Edward G. Thomas

Consumer Behavior in the U.S. Pleasure Travel Marketplace: An Analysis of Senior and Nonsenior Travelers

Recently, the consumer behavior of the senior market has become an increasingly important area of interest to various public policy makers and travel marketers. This article focuses on understanding the consumer behavior of seniors and nonseniors in the U.S. pleasure travel marketplace. Specifically, the study determines the types of pleasure trips taken and the differences that exist between the groups in the use of package trips, travel agents, and other travel-related characteristics. Demographic profiles of senior and nonsenior pleasure travelers are also delineated. The study findings are used as the bases for suggesting a number of implications for travel marketers.

US Pleasure Travellers′ Perceptions of Selected European Destinations

In today′s competitive travel industry, positioning the destination more effectively in the traveller′s mind has become an increasingly important strategic issue. The key to this is an understanding of the traveller′s perceptions of destinations. This study focuses on determining US pleasure travellers′ perceptions of selected European destinations for touring and outdoor vacations. The study findings are used to suggest various strategic directions for European travel and tourism marketers.

Informational/Transformational Advertising

Abstract Using the two general categories of informational versus transformational advertisements, this study finds there are substantial differences in usage across media types, product categories, and national cultures. Implications for differences in usage are discussed.

A socioeconomic comparison of vocational interests: Implications for co̧unseling

Abstract Interpretation of test results for special groups of students has long been a problem facing counselors. This study was designed to assess the effects of socioeconomic status on the results obtained from the Ohio Vocational Interest Survey (OVIS). The sample consisted of 200 ninth grade students, one-half of whom represented the inner-city disadvantaged, with the remaining one-half representing a high socioeconomic level. Disadvantaged males displayed significantly higher interests for all 24 OVIS work areas; disadvantaged females recorded significantly higher interests for 18 of the 24 work areas. Established OVIS norms were compared with the interest patterns of each group, thus providing a reference point from which to work when counseling special students. It was concluded that established norms were of little value in interpreting OVIS results to inner-city disadvantaged students, especially males.

The Corporate Annual Report: A Basic Resource in the Written Communications Course.

are on corporate mailing lists and regularly receive annual reports from a wide variety of business and industrial firms. Because of its ready availability, the corporate annual report is a valuable resource for the written communications course. This article describes ways in which the annual report may be used in classroom activities and for out-of-class assignments in the basic written communications course. It should be especially helpful for new teachers or for teachers who have not used annual reports extensively in the business communications course.