International Business Marketing Internship Report

International Business/Marketing Internship Report

In today's world, it is impossible to think of business on a local, or even national, scale. Today's business reality is a global economy, for businesses large and small. Thanks to globalization, national borders have been lowered. This means suppliers, customers, and competitors are not necessarily just down the street, but could be located anywhere in the world. As such, it is critical for organizational team members to have a firm understanding of the international dimensions of business. Without it, organizations cannot be truly competitive in today's global economy. I anticipate that my internship experience at Korona Tours and Travel in Cyprus will reiterate this fact to me.

Korona Travel is a young travel company that services the Cyprus Tourism Sector. They pride themselves on the high level of service they provide to their international customers. They operate tours out of eleven countries including: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, England, France, Jordan, and Israel.

Their services include everything a visitor to Cyprus could possibly need or want. Whether clients are looking for hotel accommodations, conferences or seminars, airport or hotel escorts, transfers, cruises, excursions and guided sightseeing tours, car or bus rental, or airline tickets, Korona Travel can help. Couple this wide range of services with their knowledgeable, well-trained, friendly, multi-lingual staff and it begins to be easier to see why Korona's level of service is head and shoulders above the competition. They are truly dedicated to meeting the needs of each and every guest from the moment of arrival until they are back home.

The accommodations guests enjoy through Korona are selected for each client's individual needs. From ultra-modern and luxurious 5-star hotels, to small and simple family run units, Korona has something for everyone. In addition, guests may choose from a variety of other accommodations, including apartments, Tourist Villages, Tourist Villas, and Traditional Houses - Argotourism. As Korona holds allotments in most hotels and hotel apartments on the island, they are able to easily satisfy all the requirements of their guests with highly competitive rates.

In addition to these traditional tourism type services, Korona goes one step beyond. Korona also offers houses for sale and for rent. General insurance and assistance with importation and exportation is available through the company. Korona, as well as investments can handle registration, along with a full range of other services, regarding offshore companies.

My internship position will be as Assistant Manager of the Incoming Department from July of this year, through the end of August. This position will involve a variety of responsibilities. First, and foremost, I will be responsible for supervising the reservations area. This will included making direct contact with the hotels, once a reservation is made, to double check that the accommodations were reserved correctly. I will also be responsible for planning the duties and responsibilities of the tourist representatives. The duties of these staff members typically include escorting guests, as well as arranging transfers to and from the airport during their stay. My duties will also include supervising the excursions for clients; this includes scheduling staff to accommodate guests' needs for guided tours and safaris. In addition, I will be taking part in meeting with the company's Board of Directors, providing feedback and taking part in the direction of the organization.

Once I have successfully proven myself in these duties, and have gained the required experience with Korona, I will be employed full time as the Manager of the Sales and Marketing Department. As the Manager of this department, my responsibilities will include visiting our collaborators and principles worldwide and improving our relationships with them.

In addition, it will be my duty to organize and supervise the company's booths at tourist exhibitions abroad. And, lastly, my responsibilities will include fostering public relations with hotels, and developing contracts with them that are mutually beneficial.

I believe the course International Business/Marketing will assist me in a variety of ways during my internship. It will help me identify and analyze relevant opportunities for Korona, in addition to identifying potential constraints in the consumer target market.

I will be better prepared to help the organization manage their marketing mix, including accommodation and services planning, what distribution channels are utilized, and aspects of promotion and pricing. It is this decision-making process irrespective of national boundaries that I feel will be most valuable, especially when it comes to the design and modification of Korona's marketing strategies.

A believe, because of this course, I will be better able to identify new potential markets for the organization. In the development of these markets, this course will allow me to make decisions on which products and services to offer, pricing, promotion, and distribution, while keeping in mind the restraints of a particular cultural, economic and political setting unique to that market. As such, I believe the course has me well prepared for entrance into international business, and I believe I will become a valued asset to Korona Tours.

The position offered, as well as the education I have received, has only inspired me further to continue my career in international marketing. It is an exciting opportunity, to be part of a global company that is dedicated to the highest standards of customer service. In addition, thanks to globalization, I truly believe that International marketing should now be a part of every organization's strategy, therefore, I can't imagine this not being part of my career.

Again, Korona has offered me a very exciting opportunity that I look forward to embarking upon. As Assistant Manager of the Incoming Department I will get first hand knowledge and experience of the bulk of Korona's business. This, coupled with my involvement with the Board of Directors meetings, will allow me to become quickly immersed in Korona's business. Once I am then made Manager of Sales and Marketing, this experience will prove invaluable.

To effectively promote Korona Tours' accommodations and services, it will be necessary to be fully knowledgeable of the details of the company. My position as Assistant Manager of Incoming Department will give me this knowledge. In addition, it will allow me to interact with hotels, which we currently have a relationship with. Not only will I be able to further develop those relationships, but build new partner relationships as well. I will be able to share with potential partners how Korona Tours has been able to help build our existing hotels' businesses. I will have first hand experience with the benefits they receive, and be better prepared to utilize this knowledge to promote Korona Tours.

This will also hold true when speaking with potential clients at events such as travel trade shows. Having worked in the Incoming Department, I will be able to personally speak of the superior customer service Korona offers. I will be able to attest to how the company goes above and beyond normal service levels to ensure that every detail for each guest is handled personally and professionally. This experience will be an incredible benefit to me as I fulfill my public relations responsibilities both with partners and with potential guests.