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no
S
un
Helena Wilting
Saxion University of Applied
Sciences, Deventer
8
thJuly 2014
Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Deventer
Hospitality Business School
Bachelor Thesis
“Tourism Management”
Product Development for the German Market
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An empirical analysis of the tourist profile of Germans, aged 20 to 40 years
living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia
Student: Helena Wilting, 2431994
Exam Code: T.HBS.37179
Client: Martijn Boshuis, noSun reizen
First examiner: Adrienn Eros
Second examiner: Adriaan Kaufmann
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
Bachelor of Business Administration in Tourism Management
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Preface
The following thesis is written for the Dutch online tour operator noSun and for Saxion University of Applied Sciences. This thesis is the final paper for the international study of Tourism Management and it is in accordance with the HBS- and APA guidelines. The objective of this thesis project is to contribute to the solution of offering German tourists aged 20 to 40 years, living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia products, for European destinations by applying the necessary product development.
I wish to thank all the participants of the survey for sharing their opinion with me and for contributing to gaining a deeper insight into the research topic. Additionally, I would like to thank the company noSun for the opportunity to write my thesis project for them; and in particular my company supervisor Martijn Boshuis and my colleague Luca Slot for sharing their knowledge with me and supporting me during this thesis project. My greatest appreciation goes out to my thesis supervisor and first examiner Adrienn Eros who guided me through this thesis semester and supported me with her excellent expertise at all times. Lastly, I would like to thank my boyfriend who showed great support and helped me wherever he could during this thesis project.
Deventer, 2014 Helena Wilting
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Summary
This thesis paper has been commissioned by noSun reizen in order to research the tourist profile and the travel behaviour of Germans aged 20 to 40 years living in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia so that product development can be done accordingly. Research showed that this region provides a large potential target group for noSun, which is why the focus was placed. Therefore, two central research questions were developed:
1. To what extent is the product offer of the Dutch online tour operator noSun attractive for the German target group aged 20 to 40 years, living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia? 2. To what extent is noSun prepared to do business with the German market?
The second central research question was developed for the reason that certain internal measures needed to be considered as well before entering the new market, and with this research they were pointed out to the company.
Firstly, a literature review was written in order to give a coherent understanding of the core concepts of this project, which were tourist profile, travel behaviour, product development and internal company analysis. Each concept was divided into several aspects and sub-aspects and their relation was explained.
Following, in the methodological chapter the research process was elaborated. The applied research strategy for this project was survey research and a single case study about the company noSun. Data collection methods for the survey research that were introduced included an online questionnaire (2014) and the existing survey Reiseanalyse (2010). Additionally, desk research and interviews with key informants were described as the data collection methods for the internal company analysis. An operationalisation visualises the breakdown of the core concepts into all respective components.
The director and the product manager of noSun were interviewed about the sub-aspects of the core concept internal analysis, namely awareness of cultural differences between Germany and the Netherlands, familiarity with German language, availability and suitability of office staff, guides, equipment, storage and information in German. The online questionnaire (2014) was distributed by the researcher among friends and family that represented the convenience sample. The Reiseanalyse (2010) was only analysed by the researcher and therefore filtered according to the results of the target group. Both surveys were analysed by means of frequency tables and additionally a bivariate analysis was performed to establish possible relationships between certain variables.
Consequently, the interviews were transcribed and that built the basis for a code tree in which overlapping opinions and information were combined. This open and axial coding enabled to create an overview of the collected data, which represented the basis for the following analysis. Finally, the research questions were answered by concluding from the results of the data analysis.
The analysis of the online questionnaire (2014) and the Reiseanalyse (2010) pointed out the travel preferences of the target group. For instance, the most preferred type of accommodation of the 20 to 40 year old Germans was the hotel, and the most preferred
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types of transport were airplane and car. Clearly, the most popular type of holiday was beach holiday, however activities such as swimming, shopping, tasting the local cuisine and excursions in the surrounding were indicated as being popular.
The analysis of the interviews showed that the company is not yet ready to work with the German market for the reason that there are currently neither sufficient employees in the office nor guides. Equipment, storage and information are not sufficiently available neither yet, which is why noSun will need to take certain measures.
Within the advice part of the thesis project three alternatives were developed for product development and three for the internal analysis; for example whether to modify existing products of noSun or develop new products, or whether to train Dutch staff on German language and culture or to establish partnerships with German travel agencies. These alternatives were based on the field research and they were assessed by means of a number of criteria, which in turn were based on literature. The evaluation was done in consideration with the client and resulted in a clear choice for the best solution.
The best alternative solution concerning product development was a combination of modification of existing products of noSun and the development of new products for the new target group. This alternative showed the most advantages for noSun in the assessment. Additionally, the best alternative solution for the internal analysis was to establish partnerships with German travel agencies for the reason that these would overtake a lot of work effort for noSun and it will be easier for the Dutch company to approach the neighbouring market.
By implementing the advice it is suggested that noSun orientates on the PDCA cycle by Deming (1950). This involves creating goals for both best alternative solutions and to point out again the purpose of the project as a Plan step. Following the Do step demands the company to execute its plan; more specifically the company needs to develop and modify certain products, and to contact German travel agencies for a possible partnership. Once that is achieved, noSun can operate the trips that were sold through the travel agencies. Afterwards, the Study or Check step involves gaining feedback from travellers and travel guides about the new products, and also monitoring the communication and processes between all parties. Finally, the Act step refers to implementing the feedback to improve operations for the future. It is recommended that noSun completes the PDCA cycle repetitively in order to maintain continuous improvements.
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Table of content
List of Tables and Figures……….7
1. Introduction………..……….…….9
1.1 Client………9
1.2 Project Overview………..9
1.3 Global Work Breakdown Structure………..………..11
1.4 Reading Guide……….………11 2. Research………12 2.1 Theoretical Framework……….………12 2.1.1 Tourist Profile………..………12 2.1.2 Travel Behaviour……….……….12 2.1.3 Product Development………..………13 2.1.4 Company Analysis……….……….13
2.1.5 Additional literature review……….14
2.2 Methodology………..……….17
2.2.1 Research Strategy………..18
2.2.2 Methods of Data Collection………..……….19
2.2.3 Selection of Data Sources……….………..20
2.2.4 Methods of Data Analysis………..………..22
2.3 Field Research………...………..23
2.3.1 Research results online questionnaire (2014) & Reiseanalyse (2010).23 2.3.2 Research Results Internal Company Analysis………..………..…..26
2.4 Conclusion………..………..…..27
2.5 Discussion………..………..……29
2.5.1 Reliability……….…….…..29
2.5.2 Validity……….………….……30
3. Advice……….32
3.1 Evaluation of Alternative Solutions to the Management Issue……….32
3.1.1 Overview of Alternative Solutions……….32
3.1.2 Overview of Criteria………..33
3.1.3 Assessment of Alternatives……….35
3.2 Final Recommendations………..37
3.3 Financial Implications of the Advice………39
3.4 Suggestions of Implementation of Advice……….………40
3.5 Conclusion………..……….43
Afterword………..………..45
References………..……….47
List of tables and figures
Table 1.1 Portfolio of noSun, source: noSun, 2014 Table 1.2 Overview Research Questions
Table 1.3 Global Work Breakdown Structure Table 2.1 List of Search Engines
Table 2.2 Search Commands
Table 2.3 Overview Cultural Differences
Table 2.4 Gender division over age groups, source: Landesdatenbank, 2014 Table 2.5 Household size, source: Destatis 2014
Table 2.6 Age & marital status of NRW population, source, Destatis 2014 Table 2.7 Amount of singles per age & gender, source: IT.NRW, 2014 Table 2.8 Singles per city & age group, source: Landesdatenbank, 2014
Table 2.9 Family lifestyle & presence/ absence of children, own elaboration based on numbers from Destatis, 2014
Table 2.10 Operationalisation
Table 2.11 Product preferences, own elaboration based on outcome of Reiseanalyse (2010) & online questionnaire (2014)
Table 2.12 Concept of noSun; own elaboration based on outcome of online questionnaire (2014)
Table 2.13 Socio-demographic characteristics, own elaboration based on outcome of Reiseanalyse (2010) & online questionnaire (2014)
Table 2.14 Correlation age/ mode of transport, Reiseanalyse (2010), SPSS statistic Table 2.15 Correlations age/accommodation, Reiseanalyse (2010), SPSS statistic Table 2.16 Correlations age/ amount of holidays; Reiseanalyse (2010), SPSS
statistic
Table 2.17 Correlations age/ travelling alone; Reiseanalyse (2010), SPSS statistic Table 2.18 SWOT Analysis
Table 3.1 Assessment of alternatives, own elaboration Table 3.2 Financial overview of advice, own elaboration Figures
Figure 2.1 Gender, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.2 Marital Status, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014) Figure 2.3 Marital Status, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.4 Level of Education, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014)
Figure 2.5 Occupation, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014) Figure 2.6 Occupation, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.7 Household size, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.8 Income, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014) Figure 2.9 Income, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010)
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Figure 2.11 Travel season, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.12 Organisational form, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.13 Type of holiday; own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.14 Type of holiday, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014) Figure 2.15 General Interest for European Destinations, own elaboration based on
Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.16 Accommodation, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.17 Mode of Transport, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.18 Activities, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.19 Activities, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014) Figure 2.20 Motivation for Holiday, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.21 Travel Companion, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.22 Expenditure per person, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.23 Way of Booking, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014) Figure 2.24 Means of Contact, own elaboration based on online questionnaire
(2014)
Figure 2.25 Booking with Online Tour Operator, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014)
Figure 2.26 Holidays per Year, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.27 Short trips per Year, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 2.28 First Time at Travel Destination, own elaboration based on
Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.29 Joining Organised Group Trip Alone, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014)
Figure 2.30 Joining Organised Group Trip with Partner, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014)
Figure 2.31 Join a Mixed Group, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014)
Figure 2.32 General Interest for types of accommodation/ holiday, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.33 Types of accommodation/ holiday done in the past 3 years, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.34 Transport at Destination, own elaboration based on online questionnaire (2014)
Figure 2.35 Use of Internet for Search of Information; own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010)
Figure 2.36 Booking via Internet, own elaboration based on Reiseanalyse (2010) Figure 3.1 PDCA Cycle, own elaboration based on literature
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1. Introduction
This first chapter is to give an introduction about the client, the corresponding thesis project and its relevance for the client. Project and research objectives and questions are listed and the management problem is elaborated. The reading guide at the end of this chapter leads through this report giving an overview of the structure of the thesis project.
1.1 Client
The thesis project was carried out for the Dutch online tour operator noSun reizen who is located in Enschede, the Netherlands. This company is specialized in active and adventurous group travel within Europe and was founded in the year 2003. The concept of the tour operator is focused on destinations that are not popular for sunny places of interest in the first place as the company name already indicates. However, certain trips offered by noSun are operated by its cooperating partners Adam Voyages, Scandinavian Wintersports, Amfibie Treks, Clubactif and Singlereizen.nl, and also include sunny destinations. A further aspect of the company's concept is the targeting of single Dutch people mainly aged 20 to 40 years, whereas clients do not necessarily need to be single to be able to join a noSun trip but single in this case rather refers to travelling alone. The current young team around the founder Mr. Boshuis is formed by two permanent employees including the director himself, two half-time employees and two interns, and can therefore be considered as a small-sized company. The mission of noSun is to take people on group travel to show the divers facets of Europe. Through the active and adventurous activities included in the itineraries noSun wants to give the travellers a feeling of freedom. The various European destinations include places beyond mass tourism and let travellers explore interesting culture and beautiful nature in the places of interest. The offered trips are arranged with knowledge, experience and love so that noSun can offer the perfect trip to suit the travellers’ needs. According to noSun quality comes before quantity and therefore the company maintains regular and close contact with all suppliers and partners, and also recruits and trains their own travel guides (noSun, 2014). The vision of noSun is to let people experience the added value of group travel. For the young and dynamic team around the founder Martijn Boshuis it is important to establish a personal relationship with the customers, give them a personal feeling and that all their needs are taken care of. The group trips are arranged for 8 participants, which create a personal atmosphere and still allow space for individual freedom. To further support this feeling, selected experienced and enthusiastic travel guides accompany the groups (noSun, 2014).
In 2011 and 2013 noSun won the Zoover award for “Best provider active & adventure”. In 2014 the company was awarded second place for both best and most popular provider active and adventure, and moreover noSun was evaluated high on their trip offer, travel guides and service in general for instance (noSun, 2014). These achievements reflect high customer satisfaction and the good quality of the tour operator.
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1.2 Project Overview
In the following the objective of this thesis project and the management question are explained as they build the starting point for the research to be conducted. The management question is the question to be answered for the company noSun and it is the content of the issue that advice is provided about.
Hence, noSun seeks for business expansion and aims to target the German market, which is why this project is executed in order to gain essential information about the target group to design appealing products for the new target group. Moreover, internal company conditions were analysed in order to give recommendations about measures to be taken before entering this new market. A German version of noSun is planned for the neighbouring market so that all activities operate under the German brand of noSun.de. The scope of this is suggested within the advice. The company is currently in the process of preparing business to set up relations with the German market. Additional information about noSun such as available products can be found in table 1.1 in appendix II.
The objective of the thesis project is to contribute to the solution of offering German tourists products for European destinations by gaining insight into the tourist profile of German tourists aged 20 to 40 years and living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia in order to give advice to noSun about product development.
Management question
How to develop noSun products to match the travel needs of the German target market?
The management question is based on the project objective and it is the issue that the tour operator noSun desires to be solved. Therefore, this question also represents the leading question for the entire thesis project and the question that needs to be answered within the advisory chapter. Concerning this matter, the advice presents recommendations about the extent of product development for the new target group of Germans aged 20 to 40 years and living in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia; and which internal pre-conditions the company must fulfil before working with the German market. Hence, alternatives are designed and rated so that the management question can be answered satisfactorily.
Research Objectives & Questions
It is necessary to predetermine the research objectives and questions in order to make the knowledge that should be gained through this project apparent. In the following the central research objectives, questions and sub-questions are stated. The central research questions serve as the guideline for this thesis project and build the basis for the alternatives that are discussed for the advice. The knowledge of the research part is gained through the combination of an online questionnaire and the Reiseanalyse (2010), desk research and interviews. The detailed overview of all sub-subquestions can be found in table 1.2 appendix I.
Central research objective 1: The objective of this research is to gain insight into the tourist profile of the German target group aged 20 to 40 years and living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia in order to give recommendations to noSun about product development.
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Central research question 1: To what extent is the product offer of the Dutch online tour operator noSun attractive for the German target group aged 20 to 40 years, living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia?
RQ1: What types of products are the Germans aged 20 to 40 years, living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia, interested in?
RQ2: To what extent are the Germans aged 20 to 40 years, living in the region North Rhine- Westphalia, interested in the concept of noSun?
RQ3: What type of tourists within the target group aged 20 to 40 years, living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia, are interested in the products of noSun?
Central research objective 2: The objective of this research is to assess the current company conditions of noSun with regards to working with the German target group aged 20 to 40 years, living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia in order to give recommendations on which measures need to be taken before starting to work with this new market.
Central research question 2: To what extent is noSun prepared to do business with the German market?
Relevance for thesis project
In order to contribute to the solution of the management issue the field research was focused on collecting information about German tourist characteristics and travel behaviour so that advice could be given about product development. The field research was also focused on the assessment of internal company conditions to point out noSun’s strengths and weaknesses of certain aspects regarding working with the German market, which will be presented in a SWOT analysis that is to be found in chapter 2.5.3.
The advice is relevant for the client due to the fact that it in the first place provides crucial information about the target group, which need to be known by the company in order to strategically develop products that fulfil the target group’s travel preferences. Furthermore, the advice determines which pre-conditions the company still needs to fulfil before working with this new market.
1.3 Global Work Breakdown Structure
The global work breakdown structure (GWBS) is a tool to structure a project, which was applied to this thesis project. The GWBS breaks down the thesis project into three sub-projects, which again are divided into smaller sub-projects that all interrelate and build up on one another. The detailed description of this can be found in table 1.3 appendix III.
1.4 Reading Guide
This thesis is divided into three main chapters which build up on one another. In the first chapter the client and the project overview including research objectives and questions are introduced. Secondly, in the theoretical framework the core concepts are defined based on literature, the methodology of the field research is elaborated and the core concepts are operationalised. Furthermore, the research results are stated and analysed. Finally, the thesis is rounded off with the advisory chapter in which alternatives for the advice are assessed and suggestions for the implementation are given.
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2. Research
This chapter includes the theoretical framework, in which core concepts of the research questions are defined and critically compared based on various literature sources and which builds the fundamental basis for the following field research and advice. Moreover, a literature review, the results of the field research and a conclusion of the latter two are included. Additionally, validity and reliability of this research are discussed. Furthermore, the confidence in both field research and the final advice increases through the theoretical framework.
2.1 Theoretical Framework
Hereinafter, definitions of the core concepts tourist profile, travel behaviour, product development and internal analysis are discussed and their relation is explained in order to provide a fundamental understanding of the concepts. The elaboration on the search process can be found in appendix IV.
2.1.1 Tourist Profile
According to Ozdemir, Aksu, Ehtiyar, Cizel and Icigen (2012) socio-demographics such as age, gender and income as well as aspects of travel behaviour like travel companion, length of stay or type of accommodation are commonly used in tourism to describe the characteristics of a tourist. Regarding this thesis paper market segmentation had previously been performed by noSun in terms of geographic and parts of socio economic segmentation. In literature this process is described as the division of “a market into various subsets of customers with similar needs or characteristics. Consequently, one concentrates on one of these groups to target (Schiffmann, Bednall, Cowley, O’Cass, Watson & Kanuk, 2001). Concretely for this project the market has been defined for Germans aged 20 to 40 years, living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia. Furthermore, it is mentioned that socio-economic variables like the ones mentioned before create the basis of market segmentation. Additional variables that are generally used in the segmentation process are geographic and psychographic characteristics (Wedel & Kamakura, 1997). Geographic characteristics include units such as nations, regions, states, counties, cities or neighbourhoods. Further, psychographics describe one's social class, lifestyle and interests (Kotler, Armstrong, Wong & Saunders, 2008), which also form the aspects of travel behaviour. Concluding one can say that the tourist profile is comprised by these three variables mentioned.
2.1.2. Travel behaviour
As previously pointed out travel behaviour is an aspect of the characteristics of a tourist. With regards to this thesis project the travel behaviour of the Germans makes out a large and important part of the research and therefore it specifically needs to be reviewed based on literature. In order to understand what aspects encompass travel behaviour one needs to take a closer look at consumer behaviour. Page and Connell (2006) characterise a consumer as “an individual who, through a process of decision-making, obtains goods and services for personal consumption” (p.65). However, in tourism it must be considered that the tourist is not only a purchaser of tourism products but the experiencing of a destination is one primary
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aspect of tourism and therefore the tourist is also a consumer of a place or of culture (Page & Connell, 2006). Moreover, Page and Connell (2006) mention that motivation is a principal part of consumer behaviour, which on the one hand refers to the purpose of a holiday such as visiting friends or family. On the other hand motivation can refer to the satisfaction of travel wants and needs (Mill & Morrison, 1992), which is in line with the theory of McFadden (1974) who argues that travel behaviour can be differentiated as per what people do at their destinations. In order to understand travel behaviour in literature it is often referred to the push and pull factors by Dann (1977). Push factors are the initial drive for one to go on holiday such as relaxation or visiting friends or family as already referred to in the purpose of a holiday. Pull factors are those that influence the decision about where and how to spend the holiday, which in particular includes natural and historical attractions, costs, facilities and access (Jang & Wu, 2006). In addition tangible characteristics considered as pull factors include accommodation and recreation facilities (Uysal & Hagan, 1993). A further perspective described by Page and Connell (2006) is that when assessing the travel behaviour one assesses the factors of tourism demand, which consists of several elements such as seasonality, time and cost consideration and the supply of tourism products and services.
2.1.3. Product development
After having determined the characteristics of the tourist and their travel behaviour the findings on the tourism demand can be translated into products that need to be developed according to the wants and needs of the tourist. Cooper and Kleinschmidt (1986) define product development as “the actual design and development of the product” (p.79) and Otto and Wood (2003) add to their own definition that the process of product development needs to meet the changing needs of the market. According to Otto and Wood (2003) the process of product development takes place in three phases: “understand the opportunity, develop a concept, implement a concept” (p.13). Equally, Page and Connell (2008) explain that the main idea of product development is centred around the idea of enhancing the visitor experience. It is crucial to understand the customer demands and expectations in order to be able to innovate. Furthermore, the authors explain that some product developments are the consequence from the requirement of maintenance and improvement of certain standards; in other words this can be translated into the need for product diversification (developing new products for a new market) or market development (developing existing products for a new market) (Riley, 2012). Akrani (2012) summarises the aspects of product development being the creation/ the innovation/ the improvement/ and the enhancement of new/existing products. Concluding it can be said that by gathering the voice of costumers, which is done through the analysis of the Reiseanalyse (2010) and the online questionnaire, knowledge about the tourist profile is gathered; therefore product requirements can be identified and new product candidates can be developed. Depending on the outcome of the research it can be determined whether product diversification or market development needs to be done, which in turn will be discussed within the advice.
2.1.4. Company analysis
Another core concept of this research is the internal company analysis. Kotler et al. (2008) define the internal company environment as microenvironment, which needs to be analysed. Microenvironment concerns the company itself, its suppliers, competitors and also the customer market, that all have an effect on the company's ability to serve its customers.
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Often a SWOT analysis is created to list the findings of the internal and external audits that show the organisational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats the company faces (Kotler et al. 2008). Page and Connell (2006) describe a SWOT analysis as a technique to assess a company's position within a market compared to the competition. For the SWOT analysis the internal factors to be taken into consideration in order to point out strengths and weaknesses include for instance products, people, the organisation and financial position. Kotler et al. (2008) point out that strengths should be based on facts; and both strengths and weaknesses should be measured relative to the competition. Opportunities and threats on the other hand are considered external factors, which consist of economic position, competition, nature of the market, legal framework or political situation, for instance (Page and Connell, 2006). Furthermore, opportunities result from “elements under the control of the industry and changes in external factors” (Kozak & Baloglu, 2011, p.147), which can be used for the organisation's advantage Threats can be translated from both internal and external factors of the company.
Based on the above mentioned opinion the people of noSun need to be taken into consideration, which includes in particular whether enough staff in the office and guides are available and suitable in terms of awareness of the German culture and language. Moreover, products need to be considered and in order for noSun to offer products to the German market the availability of equipment, storage and information in German for the client in any form need to be determined. Additionally, the nature of the German market is reviewed in order to provide a general overview of the target group, and the competitors of noSun are assessed to interpret noSun’s position on the market.
With regards to the thesis project the aspects of the microenvironment of noSun will be taken into consideration in relation to entering the German market and the results will be shown in a SWOT analysis.
The internal analysis is relevant for this thesis project in order to determine noSun's strengths and weaknesses with regards to working with the German market and to conclude whether the company is already prepared to do so. The company cannot only develop the perfect product for the new target group but certain pre-conditions need to be fulfilled from the company’s side. Product development and the fulfilment of pre-conditions are necessary in order to approach the German market.
2.1.5 Additional literature review
The objective of this additional literature review is to gain insight into what are cultural differences and similarities between the Netherlands and Germany and what is the nature of the German target market in order to obtain a fundamental understanding of these terms.
What are cultural differences and/or similarities between Germany and the Netherlands? Flaskerud (2007) defines cultural awareness as the ability to be sensitive about and understand other ethnic groups. According to Sizoo (2006) the importance of cross-cultural sensitivity has become apparent for the hospitality industry. People employed in this industry experience cross-cultural interactions on a day to day basis when dealing with colleagues or customers and therefore they need to develop a cross-cultural understanding and sensitivity of different cultures and customs in order to avoid misunderstandings. Due to
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misunderstandings during interactions of people of different cultures business can be lost because of both unhappy customers and/or employees (Sizoo, 2006; Wei, Crompton & Reid, 1989). Therefore, Tam (2004) argues that people are less likely misunderstanding each other when they are aware of certain cultural differences. According to Reisiner and Turner (2003) cross-cultural aspects refer to language, interactions, manners, customs and food.
In the following, certain cultural aspects of Germany and the Netherlands are discussed and compared. Communication and contacts are generally rather formal in Germany and therefore the most frequent way to greet someone is with a quick and firm handshake (Kwintessential, 2013). Additionally, people that do not know each other (well) use the formal “Sie” or “Herr/Frau” - meaning Mr/Ms – and the person's last name, which reflects respect for the other person (Schürings, 2008). Equally, on the phone one usually answers with one's last name accompanied with a friendly “Hello”. Furthermore, it is common to address colleagues and managers at work as previously described despite several years of working together. Nevertheless, the way of addressing colleagues and managers also depends on the branch, working atmosphere and age (Schürings, 2008). Calling someone by his/her first name is generally reserved for friends and family. Moreover, the tradition includes that one has to invite each other to call one by the first name (Kwintessential, 2013). Shaking hands and using last names in the Netherlands is likewise a common form of greeting someone, especially among acquaintances and older people. Good friends may as well hug each other or give kisses on the cheeks and address the person by their first name (Country Reports, 2014). However, Dutch people are generally less formal and even though the Dutch “je/jij” is not exactly the same as the German “Du” this is a common form of addressing someone even if one is not a close contact; and even if people are not acquaintances the change from the formal to the informal address often occurs during a talk and reflects a polite social intercourse. The difference in contact with each other in Germany and the Netherlands is a result of the different hierarchy in both countries. In the Netherlands the boss is usually considered equal as the employees whereas in Germany the business relationship is more hierarchical and therefore more formal. Additionally, certain ways of expression differ in both countries and are important to consider when dealing with Germans or Dutch people. In her discussion of German and Dutch cultural and mentality differences Schürings (2008) mentions for instance one example of a daily life situation: When going to the bakery in Germany one would order “Sechs Brötchen, bitte!” - literally meaning “Six bread rolls, please” - which is formulated as a demand softened with a request. In the Netherlands one would ask “Mag ik zes broodjes?”, which is rather a question and seems more friendly than the German request (Schürings, 2008).
Germans do not need a relationship in order to do business with someone and during business meetings private conversations are not very likely (Kwintessential, 2013). In contrast, Dutch people prefer to build up a relationship with each other and create a comfortable atmosphere among all participants before going down to business (Schürings, 2008). Furthermore, Germans can be considered the masters of planning as usually both activities for business and personal life are carefully planned. Correspondingly, Germans often are very detailed in their implementation, straightforward in their communication and are highly bureaucratic. Dutch people are familiar with doing business with foreign people due to Dutch history of foreign trade (Kwintessential, 2013). Furthermore, the Netherlands
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have a close business community where most senior level employees know each other and only older companies might be more bureaucratic. Decisions are usually consensus-driven, communication is quite direct and personal time is valued (Schürings, 2008).
Punctuality is one great aspect of German customs for the reason that Germans highly value punctuality especially in business but also in private. Therefore it is appreciated for guests to arrive on time or notify immediately in case of a delay. German punctuality usually means to arrive about five minutes earlier. In the Netherlands punctuality is considered not as strict as in Germany, nevertheless being on time and notifying about tardiness is appreciated (Country Reports, 2014).
Furthermore, the decision-making process and the approach for negotiations is viewed differently in Germany and the Netherlands: Germans approach this process result-oriented and being aware of problems, which makes them work very systematically; Dutch people on the other hand are rather process-oriented and pragmatic. Germans are considered stubborn and little willing to relent; instead they are focussed on what they want to achieve, no matter how. Dutch people instead set a minimum for reaching their aim as well, however they are more flexible in achieving it (Schürings, 2008). For Germans the professional competence and expertise is very important, for instance they will look at ones achievements in education and career when talking in a business environment, whereas for Dutch people academic achievements are of importance, though they are less severe and more easygoing about it (Schürings, 2008; Kwintessential, 2013).
Food was mentioned as another cross-cultural aspect to be taken into consideration. General breakfast time in Germany is between 7:30 – 8:15h and typical ingredients are dark bread or bread rolls with jam, cheese or cold cuts. Lunch is eaten in the time between 12 and 14h and it usually is the main meal of the day. Therefore a hot meal is served, which typically consists of potatoes, vegetables, meat and gravy. Following, a light meal is prepared for dinner, which consists typically of a sandwich (germanfoods.org, 2014). In the Netherlands breakfast of soft bread or toast with jam or Dutch cheese is eaten between 7:30 and 8:15h. Lunch is usually a light meal such as a sandwich or snack and eaten at around 12h. Dinner is eaten between 17:30 and 19:30h and serves as the main and therefore hot meal of the day, typically consisting of similar ingredients as the German lunch. Additionally, it is very common to drink coffee or tea after a meal and even late in the evening (Country Reports, 2014).
Consequently, it can be pointed out that the German and Dutch cultures are not extremely different; however, there are still some cultural differences to be taken into consideration. A final answer to this research question can be found in the chapter conclusion and an additional overview (table 2.3) can be found in appendix VI.
What is the nature of the German market?
This thesis project focuses on the target group Germans aged 20 to 40 years living in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), which determines already the age and the region of the focus target group. This province has been chosen for the reason that is has the highest population density of the country – circa 18 million live in the area of 34,000 square kilometres (Landesregierung Nordrhein Westfalen, 2014). Moreover, NRW is located in Western Germany, bordering the Netherlands. The region is very attractive for noSun as –
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besides the geographical proximity - circa 7.4 million single people live in NRW. Therefore, a large target group for the tour operator is represented in this region.
Table 2.4 in appendix VII shows the gender division of the different age groups in 2012, which are listed in steps of 5 upwards. It is indicated that most of the people in this region are aged 40 to 44 years and the least people are aged 15 to 19 years. In almost every age group there are more males than females but in general the amount of males and females is not of huge differences.
According to a current study about demographics in Germany 2013 by GFK (2014) the share of single-person households accounts to 40% in Germany. Additionally, the study shows that there are more multiple-person households without children (31.5%) than households with children (28.5%). Furthermore, it is common that within cities and especially university cities the concentration of single-person households is quite high and in contrast the concentration of family households with children is quite high in rural areas (GFK, 2014). Following, table 2.5 in appendix VII shows the size of private households in the region North Rhine-Westphalia in the year 2012. What is evident is that of the total 8.6 million private households 38.9% are one-person households followed by 35.2% of 2-person households. This shows that the trend goes towards single households and the average household size in NRW is 2.05 people (Destatis, 2014).
Table 2.6, see appendix VII, indicates the marital status and age of the person who contributes the main income within private households in NRW in 2012. It shows that the most represented age group is the 45-to-54-year-olds, of which more than 2/3 is married. The second largest group is the 35-to-44-year-olds of which as well slightly more than 2/3 is married. The group of people that is most interesting for the company noSun are the 25-to-34-year-olds, who represent the largest amount of singles within this region. Table 2.7 in appendix VII gives a detailed overview of the amount of singles per gender and age group in NRW in 2011. What stands out is that the division of people per age group and gender of the total population is almost equal. However, the amount of single people per age group differs significantly: 2.0 million single males aged 15 to 39 versus 1.7 million females of the same age; and 600,000 single males aged 40 to 64 years versus 400,000 females. Moreover, a division of large cities in NRW is shown in table 2.8 to be found in appendix VII, indicating the amount of singles per age group (Zensus, 2011). The largest group of single people in NRW can be found in the under 18-years-old age group with 2.9 million of the total 6.9 million single people in this region. However, with 2.1 million single people of 18 until under 30 years this number is almost as high. The least single people are of age 50 until under 65 years with round 340,000. From the cities listed, Köln hosts the most single people with 471,830, followed by Düsseldorf 260,460 and Essen 228,330. Table 2.9 in appendix VII indicates the family lifestyle in relation to presence or absence of children. The numbers point out significantly that no matter of the relationship status, there are more couples without children than couples with children. Additionally, of 3.0 million females in NRW aged 16 to 44 years there were more than half childless in 2012.
2.2 Methodology
This chapter argues on the chosen research strategy, data collection methods and data analysis. Additionally, the operationalisation of the research is shown by means of an
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organigram, in which core concepts are divided into aspects and sub-aspects. The operationalisation, shown in table 2.10, can be found in appendix V. This chapter forms the basis for the field research.The objective of the field research is to gain insight into the tourist profile and the travel behaviour of German tourists aged 20 to 40 years and living in the region North Rhine-Westphalia in order for noSun to develop products for this new target group.
2.2.1 Research Strategy
According to Brotherton (2008) there are six different empirical research designs such as experimental research, survey research, comparative research, case study research, observational research and action research. In the following the research strategy is explained in order to collect data for developing a tourist profile. Subsequently, the research strategy for the internal company analysis is stated. An elaboration on the search process and the search commands can be found in the appendix.
The strategy that has been chosen for this thesis project is quantitative research due to the fact that thecentral research question is descriptive and it demands the creation of a general picture of a large target group. According to Brotherton (2008) descriptive research establishes “a factual picture of the issue under investigation” (p.12). With regards to this thesis project the research aims at determining the interest of German tourists in the products of noSun and therefore the specified German target group was taken under investigation so that a clear picture of this group could be developed. Quantitative research was also applied by using the existing survey Reiseanalyse (2010) on travel behaviour of the German market filtering the results for the region North Rhine-Westphalia and the main target group of 20-to-40-year-olds. The combination of both research approaches ensured a more reliable final advice.
Research strategy for developing tourist profile
Regarding this project survey research, which is a popular empirical research design, was applicable because it collects data on the tourist characteristics and travel behaviour of Germans aged 20 to 40 years living in North-Rhine-Westphalia. Lucas (1999) refers to a survey as a “technique to communicate with and collect information from a 'representative sample', mainly using verbal or written questioning” (p.112). This research strategy has been chosen for the reason that it is a tool to collect data relatively easy and quick from a large target group; moreover, it delivers reliable results. Survey research is a common tool widely applied by hospitality and tourism companies and organisations in order to collect information on important issues (Brotherton, 2008). The strategy that has been used for the Reiseanalyse is also survey research for the reason that it collects data on the tourist profile and travel behaviour of the German population.
Research strategy for internal company analysis
Regarding the internal company analysis a case study research was suitable in order to find out in-depth information about certain circumstances and aspects within the company. “Case studies are generally seen as valuable for exploring an issue in depth within a specific content, using qualitative data to assist in the development of insights” (Brotherton, 2008, p.123). It needs to be determined whether it is a single case study, where only one case is
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investigated or if it is a multiple case study with several cases. Furthermore, case studies can be defined as “holistic”, meaning that they have one single unit of analysis; or they can be “embedded”, which refers to multiple units of analysis (Brotherton, 2008). Therefore Yin (1994) has put four types of design options for case studies into a typology matrix indicating that both single and multiple case studies can have a holistic or embedded unit of analysis. The internal company analysis for this thesis project was a single and intrinsic case study because only the company noSun was studied and relevant for the analysis; and this case study had an embedded unit of analysis, as results for this analysis come from interviewing employees and reviewing literature. The investigation into this case is driven by the desire to find out more about this one unique case rather than generalising the gained knowledge and developing a theory, which could be applied to other cases (Grandy, 2010).
2.2.2 Methods of Data Collection
Hereafter the methods of data collection are elaborated. First, the method to collect data to develop the tourist profile is stated; followed by the applicable method for the internal analysis. There are different instruments and procedures available for the process of data collection. Several methods of asking questions can be used such as questionnaires or interviews. Further means of data collection include observation and reading documents (Brotherton, 2008).
Method of data collection for survey among Germans
Due to the fact that a large population needed to be researched the most suitable data collection method was an online questionnaire which had been created with the program thesistools.com and was distributed via the Email and Facebook contacts of the researcher. A semi-structured questionnaire with both open and closed questions was designed for this research because qualitative and quantitative data were to be collected from a large scale sample that is geographically spread. Some open ended questions followed the closed questions in order to obtain more information on certain responses. This is considered a very valuable tactic for the reason that it can generate more detailed insights into people's preferences as long as it is not overused. By means of this instrument it is easiest to reach a large number of respondents in a short time frame and to ensure a high level of responses. Participants tend to feel encouraged to share their opinion in the survey due to the fact that it ensures a certain level of anonymity and an online questionnaire is usually easy and fast to fill out. However, there are certain errors possible and could have occurred during the process of data collection. For instance one potential problem could have been that participants interpret the questions in different ways, which would result in the fact that all data regarding those questions were useless. In order to prevent the latter problem mentioned the questionnaire included instructions for the respondents about how to indicate their responses and how to proceed through the questionnaire. Furthermore, the questionnaire was well constructed and tested in advance in order to diminish errors and ensure high credibility. Non-response was another possible error that could have occurred during this research process when only half of the participants had responded to the questionnaire. In order to minimize this risk enough time was calculated to address additional respondents for the questionnaire (Brotherton, 2008). In addition to that,
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participants of the survey could have won a €25 voucher of MediaMarkt, which might have encouraged people to participate. The value of the online questionnaire for this thesis project was that additional questions about the way of booking and the concept of noSun (group travel, online tour operator) could have been asked. This information could not have been acquired via other means.
Additionally, the researcher opted for making use of the database of the Reiseanalyse (2010), which is a survey, carried out by the Forschungsgemeinschaft Urlaub und Reisen e.V. (FUR, 2014) and provides insights into the holiday related preferences of the German market. The Reiseanalyse is an annual face-to-face survey that has been carried out since 1970 and is therefore a “representative survey of the holiday travel behaviour of the Germans and German-speaking foreign nationals living in Germany, their related attitudes, motivations and interests” (FUR, 2014). This database was a valuable data source due to the fact that it provided additional insights into the tourist characteristics and travel behaviour of Germans; more importantly it was used for the reason that its results were very representative for the target group. The existing survey was filtered according to the place of residence: NRW; and age: 20 to 40 years old for the relevant results and was further only analysed and interpreted by the researcher for the reason that the questionnaire already existed and only its results were relevant for the thesis project. The Reiseanalyse (2010) was obtained through the GESIS Leibniz Institute for Social Sciences.
Method of data collection for interviews within company
Regarding the internal company analysis qualitative data is collected by means of interviews with employees of noSun. Research interviews exist in various forms though the principal purpose constantly remains - to acquire the required information from the respondent (Brotherton, 2008). Interviews were conducted with employees of noSun face-to-face and on a one-to-one basis. These interviews were aimed at answering the second central research question about internal and some external aspects of the company such as the employees' ability to speak German, the amount of available equipment or about competitors. Essential questions were prepared in advance in form of a semi-structured interview guide which led through the entire process of the interview and therefore the interviews were structured up to a certain degree. However, one advantage of conducting these interviews was the degree of flexibility that existed due to the real-time interaction between both parties. The researcher was able to react immediately to the responses of the interviewee and therefore it was possible to ask additional questions and gain a more in-depth point of view from the responses of the employees (Brotherton, 2008). The interviews were recorded in accordance with the interviewees for the reason that the recording supported the data analysis at a later stage.
Additionally, desk research was performed in order to research the company's competitors, the nature of the new market as well as cultural differences and similarities between German and Dutch people so that the respective research questions could be answered wherefore secondary data was used.
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Below the selection of data sources for the online survey is determined, followed by the explanation for the Reiseanalyse and the motivation of selection of data sources for the interviews.
“Essentially, a sample is a smaller version of the whole it is obtained from that reflects the same characteristics as those of the whole” (Brotherton, 2008, p.164). The whole referred to is the population from which a certain sample was researched. Ideally, this sample needed to be sufficiently representative in order to make valid inferences from the results. It can be distinguished between probability-based sampling strategies as simple random, systematic random, stratified random and cluster; and non-probability-based sampling strategies such as convenience sampling, purposive sampling and quota sampling (Brotherton, 2008).
Selection of data sources for online survey
The population for this research were the inhabitants in North Rhine-Westphalia, aged 20 to 40, without children. Non-probability-based sampling can be used for both qualitative and quantitative data and in this case the simplest form, the convenience sampling strategy was applied. In contrary to probability-based sampling the chances of getting selected for the sample are not equal and unknown when applying non-probability-based sampling. The sample was selected according to its convenience of availability, which means that the sample for this research was formed by the family, friends and acquaintances of the researcher (Brotherton, 2008). However, not all contacts were suitable due to the restrictions of the target group being Germans aged 20 to 40, living in the region of North Rhine- Westphalia. Therefore, the results were filtered according to the criteria of the target group and those respondents represent the final sample of this project. In total 127 responses were collected from the survey of which 106 represent the main target group.
Selection of data sources for Reiseanalyse
The type of probability-based sampling that Reiseanalyse used is stratified random sampling because people were randomly selected according to German provinces and towns. The population that Reiseanalyse identified includes 70.3 million Germans and German-speaking foreign nationals aged 14 years and above living in private households in Germany (FUR, 2012). In the end more than 7,500 people were interviewed personally in their households about aspects related to their holidays. With regards to this thesis project the data of the Reiseanalyse needed to be filtered according to the target group Germans aged 20 to 40 years and living in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia. 1,591 respondents were from NRW and 462 of these were within the main target group, so that these respondents represent the final sample that was used from the Reiseanalyse.
Selection of data sources for interviews
With regards to the internal company analysis the aim was not to generalise the results of this analysis but to gain an in-depth understanding of the current company situation. Therefore non-probability-based purposive sampling was applicable as there were certain employees who were interviewed due to their position and knowledge of the company (Brotherton, 2008). Mr Boshuis, the director of noSun and Miss Slot, the product manager,
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were considered as key informants because they could provide sufficient insights into the aspects under investigation.
2.2.4 Methods of Data Analysis
Hereinafter the methods of data analysis are stated; commencing with the methods of analysis for the online questionnaire (2014), followed by the methods of analysis for the Reiseanalyse (2010) and interviews.
The methods of data analysis differ as well between quantitative and qualitative data.
Methods of data analysis for online survey
The method of quantitative data analysis chosen for the online questionnaire was a univariate analysis. This type of analysis applies when only one variable is analysed. There are three measures applicable in order to produce statistics from the quantitative data collected: frequency distribution, central tendency and dispersion. Descriptive statistics need to be established so that characteristics of the data can be summarised and described (Brotherton, 2008). Regarding this univariate analysis the frequency distribution was produced by means of SPSS in order to get a clear picture of the travel preferences of the target group. Additionally, the results of the online questionnaire were analysed by means of a bivariate analysis, which is applied to establish whether or not a relationship exists between two variables. A hypothesis was formulated to postulate an association between certain variables. In order to establish the potential relationship the data was shown in a cross tabulation so that one was enabled to make comparisons between the variables and determine for instance if a relationship between the age and the preferred type of accommodation was existent, which consequently enabled more precise consult on product development. Hereby it applied: the closer the value gets to the maximum value (100% per difference), the greater the association and vice versa.
Methods of data analysis for Reiseanalyse
The filtered results of the existing survey Reiseanalyse were analysed by means of univariate statistical analysis techniques such as frequency distribution. Therefore diagrams were created by the researcher in order to give an overview of the research results and simplify the interpretation. Likewise, the bivariate analysis was applicable for the data analysis of the Reiseanalyse and variables were tested for relationships, which are shown in a cross tabulation. Further data analysis techniques are equal to the one of the online questionnaire.
Methods of data analysis for interviews
Concerning the internal company analysis, the interviews firstly needed to be transcribed. Following, open coding was done, which broke down the interview into fragments that addressed the same theme and named them by allocating a code. Boeije (2009) defines code as “a word or string of words used as a name for a category generated during analysis”. The approach of open coding facilitates and contributes to a thematic organization of the data collected, which also allows a clear comparison of the findings (Boeije, 2009). Afterwards, axial coding needed to be done, which involved grouping the codes that belong together under one umbrella code. During this phase the relevance of the coded categories was
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determined. Therefore the fragments were compared and relationships were established between categories and subcategories (Boeije, 2009). Finally, in the operationalisation of axial coding, a code tree was developed from the codes of the interview, which is basically built up like a tree diagram from the opposite direction (Boeije, 2009). This code tree can be found in appendix XII.
2.3 Field research
This chapter gives an overview of the results of the field research. The results of the analysis of the Reiseanalyse (2010) and the outcome of the online questionnaire (2014) are listed. Additionally, the responses of the interviews are shown.
A detailed overview of the outcome of the two survey results can be found in the appendix XV.
2.3.1 Research results online questionnaire (2014) and Reiseanalyse (2010)
First of all it can be pointed out that the results of the online questionnaire (2014) are similar to the ones of the Reiseanalyse (2010). In the following the most important results of both surveys are listed and significant differences are pointed out. Diagrams indicating and comparing the responses per age group (under 20, 20 to 40 and 40 to 60 years) of each aspect can be found in the appendix XV.
In 2010 7,660 people participated in the Reiseanalyse (2010) of which 1,591 were from North Rhine- Westphalia and of which 462 were 20 to 40 years old. The online questionnaire (2014) was completed by 127 participants out of NRW and 106 of these represent the main target group.
According to the Reiseanalyse (2010) the majority of its respondents are married (42.6%), and still a large part is single (31.8%). Different to that are the results of the online questionnaire (2014) of which most respondents of the target group are single without children (60.4%), followed by a large part that is married/ in a relationship without children (31.1%). Moreover, both survey results show that this target group is quite well educated as 46.8% of this target group has an educational degree equivalent to secondary school graduation (without A-levels), 23.6% possess a lower secondary school degree with/without completed vocational training; 18.4% graduated with A-levels and 11.3% attended university (Reiseanalyse, 2010). Moreover, the majority of 53.2% is an employee and 23.2 % craftsmen (Reiseanalyse, 2010), though the majority of the online questionnaire (2014) participants are currently students (51.9%). Concerning the household size, the most frequent indication (25.3%) of the Reiseanalyse (2010) was to live alone or with 1 other person, directly followed by 24.9% who indicated their household size as three people. The most represented net income group is €1,500 to 1,999 (20.1%), closely followed by €2,500 to 2,999 (19.9%) and €2000 to 2499 (18.2%) (Reiseanalyse, 2010). In contrast, the outcome of the online questionnaire (2014) shows that the majority has an income of €500 or less for the reason that most participants are still students.
Regarding the trip length of the main holiday 40.8% stayed for 13 to 15 days, followed by 21.9% that stayed for six to eight days and 14.9% that undertook a holiday of nine to 12 days. In addition to that the most preferred travel season seemed to be the period between
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July and September though May (10.5%) and June (11.4%) are also popular for travelling (Reiseanalyse, 2010).
Moreover, participants were asked about the organisational form of the holiday. The most preferred form of organisation of the holiday is a package holiday, which was indicated through both online questionnaire (2014) and Reiseanalyse (2010) by 30.3% and only 3.5% mentioned to book a trip out of different components. 25.3% pointed out to book the accommodation separately, the ticket for transport was booked individually by 10.6% and 9.1% mentioned to not book anything in advance (Reiseanalyse, 2010).
According to the online questionnaire (2014) the majority (78.3%) of respondents prefers a combination out of active and passive type of holiday. Reiseanalyse (2010) asked about this more specifically, which gives an indication about activities that could be included in the holiday as well. Here, the beach holiday clearly dominates with (43.1%), followed by relaxation holiday (31.2%), and family holidays (24.7%). Further types of holidays that received higher scores include nature holidays (20.1%), experience and fun/party holidays (16.5%), visiting friends/relatives (12.8%), and active holidays (11.7%).
According to the online questionnaire (2014) the most popular countries as European travel destinations are Spain, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Ireland and Greece. In addition, Reiseanalyse (2010) shows that Turkey (8.4%), the Netherlands (5.8%), France and Italy (3.3%) are preferable destinations. The outcome mentioned before was supported by the additional indication regarding the aspect of general interest for a holiday destination because the same destinations received high scores. The outcome of the online questionnaire (2014) showed that the majority of this target group usually books a hotel as their accommodation during their holiday. This was backed up by the Reiseanalyse (2010) where 46.4% chose the hotel, and which additionally indicates that 17.2% prefer to rent a holiday apartment and 13.4% stay with friends/relatives. Only 1.5% voted for camping in a tent, which shows that the questioned target group obviously prefers fixed accommodation.
The modes of transport for the main annual trip apparently are airplane (51.3%) and car (40.8%); train (4.1%) and bus (2.6%) only received low scores (Reiseanalyse, 2010), which resulted from the online questionnaire (2014), too.
Besides, respondents of the Reiseanalyse (2010) pointed out certain activities they had done (very) often during their holidays over the past three years. 70.1% of the target group took a swim in the sea, 64.1% went on excursions of the surrounding and 59.5% went for a stroll around the stores. 58.6% tried typical specialities, and further popular activities include: resting/ sleeping (48.7%), swimming in the pool (48.3%), meeting new people (38.7%), visiting natural sights (37.9%) and light sportive activities (37.2%). Additionally, the most popular activities during a holiday based on the online questionnaire (2014) are sightseeing (chosen 60 times), eating out – tasting the local cuisine (59x), sunbathing (50x), hiking (40x), and water activities (canoeing, kayaking, rafting).
In addition, the main motivation for people to go on holiday is relaxation, spending time with partner/ family and for discovering the city and culture according to the online questionnaire (2014). Building up on these results Reiseanalyse (2010) determined aspects of what is very important to the target group during the holiday, which one was able to indicate through multiple answers. For the majority (71.6%) it is very important to have fun; good weather (66.9%) and relaxation/no stress (66.2%). 65.2% of the respondents need to escape daily life;
