Singles as a potential niche for travel tourism business organisations in Finland
Matosic, Ivan (2017)
Matosic, Ivan
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017112017410
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017112017410
Tiivistelmä
The main objective of this research is to study the potential market for a travel agency specialized in travelers who are single in Finland. The secondary objective is to produce data in order to create and provide attractive travel packages for this type of potential customers. The results of this study can thus serve to strengthen the potential for a travel agency to become a leading actor in Scandinavia, for travelers who are single. Overall, the main research question is what are the motivations for people without family or partner to travel. The secondary questions are what kind travel histories they have, what is needed to establish a travel agency in Finland, as well as what kind of products and services they would prefer.
The study consists of two parts. The first one is a theoretical part, which looks at the elemental things of what motivates people in the Western world to travel, including the individual needs for it, what are the benefits of using a travel agent, as well as how travel packages and services are designed to the customers. In addition, the first part describes the psychology of tourism, different typologies of customers within tourism, and tourism intermediaries. It also includes the presentation of the methods for carrying out this study: the questionnaires being here the main methodological tool for collecting data. The second part of this study is the empirical part: presenting the results of the qualitative study and the analyses from the face-to-face interview questionnaires, which were conducted in Helsinki area.
The results of this study show that the majority of the interviewed single people are interested in having a professional travel agent specialized in serving customers who are single because they like to experience travels with like-minded people and to have travel packages that are not made according to the needs of families, couples, or others. This kind of professional agency does not exist in Finland yet, even if it could provide specific travel packages for singles according to their preferred destinations. Nevertheless, these travel packages have to be carefully planned to offer a variety of options for customers.
The study consists of two parts. The first one is a theoretical part, which looks at the elemental things of what motivates people in the Western world to travel, including the individual needs for it, what are the benefits of using a travel agent, as well as how travel packages and services are designed to the customers. In addition, the first part describes the psychology of tourism, different typologies of customers within tourism, and tourism intermediaries. It also includes the presentation of the methods for carrying out this study: the questionnaires being here the main methodological tool for collecting data. The second part of this study is the empirical part: presenting the results of the qualitative study and the analyses from the face-to-face interview questionnaires, which were conducted in Helsinki area.
The results of this study show that the majority of the interviewed single people are interested in having a professional travel agent specialized in serving customers who are single because they like to experience travels with like-minded people and to have travel packages that are not made according to the needs of families, couples, or others. This kind of professional agency does not exist in Finland yet, even if it could provide specific travel packages for singles according to their preferred destinations. Nevertheless, these travel packages have to be carefully planned to offer a variety of options for customers.