Roger March

Diversity in Asian outbound travel industries: a comparison between Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan

Abstract Though East Asia is the fastest growing outbound region in the world (World Tourism Organization, 1993; Tourism trends to the Year 2000 and beyond), little is known about the structure of its outbound tourism industries or the characteristics of its travellers (with the possible exception of Japan). Instead, as evidenced in the case of many Australian tourism operators, there is a tendency to use the Japanese tourist as benchmark for dealing with other Asian visitors. In order to contribute to a better understanding of the emerging Asian outbound markets, a five-country study tour was undertaken in October and November 1995 to explore the nature and structure of the outbound industries in South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan. The study involved interviews with leading outbound agents, local NTO and airline representatives, travel media, government tourism policy-makers and travel industry associations.

Tourism marketing myopia

Abstract Though the marketing discipline offers tourism a variety of strategic tools and conceptual insights, an examination of the tourism literature suggests that marketings contribution to tourism has been undervalued or misrepresented by tourism policy makers and practitioners alike. This situation has led to a general misunderstanding about the nature and value of marketing for the tourism industry. Before the marketing discipline can make its full contribution to tourism, however, a number of theoretical and conceptual problems, resulting from the lack of a marketing orientation in traditional tourism research, must be tackled. This paper suggests reasons for the misuse of marketing in tourism and offers directions for tourism marketing research.

Buyer Decision-Making Behavior in International Tourism Channels

Summary Despite the development and maintenance of effective channel relationships in international tourism markets being critical to a firms success, little research has been undertaken in business-to-business relationships in cross-national markets (March 1997a; Crotts, Aziz & Raschid 1998). This research paper offers insights into the decision-making behavior of a critical intermediary in international tourism channels, the inbound tour operator (ITO). In an exploratory study, the purchasing attitudes of ITOs, in their functions as purchasers of tourism products on behalf of overseas clients, are examined. Respondents were asked to assess the importance of a number of supplier attributes for three types of tourism products: hotels, coach companies and restaurants. Twenty-six inbound tour operators specialising in the Asian or Japanese inbound markets into Australia were surveyed; though small in number these firms handled over 800,000 visitors to Australia in 1998 (including 82% of the entire Japanese market). The results from a 43-item questionnaire, designed after preliminary discussions with ITOs, reveal differences between the attitudes of Japanese-market and Asian-market ITOs in their purchase decision-making behavior and in buyer attitudes toward different product types. The findings offer useful lessons for suppliers in the management of their relationships with inbound tour operators.

Towards a Conceptualization of Unethical Marketing Practices in Tourism: a Case‐Study of Australia's Inbound Chinese Travel Market

This paper has a twofold purpose: to identify the types and impacts of unethical practices in an international travel market and to offer a generic model to enhance our understanding of the causes and consequences of such practices. The Chinese outbound market is used as a case study. The choice of China is timely and appropriate, given that the country is forecast to be one of the worlds major outbound markets by 2010 with over 100 million leaving mainland China (World Tourism Organization [WTO], 2006). The research setting is the Chinese inbound tourism market to Australia where the Chinese market has grown substantially since Approved Destination Status (ADS) was granted in 1999. The implications of this research for European and North American tourism operators are significant, given the 2005 agreement between the European Commission and the Chinese authorities that allows group travel from China into Europe. Using the long‐interview technique with industry participants in Australia and China a conceptual framework of the environment in which unethical practices occur is provided. A model illustrating antecedents, impacts, and outcomes of unethical practices is offered. Key managerial findings include the unhealthy consolidation of channel power in the Chinese market and the influence of ethnic networks across borders. Several key issues requiring further research are highlighted.

Rejoinder:The rhetoric and reality of yield at the destination level

The author comments on the paper by Larry Dwyer, Peter Forsyth, Liz Fredline, Marg Deery, Leo Jago and Sven Lundie, ‘Yield measures for special-interest Australian inbound tourism markets’, published in Tourism Economics, Vol 13, No 3, September 2007, pp 421–440. This rejoinder is followed by a response from Larry Dwyer.

Chapter 8 Advancing Theory on Consumer Plans, Actions, and How Marketing Information Affects Both

Consumers plans are not always what they eventually do; conversely, what consumers do, they do not always intend. The same axiom holds true for consumption behaviour. Consumers often first form intentions to purchase goods or services, or to consume experiences. Then they either actuate these intentions, not actuate them - or consume something unplanned for. An unplanned behaviour may be the result of either an unpremeditated and spontaneous action (impulse purchase) or a previous intention that has been postponed or forgotten. Research in mostly retail settings confirms the remarkable prevalence of unplanned purchases, which account for one-half or more of total purchases (Kollat and Willett, 1967; Point-of-Purchase Institute, 1995, cited by Wood, 1998). This article explores the nexus between planned and actual behaviours by examining the influences upon intentions and actual behaviour, whether they are planned, unplanned or in fact, not done at all. We offer fresh theoretical insights into the consumer decisions in the field of leisure behaviour and provide strategic insights into how marketing strategists can segment their market more efficiently and communicate information more effectively to their intended customers.