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Internet Exercises
Chapter 1: The Tourism Marketing Environment
Vignette: Each of the seven Ps of services marketing can influence a customer's decision
to purchase a service. Marketers, especially in services, should use all available resources
at their disposal to provide tangible cues to potential consumers.
Featured URL:
Sépaq (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec)
Services Marketing Mix
Chapter 1 presents the "services marketing mix", which outlines the expanded "Seven Ps
of Marketing for Services": product, place, promotion, price, people, physical evidence,
and process. All seven elements can influence a customer's decision to purchase a service.
We know that services are even more challenging to market than durable goods, in part
because tangible evidence is often lacking for services. Given the extent to which
consumers today use the Web as a research tool, it seems reasonable that a service
company's Web site should offer useful information about each of the seven Ps.
Activity: In this activity, you will examine the Web site for a product that most people
will not have first-hand knowledge of, and see if it incorporates the seven Ps in a way that
may influence our purchase decision.
On a piece of paper, set up a simple chart listing each of the seven Ps down the left side.
(You may want to have Table 1.2 in front of you as you complete this exercise.) Now,
visit the Web site for the Gîte du Mont-Albert in Parc national de la Gaspésie. (Note that
you will have to locate this particular property within the Web site listed above.) Once
you get to the specific site for Gîte du Mont-Albert, fill in your chart with concrete
examples of evidence that is presented on the site, for each of the seven Ps. At the same
time, make a mental note about how easy or difficult, clear or confusing, this site is to
navigate.
Once your chart is complete, what kind of tangible evidence do you think is missing from
this site? What questions do you still want answered before you would be willing to buy
from this business? What, if anything, would you do to make the site easier to navigate
and understand?
Chapter 2: Consumer Behaviour
Vignette: Consumer behaviour is not only a difficult art and science, but it is always
changing. Keeping up with consumer trends requires on-going research and changes to
both products and the ways that they are marketed and advertised.
Featured URLs:
Formule 1 Hotels
Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts
Activity: In this activity, you will compare two different hotel company Web sites and,
using concepts discussed in the chapter, draw conclusions about the intended target
audiences of each Web site. For example, do you think Formule 1 is trying to appeal to
allocentrics/venturers, mid-centrics, or psychocentrics/dependables, and what makes you
say this? You should also consider issues such as age, gender, culture, social class, family
life cycle, and business/pleasure.
Resources:
"What are demographics and psychographics?" (article)
Journal of Consumer Behaviour
Chapter 3: Developing a Marketing Plan
Vignette: A marketing plan is an important tool for any business. It provides critical
operating information for the coming two years or less. (Recall the difference between a
"marketing plan" and a "strategic marketing plan".)
Featured URL:
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
Activity: Visit the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Web site and select
the Business info then Business tools buttons, then click on How to prepare a Marketing
Plan. Here you will find this agency's recommended method for creating a marketing
plan. You will notice that it is not identical to the plan in the text.
Compare each of the nine components in the ACOA's marketing plan with the eight-step
plan presented in Figure 3.1. Where do you see differences, and how significant are they?
Why might these differences exist? If you were considering launching a business like
Knight Inlet Lodge (Snapshot: Grizzly Bear Viewing at the Knight Inlet Lodge), which
plan would you find to be most helpful, or would you chose to draw elements from both
the book and the ACOA Web site? Explain your decision.
Resources:
Planning for Success: Your Guide to Preparing a Marketing Plan
The guide is published by ACOA and is available in .pdf format.
ScotiaOne Business Plan Writer
Bank of Nova Scotia's free business plan writing tool.
Chapter 4: Marketing Research
Vignette: Marketing research is vital to any organization. One concern however, is that
making decisions based upon poor research can be worse than making decisions based on
no research at all.
Featured URL:
Statistics Canada (see instructions below)
Travel Survey of Residents of Canada
International Travel Survey of Canadian Residents
GovernmentTravel Survey of U.S. Visitors to Canada
Activity: Statistics Canada is a highly reliable organization for collecting data about
people and things. Examine at least three questionnaires that Statistics Canada uses and
see what they ask, how they ask it, and how the questionnaires are laid out. Using these
example questionnaires, create a 1 or 2 page questionnaire that you would give to
customers of your tourism business. You may want to decide that you own a major fullservice city-centre hotel, a summer resort, or a restaurant; that is up to you, but tailor your
questions for the clientele that you serve. Be sure to ask only those questions that will
give you information that you need and want. Never ask questions that do not serve any
specific purpose.
Resources:
Go to Statistics Canada, select English, select Definitions, data sources and methods from
the box on the left sidebar, under Survey information, select List by subject. Scroll down
to Travel and tourism, click on [surveys]. From here you can chose which surveys to
look at by clicking on a survey then scrolling down to Questionnaire image. Different
surveys can be accessed thru Questionnaires, instead of Survey information.
Chapter 5: The Tourism and Hospitality Product
Vignette: We commonly refer to "the tourism industry", but we also know that tourism
constitutes such a wide span of products that it has to be considered in terms of sectors
rather than as a single industry (See Fig. 1.6 in Chapter 1). The "product is further
complicated by its existence at three levels: core, tangible, and augmented. The core
product of a hotel is, arguably, "a good night's sleep", and the tangible product is the bed,
television, washroom etc.
Featured URL:
Fisher's Loft Inn by Ship Cove
Casino Regina
Southern Ontario Tourism Organization (SOTO)
Activity: Review Figure 5.1. Using this as an example, prepare a list of the core, tangible,
and augmented products, based on a review of their Web sites, for each of: Fishers' Loft
Inn, Casino Regina, and SOTO (Southern Ontario Tourism Organization). You will
notice that SOTO is a destination marketing organization as opposed to a singular
business. This will require you to think a little differently about how to answer this
question.
Once you have your three lists, suggest ways to extend the core, tangible, and augmented
products for each operation. Why do you think that each operation has not already added
these components to their product offering?
Chapter 6: Pricing
Vignette: Setting one's price is often done with no particular logic, especially if you are a
small business operator. Of course, the "logic" might also need to be perceived by the
consumer, in which case even large organizations may want to convey some form or
rationale in pricing.
Featured URL:
Budget Car Rental
The Waterlot Inn and Restaurant
Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa
Activity: Take a look at the Web sites for Budget Rent a Car, The Waterlot, and
Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa. From a customer's perspective, do you see any
evidence that they have a pricing strategy? If so, would it affect your decision to
purchase? How? If not, does this affect your decision to purchase or look elsewhere for
another company's offerings? What changes, if any, would you recommend for their
respective Web sites regarding pricing?
Resources: Read the short articles: "How to Make Sure Your Price Is Right", and "Tailor
your loyalty program to the right customers".
"Develop a Pricing Strategy" by John Seasholtz.
“7Tips on Keeping Customers for Life" by Jeff Wuorio.
Chapter 7 Distribution
Vignette: Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) can play a key role in bringing
business to individual hotels, resorts, restaurants, attractions, and other tourism-related
businesses. In most cases, the operating revenues for DMOs come, at least in part, from
member businesses. (Notice that in the Chapter 12 activity, you will look at the Web site
for a destination management company, as opposed to a destination marketing
organization.)
Featured URLs:
Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Charlottetown, PEI
Tourism Saint John, New Brunswick
Activity: You are the president of the Canadian Franchise Association and are in the
planning stages for your association’s conference to be held 10 months from now. You
have narrowed the selection of locations down to Charlottetown, Halifax, or Saint John.
As is the case with most associations, you do not have a lot of time, nor association staff,
to devote to the logistics of the conference venue. Explore the Web sites for Halifax,
Charlottetown and Saint John, and use the information that you find on each site to help
you make your final decision. Based solely on the Web site information, which city
would you choose? Why?
Resource:
Canadian Franchise Association
Chapter 8 The Role of Advertising and Sales Promotions
Vignette: Advertising definitely works, although not all advertising works for all people.
We know that advertising is targeted at various markets that may be segmented by any
one, or more, of several criteria.
Featured URL:
Cossette Communication Group
Activity: Go the Cossette Communications Web site and look at some of the advertising
campaigns they have prepared for various clients. Feel free to let any of the
advertisements you see on this site conjure up memories of other advertisements you
have seen. Which advertisements do you like? Which ones would cause you to buy the
product? Is there a difference between the ads you like and those that would make you
consider buying? What causes this difference?
Check out the weekly poll on the Canadian Marketing Association site.
Resources:
The Canadian Marketing Association
http://www.ad-freaks.com/agencies.html lists advertising agencies and links to same.
Cossette Communications is an advertising firm whose clients include Air Canada, Air
Transat, Coca-Cola, McDonalds restaurants of Canada, Molson Breweries, Quebec City
Summer Festival, Tourism BC, and Tourism PEI.
Allard Johnson is an advertising firm. Its clients include Andrés Wines, Keg Restaurants,
and Canacermex (Corona beer).
Due North advertising agency. Its clients include Cameron’s Brewing Co. and WestJet.
Chapter 9 Public Relations, Personal Selling, and Word of Mouth
Vignette: “You can’t shake hands with a fax and you can’t shake hands with an e-mail.”
(Tony Pollard, President, Hotel Association of Canada (HAC)).
Knowing how to communicate effectively in person is a vital skill not just for sales and
public relations people, but for all employees who come into contact with customers.
Featured URL:
Your Dictionary.com is an on-line dictionary.
Activity: Check out the following words to be sure you know their meaning and can use
them effectively in a sentence. A word of caution: never try to use a word when your real
objective is to try to make yourself sound really intelligent. That will usually backfire. On
the other hand, a good command of English is a very strong asset indeed. Use a
dictionary often.
anathema
extempore
penultimate
waive
ascetic
ascribe
complement enmity
flammable fulminate inflammable mandarin
quay
remunerate stake
truncate
yuan
Resources:
Pertinent Information Ltd. “This is an information packed site designed to help you excel
in life. If you are an entrepreneur, educator and/or student, my site has the information
you need.” Go to Publicity Articles for tips on writing a press release
Your Dictionary.com is an on-line dictionary

Word of the Day Learn a new word each day.
A.Word.A.Day is another site to help you learn a new word each day.
University of Toronto Teaching and Learning Services
University of Toronto, Presentation Skills, Communication
University of Guelph “Making time management work for you.” (article)
Chapter 10 Internet Marketing
Vignette: Internet marketing is growing very rapidly, but some consumers are finding it
confusing and time-consuming to conduct a search on the Web.
Featured URL:
Google or any search engine of your choice
Activity: You have decided that it is time to take a vacation in a “different” location for a
change, and have narrowed you destination to either The Republic of Iceland or the
island of Newfoundland. Both destinations are nice, relatively quiet locations of very
similar size, with similar populations, and some similarities in the ruggedness of the
terrain. You want to see the sights and perhaps do some hiking, horseback riding, and
white-water rafting. After searching the Web for information to help make your final
decision, what sense did you get about the Web-search experience? Was it easier to get
information on one destination than the other (more user-friendly)? To what extent would
you say the Web site(s) for each destination are targeted versus scattered? What
suggestions would you have for DMOs in Iceland and in Newfoundland and Labrador, to
make planning your trip an easier and more productive experience?
Choose one Web site for each of Iceland and Newfoundland, and, using the ten criteria in
Table 10.1, evaluate the two sites.
Resources:
The Canadian Marketing Association
NetLingo is on-line dictionary about the Internet (see for example CRM (customer
relationship management) and customer relationship marketing)
The Direct Marketing Association “Helping direct and interactive marketers succeed.”
Chapter 11 Service Quality Through Internal Marketing
Vignette: Providing customer service at such a level that customers actually talk about
how good it is, should be your goal.
Featured URL:
Eric Fraterman Customer-Focus Consulting
The featured URL is that of a management consultant located in the Toronto area. This
site provides a very wide selection of free articles related to customer service.
Activity: Read the one-page article “The Seven Habits of Successful Customer-Based
Firms” and answer the following questions.
1. Habit #1 refers to “customer advisory boards”. As the General Manager of major
city-centre hotel (such as the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto), put together
a list of 10 people, by position, (for example “the person responsible for booking
travel for employees of General Motors Company in Oshawa”), whom you would
want to have on your customer advisory board. Broad-based representation is, of
course, best.
2. How would you reward, compensate, or otherwise show your appreciation to the
members of the board for their participation?
3. Habit #7 suggests that the company identify “internal stakeholders who can act as
key disseminators of the CRM (customer relationship management) vision...”. In
your large city-centre hotel, who might these stakeholders be (again, by position)?
Resources:
Canada Select “Canada’s Accommodations Program” Outlines the program for assigning
star ratings (from 1 to 5) to accommodation properties in Canada.
McCarthy's Party Ltd. is a destination management company that specializes in travel to
Newfoundland and Labrador. You may find it interesting to read a bit about “incentive
travel”.
Chapter 12 Destination Marketing
Vignette: You have heard of sport tourism, adventure tourism, heritage tourism, ecotourism, wine tourism, and perhaps even culinary tourism. But have you ever considered
garden tourism?
Featured URL:
Garden Inspired Tourism
“Our mission is to act as a catalyst and to facilitate the development and promotion of BC
as a globally recognized garden interest destination.”
Activity: Explore the featured Web site. Be sure to view About, Project Summary,
FAQs, and Sponsors.
After viewing this site, you should be able to answer the following questions:
1. When did this project begin, and who was behind it?
2. Who has sponsored this project? Why do you think each sponsor would be
interested in participating?
3. Is this site aimed at tourists or tourism operators?
4. What did you like and dislike about this site?
5. Can you explain what a CTC Product Club is? If not, find out.
6. Can you think of another Canadian destination that might benefit from the
creation of such an organization and associated Web site? Explain why.
Resources:
Canadian Tourism Commission
Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI).
Chapter 13 Contemporary Issues in Tourism and Hospitality Marketing
Vignette: The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is a new U.S. initiative
that will require all travellers, including Canadians, to carry a valid passport or other
appropriate secure document when travelling to the United States from within the western
hemisphere.
Featured URL: Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
Check the latest developments on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What are the issues for Canada?
What are the impacts on Canada’s tourism industry?
Is Canada the only country impacted?
How have other countries responded?
How are Canada and its provinces responding?
What about the impact on the tourism industry in the United States?
Resources:
Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)
Tourism Industry Association of America (TIA)