Influencing Tourist Behavior through Relationship Marketing

Relationships are an extremely important resource for organizations, no matter their activities. This resource can and should be used efficiently in order to reach the organization’s goals. Especially for tourism the relations established by the organization are essential because of the peculiarities of the “product” offered to the clients, as well as of the particular needs and wants of the customers (i.e. tourists of all kinds). For instance, because the product (e.g. a sejour) cannot be tried and effectively evaluated before the purchase and the risks perceived by tourists are significant and various, the relationships established between the selling tourism organization and their tourists influence the latter’s perceptions on the offer, therefore the final decision of buying. It is also particularly important for a company to know which are the lifestyle, the consumer behavior and the decisional process of its clients, actual or potential. Knowing these, the company can offer the right product and services, the right way to the right persons. The decisional buying process and the way the clients/tourists consume the products/services could be influenced by the tourism company, but also by other parties and stakeholders, more or less voluntarily.