Mauritius Islands As A Destination

Mauritius Islands As A DestinationThe reference marketing run across entrust be based on a small island, which is non even visible on the world map, called Mauritius. It is a vol assic island of lagoons and beaches in the Indian Ocean, it is know for its stability and racial harmony among its blend of population. It is an island locate at about 900 kilometres east of Madagascar and about 3,943 kilometres south-west of India. (Blunt 2005)It has to a greater extent that unmatchable hundred fifty kilometres of beaches and the lagoon is protected by the worlds third largest coral reef. Its population is estimated to 1,2 gazillion which forms a blend of cultures from India, Africa, Europe and China.Mauritius was discovered by a Portuguese sailor, Don Pedro Masc arnhas. It was occupied by the Dutch (1598 1710), French (1715 1810) and British (1810 1968). It gained its liberty on the twelfth March 1968 and its Republic status on 12th March 1992. It has a democracy based on the British democracy. The m wholenessy officed there is the Mauritian Rupee, made up of 100cents and its capital urban center is Port Louis. The Mauritian economy is dependent upon the textile, touristry and sugar industry. soon the close is attracting tourist mainly from European Countries and the cultures current mission to move its loyal node and promote in countries where people ar non awargon of Mauritius as a tourist destination. They essential to maintain the effigy of Mauritius as cosmos a paradise to their current markets.The Destination would want to regain the French market following the chikunguya disease, to attract more tourists from American countries and become the hail one tourist destination in the Indian Ocean.Jobber (2004210) defines segmentation as the identification of individuals or organizations with similar characteristics that contain significant implications for the determination of marketing strategy. In other words it kernel dividing a segm ent into sub-segments beca implement customers differ in tastes, needs, attitudes, spiritednessstyles, family size and composition. Identifying these submarkets leave behind assist the destination to serve its customers with similar requirements efficiently and effectively. The more a destination knows about its customers the better they will be able to satisfy their needs. A segment is identified by dividing them according to the purpose of trip, the buyers need/motivations and benefits sought, the buyers behaviour, their psychographic profile, the toll of the ticket and the demographic, economic and geographic profile.The identified segments for Mauritius were people aged 25 and upwards with a medium to gritty income per year, because the terms of a ticket for the destination is around 600 700 and the life bout identified was nakedly conjoin couples, full live II, empty nest I and empty nest II. It has been found that it is mostly leisure tourists that come to the des tinations and their motivation honeymoon, young hook up with couple desire paradise for their honeymoons, looking for a quiet place, this applies to retired people, families automatic to escape the European winter and go acrossking sea and beach holiday, individuals seeking for water- sports and tourist coming for cultural interest. Most of the tourists coming to Mauritius ar trustworthy and spend a lot during their stay. Regarding price, tourists be quite sensitive to this versatile when the price is high less tourist affect to the destination when the price is reduced more tourists impress. Price is also an indicator of the perceived tonicity, so when playing with the price variable one should be careful of the quality that it is sacking to reflect.Market PositioningPosition is about the perceived delineation of the destination by customers compared to other nearby destinations. Customers has this perceived image of Mauritius organism paradise when they look at the br ochure and see the white sandlike beaches and the turquoise ocean. This perceived image would help to make the island the piece one destination in the Indian Ocean.Marketing Mix/branding imageThe marketing commingle is defined as a combination of controllable variables that can be used to achieve the desired levels of sales in butt markets. This combination is known as the 4 Ps, which includes product, price, place and promotion. harvestIn terms of the tourism industry, the product covers the complete experience from the quantify a tourist reaches their destination to the time he/she leaves. Therefore the tourism product is a intermingleture of attractiveness and facilities at the destination, facility and destination. The spot of marketing is to add awareness of the product, improve their presentation and their delivery to customers. peerless has to bear in mind that when a customer buys a tourism product they are actually buying the expectation of benefits it is the ben efits that are the product. indeed the product should match customers needs.The tourism product comprises of five componentsDestination attractions and environsDestination facilities and overhaulsAccessibility of the destinationImages of the destinationPrice to the consumer (Middleton 1994)The destinations onslaught to the product mix will be doing a market explore to see what customer perceptions of the product are and used the information assure their needs. It can also be done on non-users to see what attraction or facilities the destination will need to build up. To attract more customers the destination will introduce packages made by tour operators much(prenominal)(prenominal) as when tourists staying in certain hotels they will have free adit at certain attraction. This type of package will positionly drive families. Extending the usage of the products will help to achieve this strategy as well, such as offering one free night to customers if they are staying for a weekend. The destination could also introduce an airline, like Ryanair in Europe, which would do flights in the Indian Ocean only, such as flights from Mauritius to other island in the Indian Ocean at a low price.Pricetourism businesses survey with disparate segments at the same time and they frequently use different price for the different segments. Pricing is a very complex last due to the high degree of competition and the inaccuracy in forecasting levels of demand. It whitethorn vary not only because of the industrys characteristics but also due to other factors such as weather, terrorism and strikes. There exists no universal itinerary of pricing, price will always vary. Pricing acts as an indicator of quality, frankincense it can be used to assess quality in the first place purchase.The characteristics that shine pricing are the followingPerishabilityIntensive capital investment equal of intensive staff employedCustomers characteristicsRegarding pricing the destination will use a low pricing strategy at the beginning to sanction long-run demands, capture market share from competitors and discourage any authorization new entrant to enter the market. If it is observed that there is a high proportion frequent customer, this means that the customers are satisfied with the product and customer loyalty has been arrive atd. Then price could be raised at a reasonable level to maximise profits. The price could also be move during off-peak season to attract customer and non-users as well that could try the destination. superfluous price could be given to newly married couples for their honeymoon, if they did like the destination by word of gumshield they will tell it to their other friends who competency use the destination for their honeymoons. (Ernie 1992)PlacePlace is the element of the marketing mix which includes channel of distribution and physical distribution. Channel distribution includes tour operators, retailers and lead agents. Channels should be chosen according to the other the other three both(prenominal) marketing mix. Choice of location, which is the point of sale, should be well located to increase the flow of customers (Ernie 1992)Since we already know who our target markets are the destination will choose tour operators which specialize in their target market and travel agencies that are located where their target market are. For instance if the destination is targeting at families they will choose a travel agent that is specialize in that market and located in area where families live. Since the destination is aiming at non- users they will have to find an operator in these countries.PromotionPromotion mix consists of four elements advertising, personal selling, publicity and sales promotion. They are designed to create excitement and interest about the destination. These elements should tell similar, consistent and non-conflicting messages to each of their target markets. (Ernie 1992)The aim of the de stination is to increase advertising in targets market countries and in non-users countries as well. Mass media advertising and aggressive advertising will be used to send the message that Mauritius was made first and then paradise and that heaven was copied after Mauritius. This message will be sent done the use of televisions, radios, newspapers and billboards. Market research could be use here to see what image our target markets have of the destination and use it for the advertising. The destination will advertise in trade magazines to reach tour operators and travel agents. The destination will use travel agents as an intermediary for personal selling and they could also be used as a way of promoting the destination. exploitation sales promotion would help to achieve the objectives mentioned earlier, the destination will use price promotion, special merchandise use to promote the destination and familiarization tours for travel agents. Price promotion could be used when ther e is festival going on at the destination, such as the Independence Day, which would include give identity card on attractions, restaurants and hotels. Selling merchandise such as T-shirts, key irons and souvenirs will help to promote the destination by word of mouth when tourists go back to their countries, this magnate encourage prospective customers to visit the destination. Familiarization tours are free trips for travel agents to let them experience the tourist destination before the customers. This would be for travel agents operating in an area where there non-users of the destination, the travel agents would be able advise non-users on the destination. Promotional impact can be managed by carefully managing the four elements of the promotion mix. powderTourism Area life CycleTourism Area Life cycle a framework concept by Buttler (1980) highlights the tourism attractions and re get-gos of a specific country. It mainly involves according to Butler (1980) a six stage grow ing of tourism namely exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation and post stagnation. . Mauritius Island can be sort out between aDevelopment stage and stagnation in the TALC (buttler 1980) more people are reaching Mauritius (see tourist Arrival stats) by years, more people discover the destination, and the word spreads about its attractions and the amenities which are increased and improved ( development) with the approach of the carrying capacity* (define below next content) stagnation rise with the social and environmental limits. Buttler (1980) mentioned that a rise from Exploration to stagnancy happens very rapidly, as implied by the exponential nature of the growth curve. As this is the case for Mauritius in a rise of infrastructure, development in Technologies, up services for quality customers. For Instance carrying capacity clearly explains the rest of the situation.Carrying cognitive contentDefinition of carrying capacityCarrying capacity can be de fined as the maximum effect of people who can use a grade without an unacceptable decline in the quality of experience gained by visitors (karma2001 65) .Lime(1976) points to a substantial expansion of the meaning of carrying capacity from a focus on numbers of visitors to the entire topic of how to plan and manage a particular recreation resource .Findings in Carrying capacityCarrying capacities are usually unconquerable for the readiness area involving features of key attractions, development sites and even the tourist musical passage point. The carrying capacity analysis implying the institution of upper limits on development in other words, the number of tourists in terms of days, feedbacks and market forecasts, Moreover, carrying capacities can be established both for the developing as well as genuine tourist destination.( Kamra200168) he also argues that carrying capacity analyse most the number of tourist arrivals to the number of inhabitants in the destination area, i n a response they found to be genuinely measuring the elements of socio-cultural environment and physical. More elements such as economical and infrastructure reduces are to be seen as a part of the carrying capacity.A source of befoulment can be a source of major problem in an environmental aspect, for vitrine the beaches in Mauritius are well preserved by the government and by the hotels themselves, pollution (land) might affect the tourism industry, if not taken into consideration it might result to a decrease in tourist arrivals in the destination, this one major issue can be classified as being a physical more on that is the preservation of wild life animals, the animals in Mauritius Island such as the kestrel and the Mauritian Parakeet are unique in the species, preservation of those natural resources have large impacts on tourism industry. Economical benefits are mostly crucial for the government of Mauritius, as this is tourism industry is being as a major source of inco me, tourism industry also bring employment for the local communities for example hotel resorts have been built in the coastal areas. bone ANALYSISSWOTSWOT, is a tool use to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of the destination. The aim of SWOT is to attach the key environmental factors that are important to the destination.StrengthsDistinctive and exotic environmentMauritius is known for its exotic environment and its natural park.The break up of new hotelsLately in Mauritius there a lot of new hotels opening up, this is an gain for the island because now they accommodate more tourists than before.High purchasing tycoon for tourists1 = Rs 63.6447, which means that with 1 UK tourist could more things in Mauritius than in their country. (Anon 2006)Excellent service provided by hotelsThe tropical island is not also known for its physical asset but also for the high quality service provided by hotels. (Anon 2005)WeaknessesDiseasesLately in Mauritius there has been a disease, chikunguya, which is caused by mosquito bites and because of this the number of French tourist has declined.Language BarrierAlthough the official language is English, not all Mauritian speak English andIt is hard for tourist to communicate since most of the tourists are English speaking.Long haul flights The flights to Mauritius from Europe, America and Asian countries is a 12hr flight, which is very tiring.OpportunitiesExploit Golf tourist marketIt has notice that golf tourist spend a lot when they come to Mauritius, thereby Mauritius try to attract more golf tourist to maximise their revenues. appendage in Spa tourismNew air routes such as flight to Russia has been open thus creating a new market and if work wisely could bring in more revenues for the island.Increase in the number of flight to Mauritius There are now two new airlines doing the flights to Mauritius, TUIfly Nordic and Corsairfly. (Chateau 2006)ThreatsCompetitionFuture competition from the surrou nding islands might be an issue Mauritius will have to find a way of gaining the competitive advantage over them.TsunamisFollowing the tsunami that hit Indonesia in December there were some minor effects felt in Mauritius. Since that time there are still some tourists that feel it is unsafe to visit the island. (Anonb 2006)RecommendationsMauritius Island has the best assertable ability to become the pioneer in Tourism industry in the Indian Ocean , The Government of Mauritius understand very well the richness of Tourists for the Economy, the improvement of the Hotels infrastructure is to be made ( now in exercise 2008-2010 project) , the preservation of the wildlife park such as the rare animals and rare plants species, the introduction of a new airport also under future planning of the Government, the size of tourists arrivals is increasing with years and several discounts on Air Fares are available.2665 words