the main Travels 8 formation and marketing channels of the tourist product. Open Library is an open library of educational information. the travel agent has the right to demand compensation from the tour operator for damage caused to tourists in connection with the improper performance of the tour

8 formation and marketing channels of the tourist product. Open Library is an open library of educational information. the travel agent has the right to demand compensation from the tour operator for damage caused to tourists in connection with the improper performance of the tour

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18.1 Formation of a sales strategy

18.2 Marketing channels for tourism products

Sales strategy formation

Marketing requirements are not limited to the creation of a high quality tourism product and the correct pricing of it. It is also necessary to properly bring this product to the end consumer - tourists and ensure its availability to the target market. To ensure the effective implementation of tourist services, a tourist company must carry out a set of measures that find expression in the formation of a marketing sales strategy.

It should be borne in mind that in modern conditions, sales are seen as just one of the many elements of marketing. One of the leading theorists on management problems, P. Drucker, noted: “The goal of marketing is to make sales efforts unnecessary. His goal is to get to know and understand the client so well that the product or service will exactly fit him and sell himself. "

This does not mean that sales and promotion efforts are losing their value. Rather, it is about becoming part of a larger marketing mix, i.e. selection of marketing tools that need to be harmoniously linked to each other in order to maximize the impact on the market. Moreover, marketing practice convincingly shows that sales should not be seen as a one-time event, but as an element of a deeply thought-out long-term strategy of the company.

The role of sales in marketing activities is due to the following circumstances:

in the field of sales, the result of all marketing efforts of the enterprise is finally determined;

By adjusting the distribution network to the needs of consumers, creating maximum comfort for them before, during and after purchasing a product, the company has a much better chance of winning the competition;

it is during sales that the tastes and preferences of consumers are identified,

The fact that profits are ultimately realized in the sales area explains the close attention that each travel agency pays to organize and improve their sales operations.

The development and implementation of a sales strategy involves the solution of the following fundamental issues:

choice of distribution channels;

selection of intermediaries and determination of an acceptable form of work with them.

Speaking about the marketing strategy of a tourist enterprise, we must remember that it is one of the constituent parts of the enterprise's marketing complex and, accordingly, cannot be realized in isolation from other marketing activities, cannot serve as an end in itself. At the same time, taking into account the specifics of the travel agency's work, its task is not just to produce a product, but to sell it, bring it to the target consumer in the most convenient form for him, in the shortest possible time and with the maximum economic effect for the enterprise itself. Sales strategy is one of the most important parts of the overall marketing of an enterprise. Like other elements of the marketing strategy, the sales strategy should be closely linked to the general goals and objectives of the tourism company, be consistent with the standards in force within the company, and be aimed at maximum satisfaction of the client's needs in terms of the place, form and time of purchase of a tourist product.

The sales strategy of a tourist enterprise is developed on the basis of the general marketing strategy adopted by this enterprise, taking into account all its other components (product, price, communications).

The process of developing a sales strategy goes through the following stages:

Determination of external and internal factors affecting the organization of the sales network.

Setting goals for the sales strategy.

Selection of sales channels (distribution) and methods of their management.

Analysis and control over the functioning of the distribution network.

Sales channels for tourism products

As already noted, the specificity of the activity of any tourist enterprise is not only to produce a tourist product, but also (and often, first of all) to sell it, thereby determining the final result of all marketing efforts of the enterprise. Speaking about the sale of a tourist product by this or that enterprise, whether it is directly to the consumer through agency agreements, directly in the office of the company or outside it, when visiting the enterprise directly or by phone, we are talking about distribution channels(distribution) of a tourist enterprise.

By the channel of sales (distribution), according to F. Kotler's definition, is understood "A collection of firms or individuals that take over or help transfer ownership of a particular product or service to someone else on their way from producer to consumer." Taking into account the specifics of the tourist business, where a tourist company, as a rule, does not carry out the production of specific services (accommodation, meals, etc.), we can say that any tourist company itself is involved in the sales channel. However, this is not entirely true, since the tourist product does not consist of one service, but is, as we have already said, a complex of services, offered by both third-party manufacturers and the travel agency itself. thereforeunder the distribution channel (distribution) in tourism needs to be understooda set of methods for organizing the sale of a tourist product by a tourist enterprise to a consumer.

Sales channels (distribution) are characterized by the number of their constituent levels. The level of the distribution channel is understood as any intermediary on the path of a tourist product from the enterprise to the end consumer. The number of levels determines the length of the distribution channel.

Distribution channels with a large number of levels are used much less frequently, since they do not allow the tour operator to effectively manage and control the functioning of the distribution network.

A travel company can organize the direct sale of its own travel product to consumers, organize sales through travel agencies, or use a combination of several distribution channels.

Organization of direct sales (a traditionally common form of marketing in tourism), or direct marketing channel, implies the presence of two participants: a tourist enterprise (its branches, representative offices, representatives) and a consumer.

Sibling channel involves the inclusion of one intermediary in the sales process, called in tourism travel agency. A travel agency is a separate company, not related to the main company, specializing in the sale of a tourist product, as a rule, in a certain territory on the basis of contractual obligations to the tour operator.

Two-level channel includes two intermediaries in the form of a travel agency and a travel agent, one of which, by analogy with trade, acts as a wholesaler, and the other as a retailer.

Most of the distribution channels in tourism are based on the principle vertical marketing systems (Navy), Its use is primarily due to the specifics of the production of a tourist product. The tour operator does not produce some impersonal product that can be sold and consumed in any region, by any seller or at any time. Therefore, forming its own sales network or resorting to the services of third-party travel agencies, the tour operator seeks to retain control over the distribution channels and ensure their manageability.

Implementation and coordination of sales activities is one of the major tasks enterprises of the tourism sector. Marketing requirements are not limited only to the formation of a high-quality tourist product and the exact determination of the price for it. It is also necessary to properly provide this product to the end consumer - the tourist and organize him the opportunity to purchase in the target market. To organize the successful sale of travel services, the company must carry out a set of measures, expressed in the organization of a marketing and sales strategy.

The organization of sales is due to the following reasons:

1) in the field of sales, the result of all the marketing efforts of the company is finally formed;

2) orienting the sales network to the requirements of buyers, organizing them the highest comfort before, during and after the purchase, the travel company has significantly more opportunities to win the competition;

3) in fact, during the sale, the tastes and preferences of buyers are most effectively revealed.

The fact that the end result is profitable in the sales area explains the special attention that each travel agency pays to the implementation and improvement of their sales operations. The development and implementation of a sales strategy involves solving certain issues:

1) selection of sales channels;

2) election of intermediaries and establishment of the optimal form of work with them.

The sales strategy of the travel company is formed on the basis of the general marketing strategy available to the travel company, taking into account all its other elements (goods, cost, communications). The process of developing a sales strategy is, in essence, a certain sequence of actions. Establishing external and internal factors influencing the creation of a sales network is the first step in shaping a sales strategy. There are three questions to answer in this step.

1. What is coming true and to whom?

2. Where does it come true?

3. How does it come true?

Having received answers to these questions and thus establishing the initial data, the travel company needs to determine the main goals and objectives of the sales strategy. The main goal of the sales policy of any company, and especially a tourist one, is to bring the goods to the client in an extremely comfortable form for him, in as soon as possible and in a convenient location.

13.2. Sales channels for tourism products

In modern competitive environment it is not enough to rely only on personal sales opportunities. Enterprises are obliged to form more and more developed distribution systems. Distribution channel (distribution) is a combination of independent organizations involved in the process of providing a product or service end consumers or customer companies. Distribution networks are formed on the basis of contractual relationships and alliances.

The purpose of the tourism distribution system is to provide potential consumers of tourism services with information that will influence their choice and then the necessary orders related to their travels.

The distribution system consists of all organizations that are intermediaries between manufacturers of travel services and their direct consumers. The importance of tourism intermediaries and distribution channels can be attributed to several factors:

Intermediaries operate in the market, and they have more accurate information about demand, its reasons and consumer preferences. To obtain such information, the manufacturer of travel services needs to spend both time and money;

Intermediaries can quickly determine how demand is transforming depending on market changes;

The presence of intermediaries and their services allows the manufacturer of travel services to focus on the area in which they specialize, to check and improve the quality of their work and services;

Intermediaries combine different types of services available from different manufacturers into a single package of services that is attractive to a potential client and meets his needs, depending on the demand in the market;

Intermediaries not only form a package of services, but also provide information on routes, types of services, giving the tourist the right to choose. An extensive network of intermediaries can assist in the promotion and sale of a tourist product.

Market intermediaries in the tourism industry include tour operators, hotel sales representatives, government tourism unions, worldwide distribution systems, and the Internet.

There are two ways of marketing - direct, this is the establishment of direct links between the seller and the buyer, and indirect - this is work through a trade and intermediary link.

The choice of sales channels and methods of managing them is central to the development of a sales strategy for a travel company. Sales channels are selected depending on the goals and objectives of the sales policy, sales volumes and circulation speed. The main characteristics of each channel of implementation are: the degree of controllability of the channel, elasticity and the ability to adapt to the needs of the consumer, as well as the possibility of increasing the effectiveness of its use. The sales strategy involves continuous consideration and control of the activities being carried out in order to accumulate information about the effectiveness of the existing sales network, increase this effectiveness, as well as develop regulatory measures in the field of sales policy.

The main components of the work of the distribution network to be considered: the scale of sales, the speed of circulation, the costs of maintaining the selected distribution channels, the speed and quality of customer service, adherence to approved standards and service technologies, etc.

In the tourism industry, there is a territorial division between the manufacturer and the client. And therefore, communication with a potential consumer is often permissible only through special intermediary enterprises - tour operators and travel agents. Manufacturers in the field of tourism are industrial, service, cultural organizations such as hotels, factories Catering, museums, art galleries, transport companies, sports facilities, etc.

In the field of tourism, intermediaries provide services from several manufacturers. In the course of promotion, travel services are added to the so-called tour operator's product and are offered to the consumer through sales channels (travel agencies). The sale of tourism products and services in tourism can be carried out through sales channels, consisting of one or more intermediaries. The most telling example would be hotels, which sell their accommodation services through countless travel agencies, as well as serve tourists who have bypassed the intermediaries in the face of travel agencies. Some manufacturers carry out the role and functions of intermediaries themselves and offer their goods to the end consumer themselves.

There are external and internal sales channels for the tourism product. External sales channels are foreign intermediary travel agencies, which under the contract have assumed obligations to sell in their country the tourism product or services of the enterprise, of which they are intermediaries. Travel companies and organizations use this intermediary scheme, since the organization of branches abroad entails large foreign exchange costs, while the state policy of each country is specific. It is much more convenient to work with foreign organizations that have good positions in the local market.

Internal sales channels are a system of branches, offices, representative offices and intermediary organizations in their country.

Often times, any company is faced with the problem of how to achieve great achievements from their intermediaries and the problem of replacing those who do not meet the established requirements. To successfully meet these challenges, management must monitor performance. economic activity intermediaries and run a support program for those with the highest potential.

13.3. The choice of intermediaries, the form of work with them

The organization of channels for the sale of a tourist product is not only the main need due to the specifics of this area, but also the key to the successful operation of the tourist company on the market, the growth of sales and profits due to the large coverage of existing and possible markets sales. On the one hand, a large number of intermediaries complicates the mechanism of the travel market, but on the other hand, intermediation itself helps the normal operation of the travel market and makes it easier for tourists to plan and implement a trip.

Preferring one sales channel over another is a difficult management decision. Channel and reseller analysis are interrelated processes that ensure effective distribution channels are organized.

Consideration of the pros and cons of certain channels allows the manufacturer to make an accurate, reasoned choice, since the results of his activities largely depend on how correctly the distribution channel for the tourist product is found.

Distribution channels exist outside the boundaries of the manufacturing enterprise and cannot be directly controlled by it. When selling a product through intermediaries, the following points should be considered.

1. Resellers are independent organizations whose main goal is to grow their own scale of sales and profits. Therefore, they focus their gaze primarily on those products and services that are in maximum demand and that can be sold without much effort.

2. Mediators are initially focused on advertising personal image and winning over your customers. Consequently, they will select those manufacturers that will enable them to achieve this goal more quickly.

3. Intermediaries offer competing tourism products and services. Since transaction percentages are standard, they have no desire to be too zealous with sales, trying to single out one manufacturer.

4. Intermediaries prefer to sell those tourism products and services that are in greatest demand among the consumer, and not the package of services offered by the manufacturer.

Distribution decisions have a strong impact on the marketing of a product. The hotel's pricing policy will depend on who the hotel is working with, since the tour operator assumes the obligation to wholesale rooms for more than low prices... If you buy fewer rooms, the prices will be higher.

The distribution method chosen can also influence production policies. The charter airline will need to adapt its flights according to the requests of the tour operator, which has acquired the aircraft's transport potential.

Geographical location, market segment, organization specification, etc. are analyzed components that can affect the structure of the distribution channel. For manufacturers of travel services, when organizing a distribution channel and searching for an intermediary, the most suitable are those whose focus corresponds to the direction of the manufacturer himself or his travel product and services.

Relations with intermediaries are built on a contractual basis.

When choosing implementation partners, it is necessary to take into account three main points: legal capacity, creditworthiness and capacity of a potential partner (agency).

Legal capacity is the legal basis for an organization to sell travel services. The legal status is determined by national legislation and in different countries is confirmed by different legal documents(e.g. license, patent, registration in commercial register). Entity that does not have such a status cannot be a travel company. As a consequence, if such a firm breaks down contractual agreements, the judicial authorities may not accept statement of claim for consideration. Therefore, determining the legal status of a travel agency must be the first point in establishing business relations with it.

Creditworthiness. This means that the organization has the necessary financial resources to ensure settlements for the concluded transaction. Unlike legal capacity, this is a permanent characteristic as long as the legal status of the travel agency remains in effect. Creditworthiness may change its value from time to time.

Legal capacity is the ability of a travel agency to fulfill the obligations and rights arising from the concluded transaction. The conditions for the legal capacity of a travel agency do not lie within the limits of some stable indicators, but imply the versatile activities of the organization, its property, place in the market, business connections etc. This can be the scale and quality of advertising, relations with transport and hotel enterprises, membership in national, regional tourism organizations, the level of qualifications, the number of personnel, etc. It should be noted that these conditions must be considered in aggregate and in dynamics, which will make it possible to form an objective opinion about business qualities of the studied organization.

A tour operator needs to scrupulously choose a possible travel agent, consider its reliability, business activity, and only then sign an agency agreement with him.

The agent is chosen based on the existing task of the sales policy and characteristics of the tourist product.

Factors to consider when choosing travel agents:

1) specialization in tours (recreation, extreme tourism, hunting, etc.);

2) the scope of rights and obligations;

3) socio-economic and other characteristics of groups of potential customers;

4) the availability of various technologies and sales techniques;

5) method of mutual settlements;

6) work experience and image in the tourism market;

7) availability of a license for this type of activity.

Workshop

Situation

The travel agency "Sunny Day" sends clients on vacation to 11 countries of the world, these are Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Somalia, South Africa, Poland, Russia, Belarus. The firm has signed contracts with many health resorts, tourist centers in Russia and Belarus. Many years of experience, studied directions, many partners enable the company to have exclusive prices for vouchers. Everyone knows that often the cost of a tour before accepting the final form can have quite a lot of transformations, ending up, for example, in the hands of all sorts of intermediary firms. They "launch" the trip further, taking into account their profit. By purchasing a tour at Sunny Day, the client will protect himself from unnecessary expenses associated with maintaining the financial well-being of third parties. In the "Sunny Day" offer to relax, even if the person has allocated a small amount of funds for the trip.

Even with a small budget, you can go with the whole family to relax. There are various discounts: discounts for children are offered from 10% to 60% for accommodation, there are special preferential terms for regular customers, newlyweds, married couples, etc. In the coming season the company offers holidays for children in Austria and Cyprus, holidays for adults in Switzerland and Greece, at traditional tourist centers in Russia.

The formation of a tourist product in Sunny Day begins with a study of its consumer qualities and properties, a search for the most attractive aspects for tourists, since this is the basis for the development of a tourist product. When selling a tourism product, the company chose a certain number of foreign travel intermediary agencies, which under the contract assumed obligations to sell on their territory the tourism product or services of the company, which they are intermediaries. The firm is forced to use this intermediary system, since the organization of its own agencies abroad is associated with large monetary costs, as well as with the legislative specifics of each country. It is much more profitable to work with foreign tourist organizations that have good positions in the local tourist market.

Questions

1. What are the advantages of using intermediaries for Sunny Day compared to working directly with clients?

2. What are the disadvantages of using distribution in tourism?

Exercises

1. What principles should be followed when choosing intermediaries for the implementation of a tourist product?

2. What might be the main difference between the distribution of goods in physical form and the sphere of services?

3. What other distribution of a tourist product can you name?

Homework

Give examples of tourism firms that work with internal and external intermediaries in the sale of a tourism product. Give a detailed answer based on the facts.

The successful operation of an enterprise depends not only on the product being manufactured. It's not enough to produce quality goods, he must find his consumer. Meeting a product with a potential consumer is the most important condition for its implementation. Therefore, many manufacturers offer their products to the market through intermediaries, forming their own sales channels.

A sales channel (or distribution channel) is a collection of firms or individuals (intermediaries) who assume or help transfer to another person the ownership of a particular product or service on their way from producer to consumer, thus helping the producer to ensure the normal the process of his commercial activities.

In other words, the sales channel is the path that goods move from producer to consumer. It eliminates long-term gaps in time, place and ownership that separate goods and services from those who would like to purchase them.

The process of promoting tourist services from the manufacturer to the end consumer is not direct, often not involving their direct contact. The modern tourist market is characterized by the presence a large number intermediary links, without which manufacturers of tourism goods and services simply could not function normally. Intermediaries occupy an intermediate position between the producer and the consumer and are an indispensable element of the market economy, the process of commodity circulation.

On the tourist market, there is a territorial disunity between the producer and the consumer. And therefore, contacts with a potential consumer are often possible only through specific intermediary organizations - tour operators and travel agents, shown in Figure 1.2.

Figure 1.2- Scheme of channels for the promotion of a tourist product.

Manufacturers in the tourist market are industrial, service, cultural organizations such as hotels, restaurants, museums, exhibitions, transport companies, sports facilities, etc.

In tourism, intermediaries provide services from several manufacturers. In the process of promotion, tourist services are bundled into the so-called tourist product of the tour operator and through the sales channels (travel agencies) are brought to the consumer. The sale of a tourism product and services in the tourism market can be carried out directly to the consumer or through sales channels that include one or more intermediaries. The most striking example in this case can be hotels that provide their accommodation services through numerous travel agencies, as well as serve tourists who have contacted them directly, bypassing intermediaries in the face of travel agencies. Although many manufacturers themselves perform the role and functions of intermediaries and deliver their product to the end consumer themselves, in tourism, the use of intermediaries and the formation of sales channels is the rule rather than the exception.

There are two directions of formation of sales channels - external and internal.

External sales channels are a certain number of foreign travel agency-intermediaries that have undertaken, according to the agreement, the obligation to sell in their country a tourist product or services of the organization, which they act as an intermediary. Tourist enterprises and organizations are forced to resort to this intermediary apparatus, since the creation of their own agencies abroad is associated with large foreign exchange costs, as well as with the state policy of each country. It is much more profitable to use foreign tourist organizations that have a good position in the local tourist market.

In 1996, the world famous American company "Sandals", which owns a group of prestigious club resorts in the Caribbean, appointed the Russian tour operator "Svetal" as its general agent and signed a contract with him to sell its tourist product in Russia. Thus, Svetal and its network of intermediaries (travel agencies) are the external sales channel of Sandals.

Internal sales channels are a system of branches, offices, representative offices and intermediary organizations in their country.

That is, the branches of "Svetal" located in Russia, as well as domestic travel agencies that sell the tourist product of the company, are the internal sales channel of "Svetal".

By the nature of operations, travel agencies are divided into retail and wholesale.

Retail trade in tourism services is any activity of selling these services to end consumers - tourists - for their personal non-commercial use. Retail travel agencies are mainly travel agencies that act as intermediaries between the tour operator and the consumer. They play an important role in the market, as they sell the overwhelming majority of tourist services.

Wholesale trade in tourism services is any activity of selling these services to those who purchase them for the purpose of resale. The largest wholesalers of tourism services are firms - tour operators or travel organizers, which play a special role in the formation of the market for tourism services.

In practice, it is often difficult to draw a clear distinction between purely retail and wholesale travel agencies, since tour operators can carry out both retail and wholesale operations, and they often also have branches and branches for retail sale directly to customers.

Relationships with intermediaries are formalized and secured by a contract or agreement. Intermediaries, thanks to their contacts, experience and specialization, allow to ensure wide availability of goods and bring them to target markets. Each of the intermediaries, in turn, also forms the corresponding sales channel. For example, the travel company "EXOtour", a tour operator in Turkey operating in the Russian tourism market, is an intermediary between Turkish service providers and Russian consumers. In turn, "EXOtour" has created its own sales channel (network of intermediaries) in Russia, consisting of 62 travel agencies.

The use of intermediaries, that is, the formation of sales channels, is beneficial, first of all, for the manufacturer. A wide availability of goods is ensured when moving directly to the sales market and a wider coverage of the market and consumers is achieved than when working directly.

For example, the Spanish company "Soltour Este" offers its tourism product, including the services of various manufacturers, to travel agencies for their subsequent sale to consumers (tourists). The central management office of "Soltour Este" is located in Palma de Mallorca (Spain). The company has a wide network of its representative offices not only in Mallorca, but also in the Canary Islands, Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Malaga, Valencia and some other cities in Spain. In addition, in 1994 "Soltour Este" opened a network of agencies and wholesale offices in Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg), Croatia (Zagreb), Slovenia (Ljubljana). In 1995, the company opened a representative office in Hungary (Budapest) and the Czech Republic (Prague), and in 1996 - in Ukraine (Kiev) and Poland (Warsaw).

Due to this, the services of Spanish manufacturers included in the tourist product "Soltour Este" are sold not only in the Spanish market, in their home country, but can also be brought to consumers of those countries and regions in which "Soltour Este" has representative offices and branches. i.e. Spanish hotels, transport companies, museums, etc. Through an intermediary function, Soltour Este was able to cover the markets of other countries and ensure its sales in them. With an intermediary, the distribution system can work more efficiently.

The function of the distribution system in tourism is to provide potential consumers of tourism services with the opportunity to receive information that will help them make the right choice, and then - the necessary orders regarding their travel.

The distribution system consists of all those components that act as intermediaries between manufacturers of tourism services and their direct consumers. The importance of intermediaries and sales channels in tourism is due to several factors:

· Since intermediaries work directly in the market, they have more accurate information about the demand, motivations and preferences of consumers;
· To obtain such information, the manufacturer of travel services would have to spend both time and money;
· Intermediaries are able to quickly determine how demand changes depending on market changes;
· The existence of intermediaries and their services allows the manufacturer of tourism services to concentrate on the activities in which they specialize, to control and improve the quality of their work and services;
· Intermediaries combine different types of services offered by different manufacturers into a single package of services that is attractive to a potential client and meets his needs, depending on the demand in the market;
· Intermediaries not only create a package of services, although this is their most important function, but also provide information on routes, types of services, thus giving the tourist the right to choose.

A wide network of intermediaries is able to assist in the promotion and marketing of a tourist product. The world's leading airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Finnair, Swissair and others are increasing their number of customers and capturing target markets by purposefully expanding their network of resellers in these markets. Working closely with travel agencies in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other regions of our country, airlines are expanding their presence in the Russian market and increasing the sales of their transportation services, since travel agencies that are their agents provide these carriers with up to 25-30% in the sale of air tickets.

The choice of sales channels is a complex management decision. Channel research and reseller research are interrelated processes that drive effective sales channels.

An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of certain channels allows the manufacturer to make the correct, informed choice, since the results of his economic activity largely depend on how correctly the channel for promoting the tourist product is chosen.

The American company "Sandals", which decided to enter the Russian tourist market, began its activity to conquer the market by finding and choosing a reliable partner capable of giving the company an advantage in promoting its tourist product. As you know, "Svetal" was elected general agent. As a result, over two years of cooperation, "Svetal" brought Russia in terms of sales of the tourist product "Sandals" from seventeenth to fifth place in Europe.

Sales channels are outside the manufacturer's enterprise and outside direct managerial control. Distributors cannot be strategically managed in the same way as other areas of management. Working through independent intermediaries involves a number of points:

- resellers - independent organizations, the main goal of which is to increase their own sales and profits, and only then - the manufacturer. Therefore, they turn their attention to those goods and services that are in greatest demand and which can be sold without much effort;
- intermediaries are primarily interested in advertising their own image and acquiring their customers. This means that they will give preference to those producers that will allow them to quickly achieve this goal;
- intermediaries sell competing tourism products and services. Because their commissions are standard, they don't want to make a special sales effort trying to single out one manufacturer;
- intermediaries are mainly interested in the sale of those tourism products and services that they find the greatest demand at the consumer, and not in the sale of the full range of services offered by the manufacturer.

Therefore, the work on the formation and especially the management of sales channels is quite painstaking and hectic, but a company that makes consistent and carefully planned efforts to manage its sales channels is very close to success.

Distribution decisions have a strong impact on product promotion. The hotel management's pricing policy will depend on who the hotel is partnering with, as the tour operator guarantees bulk room loading at lower prices. The smallest number of rooms is purchased at higher prices.

The chosen distribution method can also influence the production policy. The charter airline will have to adapt its flights according to the requirements of the tour operator who bought the aircraft's transport potential.

Geographical location, market segment, company specialization, etc. are one of the considered components that can affect the structure of the sales channel. For manufacturers of tourist services, when forming a sales channel and looking for an intermediary partner, the most promising are those whose specialization corresponds to the specialization of the manufacturer itself or its tourist product and services. That is, a hotel that is engaged in the congress business and provides conditions for holding congresses, first of all, takes into account travel agencies specializing in organizing congress tours or business seminars.

Often times, any company is faced with the problem of how to achieve great achievements on the part of its intermediaries, and with the problem of replacing those who do not meet the established requirements. To successfully meet these challenges, management must monitor the characteristics of the economic activities of intermediaries and implement a support program for those with the highest potential.

The most frequently used program in tourism, which is conducted by "Svetal", is a progressive system of commissions (that is, the dependence of the reseller's commission on the total volume of his sales), as well as rewarding the best agents in the form of cash rewards and free travel. Such measures serve as an incentive to increase work efficiency.

Usually, the instability in the distribution network is much greater than similar changes in the market environment, and changes in purchasing habits and preferences significantly complicate the distribution model of many manufacturers and suppliers of tourism services. Modern research on major consumer and manufacturing problems has shown that the accelerating pace of market change is driven by an increase in the diversity of untapped opportunities. But to take advantage of these opportunities, a company must first identify them. It is difficult to do this without seriously re-evaluating the actual distribution strategy, depending on the dynamics of the market. Such research can help uncover profitable opportunities that can be realized through modifications to the existing intermediary structure.

Not a single sales channel remains unchanged for a long time, which occurs on the initiative of both the intermediaries themselves and manufacturers under the influence of market changes. The reasons for changes and modifications in the intermediary system on the part of the manufacturer are the desire to increase sales volumes, market share and coverage, the desire to secure a monopoly position in the market, the search for new opportunities, etc. These changes can take the form of various actions, such as refusal to cooperate with one intermediary and signing partnership agreements with another, or they can be quite drastic measures.

For example, the directors of several tour operators in Moscow, namely BSI, Inc., Royal Carribean, Verum, Lanta-Typ, Irene, Primexpress, Turenergoservice, decided to create a kind of union, which later the working title was given to the Association of Moscow Tour Operators. The merger was based on regional travel agency networks, without which no serious company can exist, since the capital's tourist market is oversaturated, and the most promising way to increase sales is to work with the regions.

It was agreed that each tour operator would share an equal number of their best regional agents. Thus, the entire united network became available to each of the partners. Of course, not everything went smoothly in the work with such a grandiose network, but this event to modify the existing sales channels brought real results to travel agencies in promoting and selling their tourism product.

Another such example of modification of the sales channel is the merger of the two largest tour operators in Moscow - Intourist and Begemota, which also led to the merger of the two sales channels.

In any case, the creation of a new sales channel or modification of an existing one reflects the desire of the manufacturer, the travel service provider to comply with market demand, real and potential, which cannot be satisfied through existing channels.

As in most situations on the market, there will be alternative ways to form and improve the distribution network (sales channels), and the management will need to choose the most acceptable and reasonable option. Before deciding on one or another option, the management should carefully evaluate each, as much as possible, based on:

· The cost of implementing change;
· The cost of providing sales and market support for a new intermediary (sales channel) as opposed to the existing one;
· The expected results of sales and income.

Once a decision has been made, management should not focus on early results to justify its decision. It may take some time before the curve of the graph total sales will show a positive reaction.

Based on the foregoing, we can summarize that the formation of appropriate sales channels in tourism is not only an urgent need due to the specifics of this area, but also is the key to the successful functioning of a tourism enterprise in the market, increasing sales and maximizing profits due to a wide coverage of real and potential sales markets. On the one side, high proportion intermediaries complicate the mechanism of the tourist market, but, on the other hand, intermediation itself ensures the normal functioning of the tourist market and facilitates the planning and implementation of the trip for the tourist.

The successful operation of an enterprise depends not only on the product being manufactured. It is not enough to produce a quality product; it must find its consumer. Meeting a product with a potential consumer is the most important condition for its implementation. Therefore, many manufacturers offer their products to the market through intermediaries, forming their own sales channels.

A sales channel is a collection of firms or individuals (intermediaries) who assume or help transfer to another person the ownership of a particular product or service on their way from producer to consumer, thus helping the producer to ensure the normal process of his business.

The process of promoting tourist services from the manufacturer to the end consumer is not direct, often not involving their direct contact. The modern tourism market is characterized by the presence of a large number of intermediary links, without which manufacturers of tourism goods and services simply could not function normally. Intermediaries occupy an intermediate position between the producer and the consumer and are an indispensable element of the market economy, the process of commodity circulation.

In the tourist market, there is a territorial disunity between the producer and the consumer. And therefore, contacts with a potential consumer are often possible only through specific intermediary organizations - tour operators and travel agents. Manufacturers in the tourism market are industrial, service, cultural organizations such as hotels, restaurants, museums, exhibitions, transport companies, sports facilities, etc.

In tourism, intermediaries provide services from several manufacturers. In the process of promotion, tourist services are bundled into the so-called tourist product of the tour operator and through the sales channels (travel agencies) are brought to the consumer. The sale of a tourism product and services in the tourism market can be carried out directly to the consumer or through sales channels that include one or more intermediaries. The most striking example in this case can be hotels that provide their accommodation services through numerous travel agencies, as well as serve tourists who have contacted them directly, bypassing intermediaries in the face of travel agencies. Many manufacturers perform the role and functions of intermediaries themselves and deliver their product to the end consumer themselves.

There are two directions of formation of sales channels - external and internal.

Internal sales channels are a system of branches, offices, representative offices and intermediary organizations in their country.

By the nature of operations, travel agencies are divided into retail and wholesale.

It is difficult to make a clear distinction between purely retail and wholesale travel agencies, since tour operators can carry out both retail and wholesale operations, they often also have branches and subsidiaries for retail sale directly to customers.

The use of intermediaries, that is, the formation of sales channels, is beneficial primarily for the manufacturer. A wide availability of goods is ensured when moving directly to the sales market and a wider coverage of the market and consumers is achieved than when working directly.

* Since intermediaries work directly in the market, they have more accurate information about the demand, motivations and preferences of consumers. To obtain such information, a travel service provider would have to spend both time and money.

* Intermediaries are able to quickly determine how demand changes depending on market changes.

* The existence of intermediaries and their services allows the manufacturer of tourism services to concentrate on the activities in which they specialize, to monitor and improve the quality of their work and services.

* Intermediaries combine different types of services offered by different manufacturers into a single package of services that is attractive to a potential client and meets his needs, depending on the demand in the market.

* Intermediaries not only create a package of services, although this is their most important function, but also provide information on routes, types of services, thus giving the tourist the right to choose. A wide network of intermediaries is able to assist in the promotion and marketing of a tourist product.

The choice of sales channels is a complex management decision. Channel research and study of intermediaries are interrelated processes that ensure the formation of effective sales channels.

* Resellers are independent organizations whose main goal is to increase their own sales and profits, and only then - the manufacturer. Therefore, they turn their attention to those goods and services that are in greatest demand and which can be sold without much

* Intermediaries are primarily interested in advertising their own image and acquiring their customers. This means that they will give preference to those manufacturers that will allow them to quickly achieve this goal.

* Resellers sell competing tourism products and services. Since their commissions are standard, they don't want to put in a special sales effort to single out one manufacturer.

* Intermediaries are mainly interested in the sale of those tourism products and services that find the greatest demand from the consumer, and not in the sale of the full range of services offered by the manufacturer.

Distribution decisions have a strong impact on product promotion. The pricing policy of the hotel management will depend on who the hotel cooperates with, as the tour operator guarantees wholesale occupancy of rooms at lower prices. The smallest number of rooms is purchased at higher prices.

Not a single sales channel remains unchanged for a long time, which occurs at the initiative of both the intermediaries themselves and manufacturers under the influence of market changes. The reasons for changes and modifications in the intermediary system on the part of the manufacturer are the desire to increase sales, market share and coverage, the desire to secure a monopoly position in the market, the search for new opportunities, etc. These changes can take the form of various measures, such as refusal to cooperate with one intermediary and signing partnership agreements with another, or it can be quite drastic measures.

The tour operator shares an equal number of their best regional agents. Thus, the entire united network became available to each of the partners.

In any case, the creation of a new sales channel or modification of the existing one reflects the desire of the manufacturer, the supplier of tourism services to meet the market demand, real and potential, which cannot be satisfied through the existing channels.

* the cost of making changes;

* the cost of providing sales and market support for a new intermediary (sales channel) as opposed to the existing one;

* expected sales results and income.

Once a decision has been made, management should not focus on early results to justify its decision. It may take some time for the overall sales curve to show a positive response.

Based on the foregoing, we can summarize that the formation of appropriate sales channels in tourism is not only an urgent need due to the specifics of this area, but also is the key to the successful functioning of a tourism enterprise in the market, increasing sales and profits due to a wide coverage of real and potential markets. sales. On the one hand, the high proportion of intermediaries complicates the mechanism of the tourist market, but, on the other hand, intermediation itself ensures the normal functioning of the tourist market and facilitates the planning and implementation of the trip for the tourist.

Tourist services are a special kind of "invisible" product, and the relationship in its implementation is very diverse and specific.

The distribution system and the choice of distribution channels are significantly different from the material distribution of physical goods.

There are two marketing methods - the direct method, which involves establishing direct links between the seller and the buyer, and the indirect method, which involves the use of a sales and intermediary link.

Tour operator - Tourist. A professional tour operator is engaged in the development of tours. The specificity of its services lies in the selection and combination of basic and additional travel services, their preliminary planning and standardization. Selling tours to tourists itself is not a function of the tour operator. This is the function of travel agencies that provide only intermediary services for the retail sale of both software packages of tour operators and services of individual tourism enterprises (hotels, airlines, etc.). However, large tour operators often have their own distribution network - travel agencies that belong to them. The essence lies in establishing direct contacts directly with the consumer, potential client. This imposes a number of additional functions on the tour operator:

* identification of potential consumers, which should be targeted sales activities;

* development of sales activities;

* creation information system by the firm's clientele;

* creation of an effective system for processing information from consumers, and a system of quick response to it.