Marketing Plan for attracting XXXX as International Visitors to Woodford Folk Festival (2019/20 to 2021/22)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Festival of Australia that is the Wood Ford Folk Festival depicts a cultural and musical festival celebrated per year in Brisbane, Australia. It is one of the biggest events celebrated in Australia where more than 1, 25,000 people visit per year. Many different international, many national and many other local patrons are invited to attend the function where around 450 events takes places and are performed by more than 2000 performers. It is celebrated from 27 December to 1st January, for almost six days, where New Year is a part of the celebrations. The given marketing plan is built to implement the initiative taken by the country’s government in accordance to bring a hike in the industry of tourism and commence packages of holiday deals for the travellers of different cities and places, to provide an amazing journey to the visitors.
1. Introduction
The cultural functions comprises of various performing styles, categories of music and of countries. Different artist perform at event at different places that might be 26 in number, only the music performances are not there to perform but various other programs for instance debate competition, G.D., extempore, plays, declamation, seminars, workshops, festivals of children, festival of literature, circus shows and cabaret are also performed. If anyone wants to have delicious delicacies, one needs not to worry as it is all lined up by the streets. One can easily get the access of various restaurants, cafes, small stalls. For entertainment theaters and even parades are also held. The patrons remain here for all the 6 or may be more days to rejuvenate themselves by being getting involved in campaigns along attendees.
2. PHASE ONE – GOAL SETTING
2.1 Corporate Mission Statements
Every year a ceremony is done in which 2 minutes silence is maintained that is followed by a candle lit that is basically an integral part of commencing New Year.
This is specifically celebrated when the festival is happily taken place in New Year, as soon as the Sun rises, the community gathers at the hilltop of Woodfordia and venerates the Sun. The veneration and greeting of the Sun is preceded by playing and listening of the hymns and chats of the Tibetan Musicians. The ceremony gets ended with a closure ceremonial way which is popularly known as “Fire Event” ("Woodfordia - not-for-profit, community driven organisation", 2019). The mission of the corporate is to increase the number of visitors and patrons per year so that the event could be a grand success, and only calling different people is not the mission but to serve them differently and with a welcoming heart the corporate makes special arrangements ("WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL - Woodfordia Inc", 2019). The main mission is to make the people aware about the event so that different countries could visit the event and the tourism industry could grow improving the economy of the country.
2.2 International Visitor Target Market Goals
This cultural festival came to known when the Folk Festival mainly started around in 1987. Afterwards this festival turned out to be Wood Ford Folk Festival and commenced to be celebrated in Wood ford. The event is celebrated for marking the history that is not very much older but only in the 2016-17, when about 140,000 patrons visited the event. The event management had a goal of increasing the international market a little more so that the event could be a grand success and the neighboring countries could understand the culture of Australia. The economy of the country is almost based on tourism industry, so this is the main reason that management always wants to have an inclination of having good target goals for the international visitor ("Woodford Folk Festival", 2019).
3. PHASE TWO – Situation review of current WFF and International Visitor market
Various surveys are conducted to check out the number of people visited in the event and very time an astonishing data comes across. The festival is a great start by the governmental organization as it helps to allure the public and ultimately enhances the tourism sector of the country. Our Australian government always tends to make a great tourism industry, so that various countries patrons and invitees could come together and have a view of the country.
3.1 Current International Visitor market and marketing strategies
For better understanding of the audience visitor and the market and for the enhancement of the plans, a survey was arranged to fathom the issues that might be nay internal or external issue. The important notice worthy caught ups conducted in the survey that was conducted the year 2017-18 are followings ("Woodford Folk Festival", 2019):
- According to the survey that was arranged in the year 2017-18, approx. 2,791 people came to visit the event. Various tickets were sold out as per the need of the audience. 45% average was of the campaign tickets and 25% approx. tickets were sold for the day and night festival camping. The overall sale of tickets in the year 2017-18 was less around 26% than the last year that explains that approximate 2,581 less visitors came to the festival. Normally the decrement came into notice in the Adult events of Day or Night that was around 38%, but there was no fluctuation in the number Volunteers of Adult season and the event performers and event organizer of the youth season.
- There is a decrement in the visitor number of 29 years age and an increment in the age i.e. between 29-50 years of age. The decrement was near by 1.6% since the year of 2016, and an increment of 1.6% by 2016.
- If we notice the gender attendance also then we will find that male attendance is comparatively lesser than the last year approx. 37.7%.
- What prominently came to notice is that well educated audience or visitor came to the event. They were from various educational back ground and their number also have been increased approximate by 63% by this year.
- People with lesser income were noted as decreased in number.
- The data shows that In the year 2019-20, the maximum number of visitor (50%) who came to join the festival were from Queensland South East Area, the travellers from abroad were enhanced in number for about 4 % but travellers from the state within were decreased in number
3.2 SWOT analysis
The auditing is done to nicely fathom the internal and external factors of environment on that the holidays packages are depended. The audit was practiced to fathom the strength, weakness, threat and opportunities of the market.
Strengths: The great arrangements in the event, Government Support, different culture showcasing at the event, many patrons and visitors visiting the event.
Opportunities: No other big event in the country, the celebrations of the commencement of New Year.
Threats: Any other event that could be started by other nearby places at the same time, different celebrations at the time of New Year and Christmas in and outside the country ("Woodford Folk Festival (@woodfordfolkfestival) • Instagram photos and videos", 2019).
3.3 Competitive positioning analysis
The competitive positioning analysis assessed the overall strategies, market share, perception of the customers on the basis of 7 P’s was done to understand the event. As per data gathered through the survey conduct, there was an identification that was marked to be targeted: the belief is also there that the people above the age of 55 and even below the age of 29 can be targeted for the event. It also came to recognition that customers that are basically having good financial status can easily be targeted and residents near the areas of Eastern states and New Zealand. People, who don’t love to be the part of boredom, love to explore life in a better ways, enjoy lovely gatherings, delicious food, music, togetherness and so fun can be targeted.
The target market is distributed into three parts that forms a core segment: the faithful audience, the fun seeker social people, and the people who prefer to explore experience. Every segment has its own Unique Selling Point’s, traits; the estimation approximately was to be 46,000 customers that are into great offer packages. Through different packages the customers can be positioned ("Search Twitter - woodfordfolkfestival", 2019).
4. PHASE THREE – Strategy formulation and target market segmentation
4.1 Marketing Objectives and target market segment(s)
4.1.1 Specific Objectives (SMART)
The various proposed dynamics to the 3 segments of the visitors are:
- Making of novel and creative package offers and improvement in the available ones.
- Having the promotion of the available and novel packages.
Because of the dynamics, it is supposed that the cultural function will bring more no. of audience and it is expected to have hike in the selling of tickets in comparison to last year.
4.1.2 Potential International Visitor Target Market segments
Everybody is tech-savvy now a day and mostly do their work with the assistance of internet. Even tourists find that what could be the best holiday destination for them. They find, they compare and then according to the preference that want to explore. Across the globe internet is widely utilized. After so much of internet exploration approximately 40% of possible tourist book their tickets and packages for the certain place online. This has increased the number of visitors also as they firstly compare and then decide. Internet has made Australia a good tourism industry because of the reviews achieved on internet.
It is essential for the Wood Ford Folk Festival, to think technology as a very important tool and promote the facilities in events provided by the organization. Many people use internet for exploring about the musical events and internet is also utilized to give reviews and feedbacks about a certain place, facilities and experience they have, which is considered by the other internet users also and that certainly leaves an impression to the potential visitors.
For targeting the international market, it is essential for the cultural event to target the international market segment, positioning for them could be done using the internet facility so that the approach could be made to a great market. Different packages can be made according to the requirement of the international potential customers for targeting a huge lot of visitors ("Woodford Folk Festival", 2019).
4.1.2 Selected International Visitor Target Market (description, justification)
Brisbane, Queensland is accounted for the making of the great tourism industry of Australia, nearly about 54% that is 16.5 million public had traveled the place in year 2013. The domesticated and the merchandise travellers also tend to increase the travellers per year, and the international audience also increases the visitors by 1.9%. Whitsundays, Tropical North Queensland and Townsville are situated in the northern part of Brisbane. Around 19% of the gross earning is driven by holiday makers that make intrastate travelling the first priority, 49% is from across the globe. The selected target market could be targeted by giving different offers on booking for the various packages, different offers on the staying and for orders could be given to the target audient for catering them better.
4.2 Three Year Marketing Plan Mix for attracting International Visitors
4.2.1 Product:
Other events and more facilities could be provided and organized in order to attract the audience.
4.2.2 Price:
Pricing Policy should be planned cheaper or affordable for the benefit of consumer and seller both as it does impact the market.
4.2.3 Promotion:
Promotion is very much necessary in this time of anything but it is more convenient and easeful now because of internet. Best use of internet is done today to only promote the things, thus promotion can be done through internet, newspaper, magazine, radio and banner in different places and cities ("Woodford Folk Festival", 2019).
4.2.4 Place:
Place is also another important aspect. People do seek place that is beautiful, vibrant, lively and energetic thus place for such events should be chosen wisely. As already the place is decided for the event but beautiful decoration could be made to the place for making it more attractive.
4.2.5 People:
Attracting people is another important thing, tourism sector can’t be run only with affluent people but people with lower income should also be facilitated. Thus affordable packages and tickets should be managed taking care of trip duration. The performers, the managing team all should compensated well off so that the event could turn out to be a success every time. If the working people would be paid off well they will deliver the best services as tourism is a service industry and so without the proper involvement the industry cannot run.
4.2.6 Process: The process shouldn’t be much hectic for tourist to book tickets and packages instead it should be easy yet authenticated. As easy the process would be the easiest the package development would be.
4.2.7 Physical Evidence:
Things available in the events which are bought by the public can give an estimation of evidence that how many visitors came and did shopping. The broachers’ can be printed and could be distributed among the people or the potential customers. The pictures of the previous could be pinged on the websites, social media sites to make others aware about the event and also to showcase the fun and enjoyment at the event to the visitors and the non-visitors (Symons, E. 2019).
4.3 Three Year Marketing Plan Activity Schedule (GANTT chart)
The marketing plan is made to provide guidance the Wood Ford Folk Festival so that the establishment of holiday packages can be done successfully. The report gives focus on recognition of the audience target segment so that the segment could have been easily accessible and exploring worthy and the packages for holidays could be famous in the market. The planning and reporting is done in such a way that could allure the audience for buying the tickets. The report gets inclusion of a review of various holiday makers employing across the globe, the possible market for the listeners of classical music and the faithful Wood Ford Folk Festival visitors. Various and genuine resources are being utilized to check on that the proposal and the suggestions provided are genuine, good, useable and the outcomes that are expected can be accomplished or not. The strategy provides the overview of the market segment, dynamics for alluring greatly possible visitors, this also gives emphasis on the selling out strategies for budgeting, plan implementation and so on.
The vision of the occasion is to provide the customer with a memorizing worthy experience that would register the minds with classical music on the Brisbane. To accomplish the vision, the Folk Festival basically focuses on 3 aims for 3 continuous years.
The 1st aim is to classify and enrich the best possible and available visitors: the education of the service taker is must and so the major focus is on the advancement of increasing the knowledge of the consumers and the audience with the assistance of market and the communication equipment Queensland’s domestic tourism market reaches record highs - Australasian Leisure Management. (2019).
The 2nd goal is to make an extra ordinary and very special feel of the festival: the stakeholders should be enriched and eligible in order to provide special experience to the visitors of the event. The 3rd aim is to gain durability for longer period: to make a great operating system and an ideal business that could assure a great economic stability. The nation has a great building financial stability and the creditability goes to the famous industries of the nation, the tourism industry is accounted for almost 33.50$ billion in the GDP of the nation almost every year. The market of holiday providers gives contribution to this industry so much, even every year the percentage gets increased of intrastate and interstate by 11%-12%.
Fig No. 1:
Source: https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/travel-insurance/research/tourism-statistics.html
The Figure basically exhibits that there is an increment in the number of inter and intra state travelers almost every year in nation.
5. PHASE FOUR – Resource allocation and monitoring
5.1 Budget:
If we talk about the budget that was passed by Australian government in 2014 in which fuel rates were hiked that negatively impacted the tourist industry as the taxi drivers and vehicles that were involved in tourist sector will have to suffer here because of the fuel price hike. Taking it as threatening call, the tourist industry stated that will certainly bring variation in the income earned from the visitors as visitors number will be surely decreased seeking the price hike. But government also stated that this will be in support of tourism industry and this will be shown the budget also (Prepare - Woodford Folk Festival. 2019). As per the surveys and research conducted, the budget for such functions should be in the accordance with the previous sales made by the event. As the economy of the country depends a lot on the tourism industry and this event is the best time to attract a lot of tourist, improving the economy of the country, a good and proper budget should be allocated for the event https://www.travelandleisure.com. (2019).
5.2 Non-financial Resource Implications:
Research shows that happening people attract other people and their positive outlook towards everything becomes the strength of people thus people as staff must be so encouraging, entertaining and exiting in all the aspects that can be remembered by the visitors for a longer period and they could communicate about the sense of happiness and contentment they had received from the staff (Mahadevan, R. 2016).
5.3 Monitoring and Reviewing:
The government and event organizers must work in collaboration, owing to the enhancement in the Asian nation’ economics, it is assumed that the world’ growth economically will be decreased. This also leaves impact on Australian dollar as it is lowered in comparison with the value of denominations of other countries; this will enhance the tourism industry as Australia will be considered affordable in terms of travelling. The visitors will find Australia an affordable place to explore and will fell privilege to visit here. Consequently the visitor’s numbers will be increased. (Symons, 2019). That’s how government, event organizers and economy all get benefit. But tracking this very essential. This is a monetary example that we have taken, other aspects are also available that impacts the tourism sector. Government and event organizer must check on its success after and before every such events. Maintenance of record is equally important. For example, ACA study brings out the result that classical music is usually liked by 55+ age group and thus this age group should be targeted for the package and its records should be maintained for future instances. More over the packages must be re- created as per the interest found of the tourists.
- The partnership can be utilized by the event that was done with Sealink (2013) so that the quality of the holiday packages can be improved and increased by ysing the Safari, adventure of outback and sunset nights sail. 16 reasons why Woodford Folk Festival is Australia’s most magical event - Visit Brisbane. (2019).
- Partnership can be maintained by the restaurants that operate locally in the nearby places for extra offers of affordable food to be included in the packages.
- Modular Packages can be rendered to the targeted visitors for increasing their personal experiences.
6. Conclusions
Every year, the festival allures approximately 12,000 travelers, in the year 2017 65% of people had visited Queensland. 62% of the travelers went to visit the nearby places in 2013 for a night out, about 87% had visited the place with friends, 51% with partners and approximate 37% with their colleagues in 2013. The tourist that came again were about 71% and 34% of people had visited festival more than 7. The concerts of music were enjoyed and seen by age group of more than 51.
Objectives to be achieved:
- To attain 40% in creating awareness the segmented market tourist about the various packages by 2020.
- For getting an increment in the tickets sales nearly 35% to 40% by the year 2020.
- To attain an increment in the holiday packages from 750 to 850 by 2020.
7. Recommendations:
Australia is great country; it attracts thousands of tourists every year that strongly influences economy of Australia also. Conducting international carnivals, mega events that definitely boosts the tourism industry of Australia thus it is strongly believed that much emphasis must be given on the proficiency of tourists’ preferences such as packages, tickets, accommodation facility, food, transportation and even more to make the event best ever possible.
References
16 reasons why Woodford Folk Festival is Australia’s most magical event - Visit Brisbane. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.visitbrisbane.com.au/information/articles/arts-and-entertainment/why-woodford-folk-festival-is-magic?sc_lang=en-au
https://www.travelandleisure.com. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/best-time-to-visit-australia
Mahadevan, R. (2016). Going beyond the economic impact of a regional folk festival for tourism. Tourism Economics, 23(4), 744-755. doi: 10.5367/te.2016.0542
Prepare - Woodford Folk Festival. (2019). Retrieved from https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/prepare/
Queensland’s domestic tourism market reaches record highs - Australasian Leisure Management. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.ausleisure.com.au/news/queenslands-domestic-tourism-market-reaches-record-highs/
Search Twitter - woodfordfolkfestival. (2019). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/search?q=woodfordfolkfestival
Symons, E. (2019). Woodford Folk Festival By The Numbers - Woodford Folk Festival Blog. Retrieved from http://blog.woodfordfolkfestival.com/woodford-folk-festival-by-numbers/
Woodford Folk Festival. (2019). Retrieved from https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/
Woodford Folk Festival. (2018). Woodford Folk Festival Visitor Survey 2018/19 [Ebook] (1st ed.). Queensland.
Woodford Folk Festival. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/woodfordfolkfestival/
Woodford Folk Festival. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/user/woodfordfolkfestival
Woodford Folk Festival. (2019). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodford_Folk_Festival
WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL - Woodfordia Inc. (2019). Retrieved from https://woodfordia.org/festivals/woodford-folk-festival/
Woodford Folk Festival (@woodfordfolkfestival) • Instagram photos and videos. (2019). Retrieved from Woodford Folk Festival (@woodfordfolkfestival) Instagram photos and videos. (2019). Retrieved from
Woodfordia - not-for-profit, community driven organisation. (2019). Retrieved from https://woodfordia.org/