Report on Tourism Consumer Behaviour and Insights: Thomas Travel Group

This report examines tourism consumer behavior, focusing on the influence of social, personal, psychological, and cultural factors on consumer attitudes and behavior within the context of the Thomas Travel Group (TUI). It explores the impact of digital technology on changing consumer trends, including online purchasing and information gathering. The report details the stages of the customer decision-making journey, emphasizing the importance of mapping the path to purchase and understanding customer decision-making processes for marketers. It compares hospitality decision-making in B2C and B2B contexts and analyzes market research approaches. Finally, the report discusses how marketers can influence each phase of the tourism decision-making process, providing insights into effective marketing strategies.

TOURISM CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
AND INSIGHT
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................2
P1- Influence of social, personal, psychological and cultural factors upon attitudes &
behaviour of consumer...........................................................................................................2
P2- Customer trends are changing because of digital technology impact..............................3
M1- Manner in which social and other factors impact buyer behaviour................................4
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................4
P3- Stages of customer decision making journey and path to purchase TUI services...........4
P4- Importance to map a path to purchase and comprehend customer decision making for
marketers................................................................................................................................6
M2- Ways through which marketers are respond to decision making act.............................6
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................7
P5- Comparison based on differences of hospitality decision making in regard to B2C and
B2B.........................................................................................................................................7
P6- Varied approaches to market research and techniques in context of comprehending
decision making procedure.....................................................................................................8
M3- Justification based on influence of different elements on buying nature and decision
making....................................................................................................................................8
LO 4.................................................................................................................................................9
P7- Marketers can influence phases of tourism judgement making act.................................9
M4- Critical evaluation based on how marketers can impact each phase of decision taking 9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
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INTRODUCTION
Customer behaviour is study of how groups, individual buyer or consumer choose,
purchase, use and dispose thought, products and services to satisfy his or her wants. It gets
influence by several factors either personal or social. The current assignment will be based on
Thomas Travel Group Plc, which falls under list of top tour operator companies in the UK. This
study will explain personal, cultural and other factors that will influence customer behaviour and
attitude and it will also define change in consumer trends due to impact of digital technology.
Furthermore, this report will describe stages of customer decision making journey, importance of
path mapping to purchase & understand individual judgement act in tourism industry and also
define comparison base on hospitality decision making process differences. This study will
justify methods and approaches market research and investigation and it will also clarify ways
through which marketers can influence people at each phase of decision making.
LO 1
Customer behaviour can define as study of target segment or group of buyers as well as
procedures they use to select and consume a products or services. This study is really very
important and beneficial for hospitality sector. As it helps organizations that has been operated in
this sector in regard to understand the buying pattern of its target market and permit them to take
decision accordingly.
There are varied components accessible in the world of corporate that can influence and
affect customer nature and attitude either in positive or in negative manner in context of buying
holidays packages offered by TUI (Molinillo, Anaya-Sanchez and Liebana-Cabanillas, 2020).
Cultural factor-
The most essential determinant of customer behaviour and needs is culture, which
comprises of learned values, principles and rituals that can influence his or her attitude and
nature positively (Park and Lee, 2019). From example, desire to collect more info about
historical and other places influence customers to book tickets from specific travel firm who has
already operate in travel sector.. This trust influence customer to consider the most comfortable
and experienced travel package offer by chosen brand.
Social factor-
Buying habits, family size, education level and religion are included in list of social
factors that affect customer behaviour and thoughts in context of holiday’s packages or tourism
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services. For instance, when one family member experiences a great travel journey they can
advise other one to do the same (Melvin, Winklhofer and McCabe, 2020). It can put positive
influence on customer behaviour in form of taking interest on offers provided by TUI like travel
package, flight tickets etc.
Personal factor-
Stage in life cycle, age, economic circumstances, occupation, self concept, lifestyle and
personality are all social factors. For example, in today’s time, due to work and occupation
individual customers influence to travel place where they want to and go because of work.
(Alonso-Almeida, Borrajo-Millán and Yi, 2019). It can be considered as personal factor that
influence individual to book a good and fully accommodate travel package.
Psychological element-
Motivation, attitudes, beliefs, perception and learning are included in category of
psychological factors, which successfully influence behaviour and thinking of people relate to
tourism and services offered by TUI. For instance, Customer who have hear that historical place
describe history about God goodness, they get influence by this, as it encourage them took a
travel package to reach at Top Historical Places of the World that is quite common in recent time
and beneficial for tourism sector (Post and van der Molen, 2020). When people make a decision
about specific thing they could think about solving and achieving that need, as he or she could be
influenced by psychological factors.
Consumer trends are all about themselves; how they act, what they need and how they
recognize the world around them. It has changed because of several factors or reasons available
in actual world. For example, digital technology is one of the external elements that change
customer trends (Li, 2020). For example, video calls via application is quiet common in recent
time, it change the way one customer communicate with other one, without visiting home or
office place. This term includes communication, computing and content; all these things enhance
degree of distribution and creativeness of info.
Digital technology can modify buyer trends that means it change his or her way they
behave and act towards services and products of TUI as tourism Company. In earlier period,
people gather information about items or other things in which they are interest to purchase. It
can be done via market investigation and personal references. But because of digital technology,
in recent time individual person have changed the way he or she collect data (He and et.al.,
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2019). This trend get change and provide a lot of benefits to customers of TUI in term of
increasing their knowledge about existing offers of company and exclusive package.
Digital technologies are electronic devices, tools and systems like social media platforms;
Facebook, Twitter etc, where millions customers has created their personal accounts and collect
info about products and services. These channels have brought million of things like services and
products purchase to individual fingertips. Customers do not need to go out at home or office any
more for shopping purpose and data collection. They can utilize online sources like Instagram
and Facebook where TUI can create a page just to inform people about what services and
products they want to offer. All these technologies and channels change the behaviour of
customers in short overall trend relate to data collection. It gives individual buyer chance to
make a comparison between ranges of items in just one click.
Online payment systems are one of the latest technology that drive consumers towards
shopping and purchasing items or taking services without carrying maximum amount. Due to
digital technology and its development buyer instead of paying cash at counter like to pay
exchange of goods or services by using mobile applicants via online.
There are varied things in the world that influence customers buying behaviour and drive
trends in tourism, which is quite beneficial for growth and success of TUI. Online purchasing is
one of the new trends in travel and tourism sector that emerge as outcomes of above technology.
It brings a lot of benefits for consumers and organizations as well as in term of collecting data,
booking flight ticket and take reservation online.
For instance, increasing interest of people towards gathering data about historical things
motivate them to visit the top 10 historical places in the universe where a lot of data he or she
can collect about God and its goodness. It drives trends in industry, where management see that
millions of individual are booking and planning ritual trips. Cultural factors put positive impact
on attitude of customers as it drive people to consider valuable things and suitable according to
cultural values.
LO 2
Decision making journey of consumers comprise several stages that are;
Need Recognition-
First thing that travellers do before purchasing anything is reorganization of need
(Karimi, Holland and Papamichail, 2018). Consumers think about specific product which allows
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them to take decision either in favour of purchase services of company or not. For example,
when buyer identify the need of relaxation, customers try to search about company who offers
the best vacation package.
Information research-
When customer thinks and recognizes his or her need about specific things. They move to
next stage and that is information gathering and searching. For example, customer after
determine his or her need relate to travel package, they switch to further phase which means they
attempt to get info about it via social media sources or personal interaction.
Evaluation of alternatives-
After data collection buyer conduct third attempt. They try to find alternative options and
make comparison between TUI and other one. It is overall procedure of decision making that
define journey of individual buyer.
Selection & trail-
After evaluating options and considering substitute items people can go out and reach at
those companies who also offer travel package like TUI. It can help them to select the best one
and consider as final option.
Purchase decision-
When customer pass all above phases, he or she as travel lover take final decision in term
of booking accommodation and hospitality services from TUI, who can give excellent
experience to them.
Post purchase decision-
Decision making journey of people get end when customer reassures that their option and
selection is right or not. They conduct short and simple research via communicate those people
who already book a travel package from TUI brand. It give full assurance to buyer that their
needs and expectations are match with final one.
TUI marketers can map a path to purchase for customers which make people able to drive
towards holiday packages and other services offered by firm (Hendriyani and Chan, 2018). It is
their efforts to anticipate different steps individual traveller takes lead up to book ticket so that
company can interact with customer along manner and influence their buying decision in favour
of organization services and products like holiday package, ritual trips, hotel and ticket
reservation.
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Phases that define path mapping for purchasing-
Problem identification-
To create a path to purchase for travel package marketers needs to define problem first
and then take action.
Solution-
After that they determine who to reach at people and aware them about services firm
especially created for them.
Solution provider-
Solution like information updating on social media pages can be provided to people by
hiring skilled team members who can update recent content and info about TUI services.
Deciding on a provider-
At last marketers chose one of the best provider in form of channel where information
need to update, which finally create a path or map it to purchasing.
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From above analysis, it has been evaluated that marketers of chosen company has
respond to decision making act by applying above model in term of reaching at each phase and
supporting consumer to take decision and gather data about valuable offer of company.
A marketer is an individual or experience person who is accountable for developing
comprise chain between consumers and items or services offered by TUI. This connection is
gathered by maintaining wide stocks of products for supply (Cortinas and et.al., 2019). They
should map path to buy organization product and service, because it help to drive people towards
company which turn into increasing consumer base and generating revenue even better.
Marketers must create this path which is really very important in term of develop understanding
about buyer experience with firm across all touch points. Creation of this map is essential
because it aid them to consider at how people actually experience and feel firm versus how
people think company do. Furthermore, it has been analysed that this procedure can give markers
power to guide their target market about how to select its services and goods among list of many.
Along with above act, it is also quite significant for marketers of TUI to understand its
customer’s decision making procedure, because it helps them to produce and offer things
accordingly (Jones and Runyan, 2016). It also aid to comprehend exact expectation of each
visitors in clear manner that bring a lot of advantages for company in term of reaching at
profitable customers or group of people who are highly interested in affordable and convenient
tourism services like travel package from home town to chosen destination. Moreover,
understanding buyer decision making is also important because it support assess type of item or
things liked by people so that company can release it to market, which in return increase
customer base of TUI and allow them to become a market leader.
From above discussion, it has been identified that comprehending decision making
procedure of customer and mapping path to buy TUI service is important for marketers. It allow
them to respond overall procedure in effective and ethical manner which is quite beneficial for
company in form of gaining attention of new buyers and retaining new one for longer period of
time. For example, marketers can respond to decision making procedure in different manner like
they can reach at all stages like need reorganization and information collection via updating
website and social media account of TUI.
It has been critically analysed that above concepts such as cultural factors, social factors,
personal factors, six stages of consumer decision making and other influencing and impact
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tourism decision making act in positive and negative manner. For example, people desire drive
them towards reservation and vacation where he or she can spend time with family as it influence
in positive manner, while social element like size of family restrict person to think about longer
term vacation as it is not budget and pocket friendly.
LO 3
Business to customer refer to procedure of selling items and services direct between a
company and its target market who are end users of all things that organizations produce for
them.
B2B-
Business to business is a type of transaction between companies such as one involves a
production and wholesaler or a wholesaler & retailer.
Hospitality decision making procedure is divided into two terms business to consumers
and business to business, which is quite different from each other (Nath, Saha and Salehi-
Sangari, 2019).
The main difference between both above terms is market size, market size of business to
consumers is wider than B2B, because area of market relate to buyer is always rely on products.
Business to business market size is smaller as it does not allow companies to direct communicate
and interact with people which make them able to generate a lot of profit in term of revenue.
B2B is different because it only concentrate on relationship with suppliers and product
distributors, while business to customers focus on product as it give them chance to influence
buyer towards services offered by TUI.
Business to business term connect one stakeholder to another one like manufacture,
retailer and wholesaler, as it permit to build strong and wide chain, which is not possible with
business to customer decision making as it only connect company with target market who are
interested in its services and products. For instance, buyer can take decision to take service to
chosen brand by directly communicate with TUI management who can influence and
convenience traveller to consider their value added things. On the other hand, in form of
business to business, decision taking act is quite complex because mediator such as tour operator
creates confusion as they give information after connecting other stakeholder like TUI firm about
booking accessibility that take a lot of time.
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Collecting market information relate to consumers, trends and competitors is really very
essential for entire hospitality sector. Management could gather data relate to all of the by
conducting market research which is one of the most commonly utilized approaches in the world
of venture.
Methods through which marketer can collect market information about consumer, rivals
and trends-
Personal interview-
It is actually very important for marketers to conduct market research and understand
decision making procedure as it allows them to gather data about current market and customers
trends. Via conducting personal interview or communication they can do these things
successfully. Marketer of TUI can conduct a interview with experience person who can give
them every data.
Telephone-
It is another approach that marketer can consider and use for market investigation and
comprehend decision making act. For instance, they can communicate via phone to existing
buyer and attempt to know how they consider TUI services and what need to improve within
existing things.
Mail inquiry-
It is market research approach that helps firm and its marketing team to known what
people in recent time wants and search in context of tourism services. Furthermore, via mail
inquiry company can arrange a small quiz through which they can ask some question direct to
customer that help understanding decision making procedure.
Hall test-
It allow marketers to known immediately respond and decision of tourist as soon as
possible which make them able to make further changes accordingly. This method TUI can use
for test a product and service perception in mind of buyer that influences overall decision
making.
Focus group discussion-
It is simple process or approach that mostly use for decision making act understanding of
customers. With this method marketer can include collection of people from different
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background, culture and religion, it help to know more about individual and how they look at
services of firm.
As discussed above ranges of options and methods are accessible that marketers of TUI
can use to gather inform about current trends and business rivals. For example, firm can apply
focus group discussion and mail inquiry.
Factors impact on decision making-
All factors either external or internal influence decision making or buying behaviour of
tourism in negative and positive manner. For example, technology advancement put positive
impact on both above terms. This factor gives customer of TUI company power to collect info
about organization seasonal offer and discounts at home via using smart phones and laptops.
Furthermore, environmental change is external factor that influence decision making and buying
nature of people negatively because due to weather change people would not do out at home and
wait until weather get normal.
LO 4
Evaluation base on how marketers influence six stages of tourism decision making process-
Decision making procedure comprise 6 stages where marketers can reach and then
influence each phase successfully and appropriately. For example, when people take first step,
marketer can influence it by developing social media page where all data needs to be mentioned
in systematic manner that buyer can get easily and identify need of TUI services.
After that they can influence second phase by inserting data about travel package and
ways to book services of brand. It can aware people about things and influence his or her mind to
consider it.
Furthermore, at third stage marketers can give a small trail to customer by sharing
personal reviews of existing travellers or group of its consumers via website as it give assurance
to individual about loyalty and transparency of firm.
Now in regard to fourth phase, marketer can influence people by providing application
system to people which he or she can use to conform check in or check out time. It can give them
more value added services like payment method.
At last marketer can do his or her job by taking feedback of customers and revert them.
For example, Marketers in field of tourism can gather information about its business rivals by
conducting market research via survey which is one of the best and most suitable approaches.
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As discussed above, marketers are able to influence each phase of tourist decision making
procedure in systematic and effective manner. It is possible because they reach at each stage for
example, when people gather data about TUI service marketer can influence them by updating
all marketing pages, accounts and sites in context of offers that firm provide to people.
Furthermore, they can influence at last stage by develop effective promotional content that assure
each buyer about receiving quality products and accommodation service.
All above steps taken by travel companies such as TUI are quite beneficial as it helps to
gain the attention of more buyers towards them. On the other hand, it is ineffective when
research is not being conducted in effective and systematic manner.
From above analysis and discussion, it has been identified that TUI and other companies
of hospitality sector by following appropriate suggestions and recommendations would influence
consumers by reaching at each phase. For example, organizations should influence people by
reaching at first and second stage via promoting venture and updating information relate to
products at one of the most influencing social media platforms.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above discussion, it has been concluded that customers has changed their
buying behaviour and attitude toward services as well as products after influencing by social,
psychological and especially personal factors. It has impact marketing attempts of TUI Company
that has drive management towards taking right actions which in return increased customer based
and satisfactory level even better. From above analysis, it has been identified that because of
technology advancement people has now gathered data about travel package and reservation
services online. Marketers grab this opportunity and successfully influenced individual buyer
towards their existing offers by reaching at each phase and putting all information about things
onto social media accounts. Furthermore, it has been determined that by using primary research
approaches like mail inquiry, interview-personal, telephones along with secondary methods like
hall test and focus group discussion marketers has successfully understand decision taking
procedure of buyers.
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