Coghlan, A., & Pearce, P. (2010). Tracking affective components of satisfaction. Tourism and
One doctoral study research student and a professor at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia undertook to answer questions about links between what motivates tourists in their activities, by tracking affective components of satisfaction. The study selects a number of tourists on dynamic volunteer tourism expeditions. The methodology used was participant long form entry in a diary written communication and analyzed in the group and individual settings. The researchers tried to look for patterns in general levels of satisfactions and how this changed over time, and linked to personality characteristics and daily activity. The study concluded that satisfaction levels do not always follow patterns of emotional variability, which in turn correlates to expectations and motivations that were first recorded at the start of the trip. The study is relevant to learn how to identify patterns and to improve tourist's experiences and to maximize their well-being. Strength of the study is that the researchers were able to gather ethnographic data about the participants. It is a strength because it gives researchers rich information about customer experience. The weakness of the study is related to its strength. It is hard to measure for variables in free-form responses from customers.
Funk, D. C., Alexandris, K., & Ping, Y. (2009). To go or stay home and watch: Exploring the balance between motives and perceived constraints for major events: A case
study of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. International Journal of Tourism
Major cities around the world host Olympic Games and other mega-events each year. Marketers and analyst want to know spending habits and the behavior of during these events. Researchers from China, Greece, and Australia -- Ping, Funk, and Alexandris -- look at the mega-event of the Olympics by looking at the decision to either travel to the Olympics, or to consume the events on television. In 2008, Beijing hosted the Winter Olympics. The study is relevant because the Games happen so frequently, and the results of the study could also be utilized to look at other mega events that draw large number of tourists, for example, the World Cup. A strength of the study is that it gives host countries of major events tips to help entice tourists to visit their country. Weakness of the study is what works for the Winter Olympics in Beijing may not work for other cities in different parts of the world.
Houge Mackenzie, S., & Kerr, J. H. (2012). A (mis) guided adventure tourism experience: An
autoethnographic analysis of mountaineering in Bolivia. Journal of Sport & Tourism,
Mackenzie Houge is a researcher at the University of Idaho and John H. Kerr is based at the University of British Columbia. The study tries to investigate adventure tourism in Bolivia. The aim is to look at fluctuations between emotional excitability and the desire to climb mountains. The study maps several observable factors, such as falling into the water, after mountain climbing, with mastery of skills involved to climb a mountain. The study employs reversal theory. The purpose of reversal theory is to study the difference between risky and low risk behaviors. The research is relevant for those interested in travel but as well as those interested in sports tourism. The strength of the study is that it marries research into tourism with research into sport.
Ladkin, A. (2000). Research into consumer behaviour and value systems of ecotourists; tourist choice, behaviour, motivations, and attachments; visitors to nature based destinations;
adventure tourism and channel relationships in the tourism industry. International
Ladkin is a Ph.D. candidate, and this research project is part of his doctoral work in Recreation, Travel and Tourism Institute at Clemson University. Ladkind hypothesizes that “mindfulness” is what attracts consumers to nature parks and the study introduces the concept of mindfulness to map an understanding of tourists who wish to visit nature-based destinations. The theory underpinning the investigation is drawn from Harvard psychologist Ellen K. Langer, who developed the Mindfulness-Mindlessness theory. Mindfulness is when an individual is made more aware of their surroundings, and it seeks to uncover what conditions are necessary to make this mindfulness happen. For example, how much is nature involved in planning a trip to Kenya or to the National Park? Since many travellers consider themselves as ecotourists, this study is relevant. The study was conducted by questionnaire format, with a hierarchy of nine values to study psychological factors that would contribute to a person wanting to take such a trip. The strength of the study is that it is unique. It was a very good idea to use mindfulness as a way to think about what motivates customers to frequent nature parks. It is very relevant because marketers can use the concept of mindfulness to draw consumers to their parks and nature preserves. The weakness of the study is connected to its strengths. What constitutes mindfulness? The concept is very fluid and is very difficult to measure across locations. To commodify mindfulness is a novel idea, however.
Laesser, C., & Dolnicar, S. (2012). Impulse purchasing in tourism – learnings from a study in a matured market. Anatolia: An International Journal Of Tourism & Hospitality Research, 23(2), 268-286. doi:10.1080/13032917.2012.688409
Swiss researchers from the Institute for Systemic Management and Public Governance, Research Center for Tourism and Transport at the University of St. Gallen took to investigate the factors that contribute to consumer motivation to either plan a trip in advance, or to impulsively go on a trip. Previous research has suggested that most trips are precipitated by planning, and what motivates people to travel is partly correlated to the time it will take to plan. The bivariable study is its strength because it is a commonly used research design method for quantitative studies. Its strength is that it makes a powerful connection between impulsivity and planning a trip and how time is an important factor in people’s impulsive behavior. A weakness is its use of a survey, where it would be more enriching to use free-form response by participants who underwent a pre-planned trip versus a spontaneous one. The study looks at planning versus impulsivity by using a telephone survey of approximately 4,500 homes. The source is relevant for the tourist industry because it gives empirical data to bolster marketing to consumers who want to go to an unfamiliar location for travel in a short amount of time. The strength of the study is
Löytynoja, T. (2008). The development of specific locations into tourist attractions: cases from
Northern Europe. Fennia-International Journal of Geography, 186(1), 15-29.
Tanja Löytynoja is a researcher at the Department of Geography at the University of Oulu, Finland. The uniqueness of the research is looking at specific tourist spots that focus on a geographical boundary, for example, the Arctic Circle and the Easternmost Point of the European Union. The relevance of the research is to make these so-called geodetic and extreme locations defined by boundaries more known. It is relevant because it could mean that there are many sites that could gain economically by advertising their geographical uniqueness. The implication of the research would help motivate potential tourists to visit a specific location of attraction. The study concludes that possible particular spots should be approached by analyzing the political processes that influence their production and development. A weakness of the study is that a wider approach needs to be utilized to see the effects of boundary-centric locations in regions that extend beyond Northern Europe. A strength of the study is that while we know that many tourists are motivated to visit famous sites to say “they’ve been there,” this study suggests that places can leverage their geographical uniqueness to make their destination marketable as “famous.”
McIntyre, C. (2007). Survival theory: tourist consumption as a beneficial experiential process in a limited risk setting. International Journal of Tourism Research, 9(2), 115-130.
Charles McIntyre from the School of Service Management at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom sought to find a correlation between consumption by tourists on holiday with differences in cultural setting. McIntyre hypothesizes that the difference may affect tourist consumption and motivation to consume products differently than they would consume products in their everyday lives. Since while “on holiday” consumers are more prone to satisfy interpersonal and intrapersonal significance by consuming tchotchkes the researcher has tried to test whether or not there was a higher proclivity to retail consumption. The conclusion was that the higher emotional connection to the object the higher the consumer associated it with learning and the discovery to finding the self. The study is relevant because it connects religious belief with motivation to travel. The strength of the study is that it is original. The weakness of the study is that it is a qualitative study and it would be better if it were quantitative so data could be collected or a survey given to measure what is meant by people experiencing a cultural destination that evokes an emotional response.
Singh, L. K. (2008). Fundamental of tourism and travel. Delhi: Isha Books.
The book-length report is replete with informative material on consumer spending habits in the tourism industry. The chapter “Issues in Tourism” highlights keys issues with motivation and finding out what attracts consumers and what prevents them from spending their money on travel. The relevance of this book is that it is a general reference guide for those who work in the tourist management industry. Travel companies can purchase the book and display it. The strength of the book is that it gives general knowledge. It serves as a ready reference and has quick facts about taxes, employment, and helpful tips. The weakness is that the information will be out-of-date within a year and a new edition needs to be written.
Waligóra, A. (2014). Differences in Customers’ Purchase Decision Motivations between Early and Late Bookings of a Package Holiday.
It is possible to look at the study above by Laesser on impulse purchase and this very timely study by Waligóra on consumer consumption and motivation in buying a packaged holiday. It is relevant because we know that consumers make impulse purchase decisions when shopping based on mood, emotion, or the pleasure of spending money “in the moment.” The study uses behavioral psychology to look at differences between early and late bookings to go on holiday. This is a huge research initiative and the study examined several hypotheses. The weakness of the study is that it tries to cover too much ground and is not specific enough. The strength of the study is that it gives a wealthy data set on behavioral characteristics of consumers.
