1.0 Introduction and Situation Analysis
The Australian largest theme park, Dreamworld, located on the Gold Coast in Queensland remains to be the highest tourist attraction site. Dreamworld Corroboree as one of its main attractions offers an interactive appreciation of native culture as well with indigenous wildlife including its value significance that interest education (Ardent Leisure, 2016). With the rising competition in the tourism industry, it is significant for the organization to set up proper marketing strategies and effective communicative messages intended for their target customers which will help it to gain a competitive advantage over the other competitors. This paper seeks to give an intense analysis of Dreamworld Corroboree’s current operating environment by using SWOT analysis together with site analysis to ascertain the most suitable promotional tools and communication tools which will facilitate strategic recommendations for Dreamworld’s management team to enable their managers to attain its objective of improving customer experience and increasing ticket sales.
1.1 Business Environment Analysis
Therefore, the identification of Dreamworld Corroboree’s environmental trends, opportunities, and its challenges are facilitated by the SWOT analysis. Its main environmental trend is the current unpredictable changing weather patterns which affect the number visitations among both domestic and international visitors. Dreamworld Corroboree’s opportunities include an addition of safari attractions, improving on their electronic advertisement and as well improving on their target customers by further diversifying customers to university or college youths and as well ordinary individuals (Fahim, et al., 2010). Corroboree faces some challenges as well which include steep competition because of the rising number of amusement parks in Australia. Currently, as the country faces inflation which has led to the decline of recreational activities, therefore, the residents opting to stay at home and watch electronic media rather than going to the park due to the economic strains. Moreover, Dreamworld faces another challenge through competition from other neighboring parks like Aladdin whereby people prefer going to those near their homes as they provide similar services as those of Dreamworld Corroboree.
2.0 Site Analysis
Dreamworld theme park, founded by Ardent Leisure company, is situated in Gold Coast area in Queensland. However, Dreamworld has various attractions including Dreamworld Corroboree which its major attraction. In order to satisfy the needs and expectations of their customers, Corroboree has gone ahead to provide diverse products and services (Kotler, Bowen & Makens, 2014). Corroboree majors in the provision of wildlife and cultural experience as its core products. Based on the analysis made in the field trip Corroboree, it is evident that their visitors perceive tangible products that physical to be Corroboree’s core product. But they do not perceive wildlife and culture experience as the core products since they are intangible (Kotler, Bowen & Makens, 2014).
A precise environment has been established through the exterior walls and race painted with brown colors to bring the ancient times atmosphere in figure 5.1. However, this signage is the facilitating product enhancing the accessibility of the visitors to the core product (Kotler, Bowen & Makens, 2014). The signage indicating opening hours including the schedule for every wildlife and cultural experience noted at the front of the place during the field trip at Corroboree creates awareness to the visitors on the accessibility of the cultural and wildlife information. The organization can outstand from its competitors through the aid of supporting products which facilitate it to attain a competitive advantage (Kotler, Bowen & Makens, 2014). Corroboree has managed to distinguish itself from their competitors using the exhibition hall as their supportive product. As per the field trip analysis, Corroboree has an updated version of physical infrastructures which is the exhibition room with its interior structured with digital signage portraying statistics about Gold Coast. As evident from the image, the latest version of a physical facility together with the digital signage appears to be appealing to customers mostly children and foreign visitors who are enthusiastic to understand the culture of Australia.
Moreover, the interaction between the visitors with the native interpretation officers is as well an exclusive experience at Corroboree. Nevertheless, as per the Corroboree field analysis, a weakness was identified whereby a cluttered atmosphere is established by the disorganization and congestion at the space between Corroboree’s restaurant and the Crocodile Feeding Show. Therefore, communication of the brand image of Corroboree is facilitated through how it appears physically according to its external appearance, employee orientations, the signage and the atmosphere at large. Nonetheless, the issue of cleanliness is in contrary to Corroboree’s image. The entire process of experience of Corroboree belongs to augmented products since they entail the entirety of the product (Kotler, Bowen & Makens, 2014).
2.1 Identification of Target market
With regards to the Corroboree’s site analysis, the target customers have been identified. The domestic customers are considered as the primary target market. This can be either daytime or night-time customers, particular families with kids below the age of 15 with income ranging from $36,400 to $51,999 (Tourism Research Australia, 2013). This social class often take part in outdoor family-oriented events which is favorable to their budget (Morgan, 2012). Foreign visitors especially Chinese are considered to be the secondary target market as their rate of visiting has always been high as well as their spending rate (Tourism Research Australia, 2017).
3.0 Sales Promotional Tactic
It is recommendable for Corroboree management team to employ the use of public relations for promoting sales and facilitate communication with its target audiences. Public relations entails management of views of brand imaging so as to allure target potential users or customers and corroborate the loyalty of clientele (Culip, Center & Broom, 2000). Therefore, communication design is aimed at informing the potential desired users or customers on the experience at Corroboree, and to guide the view of the image of the brand in a progressive and positive direction. It is impertinent for a firm to maintain consistency in message design in tandem with the goal of communication (Eagle & Kitchen, 2000). What is contained in the message should be able to bring a moral and rational appeal to the desired market thematic bearing being ‘Glorious Australian Heritage’.
The thematic content of the message can be construed in varied aspects according to its substitutes. For instance, the word ‘Glorious’ may be construed as ‘enjoyable’, which facilitates the allure Corroboree has on the desired clienteles since what is contained in the message conforms with the desired clienteles’ significance of familial fun life. In addition, the theme enhances Dreamworld’s management in building a positive repute from the desired users since it sufficient for Dreamworld to commit itself to a continuing interest in developing the community. Queensland homes comprising of a familial couple having a single or more kids needed a high percentage of access to the internet over 83% (Queensland Government Treasury, 2008). Therefore, it is recommended for Dreamworld management to make use of social media platforms since it will enhance Corroboree’s communication. Social media platforms provide a vital tool for buzz marketing. Buzz marketing permits firms to build readers who opine and pass the word on a firm’s new product and message since advertising by word-of-mouth has a very influential impact on the consumers’ behavior on the image of a certain brand (Kotler, Bowen & Makens, 2014). Corroboree management should choose broad consumers who are well known social media influencers and bloggers amongst homes to be the message source since individual word and recommendation of reliable allies, associates, and other consumers are more credible than corporate sources (Kotler, Bowen & Makens, 2014).
4.0 Recommendation
Provision of recommendation on three perceptions geared on the improvement of visitor experience, sale and advertisement or marketing:
- It is recommendable for sales management of Dreamworld to create progress of product by the increase in leisure and entertainment amenities and implement the modern tools that are in European and other developed countries (Fahim, et al., 2010).
- Sales management of Dreamworld should come up with public relation as advertising tools by use of buzz marketing and terms like “SAFARI” exhibiting wild ambiance creating an allure for clienteles leading to high sales of tickets (Fahim, et al., 2010).
Sales management of Dreamworld should create market progress by introducing accommodation amenities to domestic vacationers and foreign tourists and tie with standards of five-star hotels such as global dishes that would then allure more customers (Fahim, et al., 2010)