Page 167 - principles of tourism marketing-1 (1)

and what we need, and the importance of the problem. This

involves the concept of consumer motivation, which is the internal

drive consumers experience to fulfill conscious and unconscious

wants and needs. Once the problem is recognized, it must be

defined in such a way that the consumer can actually initiate the

action that will bring about a relevant solution.

The next step is information search and processing. After a need is

recognized, the prospective consumer may seek information from

family, friends, personal observation, consumer reports,
salespeople, or mass media. The promotional component of the

marketer’s offering is aimed at providing information to assist the
consumer in their problem-solving process. If the buyer can

retrieve relevant information about a product, brand, or store, he
or she will apply it to solve a problem or meet a need.

The criteria used in the evaluation of alternatives vary from

consumer to consumer. One consumer may consider price the most

important factor while another may put more weight upon quality

or convenience. The search for alternatives is influenced by such

factors as time and money costs, how much information the

consumer already has, the amount of the perceived risk if a wrong

selection is made, and the consumer’s disposition toward particular
choices.

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