Developing YourInternational TourismMarkets

Today’s AgendaWelcome and Introductions

Fergus Watson, MBTAG

Stewart Walker BTS

9.45 – 10.30

How “VisitScotland” can help you promote your

business,

Rona Wallace, Trade Marketing Manager, VisitScotland

• Market analysis: planning for international tourism markets, understanding your international visitors

• Q&A

10.30 - Coffee / Tea Break

10.45 – 12.15

Best Practice - Presentations by businesses

• Kat Brogan – Managing Director Mercat Tours

• Sandrine Contier-Lawrie, Business Development, Travel Trade & Hospitality, National Trust for Scotland

• Ian Fox, Senior Account Manager, Caledonian MacBrayne

12.15

Q&A

12.30 – 1.00

Being Market Ready

Developing your own international tourism action plan

• Facilitated session

1.00 - 1.15

Next Steps

PROGRAM AIMS

Going Beyond will help you with:

• An understanding of VisitScotland’s role within the inbound tourism industry

• Industry cohesion

• Getting your product “export ready” and developing an international tourism sales action plan

• Overview of the key national trends & challenges

• The inbound tourism distribution system

• Working with distributors (Wholesaler, Inbound Tour Operators and Online Operators)

• Growing Your Business by Working On Online / Social Media

• Setting price structures for your product (allowing for commissions and rates)

Going Beyond Programme

Workshops

• Tuesday 24th October

• Tuesday 21st November

• Tuesday 5th December

• Tuesday 9th January

Fam Visits

• March & April 2018

VisitScotland Expo

• 11th & 12th April 2018

Reaching Potential Customers

What are the different styles of travel?

Visitors choose different styles of travel based on whether their trip is for leisure, business, special interest or family reasons.

• Fully independent traveller (FIT)

• Group inclusive tour (GIT)

– Group travellers

– Business travellers/Incentive traveller

– Convention traveller

– Special Interest

• Visiting Friends and relatives (VFR)

• Youth/Backpackers

• Student / Education travellers

Millenials

Key Inbound Markets

RankVisits

Country 2016 Visits Rank Spend 2016 Spend

£000’s

1 USA 451,000 1 USA 509

2 Germany 354,000 2 Germany 212

3 France 151,000 3 Canada 130

4 Canada 148,000 4 Australia 102

5 Poland 137,000 5 Italy 91

6 Australia 131,000 6 France 75

7 Italy 123,000 7 Netherlands 61

8 Netherlands 114,000 8 Switzerland 54

9 Irish Republic 95,000 9 Norway 43

10 Sweden 88,000 10 Sweden 43

11 Spain 88,000 11 Spain 39

12 Norway 81,000 12 China 36

13 Denmark 62,000 13 Singapore 29

14 Switzerland 54,000 14 Irish Republic 25

15 China 40,000 15 Belgium 23

Being Market Ready

What is Export Tourism ?

• What does it mean to you as a business and your area?

As a business /and area what do you need to do to ?

a) Attract international business

b) Deliver the quality of service required

c) Maintain and grow the relationships for future years

Inbound v Domestic

DOMESTIC MARKET

• Travellers are familiar with Scotland

• Lower marketing costs • Traveller needs are consistent

across segments • Distribution system is

consistent and operators often deal with consumers directly

• Simpler, shorter break style itineraries

• No language or cultural barriers

• Easy market to enter and return on investment established more quickly

UK and INTERNATIONAL MARKET

• Travellers may have limited knowledge of Scotland

• Higher marketing costs

• Traveller needs vary in each market and segment

• Distribution systems vary in each market

• Varied itineraries

• Language and cultural differences

• Long term investment to recoup costs

Reaching Potential Customers

Traditional Distribution Channel

Distribution channels

New Distribution Channels

Developing your overseas sales action plan

• A plan is simply a map to guide you and keep you on the right track. To be successful it needs to be flexible to suit your product and your area and allow for unforeseen changes.

• What’s involved in developing an overseas sales action plan?

• There are a few simple steps to help develop a sales action plan to grow overseas business:

– Match your product to the market.

– Convert the features into benefits.

– Analyse current sales.

– Set targets.

– Write your overseas sales action plan.

Developing your overseas sales action plan

✓ Is my business export ready?

✓ Research your markets

✓ Plan your approach

✓ Prepare pricing and collateral

✓ Working with others locally

✓ Updating your web site

✓ Check your business is ready

✓ Launch your export ready product

Proposed Sales

Activities

Detailed Description TargetSegment

DetailedEstimatedExpenditure

Timeframefor Activity

Keyperformanceindicators(KPIs)

Follow up&measurement