5. Conclusions
This paper analyses the effect of tour operators' marketing strategies on the price of sun and beach holiday packages marketed in Europe. In order to fulfil the aim of this study, almost 6000 holiday packages have been analysed, over a period of 8 seasons (4 years), and for 15 holiday destinations in the Mediterranean and Southern Europe: Spain (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Mallorca), Turkey (Turkish Riviera, Turkish Aegean coast, Istanbul), Egypt (Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Berenice, Luxor and Aswan), Malta (Malta) and Cyprus (Southeast Coast and West Coast), gathering information advertised in the brochures of the most relevant European holiday groups (TUI and Thomas Cook).
The conducted analysis helps to better understand the package price structure to each country and their destinations, including variables of the destination, accommodation and tour operator marketing activities. The results confirm the importance and key role of tour operators, which are facing a new challenge in the distribution system with the arrival of OTAs. This study brings new perspectives to the debate on the role of tour operators in the marketing ‒ these aspects have not been studied in the literature ‒ of destinations and accommodations in their brochures, particularly on the impact of their actions and new trade policies of implementing their own brands and concepts, the purchasing of establishments, category assigned by the tour operator, specific segments they target ‒ labels, awards and incentives, promotional space ‒ pages, and pictorial elements in their brochures enumber of photographs.
