Business Policy and strategy: how to get ahead with tourism in Ireland

Résumé du document

With the advancement of third generation marketing, leisure market such as tourism has grown. In this way, the analysis of this market seems to be essential.
The concepts of tourism have been described during several conferences. Indeed, the WTO describes this phenomenon:

"Tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes."
Holloway J.C. and Taylor Neil (2006: 5-6)

For the board of directors of Tourism Ireland, an analysis of the global industry and then more particularly, the microenvironment of tourism in Ireland, will be discussed.
Finally, the strategic development directions for the period of 2007-2009 will be identified and evaluated.

Extraits

[...] However, this strategy can be used through two options: consolidation and market penetration. The consolidation is “where organisations protect and strengthen their position in their current markets with current products” (Johnson G., Scholes K. and Whittington R. (2005: 323-343)). With this option, organisation has to be pre-emptive to develop the value of its products or services. Consolidation must require restructure by downsizing or withdrawal from activities. In this way, firms have to take into account the stages of the product life cycle, the value of a product (speculation), the competitive disadvantages, the prioritisation of activities and the expectations of stakeholders. [...]

[...] Being the less hazardous, this strategy is not sufficient to generate estimable benefits. To gain significant market share, Tourism Ireland should apply another Ansoff's strategy. The second one, product development, is must more interesting. Indeed, as seen previously, the DEWKs (dual earners with kids), women and young people are not spontaneously loyal to Ireland. So, to keep these lucrative segments, the extension of the product and services range can be relevant. As new service/products, packages are interesting. Indeed, with the increasing success of online bookings for travel and accommodations through the same agent, packages are trendy. [...]

[...] To complete this analysis of the macro-environment, an approach of the environmental impact of tourism will be relevant. Environmental variable In this aspect, the significant issues depend on ecology and pollution. In this way, tourism development is controlled to ensure that consumers are well welcomed and visits are sustainable. Now, the large number of tourists requires the use of mass transportation, particularly in air and with the appearance of low-costs there are more and more travels; so more fuel's emissions. [...]

[...] Nevertheless, most tourists visit Ireland not more than once. To face the unrepeated purchase and the limit in the market, Tourism Ireland has to reshape its strategy. After taking account of the four strategies described by Ansoff, the product development one seems to be the best to suit Ireland. It consisted in the attraction of customers by the creation of packages (travel, accommodations and activities). Appendix The SWOT Analysis As a synthesis of the macro and microenvironment, the SWOT analysis is the most relevant model. [...]

[...] Here the strategy is a mix of both previous ones. Indeed, if the diversification is new range offers to new segment, it could be efficient for Tourism Ireland to use the product development, like packages, to all the news segments. This is a strategy environment based. However, it is essential to customize packages and services to suit the DINKs and the YUPPIES that are known to have special expectations. To select the most relevant strategy, companies have to evaluate them through three main criteria: suitability, acceptability and feasibility. [...]