Tourism Consumer Behaviour and Insight

This document explores the factors influencing attitudes and behaviour in the tourism industry, including psychological, cultural, and social factors. It also discusses the impact of digital technology on consumer trends and the stages of consumer decision making. Additionally, it examines the importance for marketers to map the purchase path and understand decision making in the tourism sector. Finally, it compares and contrasts decision making in B2B and B2C contexts.

Tourism consumer
behaviour and
Insight

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Different factors which influence attitudes and behaviour with tourism context.................1
P2. Exploring about how consumer trends are changing because of digital technology impacts
.....................................................................................................................................................2
M1. Analysing various factors influencing behaviours and are changing or driving tourism
trends............................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P3. Examining stages related to journey of consumer decision making and mapping purchase
path for tourism service...............................................................................................................3
P4. Exploring importance for marketers to map purchase path together with understanding
decision making of travellers.......................................................................................................5
M2. Evaluating how marketers responds towards process of decision making in tourism sector
.....................................................................................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P5. Comparison and contrast among hospitality decision making in B2C and B2B context......6
P6. Evaluating approaches of market research methods.............................................................7
M3. Justified evaluation for different factors influencing decision making along with
behaviour of purchasing in tourism field.....................................................................................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
P7. Evaluating how tourism marketers could influence stages involved on decision making
process of travellers.....................................................................................................................9
M4. Critical evaluation about the marketers influencing each stage of decision making.........10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Tourism is all about travelling either for business or entertainment purposes. It is also a
business that attract, accommodates addition to entertain travellers with various services
(Banerjee, 2017, p. 20). Consumer behaviour is one of branch that studies stages through which a
person goes through while making initiative for buying products or other essential service for
end consumption. The present report is all about Transindus Ltd which is London based tourism
organisation that manages large tour operations across the globe. Its headquarters are established
at London, UK since 1989. The report covers information about factors which influence attitudes
of tourism consumers, stages through which consumer goes when makes decision for purchasing
specific service, importance or marketers to understand decision making on consumers and
mapping purchase path. Further, it also compares and contrasts certain differences in decision
making between B2B and B2C, approaches of market research and methods and how marketers
of company can influence stages of decision making among tourism consumer.
TASK 1
P1. Different factors which influence attitudes and behaviour with tourism context
Tourism sector is among fastest growing industry in which multiple number of factors
exists for influencing attitudes, behaviours, choices and desires of consumers for the
organisational services (Chen, Wang and Prebensen, 2016, p. 140) . Marketing analysist of
Transindus Ltd made efforts to examine distinct factors and explore information about influences
of elements on attitudes and behaviours of travellers. The ways in which certain factors influence
behaviours and attitudes are as investigated:
Psychological factors: Perception, beliefs, learning and motivation of an individual are
elements of psychological factors that have huge involvement in designing influences for
particular service among consumers. For instance, when an individual is influenced by other
people that the tourism service offered by Transindus Ltd is good or the company provides best
services then it influences attitudes of consumers to make their mindset for make bookings of the
organisational service.
Cultural factors: Social class, subculture together with main culture through which an
individual learns things at early development stages also plays influential role in changing
behaviour and attitude among people for particular service offering by firms (Guan and Jones,
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2015, p. 425). Transindus Ltd managers have divided its targeted population into distinct
segments that includes high class, middle class and lower class consumers. For instance, high
class people have belief of making bookings of rooms or suites of higher prices while middle or
lower class people prefer to buy services within their budget. Accordingly, the tourism
organisation offers different holiday packages that influence the behaviours of travellers
positively.
Social factors: Humans live in complex social environment in which they are encircled by
multiple people having distinct purchasing attitudes or behaviours. Family members, roles,
reference groups and other elements are social factors that influence attitudes of travellers. For
instance, when family members and reference groups of travellers of Transindus Ltd stays at
luxurious hotels and exceptionally services then this influence attitudes and behaviours of
consumers in similar manner.
Personal factors: In dynamic world, certain factors including lifestyle, profession, income
and age are personal to individual which results in influences towards attitudes of consumers
(Hall and Williams, 2019). For instance, consumers of age group among 20 to 30 years prefers to
travel for fun purpose and consumers having stable occupation travels for business purposes,
when marketing analysis of Transindus Ltd offers suitable travelling service considering
occupation, lifestyle and age of consumers then it leads to influencing attitudes positively for the
service.
P2. Exploring about how consumer trends are changing because of digital technology impacts
Through ages, tourism sector have attained growth significantly with new technological or
digital technological developments (Lee and Et. Al., 2017, p. 300). Marketing analysist of
Transindus Ltd have explored that tourism industry is looking brighter with the impacts that
digital technology has created with profound advances in unification of multiple channels for
guiding travel goers and this results in certain number of changes among trends of consumers.
Following are some other ways that have plays significant roles in changing consumer trends
with digital technology impacts:
Increasing emphasis towards health: In modern world, people are becoming more
conscious towards heath and related elements that results in enhancing consumer trends. For
example, an individual while making bookings in tourism organisation, looks towards facilities
including zym, spa, yoga and many more. It is important for managers of Transindus Ltd to offer
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services which are safe for consumers. The destination, quality of food and other recreational
facilities that are offered by the entity are safe that attracts large customers towards it (Murphy,
Chen and Cossutta, 2016, p. 50).
Mobile integration: Growth of mobile first along with mobile only brands impacts
positively on consumers trends as this results in performing things practically on phones such as
making bookings, ordering room service, unlocking room doors and many more. Moreover, it is
also explored by marketers of Transindus Ltd that digital technology impacts have lead to
changing consumer trends to making booking themselves and even planning entire trip without
communicating or having words with organisations in the field.
Reputations: It is no doubt that digital technology impacts have made guests booking
instantly and also sharing their opinions right away through TripAdvisor, Facebook and other
review websites (Pearce, Wu and Chen, 2015, p. 30). Because of the impacts, it is explored that
consumer trends are changing as technology have pushed tourism organisations to make
emphasis on serving quality customer services. In context to Transindus Ltd, it provides better
services to its guests as per their expectation that maintains its reputation higher than other
operators.
M1. Analysing various factors influencing behaviours and are changing or driving tourism trends
Podoshen and ET. Al (2015, p. 320) states that tourism industry is wide sector among other
industries that which include multiple factors having potentials for influencing behaviours of
consumers. For example, consumers having high digit salary and are youngsters have desires for
luxury hospitality services. When Transindus Ltd provides them offers related to expected
services then it leads to influencing their behaviours positively. Moreover, it has been analysed
that other factors like cultural, psychological and social also have huge role in influencing
attitudes. Increasing emphasis towards health, mobile integration and reputations are some
digital technological impacts that are driving consumer trends in the tourism industry.
TASK 2
P3. Examining stages related to journey of consumer decision making and mapping purchase
path for tourism service
Proper understanding about consumer decision making journey is essential for
organisations for future success addition to survival. It is viewed as the effective process that
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assists consumers to make purchase for determining the offering of an enterprise that fits best to
their needs (Petersen, Kushwaha and Kumar, 2015, p. 50). Managers of Transindus Ltd are able
to determine needs for its hospitality service of targeted segment and accordingly offer the
service effectively than its rivals. The stages in consumer decision making are examined as
below:
Need recognition: The first stage wherein consumers make attempts to recognise their
needs for particular service or product with the wish of filling gaps. At this stage, marketers of
Transindus Ltd assists consumers through developing relevant information to recognise needs
and work towards advertising their hospitality service that have competence to meet recognised
needs.
Information search: The next stage wherein consumer researches options and information
by relying on various factors and past interactions with specific brand or its product. In
information search stage, consumers of Transindus Ltd browse through options through
consulting with tour operators or other online resources for the hospitality service.
Alternative evaluation: Prospective consumers at this stage of journey have propounded
criteria for the things they want in a product (Rivera, Croes and Lee, 2016, p. 5). Further,
consumer weighs all the prospective choices against comparable options or alternatives. In this
stage, team of marketing of Transindus Ltd helps consumers through presenting hospitality
services in form of additional product benefit, availability, prices charged by other hotels and
many more that helps consumers to evaluate available alternatives properly.
Purchase decision: The stage is the moment for which consumer waits the most that is
actual purchase. After gathering all facts and relevant information, consumers of Transindus Ltd
arrives at logical conclusion for purchasing its hospitality service by recognising it the best to
meet needs.
Post purchase behaviour: it includes reflection from consumers about the product. It
helps managers of Transindus Ltd to identify whether the clients are happy with purchasing
hospitality service or the purchase of service meet identified need and many more through
feedbacks. As per the results, necessary changes are made by managers in the service to meet
other customer’s needs effectively.
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P4. Exploring importance for marketers to map purchase path together with understanding
decision making of travellers
Marketing department of each tourism company perform functions for mapping purchase
path together with understands the ways in which travellers makes decision for particular service.
Moreover, for marketers of Transindus Ltd, it is important to map out effective purchase path so
to analyse the factors that impacts on consumer’s attitude for purchasing, promoting offerings in
the manner that motivates consumers for buying and considering nature of decision making
stages used by consumers in market. At same time, understanding decision making of tourers is
also important for marketers of firms because it helps in identifying insights of each consumer
for organisational hospitality service, unifying data about prospective buyers and continuing
engagements (Seo, Yun and Kim, 2017, p. 140). It is also important for marketers to consider
pain points of customers while mapping customer path as it helps the entity in solving various
pain points related to customers including financial pain points, process pain points, support pain
point etc and achieve success in prospects. Along with this, by solving pain points, organisation
is benefited in making unique image in market to which customers trust the most. Moreover,
when marketers are able to understand the ways consumers approaches through products they
achieves success in increasing returns on investment made by the company. Certain influences
that make it important for marketers to perform actions for mapping purchase path and
understanding decision making for hospitality service in tourism industry are underneath:
Influences of marketing mix elements: Marketing mix is effective operational part of
entire marketing plan that influences marketers to map out purchase path and assist in each
phases for understanding the ways targeted people makes decision. Marketers of Transindus Ltd
analyses influences of elements such as process, product, people, place, physical evidence, price
and promotion on consumers and eradicates hidden obstacles through suitable actions which
absolutely influence travellers for buying hospitality service offered by the tourism business unit.
Influences of heuristic factors: Heuristics are said to general decision making tactics that
are used by consumers to make decisions. These are mental shortcuts which decreases cognitive
burdens related to decision making for specific product. For example, available and
representative heuristics are some of the types that allows marketers of Transindus Ltd to solve
consumer problem and helping them to make judgement quickly for the hospitality service. It
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shortens time for decision making and allows travellers to proper function despite of continuous
stopping to think for next action that results positive influences (Sharma and Nayak, 2018, p.
42).
M2. Evaluating how marketers responds towards process of decision making in tourism sector
In accordance to ideas of Xiang, Magnini and Fesenmaier (2015, p. 248), it has been
evaluated that various activities are performed by marketers for responding decision making
process of travellers. for instance, marketers of Transindus Ltd responds through considering
consumer and market trends, assisting in need identification, making attractive advertisements,
preparing comparable charts and promoting hospitality service by keeping in needs of
holidaymaker. Moreover, marketers also perform influencing roles in entire journey of consumer
decision making for responding appropriately.
TASK 3
P5. Comparison and contrast among hospitality decision making in B2C and B2B context
Hospitality decision making is based on two terms that are B2B and B2C which are
commercial transactions performed between business to business and business to consumer. The
decision making in both commercial transaction are different in various manner. In this context,
marketing analysist of Transindus Ltd compares and contrast the key differences in decision
making among B2B and B2C that are below:
Key differences in
decision making
Business to business Business to consumer
Purchasing activities Business to business decision
making involves integral
relationship among companies,
suppliers and client businesses.
The elements in purchase decision
making process for activities in
business to business include
longer buying cycles, involvement
of more people and necessity of
proof.
The key elements in decision
making for activities to purchase in
business to consumer include
individual buyers and emotional
motives. It is perceived that
consumers have emotions such as
stress, desire of joy and others
while purchasing hospitality
service (Xu, Frankwick and
Ramirez, 2016, p. 1560).
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Focus Main focus in decision making
process in B2B is to maintain
positive and effective relationship
among other businesses. For
instance, Transindus Ltd while
offering hospitality services
emphasis in maintaining
relationships with other types of
business to achieve large
revenues.
Major focus in decision making
stages of B2C is for helping
customers to recognise needs and
purchase relevant hospitality
service. For instance, Transindus
Ltd at the time of engaging in
decision making with customers
emphasis towards offering suitable
service that meet their needs.
Quantity of
purchase
In B2B decision making, it is
analysed that products or services
are purchased in large quantities
(Zhang and Benyoucef, 2016, p.
100).
In B2C decision making process, it
is seen that customers makes
purchase for limited quantity as
they only purchase the product that
meet their needs.
Contrast: The similarity in decision making process in context to B2C and B2B is that
both enhances size of market of Transindus Ltd and helps it in making more number of revenue.
Moreover, it is also analysed that decision making process in both context assist the entity to
retain its customers and businesses for long term by meeting their needs.
P6. Evaluating approaches of market research methods
Business units make huge attempts to investigate about needs of consumer market in order
to sustain till long period (Zhao and Et. Al., 2018, p. 370). In this context, various approaches
that are used by department of marketing of Transindus Ltd with the purpose of understanding
purchase decision making stages of travellers are as follows:
Quantitative research approaches:
The methods of quantitative research approach adopted by marketers of Transindus Ltd
are as follows:
Questionnaires: It is one of common method for gathering quantitative data. The
methods is adopted by Transindus Ltd marketers to collect information through series of
questions, wither written on paper or in digital format for obtaining about the ways travellers
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makes decision making for offered service. The pros of using questionnaire research method are
that it is inexpensive and offers quick results of study. However, its cons are that respondents
might lose interest and do not provide suitable answers.
Records: Past records or numerical data that are already collected by the organisation for
some other use are also helpful in generating insights about decision making process of
consumers for offerings (Banerjee, 2017, p. 25). Managers of Transindus Ltd uses records to
track activities in which travellers behaved while making final decision for offered hospitality
service. The pros of using record research method are that it increases accessibility, reduced
errors, improve privacy and security for information. It involves collecting data in limited or
minimal time. However, records may contain inaccurate or incomplete information that acts as
cons in research.
Qualitative research approaches:
Methods of qualitative research approach that marketers of Transindus Ltd used to
understand consumer decision making procedure includes the following:
In depth interview: Conducting one on one interviews is considered as effective
qualitative research method to gain information about the ways decision making is done by
consumers. With this method, marketers of Transindus Ltd ask questions from one respondent at
one time and collect required information. The pros of in dept interview research method is that
It helps in obtaining detailed information about any needs of customers and their behaviours,
creates good understanding about respondents and is faster process. However, limited number of
people is only targeted with this method. The cons of the research method is that it is time
intensive, requires trained person, complies notes and involves more chances of illegal questions.
Observational method: It is the research method which uses subjective methodologies
in order to collect systematic data about customers (Lee and Et. Al., 2017, p. 305). By using
observational method, marketers of Transindus Ltd achieves advantages of analysing properly
how consumer reaches to final decision to buy offered hospitality service. Pros related to
observational research method includes allowance for predicting customer reactions, offers real
world aspects and ideal for non verbal communication situation. The cons of the research method
are includes high research bias degree, relies of interpretation of observations and do not show
accurate results. In contrary, the limitation is that it ignores various factors that create hurdles in
investigation.
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M3. Justified evaluation for different factors influencing decision making along with behaviour
of purchasing in tourism field
The statement of Podoshen and ET. Al. (2015, p. 327) evaluates that necessary factors that
have huge involvement in influencing decision making, attitudes and behaviours in tourism
sector are cultural, personal, social and psychological factors as age, beliefs, mental abilities,
motivation and other elements plays essential function in influencing purchase decision for
hospitality service among travellers. At same time, marketing mix elements and heuristic factors
also influence purchase behaviour in the tourism industry.
TASK 4
P7. Evaluating how tourism marketers could influence stages involved on decision making
process of travellers
Tourism sector involves multiple number of companies and varied number of marketers
that have important role in influencing decision making stages of consumers positively towards
organisational offerings (Seo, Yun and Kim, 2017, p. 149). Following are some of workings in
which marketers of Transindus Ltd can influence the stages through which travellers makes
decision for its hospitality service:
Identifying need: Marketers of Transindus Ltd can adopt cognitive learning theory in this
stage for helping consumers to recognise the trends and identifying needs. With this, marketers
will be able to influence consumers to learn from others through observing and analyse own
wants for hospitality entity.
Searching information: Hereby, marketers generally help consumers in searching
relevant information about particular product from diverse material sources. For instance,
marketers can provide information to travellers through marketing campaigns, experiential
sources and social media sources.
Evaluating alternations: Consumers at this stage evaluates all the composed information.
In context to Transindus Ltd, marketers can make usage of behavioural model with the hope of
helping travellers in evaluating options in accordance to particular behaviour of tourism
consumers for hospitality services
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Purchasing decision: Marketers can influence the stage of purchase through offering
attractive packages or providing some discounts to travellers (Zhang and Benyoucef, 2016, p.
107). Moreover, by adding various additional facilities in the hospitality service, marketers of
Transindus Ltd can influence consumer decision making.
Post purchase behaviour: The decision making of consumers can be influenced by
marketers of Transindus Ltd by either returning some money to customers or pardoning for not
meeting expected needs. This will influence consumers to give positive feedbacks and analysing
about their satisfactions.
M4. Critical evaluation about the marketers influencing each stage of decision making
In accordance with Hall and Williams (2019), it is critically evaluated that various types of
performance are executed by marketers in tourism field for influencing each and every stage
through which a consumer goes through at the time to purchase product. For example, in need
recognition stage, marketers of Transindus Ltd can use theory of cognitive learning that can
benefit in effectively understanding how travellers will find their needs. However, disadvantage
of the model is that it cannot help consumes in direct observation. Further, marketers in the stage
of searching information can help through providing different sources and generate information
about tourism service that other also offers. In stage of evaluating options, marketers of company
can use behavioural model, comparable measures and provide the results of each to travellers. in
purchase decision stage, marketers of the company can provide some concession on prices and
also add additional facilities by keeping in mind recognised needs of travellers. All these
workings leads to motivating travellers to make decision to purchase hospitality service and
enjoy its facilities.
CONCLUSION
The mentioned discussion concludes that behaviour of consumers is also said to a
physiological process that has relation with consumer emotions. On global scale, digital
technology has impacted in changing ways of travellers. Transformation of digital technology is
considered as dream come true for consumers who prefers travelling. Consumer decision journey
includes various stages through which a consumer moves out of funnel through changing the
aspects they investigate and purchase commodities. Research approach including quantitative
and qualitative are helpful for understanding about consumer decision for purchasing offerings.
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Adoption of cognitive model and behavioural theory helps marketers in influencing each
decision making stage.
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Online:
Transindus Ltd. 2020. [Online]. Available through: < https://www.transindus.co.uk/>
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