MF6-2001 Consumer Behaviour in Tourism

Contents and structure

Consumer behavior is one of the major research streams in marketing and understanding consumer behavior is extensively incorporated into tourism and leisure research. The course aims to provide an understanding of basic concepts and theories for understanding consumer behavior using the social-psychological approach as well tourist behavior. The complex interaction between different factors is important to understand consumer behavior and their decision making process as well as their consumption. This course highlights different internal and external factors including motivation, perception, learning, personality, attitude, culture, reference group influences, and decision making process. Alongside the course emphasizes concepts and theories from an experiential perspective focusing on the symbolic, hedonic, and aesthetic nature of consumption related to fantasies, feelings, and fun.

The course covers the following themes:

• Consumer behavior theories and models
• Consumer as an individual (needs, personality, and perception)
• Consumer behavior in the individual market vs. group market in tourism
• Decisions and buying behaviors - factors that affect the demand for tourism
• Motivation, attitude, and persuasive communication
• Intercultural communication and cultural differences
• Technology and consumer behavior
• Supply and demand patterns in tourism
• Ethical and green consumerism

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

On completion of the course, the students should gain knowledge of

• cultural differences and challenges associated with intercultural communication.
• characteristics of consumer behavior in the individual vs. group markets in tourism.
• the factors that affect the demand for tourism, and the characteristics of the offer and the demand for tourism.

Skills:

Upon completion, the students should be able to:

• use theories and models for consumer behavior, decision-making processes and buying behavior in marketing in general.
• investigate factors that can be drivers of behavior and changes in decision making processes In different tourism markets.

General competency:

Upon completion, the students should be able to:

• understand how businesses and organizations in the tourism industry can meet their customers¿ needs through planning.
• understand the preferences of customers in the travel industry.
• understand the decisions that consumers make in choosing their destinations.
• Understand how the tourism industry can use the marketing mix and formulate strategies to improve their competitive forces.

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

BØA116 Marketing

Teaching methods

Teaching and learning:

In-class lectures and seminars, discussions of articles, in-class exercises, and problem solving in groups. The course focuses on learning through student activities and working with articles and problem solving. In addition, self-study, participation in class and seminars and working in groups between the lectures is important. The lectures will cover the key parts of the course, and will provide support for any additional work the students will engage in for understanding the subject.

Compulsory learning activities

One written assignment to be solved in groups of up to four persons. The assignment must be passed in order to appear in the final exam. Any individual assignment must be approved by the teacher. Students must write their assignment in english.

Assessment

Written, individual school examination, 5 hours.

Students must write their examination in english.

Letter grade

Grading scale is A-F where F is fail.

Examination support material

Approved online dictionary can be used.

More about examination support material