Marketing practices of coach operators in the context of tourism and the implications for the future.

The aim of this thesis is to critically examine the marketing policies and practices of the operators of long distance coach services and extended coach tours. The historical development of the industry is recounted in chapters 2 and 3, with the latter concentrating on the post 1947 years, in which there has always been some degree of public ownership in the road , passenger transport industry. Chapters 4 and 5 are concerned with reviewing the relevant transport and tourism literature respectively. Not only are works recounted, but also critically analysed, and their bearing upon the subject under study is evaluated. Chapter 6 examines the tourism phenomenon within which the greater part of coach travel falls. The increasing number of staying tourists is shown to help counteract the declining market share of coach travel, although the numbers using the coach for holiday purposes still falls. The type of person to travel by coach is examined in Chapter 7, and supportive, although not conclusive, evidence is offered in Appendix 5. This data results from analysis of the British National Travel Survey, and shows that tour passengers are likely to be of socio-economic group C2, either elderly and female, or middle aged married couples. The data also suggests that C2 people aged 35-54, and DE, over 65 years, are the two most common types of express passenger. This supports operators' views that coach travellers tend to be elderly and from the lower income groups. Coach operators are constrained in their operational and marketing activities by matters which are beyond their control. These limitations, which mainly affect product formulation, are examined in Chapter 8. Chapter 9 is devoted to one of the most important influences upon the coach industry, the licensing system. The effect of the 1930 legislation upon such marketing activities as pricing and product formulation is examined. The consequences of relaxing the licensing system are also discussed. The marketing practices of operators is the subject of chapter 10. The product formulation, pricing, promotion and distribution by tour and express operators is described. These practices, and operators* attitudes towards knowledge of marketing are critically analysed. The final chapter is based upon these findings. Chapter 11 consists of recommendations of what can be done to improve the marketing of coach services. In this way a more efficient relationship can be created between consumer and producer in the market for coach operations