Samenvatting

This marketing communication plan will provide a research in order to reposition the Travel & Languages program as a part of the company Travel Active. Travel Active's program requires a repositioning because there exists a severe competition in the market of studying languages abroad.
Due to the fact that there has been no augmentation in the amount of bookers the last few years perhaps as an effect of the economic crisis, it is of importance to take a good look at the Travel &
Languages program and research what steps there need to be taken in order to get a stronger market position and encourage growth. An answer will be given to the central question: 'How to reposition
the Travel & Languages program of Travel Active in order to increase the number of bookings and get a stronger position in the high competitive world of studying languages abroad in the year
2014?'
The internal analysis shows that the program offers many possibilities regarding destinations, accommodations and programs. Also, the possibility to combine the language program with other
programs of Travel Active is a strength. They offer the customer good assistance and have experienced personnel. However, the find ability rate of their website regarding the languages program is very low and there exists a poor attendance at information gatherings. There is also a lack of visual aids regarding their website and they did not release a language brochure yet. For this particular program there is a low budget and therefore promotion is weak. The external analysis shows an overview of the main competitors. As an outcome, the Travel & Languages programs seem to be already distinguished as apposed to their competitors' programs due to their focus on travelling. On the other hand it seems to be that they are not specialised in languages
because of the accent on their other programs like the au pair, wild life and travel & work programs. Travel Active is rather known as exchange expert instead of language expert compared to their competitors. Surveys show that consumers are certainly interested in the cultural and travel aspects as a part of their language travel. Reliability is very important to them. Some respondents
indicated they had trouble with their host family or the level of their language. A focus group mentioned that Travel Active comes across as a fairly professional company. However, it is
recommended that some adjustments regarding their website should be made.
In order to reposition the Travel & Languages program, 2 strategies are recommended: the differentiation strategy and customer intimacy strategy. It is advised to focus more on the travel aspect and on professionalising the languages. Travel Active will get a stronger market position and will be more differentiated from its competitors. On the other hand, focussing on the wants and needs of the customer is very important during this time of crisis. The relationship between Travel Active and its Travel & Languages customers should be strengthened. By adapting the website and implementing new program possibilities that conform the needs of the consumer, customer
relationship and reliability will grow. Also, a strong follow-up system and brand awareness is important. This target can be reached by improving the Google rate in combination with low-cost direct marketing tools and cross-selling promotions.