:
- Work Shops: or pre-scheduled work meetings in which negotiations are carried out that, in this case, are related to tourism or trying to attract the attention of buyers of tourism products. These events must take place in the issuing markets. The proposed WEB page must maintain information about the services and tourist opportunities within its programs, both in the area of attractions, companies, shops, human mobility systems, distances, directions, nearby destinations, prices, thematic photo galleries Open photo albums in public spaces on the Internet such as Hi5 or Facebook, in such a way as to incorporate a greater number of potential visitors and take advantage of the high level of visitation that these virtual spaces have. blog as a sustenance of the WEB page,It should be used as a diary on the experiences of the visitors and that can be updated online, in addition to being low cost, it can be maintained with greater ease and speed of incorporation of topics. The bank of photographs refers to the set of graphics captured from the main and attractive sites, to be used in high resolution printing; in addition to always having fresh photos available both for the preparation of promotional or advertising material and to deliver to the printed or virtual media.To build a data bank on regional, national and virtual media, tourism management agencies, universities, tour operators, tourism development managers and international support organizations,for distribution and obtaining of information aimed at developing and strengthening the demand captured Implement a training system for all staff constantly: waiters, housekeepers, cooks, bar tender and administrators in order to have a continuous improvement of quality in the provision of tourist services.
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND ANNEXES
- PLANDETUR 2020
