Chessington World of Adventures Resort

 

This blog  is a critical analysis of the marketing strategy of Chessington World of Adventures Resort that looks at its internal and external environment. The internal analysis uses the Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (STP) model to assess the way the resort recognizes and caters to its major visitor groups. The external analysis employs the Five Forces model by Porter in evaluating the competitive forces that Chessington is exposed to in the UK theme park and leisure attraction industry. The evaluation throws light on the unique hybrid status of Chessington as the theme park, the zoo and short-break resort, as well as defines the problems connected with the competition, seasonality and shifted consumer expectations. At the end of the report the recommendations are provided to promote sustainable growth and enhance competitive advantage.

UK tourism and leisure market is quite competitive, and the attractions are expected to keep evolving their marketing strategies to suit the changing consumer demands. Theme parks are in the experience-based market in which differentiation, service quality, and brand positioning are important to success (Middleton et al., 2021).

This blog report aims to give a critique of the marketing strategy of Chessington World of Adventures Resort using the evaluation of its internal and external environment. The report also uses Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (STP) model in appraising marketing choices that internal marketing undertakes and Porters Five Forces framework to analyze the competitive environment where the resort functions.

The report is designed the following way. Chapter Two gives a background of a Chessington World of Adventures Resort. Chapter Three gives an internal review with the help of STP. In Chapter Four, the analysis of external competitive forces is done through Porters Five Forces. Chapter five also talks of the future development opportunities and gives strategic recommendations.

Background

Chessington world of adventures resort is a capitalist leisure adventure in the UK that is situated in Surrey, and it is a combination of a theme park, zoo and a resort hotel in one place. The hybrid nature of this model makes Chessington stand out of the numerous traditional theme parks as well as allows the park to target a wide market segment with families in mind (Chessington World of Adventures, 2024).

Merlin Entertainments owns and manages the resort, and it is one of the largest companies in the world that deal with location-based entertainment. Chessington, as one of the Merlin portfolios, also enjoys a good brand name, which shares in marketing efforts and economies of scale in operations and purchasing (Merlin Entertainments, 2023). The resort has a major role in the UK tourism sector, which serves the domestic tourists and boosting the economy of the region.

Chessington must compete with the likes of LEGOLAND Windsor, Thorpe Park and Alton Towers as well as the indirect competition of zoos, wildlife parks and family leisure parks.