Tourism Consumer Behaviour and Insight: Factors Influencing Customer Attitudes and Behaviour

This report discusses the impact of various factors on customer attitudes and behaviour in the tourism industry. It also explores how digital technology is changing customer trends, the stages of the customer decision-making journey, and the importance of mapping a path to purchase for marketers. Furthermore, it compares the differences in hospitality decision-making processes between B2B and B2C.

UNIT 20 TOURISM
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
AND INSIGHT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................4
P1- Investigating varied cultural, personal, social and psychological factors that influence
customers attitudes and behaviour within tourism industry. ......................................................4
P2- Exploring how customer trends are changing due to the impact of digital technology........5
M1- Analysing how each factor that influence customers behaviour & attitudes are driving
and changing trend in tourism......................................................................................................6
D1- Critically analyse emerging trends in customer behaviour...................................................6
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................6
P3- Examining stages of customer decision-making journey and map a path to purchase for a
given tourism service...................................................................................................................6
P4- Exploring significant for marketers to map a path to purchase and comprehend customer
decision-making in tourism sector...............................................................................................8
M2- Evaluating how marketers are responding to decision-making process with suitable
examples......................................................................................................................................9
D2- Critically examine application of appropriate concept and theories that impact decision-
making process in tourism industry.............................................................................................9
LO 3...............................................................................................................................................10
P5- Comparing the differences of hospitality decision-making process in regard to B2B and
B2C............................................................................................................................................10
P6- Evaluating different methods to market research and their used for understanding
decision-making procedure........................................................................................................11
M3- Providing a justified evaluation of how varied factors influence tourism decision-making
and buying attitude.....................................................................................................................12
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................12
P7- Examining how marketers can influence different phases of tourism decision-making
process........................................................................................................................................12
M4- Critically examine how marketers impact each phase of decision-making process- ........13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13

REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Customer behaviour is considered as individual perspective and believes regarding a
product and service, which they tend to purchase. This behaviour driven the attention of millions
consumers toward purchasing those goods that encompasses better quality and accessible in
satisfactory quantity. The current assignment will be based on The Grand Brighton, which falls
under the category of top 10 hotels in the UK. It will explain impact of personal, social, cultural
and psychological factors on consumer attitudes and behaviour. It will define how customer
trends are fluctuating because of digital technology, stages of customer decision-making journey
and map path to purchase for tourism service. The report will also justify importance for
marketers to map a path to purchase & understood customer decision-making in tourism
industry. It will clarify comparison and differences of hospitality decision-making procedure in
regard to B2C and B2B. Furthermore, the assignment will specify different methods to market
research and approaches of investigation utilized to comprehend decision-making process.
Lastly, it will also explain how marketers can influence different phases of tourism decision.
LO 1
P1- Investigating varied cultural, personal, social and psychological factors that influence
customers attitudes and behaviour within tourism industry.
Cultural factors-
Consumers culture, sub-culture and social class are included in category of this factor that
may put direct impact on buying attribute to target market of tourism sector. For example,
perception of target market regarding a product or any service in the industry, may affect in
negative or positive manner (Kaur and Singh, 2017). It may matter a lot for individuals to have
specific perception about varied things, which may give them direction to choose what they buy
and refer to others.
Personal factors-
In the recent time, due to health issues as personal factors individual person in the world
take decision to utilize and consume productions, which may directly or indirectly put impact on
tourism industry accommodation as well as other services (Ghazali and et.al., 2017).
Furthermore, lifestyle also play vital role in the context of decision behaviour or attitude that
drive concentration of consumers toward utilizing and taking pleasure of accommodation
service.

Social factors-
Family, reference group and social status of individuals may drive their attention toward
taking action and decision to take pleasure of tourism industry services via a hotel or resort,
where they may stay for short term period. For instance, customers preferences and choices
mostly develop along with the choices of their family member, which they may consider and
purchase goods accordingly.
Psychological factors-
Like above factor, it may also put significant effect buying behaviour and attitude of
target market in the context of tourism industry. It can be said that desire and requirements of
individual buyer may driven by specific motivational forces such as self-esteem, security and
other basis needs. These things may influence positively in form of driving their attention toward
those companies or hotels where management attempt to fulfil each need.
P2- Exploring how customer trends are changing due to the impact of digital technology.
Technology advancement play crucial role to change the whole world, especially
business sector, where organizations attempt to sustain and run ventures in competitive manner.
It may also change trends that individual consumer prefer to follow as target market of tourism
industry. Due to this force, in the recent time people are taking pleasure of and demanding for
advanced technology based tools and resources.
For example, social media searching for purpose of finding specific thing such as
products and collecting information about a service like accommodation, is included in list of
current customers trends that has been changed due to technology factor (Pop and et.al., 2021). It
may drive the concentration of target market toward using social media channels and platforms
where info about a hotel service accessible that they may utilize to take decision to spend their
pleasure time with family there. It can be said that utilization of social media sites and sources
may help people to collect data about a hospitality or tourism industry company service. It may
give them chance to make a clear comparison.
Consumer trends are changing due to positive impact of digital technology, in varied
manner. For example, mobile key for a hotel, resort or motel room is now in trend as people
prefer to utilize this technology in bulk (Kim, Chua and Han, 2021). It may enable them to
maintain social distance and take pleasure of contactless service within The Grand Brighton.

It can be said that earlier era, people have wait to utilize any service which put negative
impact on their experience. Due to technology advancement, they never face the same situation
ever, as it change the trend totally in term of driving their attention toward using tab or smart
phones to determine their check in and out details related to hotel through an application. With
this tech, they may place order for meal, break fast and other food items chosen from menu.
M1- Analysing how each factor that influence customers behaviour & attitudes are driving and
changing trend in tourism.
Social, cultural, psychological and personal factors are influencing consumer attitudes
and buying behaviour in effective manner. It has driven and change the trends in tourism
industry in varied terms. For example, due to cultural preferences, hotel management may take
approach to prepare a meal and arrange other services from room to check in & out according to
the cultural norms of individual guest. It may provide The Grand Brighton, opportunity to retain
potential customers with brand and gain the attention of new. Furthermore, they may follow the
trend of veganism and added items related to this trend that allow to serve those who are
consuming vegan food products.
D1- Critically analyse emerging trends in customer behaviour
Mobile application utilization is the best example of emerging trend in customer
behaviour that put positive impact on tourism industry in term of gaining attention of consumers
and attracting more in bulk. While it may affect negatively in form of increasing cost of
maintaining and updating application that may require more resources such as money. Online
booking for accommodation service and ordering food is also included in category of consumer
trend that play vital role in growth and success of The Grand Brighton. It may lead to increase
profitability and productivity level of hotel that run and operate its venture into tourism sector.
LO 2
P3- Examining stages of customer decision-making journey and map a path to purchase for a
given tourism service.
Customer decision-making journey or process is defined as circular procedure that
concentrate on adding consumer loyalty and developing advocacy (Grewal and Sridhar, 2021).
This procedure encompasses different stages that define the whole journey of a customer from
beginning to at the end, when they reach to final stage as product or service utilization. These
phases are:

Stage 1- Need recognition
Before purchase products and using services, consumers may take approach to identify
the need for specific thing. As they may think twice to determine requirement or want of
accommodation service of hotel.
Stage 2- Information search
Target market then take approach to collect information about the best or top hotel
services by using social media and other technology based systems or tools. They may take
initiative to gather information from friends and family who already taken pleasure of a service
that they selected to feel the same thing.
Stage 3- Evaluation of alternatives.
After passing above two phases, they move to third, in term of collecting or finding info
about alternative options on the bases of pricing strategy as budget friendly concern (Demmers,
Weltevreden and van Dolen, 2020). At this stage, they may plan to move forward, which is quite
essential for them to reach chosen hotel.
Stage 4- Purchase decision.
After considering suggestions, alternative options and feedbacks from useful sources,
finally people may take decision to use The Grand Brighton services pleasure, which make them
able to feel relax and keep them away to stressful environment.
Stage 5- Post purchase evaluation.
At the final phase, consumers may take initiative to examine final outcome with desire
results or expectations that may give them proper satisfaction.
Path to purchase in The Grand Brighton.

According to above path to purchase, individual customer passes above stages to take
right decision and to take pleasure of that in term of using satisfactory accommodation, meal and
other types of services while spending time in The Grand Brighton, UK.
P4- Exploring significant for marketers to map a path to purchase and comprehend customer
decision-making in tourism sector.
The Grand Brighton is one of those hotels in the United Kingdom that play crucial role to
make their consumers happy and provide satisfactory services, by taking their needs and
expectations into consideration. In order to continue this process, it is quite important for
marketers to map a path to purchase and understand clearly that what target market want and
how they take decision (Wibowo, and et.al., 2021). This form of comprehending may give them
chance to retain and attract potential guests or tourist who tend to take pleasure of budget
friendly and satisfactory accommodation service, which is not that easy to grab. It can be said
that first phase of customer decision-making may provide marketers chance to get insight about

key trends that are following by individual person, which enable them to develop marketing plan
accordingly.
For example, they may take approach to add more value in existing services and products
via effective communication with other departments and developing advertising plan on the basis
of fact information about that. It may contribute to gain the attention of international consumers
toward using hotel services and promoting others to feel the same by conducting word of mouth
promotion, which in turn lead to increase profitability and generate revenue more than major
competitors that are accessible and running ventures into similar industry. The comprehending of
consumer decision journey may allow marketer to make a prediction of market trend and then
take initiative to Mold existing plans accordingly, which may give them excellent chance to
reach at international level by enhancing guests satisfactory extent. Furthermore, along with
above benefits, they may obtain more by conducting practice to understand and map a path to
purchase. For instance, it may drive their attention toward improving consumer satisfaction,
which is quite essential for hotel and its management along with marketing department to do so.
M2- Evaluating how marketers are responding to decision-making process with suitable
examples
By using official website of hotel, application and social media channels, marketers may
respond and reach at each stage of consumer buying decision-making procedure in effective
manner. It may lead to increase their performance level and drive the concentration toward
making possible change in current plan according to buyers needs. For example, by utilizing
application or smart app, they may respond to guest queries about accommodation and other
types of services that they may obtain in the hotel according to key expectations. The Grand
Brighton may increase its profits margin and enhance customer base just because of above
initiatives that has been conducted by marketers. Furthermore, they may utilize smart application
to make target market able to conduct a clear comparison between other hotels services.
D2- Critically examine application of appropriate concept and theories that impact decision-
making process in tourism industry
The theories of consumer decision-making process can be examined and applied by the
organization understand the consistency of the customer decision-making process. The conjoint
analysis basic concept is the multivariate technique which is used for specific understanding of

how respondent needs to develop preferences for the products and services. This concept
explains the importance of application of the decision-making process of the customers in
tourism industry (Thomas and et.al., 2018). As per this concept observing the respondents and
their expression in their preferences for the products described by the varying levels of attributes.
It can be said that the understanding of the different levels of attributes of how the customers
responds to the services is helpful for the organization in the understanding the customers.
LO 3
P5- Comparing the differences of hospitality decision-making process in regard to B2B and B2C.
In a hospitality organization there are differences in the B2B and B2C decision-making
process. These differences can be understood with the help of the following table.
Basis of
Difference
B2B B2C
Identifying need The decision-making process of the
business to business operations is
very proactive, and they identify the
overall need of the business strategy
which is considered to improve the
stock ordering process.
The customers are considered to be
identified as the practical buying needs
a similar way in which it tends to be
influenced by the advertising and
marketing techniques which introduced
in the new products.
Service Specific In the B2B decision-making
process they often go through all
the benefits and drawbacks which
the services would provide for their
own business before making the
potential purchase in the
organization.
The B2C customers are the ones which
are more emotional, and they already
know what they want. They would
look at the different specification about
the consumers that provide more
flexibility in looking at the potential
purchases that ignores the initial
specifications which are faced.
Evaluation of
suppliers
The B2B customers are very
efficient in the evaluation of the
different policies and which are
insisted for obtaining the different
The B2C are the ones which often
compare multiple products mostly in
the case of expensive products in
which they are likely to read the

quotes that make their purchase
more reliable. They often rely on
the brand reputation for the
comparison shopping.
reviews and compare the articles in the
different types of media. These are the
services which are helpful for aiming
the consumers tending packages which
are helpful for making the comparison
of the credit worthiness of the
governance of the organization selling.
P6- Evaluating different methods to market research and their used for understanding decision-
making procedure
The different method which can be used for analysing the customers decision-making
process are,
Surveys :
It is a form of qualitative research in which the respondents are asked about the short
series of open or closed ended question which can be used for understanding the majority
decisions. It helps in analysing the customers experience as is a very common market research
technique.
Interviews :
Interviews are the one on one conversation with members which impacts the members of
the target customer (Mason, Narcum and Mason, 2020). It is the way in which the face to face
interview helps in diving deep in-person meeting for understanding the personal perspective.
Focus :
Focusing on a specific group of people, it is a very effective way in which the research
falls under the victim of the different types of errors. This is considered to be the dominance bias
and moderator which is helpful for style bias ways.
Observation :
Observing is one of the most effective way in which the customers decision-making
process is understood and is considered to be very helpful for different results that can focus on
group data which is essential for getting skewed.

M3- Providing a justified evaluation of how varied factors influence tourism decision-making
and buying attitude
Factors which influencing customer decision-making is defined with the phrase, “ what
exactly you are buying and for what occasion”. This explains the customers decision-making
process which is said to be the analysation of the factors which can influence the customer
outcomes of their purchasing decisions (Qin, Peak and Prybutok, 2021). Other factors which
effective this process are the individuals background, preferences, personality, motivation and
economic status. It can be said that with the help of a complete view of the mind of the
customers the influences of decisions can be understood with the help of target segment which
impacts the product category.
LO 4
P7- Examining how marketers can influence different phases of tourism decision-making process
Essential part of considering the employing psychological motivators are considered to
be covered as the psychological motivators in the decision-making process. It is a very popular
phrases and memes which are helpful for the different campaign that can cause the audience to
associate with the product which is considered to be helpful for being trendy in the business. The
marketers are seen to influence the different phases of decision-making process in tourism
thorough the following factors,
Audience :
it can be said as the reasons which impacts the marketing that are known to be effective
in the causing the consumers towards their reaction. It can be said that the more the people reach
to the marketing campaigns which helps the business in discussing their brands related to the
products.
Trends :
With the help of analysing the different trends the markets are able to influence the
customers decision-making process through positioning, analysing and also marketing with
effective performance.
Scarcity :
With the help of understanding the different tends which impacts the perceiving way
through which the making product or service can seem exclusive for the impacting the quick and
often making it a more enticing form of consumer decision-making process.

M4- Critically examine how marketers impact each phase of decision-making process-
For the marketers it is important for the need to ask themselves the importance of the
principles which influences that inherent the situation. The marketers are able to utilize the
principles of decision-making process which is essential for effecting the six principles that
influence the company in adapting to the process of navigation and also being part of the
consumers. Using imagery and word association which is considered to be a very great way in
attracting for impacting the great instance for looking for the target of the young people. The
markers also focuses on the economic factors which can teacher which help in seeking
motivation towards the others which is essential for offering the ideas.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above analysis, it has been concluded that marketer has influenced the
stage of consumer decision-making, that in returned contributed to retain and acquired target
market. They have taken pleasure of increasing profitability, productivity and performance level,
even better than other brands in hospitality industry. Furthermore, from this study, it has been
identified that by using advanced technologies they gain gained the attention of new consumers
and interacted successfully with them. With the help of technology advancement, firm has taken
pleasure of generating excellent brand awareness in hospitality sector. By conducting effective
and sustainable practices, it has given tough competition to key rivals that are operating similar
business function in the same market from longer time. Marketer by using key methods of
influencing customer decision-making process, allow organization to stay competitive forever in
the sector, that is not easy for any company to do so.

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