MARKETING TERM PAPER

TOPIC: Marketing of Kerala

BY SHARAN C.K
USN : 12PB12MBA16

INTRODUCTION

According to the American Marketing Association, "Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.
From a societal point of view, marketing is the link between a society’s material requirements and its economic patterns of response. Marketing satisfies these needs and wants through exchange processes and building long term relationships. It is the process of communicating the value of a product or service through positioning to customers. Marketing can be looked at as an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, delivering and communicating value to customers, and managing customer relationships in ways that also benefit the organisation and its shareholders. Marketing is the science of choosing target markets through market analysis and market segmentation, as well as understanding consumer buying behaviour and providing superior customer value
A practice involving the application of branding and sales strategies to different regions, cities, states or countries. An example of place marketing in business consists of tourism departments and city councils with place marketing teams competing to attract tourists and new residents use branding techniques. Also called territorial marketing or place branding.

KERALA
Kerala hardly needs any introduction for the international traveller. It is in fact one the best branded states in the country and has been exceedingly successful at it for a while.
With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 ms in the east and networked by 44 rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Asia.

* Attracts tourists for its eco tourism and effective medical care. * 50 Must see places in the life time (NGC).

From a societal point of view, marketing is the link between a society’s material requirements and its economic patterns of response. Marketing satisfies these needs and wants through exchange processes and building long term relationships. Marketing can be looked at as an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, delivering and communicating value to customers, and managing customer relationships in ways that also benefit the organisation and its shareholders. Marketing is the science of choosing target markets through market analysis and market segmentation, as well as understanding consumer buying behavior and providing superior customer value
Kerala is the state with the lowest positive population growth rate in India (3.44%) and has a density of 819 people per km2. The state has the highest Human Development Index (HDI) (0.790) in the country according to the Human Development Report 2011.[3] It also has the highest literacy rate (93.91%), the highest life expectancy (74 years) and the highest sex ratio (as defined by number of women per 1000 men: 1,083 women per 1000 men) among all Indian states. Kerala has the lowest homicide rate among Indian states, for 2011 it was 1.1 per 100,000.[5] A survey in 2005 by Transparency International ranked it as the least corrupt state in the country. Kerala has witnessed significant emigration of its people, especially to the Persian Gulf countries during the Kerala Gulf boom during the 1970s and early 1980s, and its economy depends significantly on remittances from a large Malayali expatriate community. Hinduism is practised by the half of the population, followed by Islam and Christianity. Malayalam is the major spoken language. Although it is considered the "cleanest state in India", the morbidity rate, at 118, is the highest in the country. The culture of the state traces its roots from 3rd century CE. It is a synthesis of Aryan and Dravidian cultures, developed over centuries under influences from other parts of India and abroad.
Production of pepper and natural rubber contribute a prominent portion of the total national output. In the agricultural sector, coconut, tea, coffee, cashew and spices are important. The state has 590 km of coastal belt, and around 1.1 million people of the state are dependent on the fishery industry which contributes 3% of the state's income. The state's 145,704 kilometres (90,536 mi) of roads, constitute 4.2% of all Indian roadways. There are three existing and two proposed international airports. Waterways are also used as a means of transportation. The state has the highest media exposure in India with newspapers publishing in nine different languages; mainly English and Malayalam. Kerala is an important tourist destination, with the backwaters, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism, and tropical greenery among its major attractions.

OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

The present study enquires into the current infrastructure and the market potential of Ayurveda based wellness tourism offered at Kerala in attracting international medical tourists and also the possibilities to design and evolve an advance marketing strategy for the state to emerge as the sort after wellness destination. Earlier studies carried out in the field were analysed and it reveals that a striking gap exists in the field of research in this higly potential but under studied area. The study is carried out with an objective to analyse the strength, weakness, opportunities and threat of alternative health care industry in kerala. Related data were collected from the Directorate of tourism, GOVT of Kerala.

1. To conduct an in-depth study to identify the various factors influencing the tourist to visit Kerala as a preferred destination
To identify the factors/strategies/action plans etc. of the government specifically in respect of the following areas:
-Product/destination development
-Infrastructure development
-Marketing strategies in India and abroad
-Public private partnership
-Impact on local economy
-Incentives/Concessions provided by the state government
-State government initiatives to contain the negative impact of tourism
-Any other factor contributing to the overall development of tourism in the state.

This report has analysed all elements of the Kerala tourism sector, with a view to understanding the approach and strategy that has been adopted and the planning and policy that has preceded the significant development of tourism in the state.
4 P’S
PRODUCT:
Kerala backwater tourism | Kerala's backwaters are the most popular tourist attraction of Kerala. kerala Backwaters are formed by the accumulation of sea water at the beach. As the waves moved to and from, they made their way tearing the ground and forming backwaters. The backwaters are essentially inland lakes connected by a network of canals. The best way to enjoy the Kerala backwaters is to take a cruise on a kerala kettuvallam or the kerala houseboat.
The major backwaters in kerala are kumarakom backwater, alleppey back water, kollam backwater etc.Coconut creek kumarakom homestay and kumarakom houseboat offers wonderful kumarakom backwater tours in kerala. | | Kerala hill station touris | Far away from the din and bustle of the city life, the Kerala hills draped in green are still waiting to be discovered by the wayfaring tourist. Home to an exotic vegetation and rich wildlife, it is these hills that enrich our kitchens with the internationally famous spices. The cardamoms and cinnamons and pepper and cashews that long ago hypnotized traders from all over the world and drained royal treasures, are the harvests of these hills. If you have already tasted the snow capped magic of the Himalayas and the rugged charm of the Aravallis, it's the turn of the Western Ghats to play on your senses. The famous kerala hill station tourism destinations are munnar hill station, idukki hill station, devikulam hill station, ponmudi hill station, vagamon hill station, silent valley hill station, nelliyampathi hill station, wayanad hill station, kuttikanam hill station, thekkady hill station etc. Coconut creek kumarakom homestay and kumarakom houseboat offers memorable kerala hill station tours in different kerala tourism spots. | kerala wildlife tourism | The Western Ghats have been closely associated with the customs, traditions and social life of Kerala for centuries and are in fact the hot spot of unique biodiversity – exquisitely rich and varied. The forests in kerala are indeed some of the most magnificent and varied found anywhere in the world. The Western Ghats, the natural mountain barriers of Kerala, bordering Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are home to the majority of Kerala’s forests and wildlife. Our kerala wildlife tours are designed to explore the biodiversity (plants and animals), culture, ethnology, and village life of Central Western Ghats in kerala tourism. It is a journey to the unknown world of a biodiversity hotspot on earth. The important kerala wildlife tourism destinations are marayoor sandal forest, idukki wildlife sanctuary, periyar tiger reservoir idukki or thekkady wild life sanctuary idukki, chinnar wild life sanctuary idukki, kumarakom bird sanctuary kottayam, parambikulam wildlife sanctuary, peppara wildlife sanctuary, peechi – vazhani wildlife sanctuary palakad, muthanga wildlife sanctuary wayanad, nagarhole wildlife sanctuary, wayanad wildlife sanctuary etc. Coconut creek kumarakom homestay and kumarakom houseboat offers unforgettable kerala wild life tours in different kerala tourism spots. | kerala ayurveda tourism | The term 'ayurveda' literally breaks up to mean the knowledge (veda) of life (ayu). It is a comprehensive system of medicine that believes in preventing body ailments along with curing them. It also aims at treating the entire body as distinguished from the modern system where stress is laid only on curing the affected part. Though the origin of Ayurveda is wrapped in mystery, yet if you believe legends, then ayurveda was the creation of Lord Brahma himself. Ayurveda finds mention in the ancient vedas and he was the one who created the four vedas - Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. Legends apart, the fact is that ayurveda has, since ages, managed to establish its credence despite the growth and development of modern treatment.In India, Kerala is the only place where ayurveda is practiced in the same previous way. The kerala ayurvedic doctors here, unlike the rest of India, are fairly well aware of the Sanskrit language. This enables them to understand the ancient system of treatment much better than others (since the early ayurveda books were written in Sanskrit). Moreover, the salubrious climate of kerala and abundance of herbs and medicinal plants add to the effective treatment.Today, the popularity of ayurvedic treatment has gained such popularity that tourist from far off come to Kerala just to cure their disease. Some even have an ayurvedic treatment for pleasure - sukh chikitsa - endorsing the very basic of ayurvedic principles. The different ayurveda treatment in kerala ayurveda tourism are Abhyangam, Dhanyamla Dhara, Dhara, Kativasthi, Kizhi, Ksheeradhoomam, Ksheeradhoomam, Lepanam, Nasyam, Njavarakizhi,Pizhichi,Sirovasthi, Snehapanam, Thalam, Udvarthanam, Urovasthi, Vasthi etc. Coconut creek kumarakom homestay and kumarakom houseboat offers unforgettable kerala ayurveda tours in different kerala tourism spots. |

PRICE

Here are the price s of some of the packages offered by agents on package tourist packages.

There are a wide range of package s available for tour packages to Kerala, which mostly depend on the number of days the trip lasts and kind of services the tourists wishes to employ.

Place : The scenic beauty of Athirapilly waterfalls presents a spectacular visual extravagance to visitors. A very popular picnic spot, Athirapilly is located close to Chalakudy in Kerala. The falls are located amidst dense forests and the entire region looks ‘picture-perfect’ in every way. Athirapilly-Vazhachal waterfalls are situated on the edge Sholayar forest ranges, just 5 kms apart.This sparkling cascade of silvery water, falls from a height of approximately 80 mts to join the Chalakudy river below. | | | | | You can have a spectacular view from the top of the waterfalls when you walk through the rock pathway that leads from the main entrance. And for those with an adventurous streak, there is a fantastic view from the bottom of the waterfalls which can be reached with a little bit of trekking on slippery mountain trails. It’s a beautiful trail and you can relish the water from the falls sprinkling all over you. The view of the entire landscape is amazing. | But the falls can be treacherous, especially during the monsoons due to the slippery grounds, changing currents and the presence of huge rocks. So, enjoy the view, but be careful, all the same. Best Time to Visit Athirapilly Waterfalls is July to September. Unique attractions in and around Athirapilly Waterfalls are Chapra Falls (1.5 km away from Athirapilly), Vazhachal Falls (about 5 km from Athirapilly), Dream World Amusement Park (24 kms from Athirapilly) and Silver Storm Amusement Parks – (about 30 km from Athirapilly). | | |

Promotion
A series of new IT initiatives aimed at revitalizing the online presence of state tourism, login.kerala, was launched by state minister for home and tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
The newly introduced digital initiatives include easy-to-use interfaces, databases and payment gateways which would transform the Kerala tourism website, www.keralatourism.org, from an information-led one to a transaction-based one.

The minister said the digital initiative was a crucial step in marketing Kerala tourism which had been able to withstand the problems faced by the sector in the context of global meltdown.
Kerala overcame the global crisis in the sector by promoting domestic tourism with promotional ventures like 'Visit Kerala Year 2009,' 'Dream Season' and the 'Jet Kerala' scheme in association with Jet Airways, he said.
Kerala tourism department was one of the first state tourism departments to embark on the digital initiative and make this new technology live for its tourism industry. "Our login.kerala initiative will roll out web-based projects targeting travellers and tourism trade" he said.
Tourism Secretary V Venu said Kerala could now compete online as a saleable destination by creating more opportunities for state's tourism products to be purchased online and in real time. "It will also help us in our objective of taking Kerala closer to the world," he said.

Targeting

The Kerala Tourism Department has kicked off an aggressive marketing drive targeting the emerging global markets.
Being initiated as part of the proposed tourism policy and supported by the travel and trade industry, the drive set off on a promising note with roadshows at Sydney and Melbourne in Australia earlier last week.
SHIFT IN STRATEGY
In the face of economic crisis in Europe and the US, Kerala Tourism has brought about a shift in its marketing strategy to lend better focus on ‘emerging' markets such as Australia and Scandinavia, the spokesman said.
As part of the strategy, the State Minister for Tourism, Mr A. P. Anil Kumar, will lead a delegation to the World Travel Mart scheduled to be held in London from November 7 to 10.
Mr T. K. Manoj Kumar, Secretary, and Planning Officer Mr U. V. Jose, Kerala Tourism, will lead a delegation to workshops being planned to be held in the Scandinavian countries.
As per the schedule, the workshop will be held in Oslo on November 14, to be followed by those at Copenhagen, Helsinki, and Stockholm one after the other over the next three days.
SUPERBRAND STATUS
The State Tourism Department is holding a road show in Australia after a gap of three years.
The roadshows held on October 25 and 26 2012 at Sydney and Melbourne saw Department officials make presentations on what made Kerala a tourism Superbrand across the globe.
They also included screening of the much-acclaimed ad film ‘Your Moment is Waiting,' business-to-business interactions and interactive sessions.
“The roadshows proved to be quality draws and gave a slice of Kerala to the trade in these cities,” according to Mr Manoj Kumar, who led the delegation to Australia.
In Sydney, around 75 tour operators and travel agents took part while at Melbourne 60 had turned up.

Market Positioning of Kerala tourism

Backwater is the major attraction of Kerala, however enjoying beaches with power of Ayurvedha is the attraction which distinguishes Kerala tourism from Goa tourism.
The main attraction of Goa tourism is 125Km of coastal line is dotted with beaches, rather than beaches Goa temples and Churches are major attractiveness. At the same time Kerala has a coastline of 580Km. The other aspect of Kerala is the ecotourism initiatives by Kerala state in the year 2007. Kerala is now trying to brand the medical tourism initiative which is very attractive because of efficient medical care in Kerala. Loads of people from Maldives, neighbouring states like Lakshadweep are coming to Kerala for better healthcare.

Another major initiative is the branding of traditional art forms like Kathakali,
Theyyam etc. This positioning gives more brand identity with the nearest competitor
Goa tourism which is one of the USP for Kerala Tourism. Boat race in the backwater of Kerala is another distinguishable product for Kerala Tourism. Another major offering in monsoon is the monsoon tourism.

It can be seen from the figure (figure 8) that number of tourist coming to Kerala is more compared to Goa tourism in the case of foreigners and domestic tourists. It can be seen that Kerala tourism is far ahead in the domestic market. There is a decline in the number of foreign tourists arrived at Goa last year. This is due to the social problems related to Goa. There were rape murder happened to some foreigner who is only 15 years old. Another factor for the declining is the recession.
The majority of foreigners for both Kerala and Goa are from United Kingdom.

Conclusion

Indian tourism industry is growing at a rapid rate with foreign visitor arrivals reaching a record 0.5 million in 2010, resulting in international tourism receipts of USD 3.8 billion.
Tourism is a great foreign exchange earner for India accounting around 3-4 % of GDP. It also makes a direct contribution to economy with significant linkages with agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, food, transportation, medicine and construction. India’s culture and the slogan “Atithi Devo Bhavah” targeted at the inbound foreign tourists in the country, is paying huge dividends.

‘God’s Own Country’ has managed to capture the attention of the international tourism market in no uncertain manner. Kerala’s tourism brand is listed among the top 100 brands of India and has been accorded the highly coveted ‘Super Brand’ status. Kerala is cited as one of the 50 destinations of a lifetime by National Geographic Traveller, and is also a ‘partner state’ to the World Tourism and
Travel Council.

References : 1. http://www.termpaperwarehouse.com/essay-on/Economics-Of-Kerala-Tourism/61840 2. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/marketing/kerala-tourism-targets-australian-scandinavian-markets/article2582669.ece 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala 4. http://www.emerging.kerala.gov.in/pdf/tourism-policy-2012 5. http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/kerala-tourism-looks-to-target-emerging-global-markets-14837