Rodoula H. Tsiotsou

Future research directions in tourism marketing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to formulate and discuss future research avenues for the marketing of tourism services.Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken in the paper is to review the relevant literature and focus on the key themes most important for future research on tourism marketing.Findings – The paper finds that there are a number of research avenues for tourism marketing researchers and marketing practitioners to conduct investigations on but the most important areas are consumer behavior, branding, e‐marketing and strategic marketing.Practical implications – The paper is relevant to tourism firms and destination management organizations in the development of marketing activities/capabilities to increase their customer base. In addition, as this paper takes a global perspective it is also helpful to compare different international research directions.Social implications – Changing demographics and the aging of the global population mean different marketing approaches will be ne...

Delineating the effect of market orientation on services performance: a component-wise approach

This article attempts to delve deeper into the relationship between the three core components of market orientation and service performance, settle literature inconsistencies and provide insights into the role of each component. A conceptual model is presented in which a synergetic mechanism among the market orientation components and their link to service performance is proposed. The model is tested in the context of travel and tourism services by gathering data from Greece and Lithuania and using structural equation modelling. The results indicate that customer orientation is the only direct determinant of service performance, whereas competitor orientation and inter-functional coordination exhibit indirect effects through customer orientation. The study provides new directions to market orientation research and assists marketing managers of services firms in gaining a better understanding of the concept and its implementation for accomplishing optimal performance results.

Using Demographics and Leisure Activities to Predict Satisfaction with Tourism Services in Greece

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to predict the level of satisfaction with tourism services in Greece. In particular, the study investigated the degree to which demographic variables and leisure activities could discriminate consumers who are highly satisfied from those who are less satisfied with tourism services. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was given to 170 subjects who participated in a three-day trip organized by travel agencies to the mountainous region of Hepeiros, Greece, from November 2003 to February 2004. The questionnaire was given the last day of the trip and was answered by 115 individuals (68% response rate). Classification with discriminant analysis was used to identify consumers with different satisfaction levels (high and low). The hypothesis that demographics and leisure activities will classify consumers highly satisfied from consumers less satisfied was partially confirmed. Education, age and leisure activities could discriminate between the two groups of consumers (high satisfied and low satisfied). However, the findings of the study provide theoretical and practical implications in predicting satisfaction level and increasing tourism marketing effectiveness.

Shopping orientation-defined segments based on store-choice criteria and satisfaction: an empirical investigation

The purpose of this article is to contribute to the topics of segmentation, store-choice and satisfaction by providing additional knowledge to retail managers when standing in front of critical marketing decisions. In order to support our goal, we employ the shopping orientation segmentation approach which allows to segment customers in a “live” and therefore exploitable manner. According to the findings of an exit survey among retail customers, this study reveals that “situational” as well as “individual” store-choice criteria do merit our attention as the basis for segmenting retail customers. These criteria, together with satisfaction, can be seen as a conceptual platform based on which retail customers can be effectively segmented. As our findings suggest, the customers interviewed clearly fall into two distinct segments, namely the “fastidious” and the “easy-going” customers, each calling for special attention from retailing managers in order to obtain higher levels of satisfaction.

Segmenting soccer spectators by attachment levels: a psychographic profile based on team self-expression and involvement

The present study aimed to use attachment as a segmentation criterion of soccer spectators and further describe these spectator segments based on self-expression and team involvement. The sample of the study included 280 (N=280) Greek soccer spectators. Cluster analysis was employed to categorize spectators into high and low attachment groups, and discriminant analysis using team self-expression and involvement to describe the two segments of attached spectators. The cluster analysis revealed two clear groups of spectators, who had significant different scores in their attachment levels (high and low). Furthermore, high attached spectators were shown to have higher scores in the self-expression and team involvement variables than the low attached spectators. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed, and future research directions are provided.

Using evaluative conditioning to explain corporate co-branding in the context of sport sponsorship

This paper investigates the mechanism under which attitude formation takes place in corporate co-branding in the context of sport sponsorship. We developed a conceptual model that synthesises three theoretical frameworks (evaluative conditioning, relationship marketing and brand equity), aiming to explain corporate co-branding in the context of sport sponsorship. Specifically, the proposed model posits that, in sport sponsorship, close consumer relationships with a sport brand leverage sponsor brand equity elements (brand familiarity, brand personality and brand image) and can lead to positive outcomes (wordof-mouth communications). We tested the proposed model using data collected from fans of two professional soccer teams (N = 280). The results of the study confirmed the proposed relationships and further provided new insights regarding the role of brand equity elements in creating ‘backward’ effects to the sport brand (team). Moreover, the findings suggest that sport sponsorship might be the ideal context for co-branding partnerships between mature/high-equity brands.

Applying event study analysis to assess the impact of marketing communication strategies: the case of sponsorship

Event study analysis is a common methodology used in marketing to evaluate the impact of specific marketing activities. This study examines the impact of sponsorship announcements on the stock prices of sponsoring firms by using event study analysis. Due to the problem of non-normality on distribution of the abnormal returns identified, the application of multiple regression models and bootstrapping is proposed independently from the sample size.

The role of involvement and income in predicting large and small donations to college athletics

The purpose of the study was to classify donors who make large donations and those who make small donations to athletics programmes. In particular, the study investigated the degree to which involvement with the athletics programme, income and donor type discriminate individuals who make large donations from those who make small donations in an effort to predict donation level of prospect donors. The hypothesis that the three variables (involvement with the athletics programme, income and donor type) would classify athletics donors of small donations from athletics donors of larger donations was confirmed. The findings of the study provide theoretical and practical implications in predicting donation size, determining donor cultivation strategies and increasing fundraising effectiveness.

The social aspects of consumption as predictors of consumer loyalty

Purpose – Nowadays, companies are seeking to create meaningful and long-term relationships with their customers. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the role of parasocial and social aspects of consumption in building trustworthy and loyal relationships in both offline and online services. Design/methodology/approach – Two studies were conducted using the survey research method. The first study collected data from 285 soccer fans, and the second study collected data from 298 Facebook consumers. Findings – The study confirms the proposed model and suggests that parasocial and social relationships act as significant antecedents of service brand loyalty in both offline and online services. Originality/value – This is the first study that examines parasocial and social relationships in tandem and their role in developing loyal relationships with service brands. It also confirms that social relationships in a service setting play a significant role in predicting brand trust and loyalty.

Is Website Interactivity Always Beneficial? An Elaboration Likelihood Model Approach

In the evolving arena of mediated communication technology such as the Internet, interactivity becomes one of the most valuable features because it enables two-way or multiple communications. Interactivity distinguishes traditional media (TV, radio) from new or digital ones (Internet). Most importantly, it appears that interactive communication generates not only unprecedented behaviors but also new models of consumer behavior.