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Proposal for a multi-country resort
hotel survey exploring the cooperation
with major European tour operators
Dr. Dimitris KoutoulasTourism & Marketing Consultant
Lecturer at the Greek Open University
E-Mail: [email protected]
• Propose a joint multi-country research project reflecting the point of view of the countries on the receiving end of mass tourism
• Aim of research: To explore the relationship and cooperation of resort hotels with major European tour operators in the light of:– Market dominance by a few TOs– Overdependence on TO business – Shrinking TO business– The Opportunities of the “New Tourism Market”
Objective Of This PresentationObjective Of This Presentation
• Greece: 6.7 million out of 9.6 million EU tourists (70%) arrived on charter flights in 2005
• Over 70% of tourists arrive on charter flights in the case of:
– Germany - Austria
– UK - Netherlands
– Norway - Finland
– Sweden - Denmark
– Ireland
Overdependence on Tour OperatorsOverdependence on Tour Operators
Share TUI Customers/Total ArrivalsShare TUI Customers/Total Arrivals
29% 71%
38% 62%
21% 79%
12% 88%
43% 57%
34% 66%
21% 79%
71% 29%
16% 84%
41% 59%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
All major source markets
Nordic Countries
Netherlands
Switzerland
Austria
Belgium
UK
Ireland
France
Germany
TUI customers Other tourists
• Proposed research is based on the experience from previous research on Greek resort hotels that was very well received by:
– Academic community
– Industry associations
– National and international press
• This positive reception is an encouragement to cover other mass tourism destinations besides Greece
Objective Of This PresentationObjective Of This Presentation
1. Previous Research
2. Research Proposal
Today’s TopicsToday’s Topics
• Aim of the survey: To explore the relationship between resort hotels and tour operators as seen from the hotels’ point of view
• E-Mail Survey in 2005
• Self-administered 16-item questionnaire
• Targeted response rate: 5%
• Actual response rate: 6.1% (101 out of 1,648 hotels)
Greek Resort Hotel SurveyGreek Resort Hotel Survey
The Market Influence of Tour Operators on the Hospitality Industry: The
Case of Greek Resort Hotels
by Dr. Dimitris Koutoulas
published in the book
Corporate Rivalry and Market Power: Competition Issues in the Tourism
Industry
edited by Dr. Andreas Papatheodorou
published by I.B. Tauris, London, in 2006
Greek Resort Hotel SurveyGreek Resort Hotel Survey
• Outcome of this research project: A very vivid illustration of the hotels’ dependence on inclusive tour business
• Greek resort hotels are operating under a state of oligopsony in a marketplace largely controlled by large tour operators from Germany and the UK
• Hotels depend for 60% of total overnight stays on tour operators
Greek Resort Hotel SurveyGreek Resort Hotel Survey
Business Mix of Greek Resort HotelsBusiness Mix of Greek Resort Hotels
Independent travellers
22%
Other hotel clients6%
Tour operator clients60%
Clients booking through travel
agencies10%
Meeting and incentive travel
participants2%
Three-Year Trend of TO-Generated Three-Year Trend of TO-Generated BusinessBusiness
Share of hotels mentioning that room rates charged to tour operators over the last three years:
Increased Remained steady Decreased 34.8% (average increase: 5.8%)
44.6% 20.6% (average decrease: 9.9%)
Share of hotels mentioning that number of customers from tour operators over the last three years:
Increased Remained steady Decreased 23.9% (average increase: 18.3%)
44.6% 31.5% (average decrease: 22.4%)
TOs Contributing Most CustomersTOs Contributing Most Customers
Tour Operator Hotels cooperating with each TO
Average contribution of each TO to overall
overnight stays
Source markets
TUI 51.2% 30% Germany, UK, France, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Nordic
countries, Poland Thomas Cook 29.3% 34% Germany, Netherlands, UK,
Belgium, Austria, Hungary, France
Rewe 15.9% 25% Germany, Austria MyTravel 12.2% 55% UK, Nordic countries Alltours 9.8% 30% Germany Apollo 8.5% 38% Nordic countries First Choice 7.3% 29% UK
Positive Aspects of Working with TOsPositive Aspects of Working with TOs
11,9%
47,5%
56,4%
68,3%
Satisfactory room rate
Getting paid on time
Signif icant traff icoutside the high
season
High volume ofbusiness
Negative Aspects of Working with TOsNegative Aspects of Working with TOs
6,9%
33,7%
48,5%
76,2%
Low volume ofbusiness
Not getting paid on time
Sending our clients toother destinations
Pressure to low erprices
Research Proposal
MEDITERRANEAN RESORT HOTEL SURVEY
• An international research project is proposed by applying the same methodology to other Mediterranean countries as in the case of Greece
• Aim: To benchmark the cooperation among tour operators and resort hotels in Mediterranean mass-market destinations
• Methodology: E-mail survey among resort hotels which can easily be conducted by individual researchers by using a joint questionnaire
Research ProposalResearch Proposal
• Looking for interested researchers to cover other Mediterranean countries
• Prerequisites:
– Extensive e-mailing list with a large number of resort hotels
– Mass mailing software
• We can ask industry associations to endorse this survey and also secure publicity in order to achieve a higher response rate
Research ProposalResearch Proposal
Outcome:
• A series of research papers + a book:– An introduction to the business of tour operators
– Country-per-country analyses of national tourism and resort hotel industries in the Mediterranean
– Country-per-country survey reports
– Recommendations on hotel industry strategies and government policies
• National and international hotel associations will be asked to sponsor the book
Research ProposalResearch Proposal
Next steps:
1. Expression of interest by researchers
2. Translation of the initial questionnaire (Dimitris)
3. Send a methodology brief + the translated questionnaire to all members of the research group (Dimitris)
4. Finalise methodology and questionnaire (all)
5. Look for sponsors and funding (all)
Research ProposalResearch Proposal
Thank you!
Dr. Dimitris KoutoulasTourism & Marketing Consultant
Lecturer at the Greek Open University
E-Mail: [email protected]
