Opportunities and Limitations in targeting the Grey Segment: Example of the French Tourist Industry

Thèmes abordés

SENIOR TOURISM SURVEY Baby-Boomers, Grey, Profile-Values, Segmentation Example of the French Tourist Industry.

Résumé du document

Purpose - To improve the knowledge base concerning the growing senior population.

Objectives - Assess the potentiality of the senior tourism market in France, by understanding their behavior and expectations. We also tried to analyze the attitudes of seniors towards advertising and Internet. Finally, we analyzed the relevance of using segmentation relying on profile value.

Methodology - In order to meet our objectives, we used both quantitative and qualitative methods, focusing on the first one as we needed to make correlations between different variables (attitudes, opinions, etc).The data was collected chiefly via an online survey carried out among French persons over 50. The qualitative technique was conducted through two interviews conducted to collect comments, ideas and recommendations concerning the topic and the realization of the survey.

Results - The survey showed that seniors represent 37% of the French population, and own 62% of assets and 52% of the outstanding shares. The trips they organize are mainly individual ones, and they hunt for individualized bids, either through travel agencies or by themselves, preferring accommodation in comfortable and clean hotels. Throughout their voyages, their principal activities are tourist visits and outdoor activities. To continue, seniors seek details like photos of the proposed offers. Finally, concerning the dominating profile-value of the sample, 35% are "thoughtful" which doesn't match Serriere's (2006) sample.

Research limitations/implications - A greater sample and the use of more sophisticated software would improve the accuracy of findings. Marketing efforts to answer the individualism and freedom of seniors have to be made taking into account the emergence of new Internet technology.

Originality/value - The study is valuable because it brings new data and information to the base of knowledge concerning this booming market segment, which marketing had marginalized owing to the difficulty in categorizing them into significant segments due to their particular values and behaviors.

Extraits

[...] The spending in France of French tourists represented of the total of 108 billion Euros spent by tourists last year. Figure 2.1 : Spending of tourists in France in Billion Euros French Tourists 55% Foreign Tourists 35% Spending in France of French Tourists going outside France Source: French Office of Tourism Statistics showed that of French people made at least a trip of one night per year and went for a vacation trip of at least 4 nights in 2006. [...]

[...] Intensify Internet tourism advertisement for seniors Communication strategies should also be designed with the results of this study in mind. Marketers should not only view the young population as their prime target but also strongly consider the senior segment as a rosy opportunity for the foreseeable future. This is even more valid for tourism where catalogs could be improved to better meet Greys' expectations: more details, better readability and the maximum of photographs. Internet is a practical and economical way to address this issue, furthermore it is interactive and tools as films or 3D views of rooms, accommodation, sight seeing could favorably influence the decision to travel. [...]

[...] Jaffry, I. (2001), Tourisme des Seniors ou Comment Développer un Marché Hautement Convoité Perpignan : Université de Perpignan. Laws, E. (2004), “Improving Tourism and Hospitality Service”, Cambridge, MA: Cabi Publishing. Leurion, M. (2003), “Incontournable Seniors” La revue HRC, Juin-Juillet 2003, pp. 32-34. Peter, J.P. & Olson J.C. (2005), “Consumer Behavior & Marketing Strategy”, Chicago: McGraw-Hill. Ritchie, B.W., Burns, P.M. [...]

[...] Interest of the study The senior market has grown, and the marketer's interest in this segment has increased. This study provides valuable information about elderly travelers and about their habits and expectations. References Adkins, S., Baker, M.J. et al. (2003),”The Marketing 5th ed., Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. Babou, I. (2005), “Marché des Seniors. Ne Tuons pas la Poule aux œufs d'or Espaces pp. 17-20. Bai, B.X., Smith, W., Liping, A. C., O'Leary, J. [...]

[...] Example of a Respondent Questionnaire Enquête TOURISME - SENIORS Lieu de résidence : Saint Germain les Corbeil Date : 22 mars 07 Bonjour, actuellement étudiant en 2ème année à l'École Supérieure de Commerce de RENNES, je réalise une étude sur le Tourisme et les séniors dans le but d'analyser les attentes et ainsi de suggérer des axes d'amélioration des services proposés dans un rapport d'étude de mon école. Toutes les informations recueillies resteront confidentielles et uniquement confinées au sein de ce rapport. A cette fin, pourriez-vous m'accorder quelques minutes s'il vous plait ? Par avance MERCI pour votre aide. Arthur RODRIGUEZ 1. Combien de voyages avez-vous effectuez au cours des 12 derniers mois? plus de Préférez-vous? réponses maximum) : Voyage individuel Voyage en groupe avec d'autres seniors Voyage avec d'autres générations Voyage en groupe avec d'autres seniors 3. Quelles sont vos attentes principales pour l'hébergement? [...]