Bridget Major

Alive and kicking: evaluating the overseas package holiday experience of grey consumers in the United Kingdom.

An overseas package holiday is a high-value purchase and a unique and complex service product with a fragmented experience, which can take place for several months or more. There is a gap in the experience literature on overseas package holidays, despite the fact that this industry generates approximately one third of all trips and expenditure in the United Kingdom. This article aims to increase the understanding of this service product and critically evaluate the consumer experience. The authors focus on ‘grey’ consumers who form a market segment that is growing in size and extremely important in the travel industry. However, it has been neglected in consumer behaviour literature that explores the experiential aspects of extended service encounters. Template analysis is used to identify six key categories that contribute to the package holiday experience of UK grey consumers holidaying in Tenerife. The six categories are the preholiday experience, travel and transit experience, self-made experience, provided experience, satisfaction, and loyalty. The grey market for package holidays is alive and kicking with many greys seeking fun, entertainment, enjoyment, and active participation in activities and meeting other guests. Undoubtedly, the Thomson Gold model, which disallows stays by those younger than 16 years, is highly suited to the needs of this market. The security and consumer protection offered by package holidays is highly important to these consumers who appear satisfied with the quality of their experience, which leads to exceptionally high levels of loyalty and repeat visits.

Perfect weddings abroad

Approximately 16% of UK couples are currently married abroad. However, academic or practitioner focused research that explores the complex nature of a couple’s buying preferences or the development of innovative marketing strategies by businesses operating within the weddings abroad niche sector, is almost non-existent. This exploratory paper examines the role and relevance of marketing within the weddings abroad sector. The complex nature of customer needs in this high emotional and involvement experience, are identified and explored. A case study of Perfect Weddings Abroad Ltd highlights distinctive features and characteristics. Social networking and the use of home-workers, with a focus on reassurance and handholding are important tools used to develop relationships with customers. These tools and techniques help increase the tangibility of a weddings abroad package. Clusters of complementary services that are synergistic and provide sources of competitive advantage are identified and an agenda for future research is developed.

The ski chalet party: An under-researched and highly successful industry sector

This paper aims to explore the origins of the concept of the ski chalet party, an under-researched and yet extremely successful British initiative. The chalet party product is examined in the context of the post-war development of the European winter sports industry, and qualitative research is undertaken which places this type of service and accommodation provision within a European resort development perspective. Primary research based on an interview with the pioneer of the European ski chalet party outlines the origins and unique nature and characteristics of this product. Statistics in the format of data from two of the UK market leaders are provided demonstrating the importance and significance of this type of accommodation to winter sports tourism. The exploration of the concept of the chalet party is important in evaluating how this model has led to the product becoming such an integral part of the winter sports industry, particularly pertinent given its unique characteristics which have implications for its management. The author explores the nature of the product and details its main features and characteristics. The exploration of the emergence of the concept and the positioning of the format leads to the identification of further areas for research and consideration of the fact that the model has also been successfully adapted and utilised in the provision of non-winter sports holidays, but not to the same degree.