Z T I

NEWSLETTER 3

Tourism Marketing Ethics

By: Ali Zohery

Introduction

The tourism industry in Washington, D.C. is very competitive business. There are tens of companies competing to gain most of the market share and attract the tourists and business travelers, while in Washington, to use their services. One of the main tools of advertising about each company’s service is its brochures. In the lobbies of most of the hotels these brochures are displayed. The tourists pick up what appeals to them from these brochures and whatever meet their needs they call and arrange for their tours. Some other tourists let the hotel employees to arrange that for them.

There are several sightseeing tour operations in Washington, DC, few of them are big operations, and many others are small operations. There is a war between these companies, especially the big ones. Each of them does whatever they can to get as much of the market share. If any of the small companies started to grow and get bigger, the big companies react immediately with any means to make it harder for the small company to grow. One of these means is to remove the brochures of the small growing company from the hotels. So, the tourists will not have access to any brochures except for these of the big companies.

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Statement of the Problem

There are many of small tour companies. They face a problem in marketing their services to Washington, D. C. Hotels. Some of these small operations distribute their brochures to the hotels through a distribution company, but most of these brochures are removed from the hotels in the same day or the following day. Someone from the competitors or one of the hotel employees removes these tour companies’ brochures from its display. Is it ethical behavior from these competitors or the hotel employees to remove brochures of some tour operations? Telephone calls from the hotels are received as long as the brochures are there. Upon their removal the calls from these hotels stop. Not only some of the competitors and some of the hotel employees, but also gift shop workers participate in the removal of these brochures. If these hotel employees and gift shops' workers prefer one tour company to the other for specific reasons, the brochures of the companies that they do not prefer have no room there.

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Purpose of the research

In this research I discussed the tourism marketing ethics. The behaviors of some tour operations are unethical when they market their services. Also, the hotels and how they respond to each tour operation. I analyzed some of the unethical behavior of the employees of these organizations. By this research, I will define the bad ethical behavior in such organizations and will recommend how this bad ethical behavior to be handled. I will suggest good ethical behavior to market tour service in the nation’s capital.

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Methods of Data Collection

My methodologies for collecting data for my research include interviews, questionnaires, surveys and my observations. Since I work in the tourism industry, So, my observations through my participation in the field will give me the opportunity to know more about the problem. I called six major tour operations in Washington, DC. I spoke to either the general managers or the marketing directors and asked them the following questions:

1. What are your definitions of the tourism marketing ethical and unethical behavior?

2. Are you aware of any unethical behavior that any other tour operations or hotel employees have done to your company?

3. What’s your codes of ethics in marketing?

4. Do you conduct marketing ethics training programs?

I called ten hotels and I spoke to the sales office, front office, concierge, bellmen, also, gift shops' owners and workers. I asked them questions regarding the marketing ethical behavior of the representatives of the tour operations who get their business. I talk to the person whose company distributes the brochures of most of the tour companies in Washington, DC to the hotels around the metropolitan area. I asked him about his experiences with these companies regarding their ethical or unethical behaviors in marketing their services.

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Results/Findings

In her article "The ABC’s of business ethics" Carolyn Wiley defined ethics is being concerned with moral obligation, responsibility, and social justice. The ethics reflect the character of the individual and since the business firm is a collection of individuals, so, the ethics reflect the character of the business firm too.

After Talking to managers and marketing directors of the famous tour operations, I found that all of them experiencing the same problem of brochures' removal. The hotel employees who prefer to deal with specific operations, they remove the other tour operations' brochures. How this problem is handled? Just go back to these hotels and add more brochures over and over and make sure there are enough brochures all the time. Some tour operations deal directly with the top management and the sales office. This means that the orders come from the top which tour company the hotel employees should give the business. These companies do not have to work hard to earn the loyalty of the front line, such as the front office, concierge and bellmen. Some other tour companies concentrate on the front line people in the hotel. They are the people who are in direct touch with the hotel guests any way.

From talking to hotel managers, sales offices, front offices, concierges and bellmen, I noticed that some of them deal specifically with specific tour operation. Such hotels have contracts with these operations. The managers of these hotels say these large tour operations supply us with customers for the hotel or the restaurant inside the hotel. These large tour operations conduct business in other cities, even in other countries. Some other hotels keep information about all tour operations is available for all the guests. Tour companies’ representatives remove the other tour companies' brochures to display theirs only. Some companies even get involve in tricks for other companies to lose their licenses, or for new applicants not to get their permits.

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Conclusion

It is a war going on between the tour operations here in Washington, DC. There are some tour operations who are doing unethical behaviors in marketing their services in the nation’s capital. Because of there are no codes of ethics are defined, and there are no marketing ethics training programs are conducted. There will be always unethical marketing behaviors are committed by some of the greedy tour operations.

If these unethical acts will continue, the government will step in to set rules and regulations and there will be restriction on some of the activities of the tour operations. Also, the public will lose faith and interest in the tour operations services or even the hotels' employees to arrange for their sightseeing.

In her article, The ABC of Business Ethics, Carolyn Wiley mentioned the GOLDEN RULE that comes from most of the major religions. The principle is that one should treat the others the way he/she wanted to treated. There must be a way for a fair share market for every tour operation. In the next section of this research, I will recommend and suggest some ideas, if they are implemented, the unethical behaviors will be down to a minimum.

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Recommendations/Suggestions

From the results and findings of these surveys, interviews and my personal observation, I came up with the following recommendations and suggestions:

	The tour operations need to clearly identify their codes of ethics in marketing their tour services. Implementing these codes is very important. Every body in the organization must realize that implementing and applying these codes of ethics is for the benefits of the individual and the organization in the long run. The organization will be respected among the others and the public will support that organization.
	The tour operations have to conduct training programs in the tourism marketing ethics for their employees, especially, the newly hired ones. If any tour operation is doing unethical marketing conduct, the other operations must exercise restraint and not to respond back with the same way. They need to deal with the situation in a wisely manner.
	The tour operations need to form an association. Let us call it (Tour Operations Association of greater Washington, DC). Through that association they need to open channel of communication. All operations should get together to discuss the marketing unethical problems and find solution for them. Voluntarily, these operations should implement the rules and regulations that all of them agreed upon. That will be better than imposing official rules and regulations from the government in case of stepping in, if the situation got out of control. The hotels are sources of business for these tour operations.
	The hotel managers, Sales offices, front offices, concierges, bellmen and gift shop employees should allow fair opportunities for all tour operations to display their brochures and let the hotel guests choose whatever service suite their needs.

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Bibliography/ References

	1. Marion Wheeler, Tourism Marketing Ethics, 1995
	2. Carolyn Wiley, The ABC of Business Ethics, 1995
	3. Kirk Davidson, We have Polices, now lets implement them, 1995

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