Abstract
Purpose - This study will apply the relatively new concept of customer experience management (CXM) to the pre-consumptive stage within a cruise tourist’s journey.
Design/methodology/approach – The work will apply CXM to the tourism sector and, in particular to the cruise market. Academics have noted how CXM needs to takes a holistic integrated approach and focus on the complete customer experience. The cruise sector has been selected for this research because it is the fastest growing tourism sector globally and the pre-consumption stage for cruise passengers is longer than for other vacation types.
Findings - This study has shown how CXM has emerged from the more traditional marketing concept of relationship marketing and has highlighted its relevance within the tourism industry, in particular the cruise sector. In addition, the work has shown how adapting CXM to the pre-consumptive phase more fully will enhance consumer relationships and improve business performance.
Research limitations/implications – This work is conceptual. It is proposed that the research propositions should be verified within the pre-consumptive stage of cruise passenger journeys. Another limitation is that the focus has been solely on the cruise sector and future research could be extended to other tourism service industries.
Practical implications – This work will provide tourism and other service industry managers with a new strategy to enhance consumer experience and improve business performance in the pre-consumptive stage and extend academic understanding within this stage of a cruise tourist’s vacation.
Originality/value – This research is significant because CXM is a model which has been utilised within service businesses but has had limited application to the cruise sector and to the pre-consumption timeframe. It is important to understand cruise passengers in this time-frame to encourage positive relationships, to potentially increase revenue opportunities and provide an overall improved consumer experience.
Design/methodology/approach – The work will apply CXM to the tourism sector and, in particular to the cruise market. Academics have noted how CXM needs to takes a holistic integrated approach and focus on the complete customer experience. The cruise sector has been selected for this research because it is the fastest growing tourism sector globally and the pre-consumption stage for cruise passengers is longer than for other vacation types.
Findings - This study has shown how CXM has emerged from the more traditional marketing concept of relationship marketing and has highlighted its relevance within the tourism industry, in particular the cruise sector. In addition, the work has shown how adapting CXM to the pre-consumptive phase more fully will enhance consumer relationships and improve business performance.
Research limitations/implications – This work is conceptual. It is proposed that the research propositions should be verified within the pre-consumptive stage of cruise passenger journeys. Another limitation is that the focus has been solely on the cruise sector and future research could be extended to other tourism service industries.
Practical implications – This work will provide tourism and other service industry managers with a new strategy to enhance consumer experience and improve business performance in the pre-consumptive stage and extend academic understanding within this stage of a cruise tourist’s vacation.
Originality/value – This research is significant because CXM is a model which has been utilised within service businesses but has had limited application to the cruise sector and to the pre-consumption timeframe. It is important to understand cruise passengers in this time-frame to encourage positive relationships, to potentially increase revenue opportunities and provide an overall improved consumer experience.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 235-243 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 3 Jun 2019 |
Keywords
- Cruise
- Experience
- Pre-consumption
- Management
- Tourism