Developmental Role
of Marketing
TING
Structure
Objectives
Introduction
Marketing
Socially Responsible Marketing
A Socially Responsible Marketing Model
Importance of the Promotion Mix
Some Concepts Critical to Socially Responsible Marketing
11.6.1 Alternative Development
11.6.2 Sustainable Tourism
11.6.3 Carrying Capacity
Agencies Involved in Responsible Tourism
Let Us Sum U p
Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises
After reading this Unit you should be able to:
understand the concept of socially responsible marketing in tourism,
know about the critical concepts in socially responsible marketing,
know the importance of the promotion mix,
understand what is alternative tourism,
know about sustainable tourism, and
learn about the numerous agencies involved in socially responsible marketing.
11.1 INTRODUCTION
The tourism industry operates in an environment where there is increasing competition for
both revenue and customers. The conclusion is simple - those who market will do better.
The same holds true for socially responsible marketing. In this Unit, we have explained the
need and importance of sociallyresponsible marketing and how the marketing tools are used
to achieve optimal results.
11.2 MARKETING
We will begin this Unit with a brief recapitulation of our understanding of what is meant by
Marketing. Marketing means designing an organisation's product in terms of the needs and
desires of the targeted market and then using effective means of promotion, distribution and
service.
We need to focus on three aspects which are relevant to marketing:
The objectives,
In tourism there is a fourth aspect i.e. the Sener.
The Exchange Process, and
The Customer.
In the traditional market model the Exchange relationship involves mutual benefits, and thc
identification of the Customer The Ob,jectives are profits through customer salisfaction.
Socially Responsible
Goods and Services Marketing
Fig. L.
This is how the marketing model relates to the marketing activity. The customer is the person
who pays for the tourism product or service. Marketeers then plan the traditional 4P's and
the additional 2 P's that relate to the Tourism and Service industry, in terms of thc
requirements of the target market (see Block 4). This leads to a mutually beneficial exchange
process and fulfillment of the objectives of the organisation i.e. profits.
11.3 SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE MARKETING .
Philip Kotler has differentiated between marketing and social marketing in the followingway:
"Social Marketing differs from other areas of marketing only with respect to the
objectives of the marketer and his or her organisation. Social Marketing seeks to
influence social behaviours not to benefit the marketer, but to benefit the target
...
audience and the general society It's sponsors simply wish to make the society a
better place, not.merely benefit themselves or their organisation".
What do we understand from this distinction ? The important point that emerges is that in
social marketing, the marketing activity of the organisation is not to be seer1 as a purely
commercial activity as other objectives are involved. This is not to say that the aim is not to
make a profit. The organisation can and does make a profit, but there are other equally
important objectives involved. Therefore, an organisation or group involved in socially
responsible marketing has multiple objectivcs, and each of the objectives is of equal
importance.
11.4 A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE MARKETING MODEL
The use of the traditional markct model is not adequate in describing socially responsible
marketing because:
the exchange process is more complex. There are two equally important exchanges
between the customer and the organisation. The exchange of money, and the exchange
of information and communications,
there exist multiple constituents, and
the organisation has multiple objectives - other than that of monetary gain.
Therefore, a more complex model is required, which should incorporate the following points:
the multiple objectives,
the exchange process, and
the multiple constitucnts.
1) Multiple Objectives
The primary distinction in socially responsible marketing Iies in the objectives. What are
these multiple objectives ? According to Krippendorf, the goal is to develop a new form
of tourism:"the common goal must be to develop and promote new forms of tourism,
which will bring the greatest possible benefit to all participants - travellers, the host
population and the tourist business, without causing intolerable ecological and social
damage."
Developmental Role Shapiro has classified the marketing needs of organisations dealing with socially,
of Marketing
responsible objectives into three areas:
i) resource attraction: i.e. generation of profits and money,
ii) persuasion i.e. use of communications to change attitudes, lifestyles, and
iii) resource allocation i.e. allocating the funds generated not only to the shareholders
and business partners, but to put back the funds into furthering the socially
responsible objectives of the enterprise.
2) The Exchange Process
Persuasion is an important process in socially responsible marketing. Therefore the
exchange relationship in socially responsible marketing involves the additional aspects
of Communication and Information.
As you can see from the model this is a two way process. Hence, it is called an "exchange"
process. Information is obtained from the consumer and the target market to ascertain
how much of the social objectives of the organisation have been understood by the target
market. On the basis of the data obtained, the communication mix by the organisation is
prepared.
Communications
b
Goods + Services
ORGANISATION MARKET
Money
1
I Information I
Fig. 2: The Social Marketing Exchange Relationship
This communication process involves exchange of communication regarding the
efficiency and effectiveness of the work of the organisation. The message can be delivered
to the target market by printing the mission of the organisation on posters, pamphlets or
brochures.
In the information exchange process the organisation actively seeks the views of the
general public and its customers into their level of awareness about the objectives of the
organisation and its work.
3) Multiple Constituents
In Responsible Tourism these would be:
the tourist,
the host population,
the destination region,
the environment, and
ecological and cultural aspects.
11.5 IMPORTANCE OF THE PROMOTION MIX
(Please read this Section in conjunction with Case Study INTACH on Humayun's I omb -
An Interactive Media Presentation in Unit 12).
As outlined above, one of the vital elements in socially responsible marketing is
communication and information exchange.
The promotion mix of an organisation provides a means of communicating effectively to the
consumer, and perspective customer, about its product and ideas. These communication
goals are more complex for organisations dealing with responsible msrketing, since the task
Socially Responsible
involves not only dealing with a "marketplaceof products" but also dealing with a "marketplace Marketing
of ideas."
The tools of the promotion mix are Advertising, Publicity, Sales Promotion and Personal
Selling. These are the ideas abound in today's marketplace. For example, in responsible
tourism these could bc furthering the concepts and idea of conservation, rehabilitation,
sustainable development etc. Each organisatipn is communicating its social message to the
general public. What is needed is a clear and simple message that will achieve a "share of
heart and a share of mind with the target market.
The Range of Promotionals Tools includes:
i) Advertisement Tools like Radio/TV spots, mailings, point-of purchase displays.
ii) Salcs promotion Tools like Special events, Fairs, Exhibits
iii) Publicity Tools like Press Kits, Reports, Public Relations (PR).
iv) Personal Selling like Sales presentation, Tour Guides.
An effective management tool to achieve an optimum promotional mix is thc AIDA Model
or "Hierarchy of Effects Model". The aim of the promotion and sales campaign is to identify
the stage the target market is in, using this model with relation to the "decision to buy". For
the tourist organisation this would mean identifying the stage the target market is in by means
of Market Research, with relation to the concept of conservation, rehabilitation and interest
in eco tourism, etc.
The campaign needs to be developed with the aim of moving the tourist to the next stage in
thc model, by using appropriate promotional methods and tools. Market Research is an
effective method to determine at which stage the consumer is presently in:
Table 1
Uelermining the Promotional Objectives
(Source : R. H. Colley : Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results, Association of National'
Advertiser, New York 1961).
Research in Marketing of consumer products has shown that the most effective promotional
tools are Advertisirig, followed by Sales Promotion, Personal Selling and Publicity. In
responsible marketing the relative importance is changed. Although research in this filed is
limited, Personal Selling is the most effective tool in this area.
Personal
Publicty and PP
Advertising
Fig. 3.
Developmental Role
of Marketing
u
1
Check Your Progress-1
What is the main difference between marketing and social marketing?
Shapiro has outlined three important marketing needs of an organisation understanding
social marketing. What are these?
.................................................
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3) List some promotional objectives in responsible marketing.
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4) What are the promotional tools used by - A Travel Agency, A Hotel, A Wildlife
Sanctuary? List at least three tools for each.
-- Socially Responsible
Marketing
11.6 SOME CONCEPTS CRITICAL TO SOCIALLY
RESPONSIBLE MARKETING
We need to briefly touch on some of the concepts that are basic to responsible marketing in
tourism. Three concepts are crucial. These are:
Alternative Development,
Sustainable Tourism, and
The Concept of Carrying Capacity.
11.6.1 Alternative Development
The Brundtland Commission (Tokyo, 1987) had a profound impact on the definition of
alternative development. The report that emerged from this commission is titled, The
Brundtland Report. This report defined sustainable development as that which "meets the .
goals of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs". Proponents of alternative or sustainable development broadly agree on some basic
parameters, a few of which are given below:
1) There is a need to change the scale of production from large scale to small scale
operations.
2) It is important to achieve a development that is more people oriented.
3) Maintain economic growth with regard to the "essential needs of the world's poor".
11.6.2 Sustainable Tourism
An understanding of alternative development leads us to the concept of sustainable or
responsible tourism. This area also continues to give rise to a lot of ongoing debate, and a
consensus on a single definition remains to be found. However a lack of a definition is a
positive point, since the subject is evolving continuously.
Sustainable or responsible tourism can be broadly defined as "forms of tourism that are
consistent with natural, social and communityvalues, and which allow both hosts and guests
to enjoy positive and worthwhile interaction and shared experiences". This means that
tourism should not have a negative effect or impact on the environment, culture, or social
values of the host population. Some critical areas to focus on would be:
The environment has an intrinsic value and is to be enjoyed by future generations.
Tourism should be a positive activity and benefit the visitor as well as the community.
The relationship between the environment and tourism should be managed with a long
term viewpoint, so that there should be no damage to natural resources.
Tourism activities in terms of the operation and nature of the enterprise should be in
harmony with the location.
~ l those
l responsible i.e. tourism industry, local authority, environment agencies etc.
need to work together.
Idea of Carrying Capacity is at the heart of Sustainable Tourism.
Emphasis should be on cultural sustainability. Tourism should not damage the culture
of the host community. The experience of the tourist should be through organised
encounters.
11.6.3 Carrying Capacity
Carrying Capacity, for the purpose of tourism, is defined as "thatlevel of tourist presence
which creates impacts on the host community,environmentand economy that are acceptable
to both tourist and host, and sustainable over future time periods."
Developmental Role The concept of carrying capacity carries with it some notion of sustainability. Further the
(of Marketing carrying capacity threshold is likely to occur first in some areas, and later in others. The
tourism activity may first affect the ecosystem of a destination, and later affect the culture, or
environment.
There are several types of carrying capacity of a site, or resort, or tourist area:
Physical capacity is how many number of tourists can an attraction absorb at a given
time, without causing any negative effects to the attraction or site.
Psychological Capacity of a site is the amount of congestion that the tourist will tolerate
before the site looses its appeal. Different sites have varying amount of carrying
capacities. A beach has a different psychological carrying capacity as compared to that
of a wildlife sanctuary.
Ecological Capacity is the ability of the region to absorb tourists without destroying the
balance of nature.
The Social and Cultural capacity of the host population, involves the impact of the
tourists on the culture and value system of the people who belong to the tourist region
i.e. the host population.
11.7 AGENCIES INVOLVED IN RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
To make responsible tourism a success and not remain a mere lip service or an academic
exercise, involvement needs to be both at the macro and micro levels. You will notice in the
list given below, there are numerous agencies and enterprises involved in the business of
tourism. These can be government controlled or run by independent entrepreneurs; they can
be operated on a large scale, or a small scale; ownership could be local, national or even
multinational.
Difficulties in coordination between such diverse enterprises are one of the major problems
faced in trying to achieve a coordinated approach to long term planning and creating effective
control systems.
1) Organisations at the Macro level: UNESCO, World Tourism Organisation WTO),
World Bank and Green Peace are some organisations active in the area at the Macro
level.
Some Examples of the work undertaken by these organisations are:
The International Academy for the Study of Tourism was set up in Santandor,
Spain in 1988, under the aegis of the WTO. The aim was to create a scholarly body
to investigate the theoretical nature of tourism and its global role.
A seminar on Alternative Tourism was organised by WTO at Tamanrasset in1989,
where alternative tourism was chosen to endorse "responsibletourism." The aim
of the conference was to convince all parties - governments, tourists, hosts, the
tourist industry - to respect the social and cultural resources on which sustainable
development of tourism was seen to rest.
2) Governments: This includes Central, regional and local public authority to develop a
responsible tourism policy with effective planning and monitoring systems encouraging
good environment practices.
3) Non-Government Organisations (NGO's): The role of the above has been outlined in
detail in the previous Unit (No.10). Local pressure group formed by the host population
and local citizens also come under this category.
4) Agencies involved in Tourism at the Micro level: These include: Travel agents and tour
operators, Developers of resorts, site's, attractions - both man made and natural,
transporters and the accommodation sector like hotels and private lodges, etc.
5) The Green Consumer: The individual traveller to whom environment issues are as
important as the concept of how to spend hislher leisure time.
Socially Responsible
Marketing
1) What is alternative development? .
........................................
2) What is sustainable tourism?
3) List two different types of carrying capacities.
................................................
11.8 LET US SUM UP
Social Responsible Marketing is becoming increasingly important if we wish to keep the
I activity of tourism in harmony with the environment. This is a complex task, since the
objectives of responsible tourism are multiple, and coordination between the various agencies
involved is difficult.However, if we wish to preserve the world's tourist attractions for future
generations, all parties involved at the macro and micro level need to take a committed and
long term part in this field.
Developmental Role
of Marketing 11.9 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS EXERCISES
ICheck Your Progress-1
1) Read Secs. 11.2 and 11.3 carefully and you will find that there is a basic difference in
approach. Profit is not the sole motive, influencing social behaviour is a major concern.
2) See Sec. 11.4.
3) See Sec. 11.5.
4) You have to answer from your own experience.
1) See Sub-sec. 11.6.1.
2) See Sub-sec. 11.6.2.
3) See Sub-sec. 11.6.3.
