Chapter 2
Tourism Consumer Behavior
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Learning Outcomes
This lecture deals with the factors and influences which, when combined, will
influence a consumers demand for tourism. By reading this chapter you will:
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The needs, purchase motives and decision process associated with the
consumption of tourism;
The impact of the different effects of various promotional tactics;
The possible perception of risk for tourism purchases, including the
impact of terrorist incidents;
The different market segments based upon purchase behaviour; and
How managers can improve their chance of marketing success.
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We can view the tourism consumer decision process as a system made up of four
basic elements:
Energisers of demand - the forces of motivation that lead a tourist to decide to
visit an attraction or go on a holiday.
Effectors of demand - the consumer will have developed ideas of a destination,
product or organisation by a process of learning, attitudes and associations from
promotional messages and information. This will affect the consumers image
and knowledge of a tourism product thus serving to heighten or dampen the
various energisers that lead to consumer action.
Roles and the decision-making process - here, the important role is that of the
family member who is normally involved in the different stages of the purchase
process and the final resolution of decisions about when, where and how the
group will consume the tourism product.
Determinants of demand. In addition, the consumer decision-making process
for tourism is underpinned by the determinants of demand.
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Motivation
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Maslows Model
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Plogs Model
In 1974, Stanley Plog developed a theory which allowed the US
population to be classified into a series of interrelated psychographic
types. These types range from two extremes:
The psychocentric type is derived from 'psyche' or 'self-centred' where
an individual centres thoughts or concerns on the small problem areas of
life. These individuals tend to be conservative in their travel patterns,
preferring safe destinations and often taking many return trips. For this
latter reason, market research in the tour-operating sector labels this
group as 'repeaters'.
The allocentric type derives from the root allo meaning varied in
form. These individuals are adventurous and motivated to
travel/discover new destinations. They rarely return to the same place
twice, hence their market research label 'wanderers'.
Cooper et al: Tourism: Principles and Practice, 3e
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Motivation Summary
We can see that the dimensions of the concept of motivation in the
context of travel are difficult to map. In summary they can be seen to
include:
The idea that travel is initially need-related and that this manifests
itself in terms of wants and the strength of motivation or push, as the
energiser of action;
Motivation is grounded in sociological and psychological aspects of
acquired norms, attitudes, culture, perceptions, etc., leading to personspecific forms of motivation; and
The image of a destination created through various communication
channels will influence motivation and subsequently affect the type of
travel undertaken.
Cooper et al: Tourism: Principles and Practice, 3e
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Cohens Typology
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4.
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need arousal
recognition of the need
level of involvement
identification of alternatives
evaluation of alternatives
decision choice
purchase action
post-purchase behaviour
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