Consumer Behaviour in e-Tourism (DOC)

Running head: EXPLORATION OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT CONSUMER
BEHAVIOUR IN THE SEARCH FOR E-TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A CASE
STUDY OF THAILAND
Exploration of the factors that affect consumer behaviour in the search for e-tourism products
and services: A case study of Thailand
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1
EXPLORATION OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE
SEARCH FOR E-TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A CASE STUDY OF
THAILAND
Abstract
This thesis is associated to having an understanding of the factors that have an impact on the
behaviour of the customers during the search for the e-tourism products and services. In this
manner a background of the thesis comprising of the history of tourism industry and how e-
tourism has developed in properly addressed. The rationale for the selection of the topic and in
that manner how this result would bring in effective results can be attained. The objectives have
been constructed by keeping in the mind the aspects and the elements that needs to be researched
on. The thesis in accordance to the literature has collected the data ideal for this research and
accordingly the data analysis process has been undertaken. The results that have been determined
after extensive analysis indicates that there are several factors that affect consumer behaviour in
accordance to e-tourism products and services and proper monitoring of these factors would
develop the e-tourism business in Thailand.

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EXPLORATION OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE
SEARCH FOR E-TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A CASE STUDY OF
THAILAND
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................5
1.1 Background of the Study.......................................................................................................5
1.2 Rationale of the Study...........................................................................................................7
1.3 Aims and Objectives..............................................................................................................7
1.4 Research Question.................................................................................................................8
Chapter 2: Literature Review...........................................................................................................9
2.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................9
2.2 Models of Consumer Behaviour............................................................................................9
2.3 Perceive risk and diffusion theory.......................................................................................12
2.4 Word-of-mouth communication and the internet................................................................13
2.5 Summary of the Literature...................................................................................................16
Chapter 3: Research Methodology................................................................................................17
3.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................17
3.2 Justification of the selection for the selection of the methodology.....................................17
3.3 Research Philosophy............................................................................................................18
3.4 Research Approach..............................................................................................................18
3.5 Research Design..................................................................................................................19
3.6 Sampling and Sample Size..................................................................................................20
3.7 Process of data collection....................................................................................................20

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EXPLORATION OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE
SEARCH FOR E-TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A CASE STUDY OF
THAILAND
3.8 Data Analysis Method.........................................................................................................21
3.9 Ethical Consideration...........................................................................................................21
Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Discussion......................................................................................22
4.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................22
4.2 Frequency Analysis.............................................................................................................22
Answer to Question No 1......................................................................................................22
Answer to Question No 2......................................................................................................23
Answer to Question No 3......................................................................................................24
Answer to Question No 4......................................................................................................26
Answer to Question No 5......................................................................................................28
Answer to Question No 6......................................................................................................29
Answer to Question No 7......................................................................................................31
Answer to Question No 8......................................................................................................33
Answer to Question No 9......................................................................................................35
Answer to Question No 10....................................................................................................37
Answer to Question No 11....................................................................................................38
Answer to Question No 12....................................................................................................40
Answer to Question No 13....................................................................................................41
Answer to Question No 14....................................................................................................43
Answer to Question No 15....................................................................................................45

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EXPLORATION OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE
SEARCH FOR E-TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A CASE STUDY OF
THAILAND
Answer to Question No 16....................................................................................................47
Answer to Question No 17....................................................................................................49
Answer to Question No 18....................................................................................................51
Answer to Question No 19....................................................................................................53
4.3 Correlation...........................................................................................................................56
Chapter 5: Conclusion, Recommendation and Future Work.........................................................63
5.1 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................63
5.1.1 Addressing the research objectives...............................................................................63
5.2 Recommendation.................................................................................................................65
5.3 Future Work.........................................................................................................................65
Reference List................................................................................................................................66
Bibliography..................................................................................................................................72
Appendix........................................................................................................................................76

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EXPLORATION OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE
SEARCH FOR E-TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A CASE STUDY OF
THAILAND
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
The tourism industry is known to have a key level of importance at the international and
even at the national level with respect to the development of the economy for almost every
nation. This fact is assisted by the statistical evidences that are seen in many articles which states
that international tourism has observed a growth of more than 6% after the year 2014, and even
the rise in the level of tourism has explained the significance of the industry of tourism with
regards to the various employment areas and the development of the economy as well (Zeng and
Gerritsen 2014).
The tourism industry is even known as a hybrid industry as the industry mergers with the
science and technology in order to give way to e-tourism industry. The product of the industry of
tourism is totally reliant in the information given but the end product has always been their
physical service. Therefore, the significance of the function of information technology and
internet can be widely being observed as the key elements of the tourism industry.
With the development of internet and the extensive access to the internet by the tourists,
there has been a synchronized development in the e-tourism services and products. The
customers and the consumers are no longer depending on the conventional styles of holiday
reservations by taking assistance of the travel agents or the tourism operators by in the current
time period they prefer to create their own holiday and travelling arrangements (Tseng 2017).
The rise in the use of internet and the rise in online reservations and bookings for the travelling
destinations has made way to the fact that internet is regarded as the most crucial technique for
gathering data and purchasing of tourism products and services in the present circumstances.

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EXPLORATION OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE
SEARCH FOR E-TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A CASE STUDY OF
THAILAND
However, there have been numerous researches in order discover the impact of the
provided factors over the behaviour of the consumers in relation to e-tourism. Barreda et al.
(2016) cites in his research that management and managers in order to endorse the tourism
business have to utilise the factors like the feelings related to pressure, enjoyment, excitement
etc, in order to advertise and promote and thereby create awareness among the customers in
order to plan a travel. In the manner, Al-Debei, Akroush and Ashouri (2015) in his article
explained that desire and interest is a kind of involvement that reacts towards the recreational
operations like the tourism which creatures from a distinct creation of awareness. The next
variable for this research in the information search, which is even a key factor in e-tourism as it
is one of the crucial sources for undertaking travelling decisions in the form of interpersonal
influences and word-of-mouth. Soltani and Navimipour (2016) addressed that the consumers
need to be provided with the data about the services and products with the function of marketing
which will generate awareness among the consumers for the same and these positive influences
will bring forth satisfactory personal experiences. The third variable is the quality of service
assessment, which acts as the real decision making process that is undertaken by a consumer
regarding a service and is actually reliant on the sort of service quality given to them by the
service provider. Another research undertaken by Hew et al. (2016) address that service quality
related to e-travelling provides an understanding of behaviour of the customers with respect to
satisfaction received from the service. Therefore, the previous researches have expressed that the
variables that have been utilised in this research has an impact on the behaviour of the customers
in the aspect of e-tourism in some aspect or the other.
In Thailand, on the other hand, the presence of Information Communication Technology
(ICT) for the tourism industry has led to a unfavourable impact on the sector, as the consumers

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EXPLORATION OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE
SEARCH FOR E-TOURISM PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: A CASE STUDY OF
THAILAND
are looking for e-tourism products and this is seen for the international and the local tourists as
well. The desire of the government to develop and expand tourism and influence the tourists and
the visitors explains that it is viable to have knowledge about the behaviour of the customers and
what they want as this has key impact on their search for e-tourism products.
1.2 Rationale of the Study
The selection of the topic developed from the identification of the value and importance
of tourism as a whole in Thailand, but even the significance for the tour operators in the nation of
gaining and understanding of the function of e-tourism products and services, which plays a
major role in influencing tourists and making sure that their stay remains positive during the
tenure when they reside in the country. The extensive range of the e-tourism products that are
available like the websites, virtual tours, brochures and social media addresses that this
procedure can be extensively viable in creating interest in the nation and thereby influencing the
visitors. Simultaneously, the rise in the utilisation of e-commerce requires to gain knowledge
about the behaviour of the consumers with regards to the online searching behaviour and its
effectiveness.
1.3 Aims and Objectives
The key aim of the current research paper is:
 To assess the behaviour of the consumer in association to e-tourism products in Thailand
On the other hand, the objectives of the research are:
 To assess the extent and the degree of e-tourism services and products that is available in
the industry of tourism of Thailand