This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

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Strategic Marketing

Code: 101210 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Tourism OB 3

Contact

Name:
Anna Zinenko
Email:
anna.zinenko@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites.


Objectives and Contextualisation

This course explains the main decisions in relation to the variables that make up the marketing mix; namely, the decisions associated with new product development, pricing strategies, communication strategies, as well as strategies associated with the distribution of touristic products.

At the end of the course, students will have a set of theoretical marketing tools that will enable them to formulate competitive business strategies. They will also be able to select the different elements that make up a marketing plan and evaluate the relationships between them.

While working on integrated marketing projects, students will incorporate knowledge gained from the Tourism Marketing course (first semester) and place special emphasis on integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their corporate strategies. They are encouraged to integrate gender perspectives when developing STP strategies for their final projects.

 


Competences

  • Analyse quantitative and qualitative information on the economic dimension of the tourism sector and its companies: characteristics of the companies, evolving weight of the sector, market research, etc.
  • Apply the concepts related to tourism products and businesses (economy and finance, human resources, commercial policy, markets, operations and strategy) in the different parts of the sector.
  • Behave ethically and adapt to different intercultural contexts.
  • Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  • Define and apply objectives, strategies and commercial policies in tourism businesses and entities.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the tourism phenomenon from the perspective of sustainability and quality management.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the functioning and evolution of different tourism models in order to choose the most suitable one and apply it in the current environment.
  • Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  • Display a customer service orientation.
  • Have a business vision, pinpoint the customer's needs and pre-empt possible changes in the environment.
  • Manage human resources in tourism organisations.
  • Manage the concepts, instruments and functions related to the planning and commercialisation of tourist destinations, resources and spaces.
  • Plan, organise and coordinate a work team, creating synergies and showing empathy.
  • Propose creative alternative solutions to problems arising in the field of tourism management, planning, businesses and products.
  • Show initiative and an entrepreneurial approach to business creation and management in the tourism sector.
  • Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, taking into account potential consequences of these decisions in the short, medium and long term.
  • Use communication techniques at all levels.
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse and diagnose the situation of a tourist destination, resource or space.
  2. Analyse information obtained in the commercial research process.
  3. Apply different tools to analyse human resources.
  4. Apply market research and segmentation techniques to the analysis of information on the tourism sector.
  5. Apply strategic marketing as a source of competitive advantage for tourism entities.
  6. Apply the techniques of budgeting and strategic planning.
  7. Behave ethically and adapt to different intercultural contexts.
  8. Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  9. Decide on the different elements that make up a marketing plan and draw up the plan.
  10. Define commercial policies in tourism companies and products, based on segmentation and market research techniques.
  11. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  12. Develop problem-solving skills in business.
  13. Develop skills in leadership and conflict management.
  14. Develop the skills needed to adapt to new business scenarios.
  15. Discern the function, nature and scope of marketing in the organisation.
  16. Display a customer service orientation.
  17. Have a business vision, pinpoint the customer's needs and pre-empt possible changes in the environment.
  18. Identify and evaluate new business opportunities in the sector.
  19. Identify policies on the environment and sustainability as a differential feature of the tourism sector.
  20. Identify the interrelationship between tourism, quality and sustainability.
  21. Identify the processes that make up the strategic management of human resources.
  22. Identify the resources and capacities needed to develop new businesses.
  23. Make judgements and choices in the area of human resources, establishing suitable channels for implementing and monitoring strategies in this area.
  24. Manage human resources in tourism organisations.
  25. Perform an internal and external analysis to diagnose a business's commercial situation.
  26. Plan, organise and coordinate a work team, creating synergies and showing empathy.
  27. Set objectives and make plans, from a commercial perspective.
  28. Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, taking into account potential consequences of these decisions in the short, medium and long term.
  29. Use communication techniques at all levels.
  30. Use quality management policies (ISO, EFQM, etc.) as a strategic element in companies in the tourism sector.
  31. Work in a team.

Content

1. DESIGNING AND MANAGING TOURISTIC PRODUCTS

1.1 Characteristics of touristic products

1.2 Branding strategy

1.3 New-product development

1.4  Product life-cycle strategies

2. PRICING STRATEGIES

2.1 Factors to consider when setting prices

2.2 Pricing approaches

2.3 Price changes

3. PROMOTING PRODUCTS

3.1 Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)

3.2 Communication strategies

3.3 Advertising and gender perspective

3.4. Online Marketing

3.5. Sales Promotion

3.6. Public Relations

3.7. Professional Sales and Direct Marketing

4. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS

4.1 Nature of Distribution systems

4.2 Channel behaviour

4.3 Setting channel members

4.4  Responsibilities of channel members

4.5  Evaluating channel effectiveness=

5. FUTURE OF TOURISM MARKETING

5.1  Sustainable Tourism

5.2  Monitoring the tourist market

6. MARKETING PLAN

6.1. Purpose of marketing plan.

6.2. Action plans

6.3. Implementation of marketing plan


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Public presentation of work 4 0.16 5, 10, 31, 23
Solutions of case studies 12 0.48 2, 5, 14, 27, 18, 26, 28, 31
Theoretical classes 32 1.28 5, 4, 9, 10, 15, 29, 28
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 19 0.76 11
Type: Autonomous      
Elaboration of reports and presentations 30 1.2 2, 5, 4, 9, 12, 11, 30, 18, 20, 31, 23
Solutions of case studies 12 0.48 1, 10, 14, 11, 25, 18
Study 26 1.04 11

Language of the course: English

 

Classroom theoretical part:

a)    Lectures by professor

Classroom practical part:

a)    Case studies presentations by students

b)    Discussion of sector’s economic news

c)     Discussion of practical cases

Self-learning part:

a)    Resolution of cases by students

b)    Tutorials regarding individual cases

c)     Group tutorials for group projects

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Exams 30% 5 0.2 2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 11, 21
Marketing Plan 40% 5 0.2 1, 2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 9, 10, 13, 12, 14, 15, 25, 27, 24, 21, 22, 18, 29, 26, 28, 16, 17, 31
Practical case studies 30% 5 0.2 2, 10, 7, 8, 13, 14, 11, 30, 18, 20, 19, 29, 26, 23

The evaluation of this subject consists of the following system:

  1. The execution of a partial exam, which will be worth 30% of the final grade and which will include the theoretical material covered in the lectures.
  2. The execution of several practical projects proposed during the course and delivered within the deadline, which will be worth 30% of the final grade (5%-10% each work).
  3. The realization of a Strategic Marketing Plan for a new tourist product (Transversal project): 40% of the final grade. A correct formal presentation and careful elaboration will be valued.

To pass the course, student needs a minimum score of 5 out of 10 (on average) in each of the three parts of evaluation (separately) to calculate the final grade for the course. Otherwise, he/she should go to the final exam.

Single assessment: Final exam (100% of the final grade).

Failure to pass the final exam, obtaining a score between 3.5 and 4.8, Student should attend the revaluation to pass the subject.

The grade for the subject will be NOT EVALUABLE when the student attends less than half of the assessment activities and/or does not attend the final exam.


Bibliography

KOTLER, P., BOWEN, J., MAKENS, J., BALOGLU, S.:”Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism” Global Edition, Pearson, 8th Edition, 2021.

KOTLER, P., AMSTRONG, G.: “Principles of Marketing” 19th Global Edition, Pearson, 2023.

 


Software

Miro board https://miro.com/

Genial.ly https://www.genial.ly/

AhaSlides https://ahaslides.com/


Groups and Languages

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(TE) Theory 1 English second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 2 English second semester morning-mixed