ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS Interim/Final and Intake: Final Assessment code: 011 Academic Year: 2016/17 Semester: 1-2 Module Title: Tourism Marketing Module Code: MOD003336 Level: 5 Module Leader: Kelly Strong Weighting: 60% Word Limit: 3000 Submission Date: This assignment must be received by no later than 14:00 on Thursday, 11 May 2017 WRITING YOUR ASSIGNMENT:  This assignment must be completed individually.  The Harvard Referencing System must be used.  Your work must indicate the number of words you have used. Do not exceed the maximum number of words specified above; all assignments which do so will be penalised. The penalty will be the deduction of marks at the Marker’s judgement.  Assignment submissions are to be made anonymously. Do not write your name anywhere on your work. Write your student ID number at the top of every page.  Where the assignment comprises more than one task, all tasks must be submitted in a single document.  You must number all pages. SUBMITTING YOUR ASSIGNMENT:  You must submit your assignment using Turnitin software and obtain a receipt.  Requests for short-term extensions will only be considered in the case of illness or other cause considered valid by the Welfare Adviser ([email protected]). These must normally be received and agreed by the Welfare Adviser in writing at least TWENTY-FOUR (24) hours prior to the deadline.  Mitigation claims must be submitted by the student or in exceptional circumstances (e.g. when a student has been hospitalised) by a Director of Studies, Programme Leader or Student Adviser on behalf of the student no later than five working days after the deadline.  Work submitted up to 5 working days after the deadline will be marked. The penalty for missing the deadline will be the capping of the mark for the assessment at 40%.  Work cannot be uploaded to Turnitin after the 5 working day period following the deadline. A mark of 0% will be recorded unless an extension has been approved in advance of the deadline. Please refer to the Academic Regulations or your Student Handbook for full details.Assignment question(s) You are required to complete the task in the form of a report and include a bibliography/reference list containing a variety of different sources that you have researched independently. As a marketing consultant for UK travel company Experience Travel Group, you have been asked to complete a marketing audit to analyse both internal and external factors that are impacting on the organisations growth. You have been given a particular remit to consider the emerging motivations of tourists seeking holidays to include ‘dark tourism’ for future development and growth. Based on your analysis of the dark tourism, assess the options available to Experience Travel Group to allow it to maintain its competitive position. Recommend with justification, one option you feel Experience Travel Group could adopt. (3000 words) Answer Outline You should consider:  An overview of dark Tourism and the motivating factors of its emergence in the industry  A situation analysis including SWOT analysis with a particular focus on growth through dark tourism. Micro/macro environmental analysis, market and competitor analysis could all be undertaken  Summary of the organisations current marketing practice, which should continue to include evaluation of one potential, specific geographical market/opportunity for dark tourism with justification for future development and growth.  Justification should include supporting rationale for market selection, market entry and barriers to entry if applicable  Identification of segmentation, key target audiences and brand positioning  Recommended a promotional strategy with supporting marketing mix outlined for the proposed market, ensuring its relevance to the target audience.  Identify at least one significant issue which could affect the overall strategyExperience Travel Group The idea for the Experience Travel Group began to form back in 2004. Co-founders, Sam Clark and Tom Armstrong were both working within the travel industry at the time, Sam for a regular travel company and Tom was a travel guide. Both were a little disenchanted by the traditional packages on offer, feeling they were lacklustre, failed to get under the skin of a place and certainly missed that magical element of discovery. They were also frustrated the industry wasn’t doing some countries justice, particularly diverse and beautiful Sri Lanka - a country both had visited and fallen in love with. They knew they could do better and took some bold action, quitting their jobs and moving there with very little money and a dream: to start a specialist travel company that enabled travellers to craft a wonderful, in-depth experience. However, not long after arriving Sri Lanka was devastated by the Asian tsunami of Christmas 2004. Witnessing so many lives upturned, Tom and Sam put their plans on hold and plunged into the aid effort. It looked like their dreams might have to be packed away with their remaining belongings, but while working alongside local people they felt an even deeper connection to the country. Although immediate relief was essential, they saw first-hand that joyful travel and exploration was more effective for the economic development of the local community, and more empowering, than any amount of aid. And this strengthened their commitment to bring travellers to this part of the world, despite the challenges ahead. Three years later, building on their growing success, a third partner, Melissa Nicholas came on board to launch further experience-based holidays in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. Shortly after, the Experience Travel Group London office was born. Since then the company has grown to feature Malaysia, Borneo, Myanmar (Burma), the 17,000 islands of Indonesia and, most recently, parts of India.