Introduction
Creating memories and joyous experiences for consumers is a key dimension affecting the profitability and growth of any tourism organisation. To understand the factors that influence customers’ decisions is invaluable in marketing and operating your travel and tourism business.
This unit is designed to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of the consumer’s decision-making processes, from needs recognition through research, the evaluation of alternatives, purchase and post-purchase evaluation. While students will learn the underpinning theories and frameworks, they will also be expected to relate these to real-world examples, including their own personal experiences.
An important part of marketing is understanding the processes behind how a consumer makes the decision to purchase a product and/or service.
The knowledge, understanding and skill sets that students will gain
on successfully completing this unit will enhance their career opportunities,
whether setting up in business independently or being employed by a travel and
tourism organisation.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit a student will be able to:
- Examine the factors that influence tourism consumer behaviour and attitudes
- Demonstrate the ability to map a path to purchase in a tourism context, including the decision-making process
- Evaluate appropriate forms of research to understand influences on the tourism consumer decision-making process
- Evaluate how marketers influence the different stages of the tourism consumer decision-making process.
Essential Content
LO1 Examine the factors that influence tourism consumer behaviour and attitudes
Introduction to consumer behaviour:
The definition of consumer behaviour
The various factors that influence consumer behaviour: cultural, social, personal and psychological
Lifestyle determinants of demand for tourism
The challenges of quality service delivery to meet consumer expectations
The impact of digital technology on changing consumer behaviour and attitudes
Emerging consumer trends affecting the tourism industry
LO2 Demonstrate the ability to map a path to purchase in a tourism context, including the decision-making process
Introduction to consumer decision-making:
Models of tourism consumer decision-making e.g. Schmoll and Mathieson and Wall models
The value of mapping a path to purchase: the consumer decision journey from pre-purchase, purchase, receive and post-purchase
Levels of tourism consumer decision-making – extensive problem-solving, limited problem-solving and routine response behaviour
Four views of tourism consumer decision-making: economic, passive, emotional and cognitive
Factors that influence decision-making:
The influence of heuristics on decision-making
The influence of elements of the marketing mix on decision-making
The influence of new technologies e.g. online transactions and purchasing, interactive personalised services, media platforms for ratings and reviews
LO3 Evaluate appropriate forms of research to understand influences on the tourism consumer decision-making process
Researching different stages of the decision-making process:
The differences between Business to Consumer (B2C) and Business to Business (B2B) decision-making processes
How market research differs between B2B and B2C
This covers skills sets, research methodology, sample sizes, the
importance of tele-depth interviews and applying the Pareto principle
Influences on the decision-making process:
Personality, self and motivation
Measures of consumer learning: recognition and recall, attitudinal and behavioural
Understanding aspects of consumer perception: dynamics, imagery and risk
LO4 Evaluate how marketers influence the different stages of the tourism consumer decision-making process
Approaches to consumer learning: behavioural and cognitive: Influence of culture and sub-culture on consumer behaviour Patterns of buyer behaviour
Role of opinion leaders in influencing purchasing decisions
How tourism organisations use an understanding of buyer behaviour to influence the decision-making process
The use of digital audience research developments to understand and
influence consumer behaviour
Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria
| Pass | Merit | Distinction |
| LO1 Examine the factors that influence tourism consumer behaviour and attitudes | D1 Critically analyse the emerging trends in consumer behaviour and attitudes, using specific examples from the tourism industry to support your arguments | |
| P1 Investigate the different cultural, social, personal and psychological factors that influence consumer behaviour and attitudes within a tourism context | M1 Analyse how cultural, social, personal and psychological factors that influence consumer behaviour and attitudes are changing and driving trends in tourism | |
| P2 Explore how consumer trends are changing due to the impact of digital technology | ||
| LO2 Demonstrate the ability to map a path to purchase in a tourism context, including the decision- making process | ||
| P3 Examine the stages of the consumer decision- making journey and map a path to the purchasing for a given tourism service P4 Explore why it is important for marketers to map a path to purchase and understand consumer decision- making in the tourism sector | M2 Evaluate how marketers are responding to the decision-making process, applying relevant examples from the tourism sector | LO2 LO3 LO4 D2 Critically evaluate the application of appropriate theories, concepts and models that influence and impact upon the tourism decision-making process, supported by specific tourism examples and contexts |
| LO3 Evaluate appropriate forms of research to understand influences on the tourism consumer decision-making process | ||
| P5 Compare and contrast the key differences of the tourism decision-making process in the context of B2C and B2B, using specific tourism examples P6 Evaluate the different approaches to market research and methods of research used for understanding the decision-making process | M3 Provide a coherent and justified evaluation of how different factors influence tourism decision-making and buying behaviour, supported by specific tourism examples |
| Pass | Merit | Distinction |
| LO4 Evaluate how marketers influence the different | ||
| stages of the tourism consumer decision-making | ||
| process | ||
| P7 Evaluate how | M4 Critically evaluate | |
| marketers can influence | how marketers influence | |
| the different stages of | each stage of the | |
| the tourism decision- | decision-making process, | |
| making process, giving | with reference to relevant | |
| specific tourism examples | methods and models | |
| applied |
Recommended Resources
Textbooks
BOWIE, D. and BUTTLE, F. (2011) Hospitality Marketing Principles and Practice. 2nd ed. Oxford: Routledge.
DIXIT, K. (2017) The Routledge Handbook of Consumer Behaviour in Hospitality and Tourism. 1st ed. Oxford: Routledge.
JAHAURI, V. (2017) Hospitality Marketing and Consumer Behavior: Creating Memorable Experiences. 1st ed. Waretown, New Jersey: Apple Academic Press.
SWARBROOKE, J. and HORNER, S. (2016) Consumer Behaviour in Tourism. 3rd ed. Oxford: Routledge.
Links
This unit links to the following related units:
Unit 2: Managing the Customer Experience
Unit 50: Customer Value Management
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