Spatial patterns of package tours: a case study of Spanish tourists in India

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to examine the underlying causes of the spatial patterns of Spanish package tours (i.e. tour itineraries) in India. A supply - demand approach has been taken as a means to provide an explanation to the array of Spanish package tours to India and tour itineraries in India: on the one hand, tourism intermediaries are the fundamental players who provide the reasons for the range of package tours (i.e. package tour portfolio) and tour itineraries design; on the other, package tourists provide the reasons for choosing a particular package tour (i.e the package tour choice). Most studies dealing with spatial patterns in tourism describe and analyse places visited, patterns of flows and time-budgets at the local scale. However, a few try to understand the reasons for the patterns and to identify the underlying causes of the phenomenon. For this reason, this piece of research has examined a wide range of studies dealing with spatial patterns in tourism; tourism behaviour; tour operations; tourism marketing; decision making; destination choice; and demand. The employment of a multi-method approach seemed the most appropriate way to analyse both the intermediaries and package tourists. In this regard, this research combined three different perspectives using different methods: the supply viewpoint, the demand viewpoint, and the researcher's perspective. The intermediaries are qualitatively analysed by means of semi-structured in-depth interviews, and package tour brochures are quantitatively analysed by means of content analysis. Package tourists are examined from a quantitative perspective by means of self-administered survey questionnaires, and qualitatively examined through participant observation. The external environment to these stakeholders was examined by use of secondary sources of information. Significant drawbacks while sampling hampered the analysis and the final sample was made up of 9 interviews; 108 fully complete questionnaires; 14 days of participant observation and 89 tour itineraries for the content analysis. The theories examined clearly referred to market research as a 'must' for tourism organisation to be successful. However, the intermediaries sampled did not conduct any kind of market research further of their intuition and expertise. This is due to the simple structure of the market (i.e. monopolistic competition) and it seems that the intermediaries meet tourists' needs. However, this trend is likely to change as all the indicators suggest that the number of Spanish long-haul tourists will keep growing and moving towards maturity, and then the intermediaries not only will be able to diversify their package tour portfolios but also will need to conduct systematic market research. In addition, it seems that the external environment is mostly positive for the Spanish outbound travel sector. However, India is a destination with great attractions but the development of the tourism sector needs urgent improvements and requires more serious attention from those tourism related decision-makers within the country. The analysis of the package tour portfolio identified three major factors: the destination characteristics, the nature of the demand and the IBOs' influence. In contrast, the design of tour itineraries is mostly concerned with the skills, strategies and expertise of the intermediaries and the characteristics of the destination rather than demand. In terms of the spatial behaviour of Spanish package tourists in India, the immaturity stage of the market implies that the 'mass' is made up by first-timers who want to visit the most popular and stereotyped places; that is Delhi (Capital city), Agra (Taj Mahal), Khajuraho (Erotic Temples) and Varanasi (cremations), with a combination with Nepal. The visitors' analysis proved that Spanish tourists want to learn from India's culture and experience their daily lifestyle. They do not mind if these experiences happen in one locality or another. This means that tour companies take a relevant position in terms of the spatial pattern of visits. However, the major Spanish intermediaries are mainly constrained by the availability of tourism products and services at the destination, and their partnership with IBOs. The visitors' decision-making analysis showed that the sample of package tourists were mainly led by their own motivation - push factors - to visit the destination i.e. India. Tourists' motivation for visiting India mostly relied on a culture experience and the willingness to learn from the destination. The mystery of India lures the Spanish long-haul market and the significant point here is that the attraction is 'India' and not a 'particular region' of India. The homogeneous and simple tourist image of the Spanish package tourists to India made them rely on the range of products offered by the intermediaries to decide the package tour - pull factors. Tourists' are mainly concerned to visit the country, so they are not very concerned about the specific itinerary. The most stereotyped places still lure the major share of the market because tourists do not know much beyond the reduced set of internationally known attractions located in North India. This is also affecting the intra-destination choice that is mainly determined by the tour management. The tour group's local and micro-spatial behaviour were mainly determined by the tour organisation due to most of the tour group sampled having only a superficial idea about the itinerary and places to visit and having hardly prepared their trip. Strategic alliances between India's tourism decision-makers and the Spanish intermediaries could contribute to better planning a future pattern of visits that optimises the trips of Spanish package tourists to India; that is increasing tourists' loyalty and spreading their spatial behaviour. It seems that Spanish package tourism will still succeed in the short-term; however strategies for success in the medium- and long-haul term will need to meet the future complexity of the Spanish long-haul market that currently is structured very simply. Those intermediaries better prepared will likely success in the near future. In addition, the future pattern of visits it seems that will be determined by the increasing demand of customised package tours.