Module Details

Module Code: TOUR7010
Title: Tourism Services Marketing
Long Title: Tourism Services Marketing
NFQ Level: Intermediate
Valid From: Semester 1 - 2017/18 ( September 2017 )
Duration: 1 Semester
Credits: 5
Field of Study: 8120 - Tourism
Module Delivered in: 2 programme(s)
Module Description: The aim of this module is to provide the student with a comprehensive understanding of the concepts, theory and practice of tourism services marketing and it's application within a tourism business environment.
 
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:
# Learning Outcome Description
LO1 Evaluate the distinctive characteristics of tourism service businesses and the implications these characteristics have for marketing and managing tourism service organisations.
LO2 Identify the importance of managing contact personnel in tourist service organisations as part of the service encounter.
LO3 Explain the importance of building customer loyalty, retention marketing, customer relationship management and devise strategies for retaining customers and gaining customer satisfaction in a tourism service operation.
LO4 Compare the different models of service consumers and contrast how customer evaluation processes differ between goods and services.
LO5 Evaluate how tourist service operations differ from the manufacturing operation and propose solutions to potential service operations problems.
LO6 Design a service blueprint, identify fail points and propose ways of fail-safing a tourist service operation.
Dependencies
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is strongly recommended before enrolment in this module. You may enrol in this module if you have not acquired the recommended learning but you will have considerable difficulty in passing (i.e. achieving the learning outcomes of) the module. While the prior learning is expressed as named MTU module(s) it also allows for learning (in another module or modules) which is equivalent to the learning specified in the named module(s).
It is recommended that students would have sucessfully completed previous modules in tourism marketing.
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module. You may not earn additional credit for the same learning and therefore you may not enrol in this module if you have successfully completed any modules in the incompatible list.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed. You may not enrol on this module if you have not acquired the learning specified in this section.
No requirements listed
 
Indicative Content
Introduction to services concept
The definition and meaning of services marketing and how it differs from goods marketing. The servunction model and its implications for tourism businesses. The services marketing triangle - external, internal and interactive marketing. The distinctive characteristics and the implications they have for the marketing and managing of tourism services. The extended marketing mix for services.
The Employee's Role in Service Delivery
The critical importance of tourism service employees and managing contact personnel. Sources of stress for service employees and strategies for alleviating these stresses. The cycles of failure, mediocrity and success and their implications for human resource policy in tourism service organisations. Strategies for reversing the cycle of failure. Using the concepts of empowerment and enfranchisement in tourism service operations.
The Tourism Service Consumer
How consumers evaluation processes differ between goods and services. Customer's expectations of service and models of customer service expectations. The three stage model of consumer behaviour and models of the consumer decision-making process - the risk taker, rational mathematician, searcher for control, actor within a script and the customer as a participant.
Customer Relationship Marketing, Retention Marketing and Service Recovery Strategies
The importance of CRM and retention marketing for tourism services. Understanding the lifetime value of customers and examing the reasons customers defect and zero defections management in tourism operations. Understanding service failures and implementing service recovery strategies.
The Tourism Service Operation
How the tourism service operation differs from the manufacturing operation. Strategies for dealing with service operations problems. Capacity management - strategies for managing supply and demand, managing waiting lines, the servicescape and its implications for tourism operations.
The Service Delivery System
Service Blueprinting it's meaning and the steps taken in designing a service blueprint for a tourism service operation. Recognising failpoints in service blueprints.
Module Content & Assessment
Assessment Breakdown%
Coursework30.00%
End of Module Formal Examination70.00%

Assessments

Coursework
Assessment Type Short Answer Questions % of Total Mark 30
Timing Week 7 Learning Outcomes 1,2,3,4
Assessment Description
Theory Assessment
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type Formal Exam % of Total Mark 70
Timing End-of-Semester Learning Outcomes 1,2,3,4,5
Assessment Description
End-of-Semester Final Examination
Reassessment Requirement
Repeat examination
Reassessment of this module will consist of a repeat examination. It is possible that there will also be a requirement to be reassessed in a coursework element.

The University reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact Class based instruction Every Week 4.00 4
Independent & Directed Learning (Non-contact) Non Contact Independent Study Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact Class based Instruction Every Week 4.00 4
Independent & Directed Learning (Non-contact) Non Contact Independent Study Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
 
Module Resources
Recommended Book Resources
  • Christopher H Lovelock, Jochen Wirtz. (2016), Services Marketing, Seventh Edition. Prentice Hall, p.648, [ISBN: 9780136107217].
Supplementary Book Resources
  • Valarie Zeithaml, Mary Jo Bitner, Dwayne Gremler. (2013), Services Marketing, Sixth Edition. McGraw-Hill/Irwin, p.704, [ISBN: 9780078112058].
  • Kotler, P. Bowen and Makens. (2014), Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 6th. Pearson, United Kingdom, [ISBN: 9781292020037].
  • John Bateson and Douglas Hoffmann. (2011), Services marketing., Fourth Edition. Cincinnati; South-Western, [ISBN: 9780538476454].
  • Victor T. C. Middleton, Alan Fyall and Michael Morgan; with contributions from Ashok Ranchhod. (2009), Marketing in travel and tourism, Fourth Edition. Amsterdam ; Butterworth-Heinemann, 2009., [ISBN: 9780750686938].
Recommended Article/Paper Resources
  • Journal of Travel andTourism Marketing.
  • Annals of Tourism Research.
  • Tourism Management.
Other Resources
 
Module Delivered in
Programme Code Programme Semester Delivery
CR_FTRSM_8 Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Tourism Management 6 Mandatory
CR_FTOUR_7 Bachelor of Business in Tourism Management 6 Mandatory