Hospitality Consumer Behavior and Market Research Analysis Report

This report delves into the intricacies of consumer behavior within the hospitality industry, focusing on the decision-making processes of consumers and the marketing strategies employed by businesses. It examines the stages of the consumer decision-making process, mapping a path to purchase for hospitality services, and evaluating the importance of customer journey mapping for marketers. The report further analyzes the differences in decision-making between B2B and B2C businesses in the hospitality sector, exploring various market research approaches and methods used to understand consumer behavior. Finally, it investigates how marketers can influence the various stages of the hospitality decision-making process. The report uses Contiki tours as a case study to illustrate its points.

Hospitality consumer
behaviour and insight

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
P1, P2 covered in PPT. ...............................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3 Elaborate the step of customer decision-making process and map a path for respective
industry. ......................................................................................................................................4
P4 Evaluate importance of map a path for marketers for taking effective decision-making......5
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................6
P5 Conduct comparison in between the hospitality decision-making in context of B2B and
B2C business in hospitality industry. .........................................................................................6
P6 Examine various approaches of market research and methods to acknowledge decision-
making process. ..........................................................................................................................7
TASK 4 ...........................................................................................................................................8
P7 Examine the way marketers affect the various stages of hospitality decision-making
process. .......................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................

INTRODUCTION
The hospitality industry is one of multibillion dollar industry that rely on the availability
of the leisure time, disposable income and attributes to provide satisfaction to the consumer base.
Majorly there are four segments of hospitality industry that are food and beverages, Travel and
tourism, lodging and recreation. Respective report is based on the Contiki tours which is the
coach tour company caters to 18 to 35 years old people. It operates in almost the whole world
majorly operates tours in Europe, Australia and North America many more. Their tours have a
reputation for including partying for their clients. Respective report is based on stages of
consumer decision-making and map a path to purchase a specified services from hospitality
service with their importance. Further it includes comparison in between the hospitality decision
making process in both B2B and B2C businesses. It also includes the various approaches for
market research and methods to understand the decision-making process. At last it includes the
way by which marketers can influence the various stages of hospitality decision-making process.
TASK 1
P1, P2 covered in PPT.
TASK 2
P3 Elaborate the step of customer decision-making process and map a path for respective
industry.
Consumer decision-making process consist of the identification of the needs, collection
of information, evaluation of alternatives and taken effective buying decisions (Anggraeni and
Wijaya, 2019). In context of Contiki tours by using respective phrases of decision-making they
can be able to reach at large no. of consumer base positively that are as follows:
Need Recognition:
In respective stage of consumer decision-making consist of the evaluate the needs and
wants of specified market in order to serve in best way (Boateng, Kosiba and Okoe, 2019.). In
context of Contiki tours they caters to serve 18 to 35 years old people so they evaluate their
needs Adventures, Romantic and honeymoon tour packages, sightseeing, partying and many
more. In context of Contiki tours they add partying in their tour packages as youngsters always
want to enjoy and party.

Information search:
For an organisation it is very much essential to collect necessary knowledge and
information about consumer choice and preferences in order to serve them in best manner
(Jackson, 2019.). In context of Contiki tours by using research and development they properly
analyse the choices of their target market and accordingly serve them. By using commercial ,
personal, public and experiential sources they collect adequate information.
Evaluation of alternatives:
In that step of consumer decision-making involves the evaluation of various alternatives
available in marketplace along with product life cycle. In context of Contiki tours their
evaluation based on the quality, price or many other factors that are very much significant for
them. They provide relatively extra benefits at lower price range in order to influence decisions
of them in their side.
Purchase decisions:
After passing all stages, finally consumer taking appropriate kind of purchase decision. In
that stage consumer evaluated by influencing from various factor involved marketing campaigns
or emotional connections or personal experience or combination of them (Jang, Chen and Miao,
2019.). In context of Contiki tours they always target potential consumers that already avail their
services in order to build loyalty in them.
Post purchase behaviour:
In post purchase behaviour of consumer consist of the analysis of whether the service was
worth ful for consumers or not. So in respective stage Contiki tours takes reviews from their
consumers to evaluate they matched the expectations of their consumers or not.
P4 Evaluate importance of map a path for marketers for taking effective decision-making.
Customer journey map is a visual representation of every experience that consumers
possess with the specified organisation. Respective tool helps to elaborate the story of
consumer's experience with organisational brand from original engagement and efforts to turn
into long term relationship (Why is customer journey mapping so important ?, 2019). In context
of Contiki tours by using mapping of consumer experience path organisation can be able to build
loyalty within consumer and their significance for consumers are as follows:
Quicker sales cycles:

The significance of customer journey mapping in context of marketers that it improved
sales cycle which is foremost objective of organisation to remain competitive in marketplace.
The key aspect of respective tool is to ensure about consumer experience across all channels, in
which organisation optimise each channel and department for better consumer engagement
(Kabadayi and et.al ., 2019.). In context of Contiki tours by using different touch points or by
receiving consistent information to deliver seamless experience and potential interactions.
Increase Return of investment better targeting and more personalised messaging:
Consumer journey maps helps to organisation to better understand the consumers context
and intent by optimise each and every channel rely on real, quality data and information. In
context of Contiki tours by targeting the specific consumer interaction and deliver personalised
message by using respective tool to provide real value to ultimate consumer base that advocate
organisation and their profitability positively.
So it can be said that consumer journey mapping tool is proved beneficial for
organisation to deliver one of best value and optimisation in order to remain competitive in
marketplace.
TASK 3
P5 Conduct comparison in between the hospitality decision-making in context of B2B and B2C
business in hospitality industry.
B2B and B2C are two different kinds of business models and major difference lies in
their target audience and decision-making process simultaneously bring difference in their
marketing strategies (Ketron and Naletelich, 2019.). In hospitality industry there are huge
difference in consumer decision-making process in context of B2B and B2C that are as follows:
Basis of difference B2B B2C
Decision-making process Making decision in B2B
business is long standing
process that takes long time to
convince executives. It can be
analysed by using the fact that
they have much more money
at their stake. In context of
In B2C Business consumers
make the decisions ultimately
to purchase the products and
services that are usually very
fast regarding purchasing of
products and services or not.
Consumers in respective

Contiki tours They provide
services to ultimate consumers
by consolidating with various
mediators in path as MakeMy
Trip (Contiki tours ropes in
MakeMy Trip to target hyper-
connected millennials, 2019)
to provide various services
under one roof.
commerce may take advice
from their friends, read
reviews or take
recommendation still takes
short time in comparison to
B2B commerce in hospitality
industry.
Pricing In B2B pricing arrangements
in context of hospitality
industry, prices not be revealed
out until the user not logged in.
In respective arrangements the
payments differ as per
business needs, future
corporation and past buying
history. In context of Contiki
tours they list out their clients
details and accordingly treat
them so that their level of
experience should be
enhanced.
In B2C commerce in
hospitality industry consumers
pay price equally. For loyal
consumers organisation
provides coupons or discounts
vouchers. However there are
price difference that based on
relationship with the buyer to
seller.
P6 Examine various approaches of market research and methods to acknowledge decision-
making process.
Market research is more about the capturing, analysing and interpreting and reporting on
data and information for a market so that specified organisation can gain successful decision-
making pertaining to consumers, services, competitors and many more (Mariani, Borghi and
Gretzel, 2019.). In context of B2B and B2C commerce there are huge difference in their

research approach and method for taking effective kind of decision making for development and
growth of organisation.
All B2C market research studies consisted mixed kind of methodologies, wherein the
B2B is not always same in case. In B2B the various integrated factors consist in chosen of
method and approaches of market research that are need to collect adequate data and
information, requirement to test or validate results and needed statistical confidence (Nilssen,
Bick and Abratt, 2019).
In B2B market research in which participants are business professionals and come from
management level so it is more practical and cost effective way to solve their concern by using
telephone, email survey and personal interviews. On other hand B2C mostly users of focus
groups as they face logistical difficultly to getting participants at same time or place together.
Approaches or methods of market research in B2B commerce:
The major ways or tools utilized by B2B commerce in order to accumulate necessary
knowledge and information is government records, various publications that are easily available
in marketplace in most cost effective manner in order to gain consumers insights and knowledge
properly. In context of Contiki tours by using both government records and taking interview or
asking questionnaire from consumers they able to collect necessary information from them.
Approaches of market research in B2C commerce:
In context of B2C commerce the major used tool to collect knowledge and information
by using observation, interview and questionnaire in order to collect validate knowledge and
information in proper manner. In context of Contiki tours by using questionnaire they collect
experience of their potential consumers.
TASK 4
P7 Examine the way marketers affect the various stages of hospitality decision-making process.
To examine the decision-making process of consumers that are not always linear as
consumers rarely enter to acknowledge about products and services from the very beginning.
Instead of that consumers passes through the whole chain of activities and enter at the funnel
from the top, middle and bottom of process (Otto, Szymanski and Varadarajan, 2019.). In
context of Contiki tours and their marketers put different efforts for every stage of consumer
decision-making process in positive manner that are as follows:

 In first phrase of need recognition prospects or consumers just acknowledge about their
problems so it is very essential to must post content or information at every place where
they can reach at maximum level. By developing best web, write one of informative and
attractive blog about organisational services foremost duty of marketers to attract the
audience.
 In second phrase of consumer decision-making process that is information search, the
accountability of marketers to make organisation or brand most visible in online search.
In context of Contiki tours by developing the most attractive and informative blog posts,
infographics, videos, guides and checklists and interactive content to collect potential
information about consumers.
 In third phrase which is option evaluation, in which consumers already have knowledge
about services actually they want and marketers to serve them (Pourfakhimi, Duncan
and Coetzee, 2019.). In that regards Contiki tours and their marketers arrange the middle
of funnel marketing by optimising their website so that consumers can gain desirable
objectives.
 In phrase of purchase decision the work and activities of marketers by optimising the
website to target buyer keywords such as buy, order, download, deals , demo, coupons
and many more so that they easily can take most effective kind of buying decisions
 In concluding stage of consumer decision-making process but it is not actually a
concluding stage but a stage of developing relationship with consumers for long duration.
In that regards the obligation of marketers to create information related to industry and
place where the consumers explore in future (Ristova and Dimitrov, 2019.). In context
of Contiki tours by sending email newsletters and retargeting ads to showcase new
content to past customer base.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been summarised that consumers possess supreme power as
all decisions regarding buying of specified products or services resides in their hands. It is the
responsibility of marketers to influence decision-making of consumers by using various tools
such as promotions, discounts, quality and many more aspects. To reach at large no. of consumer
base it is very essential for marketers to map a path by which every come across to purchase
products and services in proper manner. There are huge difference in way of B2B and B2C

commerce in context of consumer decision-making process so it is obligatory to acknowledge it
it proper manner to serve in best manner to ultimate consumers in an organisation.

REFERENCES
Books and journals:
Anggraeni, A. and Wijaya, F.E., 2019. Ready, Set, Go!: The Study of Consumer Behavior of
Online Hotel Booking in Jakarta. In Dynamic Perspectives on Globalization and
Sustainable Business in Asia (pp. 212-224). IGI Global.
Boateng, H., Kosiba, J.P.B. and Okoe, A.F., 2019. Determinants of consumers’ participation in
the sharing economy: A social exchange perspective within an emerging economy
context. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 31(2).
pp.718-733.
Jackson, M., 2019. Utilizing attribution theory to develop new insights into tourism
experiences. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. 38. pp.176-183.
Jang, Y., Chen, C.C. and Miao, L., 2019. Last-minute hotel-booking behavior: The impact of
time on decision-making. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. 38. pp.49-
57.
Kabadayi, S. and et.al ., 2019. Smart service experience in hospitality and tourism services: A
conceptualization and future research agenda. Journal of Service Management.
Ketron, S. and Naletelich, K., 2019. Victim or beggar? Anthropomorphic messengers and the
savior effect in consumer sustainability behavior. Journal of Business Research. 96.
pp.73-84.
Mariani, M.M., Borghi, M. and Gretzel, U., 2019. Online reviews: differences by submission
device. Tourism Management. 70. pp.295-298.
Nilssen, R., Bick, G. and Abratt, R., 2019. Comparing the relative importance of sustainability as
a consumer purchase criterion of food and clothing in the retail sector. Journal of Brand
Management. 26(1). pp.71-83.
Otto, A.S., Szymanski, D.M. and Varadarajan, R., 2019. Customer satisfaction and firm
performance: insights from over a quarter century of empirical research. Journal of the
Academy of Marketing Science, pp.1-22.
Pourfakhimi, S., Duncan, T. and Coetzee, W., 2019. A critique of the progress of eTourism
technology acceptance research: time for a hike?. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
Technology.
Ristova, C. and Dimitrov, N., 2019. The value of social media as digital tool in
hospitality. International Journal of Information, Business and Management. 11(3).
pp.155-162.
Ruiz-Equihua, D., Romero, J. and Casaló, L.V., 2019. Better the devil you know? The
moderating role of brand familiarity and indulgence vs. restraint cultural dimension on
eWOM influence in the hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality Marketing &
Management, pp.1-19.
Sanjeev, G.M. and Birdie, A.K., 2019. The tourism and hospitality industry in India: emerging
issues for the next decade. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes.
Semaan, R.W. And et.al ., 2019. The influence of gender roles in the drivers of luxury
consumption for women: Insights from the gulf region. Journal of Retailing and
Consumer Services. 51. pp.165-175.
Wei, W., 2019. Research progress on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in tourism
and hospitality: A critical review of publications from 2000 to 2018. Journal of
Hospitality and Tourism Technology.

Online:
Contiki tours ropes in MakeMy Trip to target hyper-connected millennials, 2019. [Online].
Available through. <https://www.adgully.com/Contiki tours-ropes-in-makemytrip-to-
target-hyper-connected-millennials-85210.html>.
Why is customer journey mapping so important ?, 2019. [Online]. Available through.
<https://www.sas.com/en_gb/insights/articles/marketing/why-is-customer-journey-
mapping-important.html#/>.
Why is customer journey mapping so important?
Why is customer journey mapping so