Robert van der Veen is a Research Fellow in the Marketing Department at Oxford Brookes University. He has a long-standing interest in studying tourist behaviour for destination marketing and satisfaction index modelling. He is keen to enhance the exchange between theory and practice in the field of tourism. His work in understanding leisure travellers has been supported by various research grants and has been published in leading academic journals (Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research and Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing).

2. Understanding the Leisure Traveler: Reliable
Data with Practical Relevance
Dr Robert van der Veen
Oxford Brookes University

3. Tourism Ambassadors
• Chris Hemsworth – Australia
• Jackie Chan – Hong Kong
• Song Joong-ki – South Korea
• Nielsen survey conducted for Tourism Australia revealed that the
Chris Hemsworth’s star power helped the advertisement perform
better with target audiences than other campaigns – 2016

4. Celebrity endorsement
• Ensured Attention
• Associative Benefits
• PR Coverage
• Higher Degree of Recall
• Establishment of Credibility

5. Celebrity endorsement
• Celebrity Twitter tweets used by South Australian Tourism
Commission to market Kangaroo Island
• The tourism commission is paying celebrities AU$ 750 per tweet
to lure visitors to the island
• "Bring on Kangaroo Island. Saw the TV ad last night and makes
me wish I was visiting sooner rather than later." - Matt Moran,
@chefmattmoran, March 28, 2012

6. Celebrity endorsement
• High achievers (more expensive)
• Believable and credibility
(honesty/testimonial)
• Is known/popular (familiarity)
• Is likable/admired (regional
implications)
• Is recognizable (protective
equipment/costumes)
• Ease of recall (TOMA)
• Is congruent with the target
market (lifestyle)
• Is physically attractive (higher
ratings)
• Continuity (risks involved)

7. Predictive model
ATTRACTIVENESS
BELIEVABILITY
ATTITUDE TO AD
ATTITUDE TO
BRAND
INTENTIONS
Van der Veen, R. & Song, H. (2014) Journal of Travel Research 53(2) 211-224

8. Hong Kong
Tourist Satisfaction Index

9. Aggregate Service
Satisfaction
Hotels
Immigration
Attractions
Restaurants
Retails Shops
Transportation
Destination
Satisfaction
Song et al. (2012) Annals of Tourism Research 39(1) 459-479
Predictive model

10. Overall Satisfaction Index by Sector (2008 -2015)
www.touristsatisfaction.org

11. Overall Satisfaction Index by Source Market (2008 -2015)

12. Comparison Across Destinations - 2015
www.touristsatisfaction.org

13. Return intentions
• Intention to return is often used as a surrogate measure for
actual repeat visit based on the premise that without intentions
people will not act
• Inconsistencies due to an overestimation of the likelihood that
travellers will engage in actual behaviour
• When travellers are asked to envision a future action, they tend
to report their desires instead of their intentions
• Intent to return may be a better reflection of satisfaction than
any real future behaviour
McKercher, B. & Tse, T. (2012) Journal of Travel Research 51(6) 671-686

14. Return intentions
• Intentions may change over time - the greater the gap, the greater the
likelihood of change
• Intentions may be provisional, since travellers are not engaged in real
decision making during surveys (+ add time frame for accuracy)
• One certainty in tourism is that many will visit only once
• Measure intentions to recommend either off/online
McKercher, B. & Tse, T. (2012) Journal of Travel Research 51(6) 671-686

15. Production vs Consumption
• Over 50% of travellers consume information, but only 17%
actually produce content
• Those involved are more likely to produce, consume and share
their travel experiences online
• Those who are more engaged, the more likely they gain + report
a positive experience (co-creation)
• Encouraging travellers to produce social media in exchange for
incentives, discounts or coupons?
Amaro et al. (2016) Annals of Tourism Research (59) 1-15

16. Big data
• Powerful for analysing trends and resolve issues quickly
• Collect, mine data and use such intelligence for customized
destination marketing campaigns
• Digital footprints provide opportunities to align offerings with
needs, enhance and customize travel services
• Monitor focus of attention, heart rate for degree of excitement
and position to improve safety and visitor flow

17. Travel movement patterns – Hong Kong
Lau, G. & McKercher, B. (2007) Tourism and Hospitality Research 7(1) 39-49

18. Collaboration with Universities
• Strengthen links with communities (businesses, policy
makers and universities) engaged with tourism development
• Establish networks to generate new knowledge and
implement actions collaboratively to create mutual benefits
robert.vanderveen@brookes.ac.uk