Unit 3

Stakeholders

"All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination." ~ Earl Nightingale, an America Radio Personality, Writer, and Speaker

Use Past Data to Drive Future Decision

International and Domestic Visitor Surveys collect data about past, present, and future tourist habits. Have you received a survey after you've attended an event, trip, or attraction? The data is so important for the company they will often include incentives to entice you to complete their survey.

Survey results will be merged with actual concrete travel data to get a broad picture. The collected data is then used to evaluate past travel so businesses can estimate tourist movements along travel segments. The more accurate this data is, the more successful projections for future travel will be.

Considerations in the Travel Flow Decision Making Process

Where do you want to go?

This is most significantly influenced by where the traveller lives and the season they are travelling. The originating home of the tourist has a large bearing on the destination they visit. The cost of airfare significantly increases the farther the destination travelled. This means it is even more important to ensure there is enough value in the trip cost.

Most destinations are seasonal. High season is the busiest and most expensive time to travel, eg., winter trips to the tropics during your home country's cold winter.

Low season is alternately the quietest and more cost-effective, however, the main attraction is often unavailable, eg., travelling to a ski destination during the summer when there is no snow.

Shoulder season is the term for the time period in between high and low season. Price and available attractions meet somewhere in the middle.

How will I get there?

This question relates not only to the mode of transport used but also to the physical route taken. Transport modes and routes generally depend on travel distance, availability of transport modes, and the duration of the trip.

Airlines, in particular, use travel flow data to determine air travel hubs. These are strategically located in airports where a carrier's major facilities and operations are located and where most of its scheduled flights originate or terminate.

Let's look at flights from North America to Australia as an example. Air New Zealand's flights typically include a stop through Auckland, New Zealand, which is their hub, while Qantas airline typically includes a stop in Sydney, Australia, which is their hub.

What will I do when I get there?

This question relates to the things that people do once they reach their destination. This includes the consumption of goods and services which results in direct tourism expenditures, e.g., spending on accommodation, food, ground transport, commercial attractions, and retail.

Lesson 14: The Decision Making Process