Dom Gonçalo Hotel presents the project co-financed by P2020, the Centro Regional Operational Programme, and the ERDF.
PROJECT DETAILS:
Beneficiary: Dom Gonçalo Hotéis, Sociedade de Hotelaria e Turismo
Approval Date: 2016 – 01 – 01
Start Date: 2016 – 03 – 08
Completion Date: 2019 – 03 – 08
Project Name: Individual Projects – Internationalisation
Project Code: Centro-02-0752-FEDER-013085
Operational Programme: Programa Operacional Regional do Centro
Investment Priority: PI 3.2 – The development and application of new business models for SMEs, especially regarding internationalisation.
Intervention Typology: TI 52 – Internationalisation of SMEs
Intervention Region: Centro de Portugal
Thematic Objective: OT 3 – Reinforce the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises
Main Objective: Reinforce company competitiveness and internationalisation
Fund: Feder, FSE
Investment: 135.060,17€
Total Eligible Cost: 117.545,17€
Non-repayable Incentive: 52.895,33€
PROJECT SUMMARY:
To implement the internationalisation project, several marketing, promotional, and organisational activities were defined, including the following:
– Web presence through the digital economy: investment directed towards online marketing, with prior rebranding and renewal of photographic image and creation of a new website adhering to best practices and SEO techniques, email marketing actions, social media marketing, among other SEM actions, inclusion in international directories or alternative international sales channels, and adherence to International Associations of Tour Operators;
– Prospecting and presence in international markets: carrying out prospecting actions at international fairs with the aim of promoting/reinforcing the brand’s presence and image in international markets;
– International Marketing: conception and production of promotional material for use in prospecting actions in target markets. This activity also includes the translation of the respective materials into English and Spanish, among others;
– Introduction of a new organisational method: hiring two qualified technical staff to monitor the internationalisation plan and its implementation.
– Introduction of new methods with the acquisition of online distribution tools and adaptation of the booking channel.
In the pre-project year, Dom Gonçalo had a sales volume where 48,64% was destined for external markets. In the post-project year, the company aims to achieve a minimum of 56% of exports.
OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED:
Considering the pre-project year of 2014 and the project’s financial closing date, 8 de Março de 2019, the company is very satisfied with the objectives achieved:
A. From a qualitative merit perspective, the project achieved its objectives with an effective impact on the company’s competitiveness, evaluated by its new positioning in the value chain (it remained almost always in first or second place in the TripAdvisor ranking of Fátima hotels in recent years), level of productive efficiency (with marketing and organisational innovation), and business logic orientation, now with a predominance of the external market in its sales, with a clear increase in new markets such as Brasil, Estados Unidos, Canadá, Polónia and Israel. Houve um redirecionamento dos mercados alvo dados os acontecimentos politicos e económicos na América Latina que era onde estavam localizados alguns dos mercados alvo no projecto inicial.
a) In terms of marketing innovation, significant changes were implemented in product design with rebranding, a new mobile-responsive website translated into English and Spanish, a more efficient proprietary booking system, new promotional brochures, as well as in promotion and distribution with 15 idas a feiras e 6 workshops e 2 acções de prospecção e ainda inúmeras acções de marketing digital com SEO (Search Engine Optimization) e SEM (Search Engine Marketing como publicidade nas redes sociais).
b) In terms of organisational innovation, the application of a new business practice, with the implementation of the Channel manager, allowed for an immense expansion of the unit’s distribution through many more OTA (Online Travel Agencies) with enormous productive efficiency.
B. In terms of Export Increase, the project was very close to achieving the objectives of 56% de exportações, but continuous and very positive growth was observed, reaching 66,76% de internacionalização in 2017. The trend is growing, and the company believes it will achieve the objectives of 56% until the end of 2019. Furthermore, the company achieved its objectives in terms of sales volume due to the increase in exports.
Occupancy rate: 2014: 43,08%; 2018: 58,09% ; 2019 (until 24/03/2019) 53,23%
Exports: 2014:48,64%; 2017: 66,76%; 2018: 51,88%; This means that between 2014 and 2018, we received a difference of 4000 more foreign guests.
C. In terms of Net Job Creation, the project exceeded its objectives with a net increase of 7 directly employed workers. 2014: 37; 2019: 44.
D. Regarding the Regional Impact of the project, a ripple effect was observed in the regional economy through its contribution to upstream activities (Net value of orders to suppliers in 2014: 430.057,53€; Net value of orders to suppliers in 2018: 704.347,18€) and downstream, naturally, with more local sales and more tourists visiting the region. The impact on the thematic domain of employment with 7 more qualified hires should also be mentioned.
