Interactive Voice Assistants for Travel Planning. Insights for Tourism Marketing Communication of Destination Management Organizations

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction
• 1.1 Statement of the Problem
• 1.2 Purpose
• 1.3 Research Questions
• 1.4 Research Method
• 1.5 Overview of the Thesis
• 2. Theoretical Foundation of Marketing Communications of DMOs
• 2.1 Functions and Tasks of DMOs
• 2.2 Trends and Challenges in Destination Marketing
• 2.3 Experience Design in Destination Marketing
• 2.4 Relevance of the UX for the Experience Marketing of DMOs
• 2.5 Designing the UX in Travel Planning
• 3. Definition and Application Fields of Intelligent Voice Assistants
• 3.1 Definition, Application Fields and Development of IVAs
• 3.2 Relevance of IVAs for Marketing Communication
• 3.3 Information Processing in Voice Content Marketing
• 3.4 Use of IVAs in Tourism Context
• 3.5 IVAs for Consumer Use
• 4. Tourism-specific Consumer Behavior of Different Generations
• 4.1 Target Market Analysis in Destination Marketing
• 4.2 Demographic Change as Challenge in Tourism Marketing
• 4.2.1 Consumer Behavior of Best Agers
• 4.2.2 Consumer Behavior of Millennials
• 4.3 Use and Consumption of IVAs by Different Generations
• 5. Acceptance and Influencing Factors of IVAs for Travel Planning
• 5.1 Explanation of Acceptance and -Models for Technological Innovation
• 5.2 Acceptance Factors of IVAs in Travel Planning
• 5.2.1 Factors of the Technology Acceptance Model
• 5.2.2 Factors of the Technology Acceptance Model 2
• 5.2.3 Factors of the Technology Acceptance Model 3
• 6. Interim Conclusion of Theoretical Foundations
• 7. Empirical Analysis
• 7.1 Research Method
• 7.2 Sampling
• 7.3 Quantitative Data Collection
• 7.4 Data Analyzing
• 7.5 Analysis and Results
• 7.5.1 Descriptive Characteristics of the Sample
• 7.5.2 Results of the Acceptance Factors of IVAs for Travel Planning
• 7.5.3 Sample Distribution
• 7.5.4 Results of the Hypothesis Test
• 7.5.4.1 Differences in the Acceptance Factor Fun
• 7.5.4.2 Differences in the Acceptance Factor Computer Anxiety
• 7.5.4.3 Differences in the Acceptance Factor Complexity
• 7.5.4.4 Differences in the Acceptance Factor Output Quality
• 7.5.4.5 Differences in the Acceptance Factor Subjective Norm
• 7.5.4.6 Differences in the Acceptance Factor Perceived Ease of Use
• 7.5.4.7 Differences in the Acceptance Factor Perceived Usefulness
• 7.5.4.8 Differences in the Acceptance Factor Attitude Towards Use
• 7.5.4.9 Differences in the Acceptance Factor Behavioral Intention to Use
• 8. Conclusion
• 8.1 Answering the Overall Research Question
• 8.2 Discussion of the Results
• 8.3 Recommendations
• 8.4 Outlook

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This master’s thesis aims to examine the differences in the acceptance of Millennials and Best Agers regarding the use of Interactive Voice Assistants (IVAs) for travel planning. It seeks to understand the factors that influence this acceptance and to draw implications for the marketing communication of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs).

• The growing importance of experience marketing in tourism
• The role of Interactive Voice Assistants (IVAs) in tourism marketing communication
• The influence of generational differences on the acceptance of IVAs for travel planning
• The factors that contribute to the acceptance of IVAs, such as perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitude towards use
• The implications of these findings for the marketing communication strategies of DMOs

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: Introduction - The introduction sets the scene by highlighting the increasing importance of experience marketing in tourism and the need for DMOs to design unique and emotional experiences for visitors. It introduces the research problem, which focuses on the lack of understanding regarding the acceptance of IVAs for travel planning among Millennials and Best Agers. The chapter outlines the purpose and research questions of the thesis, detailing the research method employed and providing an overview of the thesis structure.
• Chapter 2: Theoretical Foundation of Marketing Communications of DMOs - This chapter provides a comprehensive understanding of the functions and tasks of DMOs, highlighting the trends and challenges they face in destination marketing. The chapter explores the concept of experience design and its importance in attracting visitors and building a strong destination brand. It emphasizes the relevance of User Experience (UX) in the marketing communication of DMOs and particularly in the travel planning phase.
• Chapter 3: Definition and Application Fields of Intelligent Voice Assistants - This chapter provides a definition of IVAs, detailing their application fields and development. It examines the relevance of IVAs for marketing communication, specifically Voice Content Marketing (VCM), and explores the opportunities and risks of using IVAs from both a consumer and company perspective. The chapter discusses the use of IVAs in the tourism context, examining specific examples of how they are being implemented in various phases of the visitor journey.
• Chapter 4: Tourism-specific Consumer Behavior of Different Generations - This chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding the tourism-specific consumer behavior of different generations, particularly Millennials and Best Agers. The chapter provides a detailed examination of their travel, information, and media usage behavior, highlighting the significant differences between these two generations.
• Chapter 5: Acceptance and Influencing Factors of IVAs for Travel Planning - The chapter delves into the concept of acceptance and explores established models from the field of acceptance research, particularly the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and its extensions. The chapter adapts the TAM model to the context of IVAs in travel planning, identifying and examining potential acceptance factors that influence the use of IVAs by Millennials and Best Agers.
• Chapter 6: Interim Conclusion of Theoretical Foundations - This chapter summarizes the key findings of the theoretical literature review, providing answers to the theoretical partial research questions. It highlights the importance of understanding the needs and expectations of different target groups for DMOs, particularly those of Millennials and Best Agers. The chapter emphasizes the role of experience design and the potential of IVAs in shaping unique and emotional experiences for these target groups.
• Chapter 7: Empirical Analysis - This chapter details the empirical analysis conducted to address the research gap in the acceptance of IVAs for travel planning by Millennials and Best Agers. The chapter outlines the research method, the sampling process, and the quantitative data collection techniques. It presents the data analysis methods and provides a detailed analysis of the results, examining the distribution of the sample and testing the hypotheses formulated for the predefined acceptance factors.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This master's thesis focuses on the acceptance of Interactive Voice Assistants (IVAs) for travel planning by Millennials and Best Agers, analyzing their consumer behavior and drawing implications for the marketing communication of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs). Key concepts include experience marketing, User Experience (UX), Voice Content Marketing (VCM), demographic change, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).