A Linear Review of the Great Recession\u27s Impact on Tourism Behavior

The Labor Department’s 2012 consumer spending report highlighted the format taken by recent recession during the alteration of conventional tourism consumer spending habits. Consumer expenditure data concerning the transformation of travelers’ dining choices during the recession also disclosed that these new dining preferences persisted for years into the recovery period. In fact, the recorded decrease in food expenditures, from December 2007 to June 2009, was the largest inflationadjusted amount ever recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The increase in unemployment to 9.3% in 2009, another recessionary change factor, reduced travel consumers’ spending levels for other travel attributes other than food. The findings in this paper were based on approximately responses from 7,898 randomly-selected, face-to-face interviews over a 78 month period. For the purposes of this study, the spending behavior of the expansionary (30 month), recessionary (18 month) and recovery (30 month) time periods will be compared to analyze the effect of the Great Recession on tourists spending behavior. All interviews were randomized by day, site and time in Tampa over the entire longitudinal-study time period (2005 – 2012). The results of the study suggested that leisure travelers developed complicated spending patterns that do not conform to a simple “cheese slicing approach” adopted by many tourism corporations trying to create budget goals in the face of a stubborn recession

Economic Growth and Recession Time Periods: Their Effect Upon Pleasure Travelers Visiting Florida Theme Parks

Two tourism-oriented travel samples were drawn from recent time periods that represented economic growth (expansion) and recession cycles in the O: S. economy. Analysis suggests that during the recession period, a greater percentage of theme park visitors chose to travel by air. Second, theme park travelers were more likely to visit friends or fami4 during the recession period. Third, recession theme park travelers were 10 years older, on the average, than their rapid growth counterparts. The average age difference of theme park visitors was found to be significantly different during cyclical economic periods. Research findings support the need for additional studies that segment using generational market

Disaggregating Seasonal Demand of a Coastal Resort

Recent national studies document the fact that the lackluster performance in the lodging industry\u27s occupancy rates are directly attributable to the steady growth in the supply of available rooms at a rate that consistently outpaced the demand. Resort area managers who are facing this decade-long reduction in occupancy rates are especially cognizant of the need to revise current market strategies to shield their properties from additional economic fallout that are often triggered by external events. One purpose of the Hilton Head Island Study to determine if a chase demand strategy, where resort capacities are varied with changes in the level of demand, was the proper strategy for the Hilton Head Island destination resort area. Results indicated that visitors utilized timeshare, campgrounds and rental properties more often during the winter season because of their longer average stay. This study also documented the fact that winter season visitors differed significantly from peak season visitors with respect to the level of importance they placed upon many of the hospitality and travel-related amenities in the area. The Hilton Head Island resort should take a chase demand strategy as the basic strategic marketing approach for the winter-season development

Business Traveler Behavior after the Great Recession

The recent “Great Recession” prompted traditional business travelers to alter typical travel spending habits. One apparent behavioral change for travelers, highlighted in the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer expenditure data, identified travelers’ tendency to buy significantly more groceries after the recession. This multiyear, longitudinal study revealed that business travelers doubled the consumption of grocery items after the recession as a possible means for alleviating non-subsidized food and beverage expenses. The employed business person, whose travel expenditures are wholly or partially subsidized by an employer, also appeared to drastically reduce personal travel expenditures for traditionally non-subsidized purchases. This study suggests that business travelers’ food consumption, tourism expenditures, length of stay and shopping behavior were affected by the recent recession. In addition, the responsible agents for the travelers in this study appeared to apply a conventional strategy for reducing the recession’s impact on the profit margin by reducing the length of the trips

The Impact of the Recent Recession Upon Tourism Behavior

The Labor Department’s 2012 report on consumer spending confirmed the recent recession forced consumers to alter the typical lifestyle spending habits. It’s apparent from the available consumer expenditure data that changes in the spending behavior for travelers dining choices continued beyond several years into the recovery period. In fact, the recorded decrease in food expenditures, from December 2007 to June 2009, was the largest inflation-adjusted amount ever recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) since 1984. The increase in unemployment to 9.3% in 2009 was another important attribute of the consumers’ reduced spending levels during this recessionary period. According to the Food Expenditure Tables and the consumer Expenditure Survey U.S. household spending on food declined 5% between 2006 and 2009

Economic Growth and Recessionary Periods: Their Effect Upon Pleasure Travelers

Two tourism-oriented travel samples were drawn from recent time periods that represented economic growth (expansion) and recession cycles in the O: S. economy. Analysis suggests that during the recession period, a greater percentage of theme park visitors chose to travel by air. Second, theme park travelers were more likely to visit friends or family during the recession period. Third, recession theme park travelers were 10 years older, on the average, than their rapid growth counterparts. The average age difference of theme park visitors was found to be significantly different during cyclical economic periods. Research findings support the need for additional studies that segment using generational markets

Using the Internet as a Pleasure Travel Planning Tool: An Examination of the Sociodemographic and Behavioral Characteristics among Internet Users and Nonusers

A critical prerequisite for the formulation of effective travel marketing strategies in the next decade must include an understanding of the influence exerted through the Internet. The increasing presence of the Internet as an instrument for advertising travel destinations and travel-related services highlights its importance as a factor in travelers’ decision-making processes. This exploratory investigation examined travelers who requested on-line information about a potential vacation destination using the Internet. Results of this investigation suggest that Internet “users, when compared with “nonusers,” are more educated, have higher household incomes, use commercial lodging accommodations while traveling, tend to travel by air, and spend more money on travel-related expenses on a per diem basis. Implications for target marketing strategies designed for travel destination areas, services, and facilities are discussed

Predicting a Behavioral Profile for Pleasure Travelers on the Basis of Internet Use Segmentation

In an attempt to create a behavioral profile of pleasure travelers segmented based on Internet use, 5,319 pleasure travelers were interviewed. Initially, the respondents were classified as an Internet user or Internet nonuser based on whether or not they would use the Internet to seek travel related information. Using discriminant analysis, chi square, and analysis of variance statistical techniques, a profile of demographic and behavioral characteristics was created. The results of this study suggest that people who use the Internet to search for travel-related information are likely to be people who are (a) college-educated owners of computers, (b) less than 45 years of age, (c) stay more often in commercial lodging establishments, and (d) spend more money each day while traveling. Implications for marketing managers and future research are discussed

Demographic, Behavioral and Perceptual Comparisons of the U.S. Visitor Experience with Group Package Tours and Free Independent Travel to China

U.S. visitor demand for the China travel experience is anticipated to rise significantly through 2105, causing the Chinese government to employ 100 million service providers over the next six years and raising concern about service delivery and perceptions of the on-site China experience. In an effort to better understand these issues concerning U.S. visitors, this study investigated two specific types of U.S. travelers to China: Group Package Tour (GPT) visitors and Free Independent Travel (FIT) visitors. Results indicated that GPT visitors were more likely to be older and have higher household income than FIT visitors. Four trip-related characteristics of GPT and FIT visitors were found to be significantly different, with GPT visitors showing higher levels of satisfaction with the overall China on-site travel experience