Market Position
Manchester (and Manchester Airport) will continue to be positioned as an alternative Gateway to the UK, for visitors to the North of England, Scotland and Wales.
Through on-territory representation, for the first time in 2005, Marketing Manchester shall build tactical effort to grow market share potential by increasing awareness and aspiration to travel to the city region and England's North Country. The focus for 2005/6 will be on airline partnerships, association conference marketing, leisure travel trade industry engagement and customer retention and acquisition.
Target Markets – Key Segments
- Successful Idealists: Affluent and well-educated, placing great value on experiencing other cultures and on the educational aspects of international travel. Tend to be independent, self-reliant and adventurous. Like to be in control and travel independently, avoiding when possible travel agents. View Britain as a travel hub offering the visitor the chance to explore Europe as well as Britain.
- Travel for Education: The Youth Market. Also the "Non Profits" market
- described as "outbound pleasure travellers who are members of a non-profit
organisation and have taken an international vacation trip sponsored by a
non-profit organisation" Older (aged 55+), affluent, well-educated,
sophisticated, intrepid, independent. Travelling in groups of 20-40 with
some kind of education
component as part of the tour.
- Gay and Lesbian Segment: High discretionary income. Higher than average indices for overseas travel. Not tied to school holidays. Sophisticated tastes, strong interest in arts and culture. Extremely health conscious. Tend to travel in same sex couples or small groups (over half are in relationships)
- Self Expressers: Responsive to the image of Britain as exciting and trendy, attracted by music, fashion and shopping.. Young, dynamic, outgoing, with high interest in fashion/clothing/style. Work hard, play hard, not destination loyal. Will stay up to 4 nights. An expanding segment which will incorporate consumers up to the age of 35.
- Enthusiasts: Destination choice driven by their interests at home, such
as golf, gardens, nature, football, literature and the arts etc. Travel as
groups, couples or individuals. No specific age demographic.
- Business Travellers
Key Activity Summary by Date
-
September 2005 – March 2006 (consumer) VB Youth Campaign
-
September
2005 – March 2006 (consumer) VB Gay & Lesbian Campaign
-
September
2005 – March 2006 (consumer) VB Gateway Campaign
-
Website development
of new US web pages
-
March 2006, (Travel trade) familiarisation trip, Manchester
Key On-territory event dates
-
November 2005, (Travel trade) National Tour Association annual convention,
Detroit, Michigan
-
December 2005, (Travel trade) USTOA (United States Tour
Operators Association) annual convention, Cancun, Mexico
-
November 2005,
(Travel trade) Gateway Sales Mission – New York
Leisure Opportunities (PDF 892Kb)