Consumer Behaviour in Tourism: Trends, Factors & Decision Journey

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of consumer behavior and insights within the tourism industry, focusing on factors influencing consumer decisions and emerging trends. It explores cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors affecting consumer behavior, particularly in the context of Europamundo, a JTB group company. The report defines changing consumer trends due to digital technology, analyzes the impact of various factors on tourism trends, and critically evaluates emerging trends in consumer behavior. It also outlines the stages of the consumer decision-making journey, mapping a path to purchase for tourism services and evaluating the role of marketers in this process. Key differences between B2C and B2B hospitality decisions are compared, and different approaches to market research are evaluated for understanding the decision-making process. The report concludes with an evaluation of how marketers influence the tourism decision-making process and the impact of implemented theories and models on tourism decision-making, providing relevant examples from the industry. Desklib offers this and other solved assignments to aid students in their studies.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
AND INSIGHT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................4
TASK 1......................................................................................................................................4
Different cultural, social, personal and psychological factors can influence consumer
behaviour and attitudes with tourism context........................................................................4
Define how consumer trends are changing due to the impact of digital technology.............6
Analyse how culture, social, personal and psychological factors influence consumer
behaviour and attitudes are changing trends in tourism.........................................................7
Critical analysis of emerging trends in consumer behaviour and attitudes with examples
from the tourism industry.......................................................................................................7
TASK 2......................................................................................................................................8
Stages of consumer decision making the journey and map a path to purchase for tourism
service....................................................................................................................................8
Importance of mapping a path to purchase for marketers for understanding consumer
decision making in the tourism sector..................................................................................11
Evaluation of marketers responding to the decision-making process..................................12
Critical evaluation of the application of appropriate theories, concepts and models which
influence the tourism decision-making process...................................................................13
TASK 3....................................................................................................................................13
Compare and contrast key differences among hospitality decisions making in the context of
B2C and B2B with examples...............................................................................................13
Evaluation of different approaches to market research and methods for understanding the
decision-making process......................................................................................................14
Evaluation of different factors which influence tourism decision making and buying
behaviour..............................................................................................................................15
TASK 4....................................................................................................................................16
Evaluation of how marketers influence different stages of the tourism decision-making
process..................................................................................................................................16

Critical evaluation of how marketers influence each stage of the decision-making process
concerning relevant methods and models............................................................................17
Critical evaluation of implemented theory and model and their impact upon tourism
decision making with example.............................................................................................18
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................20

INTRODUCTION
Consumer behaviour and insight is the way of understanding human behaviour, how
they think or feel through which an organization can evaluate the demands of consumers and
plan strategies to meet their demands. Customer behaviour and insight is the approach of
understanding the buying patterns and habits of consumers in purchasing goods and services
(Adhikari and Bhattacharya, 2016). Europamundo is a company of JTB group which is one of
the largest companies of travel and tourism in Asia. The JTB group was established over 100
years ago and majorly focuses on searching for excellence in the travel industry. This project
will outline different factors which can create an impact on consumer behaviour and trends.
The report will also discuss the consumer decision-making journey and will outline the key
differences between B2C and B2B. This project will also highlight the different stages of the
tourism decision-making process.
TASK 1
Different cultural, social, personal and psychological factors can influence consumer
behaviour and attitudes with tourism context
Various factors are responsible to influence the tourism sector, such factors are- culture
(culture, sub-culture and social class), social (family, role, status and reference groups),
personal (income, lifestyle, occupation and personality) and psychological (learning,
perception and motivation) factors which are responsible in creating an impact on the
consumer behaviour and attitude (Altinay and Taheri, 2019). The influence of these factors in
the context of the tourism industry is discussed below:
Culture (culture, sub-culture and social class)
Social (family, role, status and reference groups)
Personal (income, lifestyle, occupation and personality)
Psychological (learning, perception and motivation)

Source: Created by self
 Cultural factors- A set of shared ideas and beliefs among a group of individuals is
connected to cultural characteristics. Cultural elements such as basic required values are
those which can be seen or taught by a customer through family or through society
which has a significant impact on consumer behaviour (Dewnarain, Ramkissoon and
Mavondo, 2019). To meet consumer demands based on cultural elements, the travel and
tourism company, Europamundo focuses on respecting basic values, acknowledging
customer preferences and offering packages that can help meet such expectations.
 Social factors- One of the factors that influence customer purchasing behaviour is society
and social consequences. Social factors such as family, peer group, role and status affect
consumer behaviour. A person's social status may affect them and their position has a
significant impact on their purchasing patterns. In the context of Europamundo,
customers with high social status would buy and look for luxury packages according to
their wealth. The type of occupation and status can be other factors that can influence
consumer behaviours.
 Personal factors- Personal factors differ from one person to another, resulting in a wide
range of perspectives and purchasing habits. Personal factors such as economic status,
lifestyle, occupation and personality control consumer purchase decisions. A lot of factors
impact consumer purchasing behaviour, one of which is wealth. As a consumer's income
rises, so do his or her purchasing power and vice versa. In the instance of Europamundo,
the tourism company provides a wide range of tour packages based on different income
and facilities and costs which can help meet customer demands.
 Psychological factors- Consumer behaviour is influenced by psychological factors such
as motivation, learning, perception, attitudes and beliefs (Dolnicar, 2020). A willingness
to do something or a set of characteristics that encourage customers to do something is
characterised as motivation. Several factors influence consumer motivation; these factors
are determined by a person's needs, which may include social, fundamental, security,
esteem and self-actualization wants. By Europamundo, as tourist behaviour is based on
social, emotional, motivational and cognitive aspects, the tourism company offers a
variety of relaxing vacation packages through which the company can meet the demands
of tourists.

Define how consumer trends are changing due to the impact of digital technology
Consumer trend is the consumer habit or preference which has been formed based on
their new behaviour, expectation, attitude and opinion. In simpler terms, a consumer trend is
a new behaviour or a new attitude or expectation. Digital technology is the medium that helps
consumers in gathering information more easily and the impact of digital technology on
consumer trends. In the context of Europamundo, the change in consumer behaviour due to
the impact of digital technology has been discussed underneath:
 Privacy and security concerns- Consumers are becoming more aware that privacy
violations may interrupt their daily lives and as a result, they are demanding more and
better data protection. Due to incline in data breaches, this has increased customer
concern regarding the safety and privacy of all the information which has been shared
with the consumers by travel companies (Dredge and Gyimóthy, 2017). Therefore,
such significant concerns have made travel and tourism company, Europamundo face
challenges and to mitigate such risk the company focuses on using more secure
networks and approaches through which consumer data can be protected from such
unwanted risk and hackers.
 Easier market research and product evaluation- Technology is accountable for
significantly influencing consumer behaviour and making services more accessible to
clients. Consumers may use market research in product and service companions in
terms of comparing packages and amenities to evaluate the quality and price of
products and services provided by the travel and tourism company,
Europamundo which helps in boosting customer engagement and affects consumer
purchase decisions.
 Higher Expectations- Due to change and advancement in technology, this has been
responsible for creating an impact on the expectation level of employees. The digital
pioneers are the factors that are setting higher standards due to which customers in
travel and tourism and other industries are becoming more responsive (Impact of
technology on consumer behaviour, 2022). In the case of Europamundo, the
customers of travel and tourism companies focus on meeting tailored experience on
demand of their customers through which they can meet customer standards and
ensure the quality customer experience is delivered which will support travel
company in meeting the targets and in creating a loyal customer base.

Analyse how culture, social, personal and psychological factors influence consumer
behaviour and attitudes are changing trends in tourism
As various factors are responsible for influencing consumer behaviour. It can be
analysed that consumer behaviour is influenced by cultural, social, psychological and
personal factors. For example, personal factors such as income, lifestyle and other factors are
responsible for creating the preferences and purchasing habits of consumers. The wealth of a
consumer, living standards and lifestyle is the approach of the buying patterns which can
define how the change in trends or change in income can increase or decrease their
expenditure (Fotis, 2015). It can also be seen that social factors such as status, position and
authority within the society can also create a huge pressure on consumers and this can make
consumers make expenses based on their position and standards within the community.
In the context of Europamundo, the company focuses on cultural, social, personal and
psychological factors which are changing the trends in consumer preferences in a travel
company. The change in such factors, such as a change in income can bring change in
lifestyle which affects the spending potential of consumers and their preferences.
Critical analysis of emerging trends in consumer behaviour and attitudes with examples from
the tourism industry
The emerging trends the been very dynamic and can create positive as well as
negative impacts on the business operating within the tourism industry. The emerging trends
in consumer behaviour in attitude within the organisation have been occurring due to various
factors, some of these factors are- digital technology, awareness for sustainability, higher
expectation standards, cultural, social, psychological and personal factors. The change in
these factors are responsible for influencing consumer behaviour which can create a change
in interest and such changes are responsible for creating an impact on the overall travel and
tourism industry. Therefore, the awareness for sustainability has been increasing and
consumers are becoming more aware which affects the operations of companies.
For example, Europamundo focuses on increasing the awareness regarding the safety
and security of confidential information has been a major concern for customers and these
consumer trends are responsible for creating pressure on companies through which they can
plan and implements programs that can help safeguard the data from unauthorized and
unethical websites and hackers.

TASK 2
Stages of consumer decision making the journey and map a path to purchase for tourism
service
Customer journey mapping is a method of developing a consumer journey map,
which is a strategic initiative to analyse customer demands, their preferences and their
interest which is essential for enhancing the customer experience (Funk, Alexandris and
McDonald, 2016). The customer journey map has been described in the context of
Europamundo has been addressed underneath:
Source: Created by self
 Need recognition (Awareness)- This step will assist consumers in understanding the
need and type of services available, which will aid them in evaluating the best option.
Europamundo will market its tour packages and services through online and offline
channels by advertising its appealing deals to gain customer attention. This aspect
assists Europamundo in grasping the attention of visitors and increasing the attention
of users (Gibson and O’Rawe, 2018). To attract customer attention, Europamundo
will display and advertise visuals in the form of pictures and videos of the facilities
and services which are offered by them.
Need
recognition
Information
search
Evaluation of
alternatives
Purchase
Post purchase
evaluation

 Information search (Research)- It is the second phase in the consumer decision-
making process when knowledge about the company's products and services is gained
through research. In the case of Europamundo, consumers may also search the
internet for services offered by them which will help consumers in gathering
important information about the packages, destinations, products and services offered
by the travel and tourism company.
 Evaluation of alternatives (Consideration)- This is the third phase in the consumer
decision-making process in which customers identify options based on the price,
availability, quality, quality and range of the offered services (Kaur, 2017). Customers
can choose some potential alternatives depending on their preferences, which benefits
decision-making. Europamundo will nurture the leads at this point to ensure a
seamless conversion and influence their shopping decisions.
 Purchase (Conversion)- Consumers approve a purchasing choice based on the
evaluation after gathering all relevant information and shortlisting certain suitable
options. The purchase choice is the conversion of shortlisted abstract ideas into actual
purchases in which consumers make the final selection about the services of the
company. This stage will assist Europamundo in developing a sense of urgency and
exit intent pop-ups. It also highlights customer availability to have a beneficial effect
on consumer purchasing decisions.
 Post-purchase evaluation (Repurchase)- In this last step, it will show if the
organisation was able to meet the customer's demand while also providing value for
money. It may be useful in fulfilling customers’ requirements and as a result,
customers are more likely to repurchase the company's products and services.
Therefore, this stage of the consumer mapping journey is a reflection of both the
customer and the supplier.

Map a path to purchase
Path to purchase is the reflection of the consumer journey which defines the
touchpoints that have been encountered by consumers before making any purchase. This step
will be helpful for the marketers of Europamundo to understand how the consumers are
moving from various touchpoints with the help of the marketing funnel. By implementing the
marketing funnel, Europamundo will be able to evaluate consumer journey mapping where
the below addressed stages are discussed:
The customers can use either the social
media accounts of the organization or visit
its website.
The website consists of all relevant information that the
customer needs in order to reserve as well as plan for
travelling.
Front desk as
well as arrival
desk
Custome
rs.
The customers of the organization will be
vacation planner, tourist as well as
traveling bloggers.
Traveling enthusiasts and
bloggers.
Through websites
help chat or
phone
Customers that
are interested in
organization
service.
The customers can as the guide or
directly get in touch with a help
representative.
Customers that have queries
relative to organizational service.
Through phone or the
guide present.
Customers that are looking forward
to have adventurous activities and
experience.
The company
guide.
Emergency needs
or expert opinion
The customers can
contact the guide. Help desk
and front
desk
Travelling
bloggers and
influencers.
Customers that
have queries after
the tour has ended.
The website is well structured and consist of relevant
information that will be of assistance to customers.
The website allows the customer to book quick reservation
in simple and systematic steps. This makes it easy form
customers to use the website and the service offered by the
organization.
The website can encounter periodic down time either due to
high level of online traffic or technical issues.
The situation of COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacts the
operation of the organization due to travelling restrictions at
various destinations.
Provide customers with the general
expectations relative to their journey as
well as experience.
Catering to their budget and
providing relative options for them.
Maintain high
level of
standards
based on
quality within
its hospitality.
Hire profession
that can cater
the needs of the
customers in an
effective
manner.
Hire professional guide who are
bale to elaborate on the cultural
history of the destination.
Provide cuisines from
various regions in
order to enhance
customer experience.
Develop stops between
travel and provide customers
with a detailed manual
To process of
bringing back
customer should be
designed to be short
and less time
consuming.
Attain feedback from
customers in order to
make necessary
changes and improve
their experience.
Optimize the interface as well as the
website so it can consist of picture and
videos of destinations in order to
attract customers.
The organization can build positive
relation with other luxurious hotels in
order to expand their network as it
will improve its offered services.
Introduce
customers to the
local traditions as
well as culture of
the region in
order to improve
their experience.
Provide
customers
with effective
traveling
options that
are
comfortable
and safe for
travelling.
The company should
hire individuals from the
local community in
order to provide
intercultural interaction
and exclusive
experience.
The company should
provide adventurous
activities to customers in
order to provide effective
entertainment. Although it
should ensure all the
activities are safe.
The locations should have
cultural significance as well
as be surreal in order to
improve customer
experience.
Exclusive
location at a
destination
should be
included in order
to provide a
memorable
experience to
customers.
The positive
experience of
customers should
be posted on the
website in order to
promote
organizational
success.

Source: What are Marketing Funnels and How Do They Work?, 2021
 Attention- This is the first stage in which companies promote their offerings through
which consumers can gather information and gain awareness about the companies and
their offerings. About Europamundo, the tourism company will be offering their
product, services and their packages through which they can attract customers and this
can help create brand awareness of the company.
 Interest- This is the second stage in which consumers focus on contacting companies
through which organizations can resolve their queries. In relation to Europamundo,
the consumers can gather information related to the travel and tourism company
through the help desk, website and through contacting the representatives.
 Desire- In this stage, consumers have done their research and based on their
evaluations of alternatives, consumers will make a purchase. This is the stage in
which the consumers of Europamundo will shortlist alternatives as per their
experience which can be positive as well as negative through which they can further
decide in making a purchase. For example, maintaining a detailed and systematically
marinated website will assist the consumers of Europamundo to gather information
briefly which can assist the company in higher lead conversion.
 Action- This phase will be helpful in evaluating the actions which are taken by
consumers to make a purchase. Talking about Europamundo, the consumers in this
stage will take actions where they will purchase as per their evaluation. Such action
will help evaluate opportunities for business growth and profitability.
Importance of mapping a path to purchase for marketers for understanding consumer decision
making in the tourism sector
The importance of outlining a path to acquisition in the case of Europamundo is
explained below:
 To identify the pain points of customers and places where organisations can improve
their services, the marketers of Europamundo must outline a route to purchase that
will allow them to obtain a deeper understanding of consumer choice and buying
patterns.
 Europamundo will be able to measure the difference between the intended and real
client experience with the use of route mapping, allowing them to improve their

services and will help the tourism company in retaining their customers (Marriott,
Williams and Dwivedi, 2017). This also supports Europamundo in developing and
maintaining its competitive position and company success.
 It is critical for a marketer to create a consumer journey map to understand the
opinions and preferences of clients, as well as to determine the stage of the consumer
decision-making process that will assist the tourism agency to develop leads through
conversion.
Evaluation of marketers responding to the decision-making process
The tourism industry needs to reach and connect with a bigger number of consumers
by using innovative and vibrant marketing methods that will help in positively influencing
consumer purchase decisions (Merli et.al, 2019). The following are some examples from the
tourism industry and in the context of the travel company, Europamundo:
 Customer relations- The public relations and marketing departments of the travel
and tourism industry are critical departments of business that assist companies in
developing strong customer relationships so that they can improve their brand image,
strengthen their customer base and increase consumer loyalty towards the brand, all of
which will aid in the generation of higher revenues and maximization of profitability
of Europamundo while operating in the travel industry. In the case of Europamundo,
the travel company will focus on creating a strong interpersonal relationship with their
customers through which they can create a loyal customer base. To develop and
maintain strong customer relations, the travel and tourism company will offer various
member benefits which can be availed by customers. The brand will offer loyalty
programs and more through which the company can ensure they can retain a greater
number of customers and maintain a competitive position within the industry.
 Market researchers- The marketers of Europamundo will perform substantial market
research to better understand consumer preferences and promote their packages and
services to ensure customer happiness and satisfaction. Effective market research will
assist Europamundo marketers in gaining a better understanding of customer
behaviour and trends which will aid them in properly carrying out their operational
tasks and making progress towards business success and goodwill. For example,
Europamundo will organize market research through which they can understand the