Hotelaria - Comunicação de Marketing - planejamento de ações

LEEDS METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF BUSINESS & LAW
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY







PARK PLAZA HOTEL – TWO YEARS STRATEGIC MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FOR BRANCHES AT UNITED KINGDOM





Master Level



Tutor: Graham Hughes

Student: Erica Machado

CONTENTS





INTRODUCTION/CONTEXT ANALYSIS

PROMOTIONAL OBJECTIVES

STRATEGIC OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES/TACTICS

BUDGETS AND TIMING SCHEDULES

REFERENCES


INTRODUCTION
This academy paper has been developed in order to complete the second requirement for Marketing Communications module. We had to choose a company and then prepare a Strategic Marketing Communications Plan covering two years - 2005 and 2006. The company chosen was Park Plaza HotelS & Resorts, which has branches worldwide. However, for time and access data reasons I will concentrate just on UK Marketing.
The project was built using primary and secondary research. The primary information has been obtained through interview (by e-mail) and discussions with Park Plaza Hotel professionals. The Marketing Communications book, written by Chris Fill was utilised as academic source. Furthermore, a secondary research has been developed regarding the International Travel and Tourism industry, concentrating on United Kingdom Market. The main secondary research tool was Mintel, a market research database. The context analysis (CA) will begin the plan. The CA will follow a structure suggested by Graham Hughes, module leader and tutor.

CONTEXT ANALYSIS

1) The Business Context
Park Plaza Hotels and Resorts
The brand is part of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide whose other operations include Regent International Hotels, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites by Carlson, Park Inn hotels, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, T.G.I. Friday’s, Pick Up Stix and Provisions. It had tremendous growth in its market segment since becoming part of Carlson in July 2000. The main company’s objective is to grow the Park Plaza brand through a focused franchise development and acquisition program with strong emphasis on aggressive development, enhanced brand definition and improved quality. The company has two key successes designed to move the company forward:
ü To increase the brand's share of room nights for business travelers. The business travel market represents the largest opportunity for room night growth. Park Plaza is reaching out to this valued market segment with the introduction of a Worldwide Hospitality Program, promoting the brand to 328,000 Look To Book travel agents, increasing Park Rewards membership numbers and building relationships with key travel consortia.
To build a globally recognized brand. The company is increasing its brand awareness through a variety of consumer promotions, starting at the hotel level and continuing on to include national and global campaigns.
Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts aim the mid-scale to up-scale segment, having some important companies as competitors. Up market hotel sector deals with niche and boutique sector. Niche players are set to do particularly well with new brands such as Marriott International's Bulgari and Sol Meliá’s. In UK these up scale hotels develop their business through expansion in core cities centres. Malmaison Hotels, for example, has planned to double the size of its chain to 15 by 2008. The hotel is targeting areas in the South of the country including Guildford, Bristol, Cambridge, Southampton and West London.
The move by Thistle Hotels towards the four to five-star sector from its current three to four-star positioning is another example of the perceived potential of the up scale sector. The hotel group aims to upgrade and rebrand its hotel chain to become more similar to the Radisson Edwardian (other brand from Carlson Hotels Worldwide) and Malmaison hotels.
The Park Plaza chain provides a welcome worldwide, with 4-star hotels offering superior service, luxury guestrooms, modern meetings facilities and fine restaurants, catering to leisure and business travelers. The corporate and marketing strategies shows that through quality and technology, Park Plaza Hotels will search their goals. Furthermore, the company has started an expansion movement in UK. It has opened 7 branches in UK in less than 6 years and it has plans for new projects.
In UK Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts have 7 stylishly decorated 4 star modern hotels, whereby each hotel is dedicated to a famous contemporary artist. The art’otels are well known for their ‘art’rageous ’service.


The 7 branches are in: Cardiff, Belfast, Leeds, Nottingham and three in London – Riverbank, Sherlock Holmes and Victoria. The latest to be opened was Riverbank Park Plaza, which is located just overlooking the river Thames. Searching the aim of modernity its executive rooms and suites come with first class facilities such as flat screen televisions, CD/DVD players, up-to-the-minute technology, high-speed wireless Internet and stunning en-suite bathroom with bath and separate walk-in power shower. The all seven hotels in UK are established and equipped with the high technology. They are contemporary new-build hotels that also houses award-winning restaurants and bars. In Park Plaza Hotels in Nottingham and Leeds, there is Chino Latino - a modern winner restaurant that offers sumptuous Asian cuisine alongside with selections of Mediterranean favorites.
The Park Plaza Europe set to become the largest hotel operator on London’s south bank with the planned opening of 2 new hotels, in 2008 and 2010. These new hotels are being developed and owned in partnership with Galliard and Frogmore Property Company Limited.
The hotel sites are both located on the south side of the River Thames, the first to open will be the 4-star deluxe County Hall Park Plaza - in Addington Street, just minutes from Waterloo International station and famous London landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey. The hotel will boast 395 luxury guestrooms, suites and penthouses of which more than half will have fully equipped kitchens. The individually designed, fully air-conditioned guestrooms and suites will include high technology’s equipments and contemporary furniture.
The second hotel, opening in 2010, will be one of the largest conference hotels to open in London for several decades - Westminster Bridge Park Plaza. The 4-star deluxe is set to become one of the key players in the London conference scene, offering a wide range of meetings and events facilities including the main ballroom which will be able to seat up to 1,000 delegates for dinner, rivalling the capacity of some London’s 5-star hotels. With these two additions to its hotel portfolio, Park Plaza Hotels Europe will operate more than 2,200 guestrooms in central London.

2) The Customer Context

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts have as target segment the mid and up-scale segment. Regarding the market share the brand aims to increase the brand's share of room nights for business travelers. The business travel market represents the largest opportunity for room night growth. The World Tourism Organization’s definition of a tourist includes those traveling for professional reasons. The business travel market, a target segment for Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, includes a wide spectrum of activity and can be sub-divide into four basic sub-segments:
conventions and corporate business meetings;
trade fairs;
incentive trips, seminars, and training programs;
individual business trips.
Most urban hotels, especially those managed by the major chains, such as Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, are expanding and developing new projects. Regarding the target audience, the industry has experienced a major change in the leader group. Since 2001, Business Travellers had spent more time in hotels than Leisure Travellers. They account for over 50% of the client base of European hotels on the top four European economies - Germany, the UK, France and Italy.
We will use the Mintel’s research (2004) in order to reveal characteristics about customers for Plaza Hotel. According to the survey consumer, AB social grade (up-scale segment) is the public who has the highest penetration of hotel usage. Since these consumers are generally the most affluent, it is not surprising that they are also the most likely to go on holiday or business travel. The age of customers found in the research was between 25-54.
A significant proportion of hotel customers simply expected certain facilities while others were prepared to pay a premium for them.


While tea and coffee-making facilities were the most welcomed facility by 75% of business users and 78% of leisure users, 60% of business users looked for a range of restaurants and bars and 44% looked for added facilities such as hairdryers and trouser presses. Whereas the main activities of a hotel are to provide accommodation, food and drink to guests, Park Plaza Hotels also provide leisure facilities, conference, banqueting facilities and business services.
Interestingly, Mintel’s research showed that the highest concern amongst all adults was towards price. However, for those that had stayed in a hotel, top response was towards being prepared to pay more for higher quality for a special occasion.
For the first time, in 2001 the UK earned more from business than leisure arrivals. In 2002, business trips in the UK made up 15.9% of total tourist trips (13.9% of the domestic total and 29.7% of the incoming total). Spending on business travel in the UK accounted for 23.7% of the total tourism expenditure in 2002 (20.8% of total domestic tourism spending and 30.4% of total incoming receipts). These figures underline the importance of business travel for the incoming sector and in fact, incoming from business travellers exceeded those from holidaymakers in 2001 and 2000, and equalled 96% of holiday spending in 2002.

3) The Internal Context

The recent development of the budget hotel sector has led to some 40,000 new rooms being added to the sector between 1996 and 2002, providing core facilities only at a fixed price. The market, however, is somewhat polarising with much growth and many changes also occurring in the upscale sector of the market.
In the last decade the big growth has been the explosion in branded budget hotel capacity, which has more than trebled in the UK since 1996, reaching a level of 57,300 rooms by 2002, thus representing well more than one-third of British branded capacity. This expansion is projected to continue for the future. Budget hotels continue to be highly dependent on business travelers. When we first look this economic scene, budget hotels can be a threat for Park Plaza marketing. However, they have different target audience in terms of income. Even though the budget hotels are developing fast and targeting the same audience (business travelers), budget hotel is situated in another scale and does not compete in the same market segment as Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts.
One possible financial constraint is that chain expansion has slowed over the last couple of years (2002-2003), the immediate causes being war, terrorism, epidemic and economic weakness, and this has provoked severe cutbacks in business travel expenditure. The strength of the Euro against the Dollar has had a further negative impact on chain hotel performance. Nonetheless, UK is the second largest tourism generator in Europe, but also the fourth most popular destination. Total tourism (including domestic) sustains some 2.1 million jobs in the UK, representing 7.1% of total employment and approximately 160,000 of these positions are self-employed. In 2001 there were 127,000 VAT-based tourism-related enterprises in the UK and 77% of these were small firms generating a turnover of £250,000 or less. In London, tourism is the city's second largest industry. It generates 8% of the city's GDP and employs 275,000 people.
The Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts are brand hotels of a world-class organization that has a proven record in marketing expertise and uses the latest in reservation technology. From secondary research we could detach the organization identity:
“Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts are positioned in the mid-scale to upscale segment of the full-service category. These hotels are generally 150 rooms or larger and in downtown, suburban and airport commercial locations. With restaurants, meeting rooms, catering, suite and recreational facilities, the hotels serve the travel needs of business guests, meeting attendees and weekend leisure guests.” Bjorn Gullaksen, Executive Vice President-Brand Leader Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts.
Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts’ culture, values and beliefs are focused on engaging all members of the Park Plaza family: employees, owners and management companies.



4) The External Context/Stakeholder Context

4.1) External Context

UK has several attributes, which favor chain development. Close cultural and linguistic ties with America have undoubtedly facilitated the acquisition by British entities of three major international hotel brands – Holiday Inn, Intercontinental and Hilton – which were founded and developed in the USA. Bass, the predecessor of InterContinental Hotels Group, purchased Holiday Inn, probably the most widely recognized hotel brand in the world, in 1988. Bass subsequently purchased the Intercontinental chain from Saison, a financially troubled Japanese retailer, in 1998. Hilton International, which has the right to exploit the Hilton brand outside the USA, was acquired in 1987 by Ladbroke, which already owned 63 hotels. Whitbread, the large leisure and hospitality conglomerate, also became the master-franchisee for Marriott hotels in the UK in 1996.
The outlook for this market is looking healthier again, with financial markets indicating that the worse of Europe’s downwards-economic cycle has passed. Growth rates should begin to strengthen again with a moderate rise in interest rates expected.
Strong capital markets and a well-established equity culture have been important factors for financing the development of several medium-sized UK hotel chains, such as Thistle, DeVere, Jarvis, and MacDonald Hotels. Current expenditure on business travel and tourism in the UK is estimated by the WTTC to be running at about US$32 billion annually. This figure is expected to increase by 65% over the next ten years (2013), bringing the level of UK business travel expenditure to over US$52 billion.
Deloitte & Touche, in its UK budget hotel survey (2003), predicted the beginning of a second wave of growth for the sector. The first wave of growth, which peaked in 1998 when almost 8,000 new rooms were added, was characterized by the following:
the wave was led by the utilisation of land banks by the four main players: Travel Inn, Travelodge, Premier Lodge and Express by Holiday Inn, which all belonged to substantial pub/restaurant groups;
towards the end of the phase new entrants such as Days Inn started to grow faster than the established players;
from 1998-2002, the major players refocused their attention on standalone sites, especially city centres;
Deloitte & Touche believes that the second wave of growth will be characterized by:
a wider variety of players sharing in the growth;
some exclusively domestic players attempting to expand in continental Europe;
possibly more product segmentation, as already widely practised in France and the USA.


Deloitte & Touche’s analysis show that the second wave will be important for the Park Plaza Hotel & Resorts as the corporate and marketing strategic plans are the expansion in Europe, and also worldwide. Park Plaza Hotels have already branches in UK (seven), Belgium, Germany (seven branches), Hungary and Netherlands (3 branches), besides companies in United States, Brazil, Canada, China, India, South Africa and Israel. Another important point of the analyse is that the second wave will search for more product segmentation, where different services and facilities can be found in the hotel either for using of the tourists or for using of local people interested in utilizing these facilities.




4.2) Stakeholders Context

Park Plaza Hotels in order to develop a good relationship with main stakeholders, such as: customers, tourism associations, travel agencies and community in general, have developed several activities.
Carlson Hotels Worldwide is a member and supports the work of the International Tourism Partnership, part of the London-based International Business Leaders Forum. The International Tourism partnership provides global leadership for responsible business practices in the hotel, travel and tourism industries. It includes the International Hotels Environmental Initiative, which encourages the continual improvement of environmental performance by the hotel industry.
Carlson Hotels Worldwide celebrates and seeks diversity in all aspects of its business. Under the leadership of a diversity officer, Carlson is reaching out with programs in business development, employment, vendor sourcing, philanthropy and marketing to insure that its business operations reflect the diverse community of the world in which we operate. Carlson operates with a stated diversity and inclusion policy, which guides the conduct of employees and managers pertaining to issues of diversity.
Besides the corporate responsibility activities, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts also have a good relationship with key stakeholders, such as: employees, franchisees and clients.
To create brand consistency and a sense of pride within the employees, the Park Plaza Hotels & Resort has established a two-way symmetrical communication, where the inputs of employees are respected and valorized in the daily basis. As a result, employees are engaged in their work and understand the importance of delivering the brand promise to each guest they serve. The core of this initiative is the Park Pride employee’s development and recognition program. The program, which stands for Personal, Responsibility, Integrity and Dedication to Excellence, is a tool to motivate and engage employees in their work, as well as empower them to deliver the best customer service possible.
The franchisees receive great importance by Plaza Plaza Hotels & Resorts. They are assisted individually in their financial maters. As a result, members of the Franchise Services Team are dedicated to providing the hotels access and insight into the brand's marketing programs, tools and resources. The team provides advice and expertise on implementing local and regional sales tactics as well as methods for improving the overall quality of the hotel.
We do not have an accurate brand perception from the consumers. However, from Mintel’s survey we gather important information that enables us to make some assumptions. Mintel’s research (2004) reveals that significant number of consumers look for main facilities, such as tea and coffee-making, but 60% of business users looked for a range of restaurants and bars and 44% looked for added facilities such as hairdryers and trouser presses. Whereas, the main activities of a hotel are to provide accommodation, food and drink to guests, Park Plaza Hotels also provide leisure facilities, conference, banqueting facilities and business services. Regarding the brand awareness the research shows that the majority of clients prefer to book hotels that are associated with a brand name. They affirm that the connection with a brand chain will guarantee quality and superior service.
Furthermore, we gather from secondary research that the brand positioning, designed by the company, is: a world-class organization that has a proven record in marketing expertise and uses the latest in reservation technology. In order to equal the brand’s perception, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts’ management has developed tools and strategies. First of all, the management team works with its sister brands to fully optimize the business-building tools and resources of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide.


These resources include engagement participation in the company's customer relationship management (CRM) strategy; access to Curtis-C, the company's award winning global reservation system; membership in the patented Look To Book program, the industry's most recognized travel agent reward program; participation in Park Rewards, the guest loyalty program. The corporate and marketing strategies shows that through quality and technology, Park Plaza Hotels will search their goals of brand positioning.

PROMOTIONAL OBJECTIVES
The promotional objectives were built considering, as suggested by Chris Fill (p.350), three main elements: corporate objectives, marketing objectives and at last the marketing communication objectives.

Build awareness and recognition of the brand Park Plaza Hotel in UK. Focus on strengthen the image of globally recognised brand;
Help the increase of market share night for business travellers;
Spread widely in UK the image of contemporary/technological hotel, linking the 7 branches with communication and programs;
Inform customers of company’s achievements and developments;
Reinforce the guest loyalty program and build long term relationship;
Publicize social programs that the company participates in UK (corporate responsibility), as well as awards received;
Inform employees with internal tools and programs about company’s development.


STRATEGIC OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Before starting to present the communication activities and tactics that will enable us to achieve our communication goals, we have to decide which will be the communication strategy. As we have stated in our promotional objectives, the communication plan will interact with different segments. For that reason our recommendation is that we should use the three marketing communication strategies: Push, Pull and Profile.
It is clearly that the brand awareness’ increase can be achieved through a Profile strategy, which uses several tools, such as Public Relations, promotions, in order to reach different stakeholders, communicating with them in different ways in order to develop the image of the company. The Profile strategy is important because is linked with corporate image. The public in general as well as main stakeholders must be informed about everything that happens regarding the company. It is important, because the information provided help the construction of corporate image. Furthermore, the opportunity of stakeholders’ feedback enables the company to know the expectations of customers, employees, franchisees and suppliers.
When we talk about establishing direct communication with old customers or potential ones, e.g. business travelers, we have to choose Pull strategy, utilizing tools such as TV’s advertisements, magazines or web sites. However, some times we utilize channels (e.g. Look To Book travel agents). In this case we are using Push strategy in order to achieve our target audience. Basically, the Pull strategy will be developed when we try to communicate directly to our target segment. In this case we use our tools of communication through different media that will reach directly our stakeholder, the customer. On the other hand, sometimes it is easier to reach the customer via retailer (Travel Agency) or other intermediaries (flight book sites, Tourism Association or companies events). When we process the communication through different channels until reaching the consumer we are utilizing the Push Strategy. Sometimes In order to support each Strategy that we have recommended, we will develop and discuss the communication mix implementation in the next section.


COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES/TACTICS
It is important to bear in mind that, whichever strategy is used we should take into account the media’s influence. Minte’s research in 2001 revealed that holiday television programmes have the highest potential of impacting on holidaymakers. It is possible then that these holidaymakers may have been influenced by what was featured on these programmes prior to booking the holiday. Data also revealed that newspaper supplements, travel magazines and travel advertising have the least impact on the holiday patterns of consumers. However, the same marketing survey has shown that travel and tourism industry ad expenditure was (2000/2001) 193 million pounds on press and 95 million pounds on TV. It is important to say, that even though just 10% of the consumers surveyed used newspaper for travel information, it is still widely used, because the advertisement spend in press is fairly inexpensive, thus affordable for any type of company. Nonetheless, we must have in mind that 44% utilised holiday programmes on television in order to have the holiday choices.
Regarding the new trends for advertising, Mintel’s research states that, gradually the travel and tourism products would be sold via different technologies. It also detaches that in the next years (2002-2004), the industry would see a growth in alliances between magazines, guides and brochures producers with Internet, interactive television channels and mobile phone networks. This means that this “mixture media” will enable consumers to be closer to the industry, via the technology most convenient or familiar.
From the information provided we will develop some activities and tactics that we think can help the company to achieve corporate and marketing objectives. At this point we will try to tie the message/media to the strategic orientation.

MIX MEDIA – CONSUMER (PULL) STRATEGY

1) The method will be advertisement in magazines and daily newspapers. Period: 6 months. Monthly in the magazine. Financial Times – publicizing days should be discussed with the publicity agents and Marketing department. We suggest at least once a week and weekends.
As we have stated above, the newspaper is still more utilised by Tourism industry than TV, because it is cheaper. Furthermore, our target segment, business travellers, gets information, during the travel or breakfast, reading newspaper and magazines. This will be an ad campaign, which will be publicized during 6 months than will be analysed. The main concept to be disseminated is the luxury worldwide brand. Ads should detach the London great developments (2008 and 2010). They will highlight that with those developments Park Plaza Hotels Europe will operate more than 2,200 guestrooms in central London and also that one project will be the largest conference hotel to open in London for several decades - Westminster Bridge Park Plaza.
Our suggestions are Financial Times and Condé Nast Traveller/CNTraveller magazine. The Financial Times and Condé Nast Traveller are publicized worldwide and the magazine has editorial contents to luxury travel, where every aspect involving travel is presented. This includes items on fashion, food and drink, accommodation, and luxury goods such as watches or cars.
2) Monthly Newsletter addressed to clients (participants of the guest loyalty programme). Period: 2 years. Once monthly.
The material will send just to those who have guest loyalty, because the cost will be less than to send to the client’s mailing list. These clients will be encouraged to invite friends to stay in the hotel (contributing with the market share increase), through incentive campaign that will be discussed with Marketing Department. The newsletter contents will be about achievements, developments and social programs of the company.
3) Electronic Newsletter to all clients. Period: Once monthly during two years.
We believe that a paper Newsletter well designed with contemporary’s concepts will have more impact. However, the cost will be far more expensive than Electronic Newsletter. In order to low the cost, we will have an Electronic Newsletter version, which will be sent monthly to the clients that are not participants of the guest loyalty programme.



MIX MEDIA – TRADE (PUSH) STRATEGY

4) Advertisements on the Web Sites. Period: 2 years.

Nowadays, it is common that business travelers and tourist utilized related industries in order to find and book their hotels. We suggest some web sites that can be used by Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts:

- British Tourism Association
- Travel Agencies (previously chosen by target segment)
- Flight book
- London Development Agency
- Business Association

5) Leaflets to be distribute in target places. Period: 2 years. Suggestion: Park Plaza should participate in different fairs, once each three months

Park Plaza Hotel & Resorts will develop a leaflet in association with chosen Travel Agencies. They will submit important and valid information in the material. This material will be hand out in the Travel Agency, business fair and tourism fair.

MIX MEDIA – STAKEHOLDERS (PROFILE) STRATEGY

6) Press-releases. Period: During two years, whenever is necessary.
It is important to inform stakeholders of the developments and actions of the company. The corporate responsibility is an important issue in the business scenario. The developments and campaigns that Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts are engaged should be sent to the press as well as developments, expansion and great achievements.
7) Development of Employees newspaper. Period: 2 years – Distribution once monthly.
Before sending news to the press, it is important to inform the intern public. Besides that will make them feel valorized it will also be useful as a marketing strategy. Employees with information about the company will be a potential sales advisor to potential clients.
8) Participation in UK strategic Events. Period: 2 years. Once each three months, that should be different from participation at Business and Tourism fairs.
In order to develop its brand awareness it is important that the company be in evidence. For this reason we suggest that Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts participate in events that can help to strengthen the global image and also help in the positioning process. Events suggestion:
8.1) Hotels Environment Action Month (HEAM)
· Set up by the International Hotels Environment Initiative (IHEI) in 2003, Hotels Environment Action Month (HEAM) consists of a programme of events taking place in hotels across the globe in a bid to raise environmental awareness among guests, staff and communities. According to IHEI, the primary objective of HEAM is to build awareness of environmental and social issues that face each region. HEAM is organised and co-ordinated by the International Tourism Partnership (ITP). Furthermore the project can create opportunity for periodic environmental initiatives. Some examples of activities suggested by HEAM are: Recycling Forum for employees and community, Tree-planting action, Energy saving programme. All these initiatives, besides helping the environment also will detach the Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand in the local media.



· In 2004 World Travel Market re-branded its ‘Environmental Awareness Day’ to ‘Responsible Tourism Day’ and hosted the first Responsible Tourism Awards, organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, the World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine. The awards aim to recognise companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to responsible tourism. Over 700 nominations were received from tourists (readers of The Times, Geographical Magazine and responsibletravel.com as well as other members of the general public) who were asked to identify holidays and tourism organisations that provided an enjoyable and responsible travel experience.
8.2) Development Tourism Initiatives
As suggestion we can detach the London Tourist Board campaign in 2004. This was an activity in conjunction with hotels, airlines companies, London Development Agency and British Tourism Authority, searching the increase of tourism in England. The Park Plaza’s participation in events and campaigns, promoted by significant institutions, is important in order to strengthen relationship and promote the brands’ name.


BUDGETS AND TIMING SCHEDULES
Media Costs
Advertising rates are more stable for print media than broadcast media largely because print media can adjust the number of advertising pages on an issue-to-issue basis while broadcast media have a fixed amount of daily programming hours. Thus, demand by advertisers has a stronger impact on the rates for broadcast time. Newspaper space is usually sold according to rate cards; buyers of large volumes get discounted rates. Magazine space is sold similarly. Advertising rates for radio and television are normally determined through negotiation and often vary by the time of day. A 30-second spot on network television costs the most in prime time (8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.) and the least during daytime (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) Furthermore, a television campaign for 1 or 2 months cannot be run for less than 1.5 million pounds.
Our Strategic Marketing Communications plan, covering two years, will spend circa 1.2 million pounds, 600 thousand each year. This amount will help Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts to achieve its corporate and marketing objectives. In order to make the plan work efficiently bringing effective results, we will utilize some instruments for measuring and evaluating ours results and perceptions from different publics.
See on the next page the timing schedules and budget charts.




MEASURES FOR EVALUATION
q Build awareness and recognition of the brand Park Plaza Hotel in UK. Focus on Business Travellers;
q Strengthen the image of globally recognised brand;
q Help the increase of market share night for business travellers;
q Spread widely in UK the image of contemporary/technological hotel, linking the 7 branches with communication and programs;
q Inform customers of company’s achievements and developments;
q Reinforce the guest loyalty program and build long term relationship;
q Publicize social programs that the company participates in UK (corporate responsibility), as well as awards received;
q Inform employees with internal tools and programs about company’s development
Those items are our promotional objectives. The tools and instruments of evaluation will help Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts to discover whether the marketing communications strategies and projects are achieving the objectives and targets or not. The time available for this is stated on the time schedule chart. Our suggestion examinations are:
ü The Marketing Agency will develop a research with target audience about the awareness of advertisement on the web sites, newspaper and magazine;
ü Clipping of relevant articles and news on press media, radio and TV;
ü Opinion form – In each event or fairs Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts will distribute questionnaires with questions about the hotel (it is known, the image brand);
ü The employee’s newspaper will have a section for opinions. This will be a great opportunity to discover the closest client’s opinion about the company;
ü Questionnaire form: this instrument will be delivery during the check in for all clients. The questions will be similar to fair and events’ opinion form;
Finally it is important to say that the evaluation instruments are efficient tools for measuring the Strategic Communications Plan’s success. They also are important to show if the company is getting the right way, with right Marketing Communications tools, or if it is time to cease and design new and effective instruments.


REFERENCES
q Fill, Chris. (2005). Marketing communications: strategies and planning – Chapter 12 and Marketing Communications: objectives and positioning. – Chapter 13. In: Fill, Chris, Fourth Edition. Marketing Communications – Engagement, Strategies and practice. England, Prentice Hall, pp. 331-385.
q Bly, Robert W. (1998). Business to business direct marketing: proven direct response methods to generate more leads and sales. 2nd ed. Lincolnwood, Business Books.
q Landau, Howard. (2005). A good advertising campaign only works when accompanied by a strong PR push [Internet], Nation’s Restaurant News, Vol. 39 Issue 45, pp.24-26 [EBSCO – Business Source Premier]. Available from: <http://www.athensams.net>[Accessed 30th December 2005].
q Park Plaza Web Site. [Internet]. Available from: <http://www.parkplaza.com/aboutus/home >[Accessed 1st January 2006].
q Media costs evaluation. [Internet]. Available from: <http://www.pprune.org/adver <http://www.admedia.org> [Accessed 10th January 2006]
q Mintel Reports [Internet], Travel and Tourism Analyst: International. Titles accessed: -European Hotel Chain Expansion - May 2004
-European Business Travel – Special Length Focus – Europe – December 2003 (Deloitte & Touche chart)
-Hotels – UK – August - 2004
-Impact of media on travel – UK – December 2001
-Outbound Travel – Europe – September 2004 (UK)
-Retail Advertising – UK – September 2003
-Sustainable Tourism in the Travel Industry International – February 2005
-Travel and Tourism – UK – April 2003