STA Travel Case Study
Case Study 1: STA Travel Island
Table of Contents
Background: STA Travel 3
Alternative 1: Second Life 3
Advantages 3
Disadvantages 3
Alternative 2: Pinterest 3
Advantages 3
Disadvantages 3
Alternative 3: Marketing to the Alumni 3
Advantages 3
Disadvantages 3
Background: STA Travel STA Travel was founded in 1979. They have marketed themselves as the world’s largest student travel organization. Since the time they were founded, they have grown to include several countries in their portfolio. Being very well known in England and Australia, in 2003, they grew to include the United States brand. Originally, reaching their customers through retail locations, located close to college campuses, the Internet made way for new competition. Competitors included student focused companies as well as Travelocity and Expedia. Not only was this make way for competition, it could also be considered an advantage. Just speaking for the United States, STA Travel couldn’t possibly have a location at every institute and online would expose students that may not attend an institution that was close to an STA Travel. Not to mention, the fact that now so many Universities and Colleges are online. It was predicted that 2007 would produce more online bookings than offline retail bookings. With the rise of the Internet era, STA Travel had to reconsider their consumer approach. With that in mind, they decided to use a single integrated information system and have more responsibility closer to the action. Each major country was responsible for their sales and marketing arms, keeping the company as local as possible. Keeping a consistent feel with the website, each country was free to design their own marketing campaigns. To me, this is a great concept because each country is the expert for that country and make their own deals. I could never create deals or write about a country that I’m not familiar with nor, have visited. Leaving that to
Table of Contents
Background: STA Travel 3
Alternative 1: Second Life 3
Advantages 3
Disadvantages 3
Alternative 2: Pinterest 3
Advantages 3
Disadvantages 3
Alternative 3: Marketing to the Alumni 3
Advantages 3
Disadvantages 3
Background: STA Travel STA Travel was founded in 1979. They have marketed themselves as the world’s largest student travel organization. Since the time they were founded, they have grown to include several countries in their portfolio. Being very well known in England and Australia, in 2003, they grew to include the United States brand. Originally, reaching their customers through retail locations, located close to college campuses, the Internet made way for new competition. Competitors included student focused companies as well as Travelocity and Expedia. Not only was this make way for competition, it could also be considered an advantage. Just speaking for the United States, STA Travel couldn’t possibly have a location at every institute and online would expose students that may not attend an institution that was close to an STA Travel. Not to mention, the fact that now so many Universities and Colleges are online. It was predicted that 2007 would produce more online bookings than offline retail bookings. With the rise of the Internet era, STA Travel had to reconsider their consumer approach. With that in mind, they decided to use a single integrated information system and have more responsibility closer to the action. Each major country was responsible for their sales and marketing arms, keeping the company as local as possible. Keeping a consistent feel with the website, each country was free to design their own marketing campaigns. To me, this is a great concept because each country is the expert for that country and make their own deals. I could never create deals or write about a country that I’m not familiar with nor, have visited. Leaving that to