A Travel Decision-Making Framework Inhibiting Inbound Tourism

A travel decision-making framework inhibiting inbound tourism JJ Fourie 12574759 MA Tourism Management Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Philosophiae Doctor in Tourism Management at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University Promoter: Prof E Slabbert Co-Promoter: Prof M Saayman December 2015 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to use this opportunity to thank the following: My Maker, who has given me the ability to learn, develop and grow as a person. May I never forget that there’s purpose in everything we do. My wife, Elmarie Fourie. Thank you for assisting me in distributing the Questionnaire in France. There will be more adventures. Thank you for all the late night coffee, understanding and full out support. My family, for all the prayers, votes of confidence and standing by my side. Professor Elmarie Slabbert, for her expertise, hard work, guidance, support and her “glass-half-full” mentality. Professor M. Saayman for his expertise. University of Angers, specifically Gerold Beyer who assisted with accommodation, logistical arrangements and support in Angers, France. Aldine Oosthuyzen for the processing of the statistics. Rod Taylor for the language editing. Professor Casper Lessing for the reference editing. The North-West University for the opportunity to complete this study. Rilla Schutte from Sonandela Translation and Design Services for translation of the Questionnaire into French. I dedicate this study to my beautiful wife, Elmarie Fourie and our baby Isabella Isla Fourie A travel decision-making framework inhibiting inbound tourism II SUMMARY The primary objective of this study was to develop ‘A travel decision-making framework inhibiting inbound tourism’ to assist marketers and the tourism government body in developing strategies to improve the market share of South Africa as a tourism destination for the European market, especially France. To achieve this objective, a number of secondary objectives were established, these being: 1. To analyse previous travel decision-making models and frameworks by means of an in-depth literature review. 2. To analyse the inhibitors and constraints influencing travel decision-making by means of an in-depth literature review. 3. To analyse travel inhibitors to South Africa as perceived by European tourists with reference to types and relationships between constraints by means of an empirical analyses. 4. To determine the influence of socio-demographics and travel behaviour on the evaluation of inhibitors. 5. To determine the effect of destination image and travel influencing factors on inhibitors. 6. To make conclusions and recommendations regarding the management of travel inhibitors of South Africa as a tourism destination and the implementation of the framework. Tourists do not make single independent choices, but rather complex multi-faceted decisions in which the choices of different elements are interrelated in a decision process over a period of time. This absence of in-depth research into the non-user and the associated constraints represents an important limitation to fully grasp consumer behaviour research. The study of tourist consumer behaviour should not only attempt to comprehend the decision-making process of tourists, but should attempt to understand the variety of constraints preventing non-tourists from becoming tourists. The literature review (Chapter 2), revealed that although a number of decision-making models exists, in-depth analysis of the effects of constraints on decision-making were A travel decision-making framework inhibiting inbound tourism III limited. The literature review further analysed, specific theory of constraints. Although constraint theories were mostly focused on leisure studies, certain key variables assisted the researcher in the categorisation of constraints as well as inhibitors. Specific constraints and inhibitors that could potentially influence decision-making to South Africa were reviewed in the literature review. The quantitative study was conducted by means of two different approaches where non- probability sampling was applied in both cases. A complete list of residents of France and visitors to France that have not visited South Africa was not obtainable and therefore a complete sampling framework was not available. In the first phase questionnaires were distributed in France by trained fieldworkers. This destination was chosen due to the number of tourist’s receipts (85 million per year) as well as the number of outbound tourists (20-30 million per year). Visitors from France are not one of South Africa’s main markets and therefore the chances of selecting non-visitors to South Africa in France were good. Secondly, in Paris the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Cœur and Montmarte were chosen as popular tourism attractions, in Angers Le Château d'Angers and The Maine River were chosen. Thus not only focusing on French nationalities as a target population, but also on the outbound travelling market of France as well as Central Europe in general and also a number of North and South American tourist as statistics have indicated that the latter niche market made a significant contribution on the GDP of France in 2011. In the second phase questionnaires were distributed through Facebook and Social media sites by means of snowball sampling. In total 300 questionnaires were distributed of which 273 questionnaires were utilised in the statistical analyses. Result in all three articles (Chapter 3, 4 & 5) through empirical research revealed that in general decision-making, image, socio-demographic and travel behaviour factors would have a limited effect on respondents choosing South Africa as a preferred tourist destination if certain perceived and real inhibitors exist. It is thus all about the inhibitors and how that influences decisions. Respondents need to negotiate through these inhibitors before South Africa will become a primary option to meet their travel needs. In the last chapter, chapter 6, a travel decision-making framework of inhibitors was developed to specifically enable marketers and tourism planners to understand the behaviour of the non-visitor to South Africa and enable them to review the constraints and plan and market accordingly. Thus this model enables a more focused marketing approach. Further contributions of the study from the first article (chapter 3) include the A travel decision-making framework inhibiting inbound tourism IV assessment of these inhibitors in the South African case study and the realisation that security is not our biggest inhibitor but structural constraints. The perceptions that South Africa is expensive to travel to should thus be addressed with different marketing strategies and approaches. It was the first time that an elaborated list of travel inhibitors were identified and assessed and thus a more detailed description of these as well as their role in travel decisions contributes to the body of knowledge of tourism marketing and decision-making. In the last article (chapter 5), the relations between image and travel inhibitors are a major contribution which has not been assessed previously. This gives new perspective as to how inhibitors can be managed through the development of an image that minimises the effect of inhibitors. Access to non-visitors is challenging and therefore this study contributes to a scarce population which is difficult to research. More research such as this study is needed to grow visitor numbers. It is thus clear that in-depth knowledge was needed into the travel constraints of non-visitors to South Africa in order to overcome these and grow visitor numbers. For the purpose of this study the words ‘constraints’ and ‘inhibitors’ will be used interchangeably based on the context in which the words are being used. This study follows the article route. Keywords: Tourism, decision-making, models, frameworks, choice sets, destination choice, travel motivation, consumer behaviour, travel behaviour, demographic factors, constraints, inhibitors, inbound, South Africa. A travel decision-making framework inhibiting inbound tourism V OPSOMMING Die primêre doel van die studie was om ŉ ‘Reis besluitnemingsraamwerk wat inkomende toeriste inhibeer’ te ontwikkel om bemarkers te help om strategieë te ontwikkel om Suid- Afrika se markaandeel as ŉ toerismebestemming te bevoordeel. Die studie het gefokus op die Europese markte, veral moontlike besoekers van Frankryk. Om die primêre doel te bereik is sekondêre doelwitte ontwikkel en bereik, die sekondêre doelwitte sluit die volgende in: 1. Om vorige besluitnemingsmodelle en raamwerke te analiseer deur middel van ŉ volledige literatuuranalise. 2. Om belemmeringe ten volle te analiseer en te bepaal hoedat dit besluitneming beïnvloed deur middel van ŉ volledige literatuuranalise. 3. Om deur middel van ŉ empiriese analise die reisbelemmeringe te ondersoek soos dit deur Europese toeriste gesien word met verwysing na die tipe verhoudings tussen belemmeringe. 4. Om die invloed van sosio-demografiese en reisgedrag op reisbelemmeringe te bepaal. 5. Om die effek van die beeld van ‘n bestemmingsbeeld- en reisbeïnvloedende faktore op belemmeringe te bepaal. 6. Om aanbevelings en gevolgtrekkings te maak ten opsigte van die bestuur van reisbelemmeringe wat Suid-Afrika as ŉ reisbestemming beïnvloed deur ŉ besluitnemingsraamwerk van reis-belemmeringe te implementeer. Toeriste neem nie enkele losstaande besluite nie – eerder komplekse veelvlakkige besluite waar verskillende fasette die besluite oor ŉ gegewe

Load more