Package Tour Design for Tourism Business Development in Ethiopia
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The package tour is the core product of tour operators. It is an under-researched theme in an
Ethiopian context. This study is conducted to explore a package tour design in Ethiopia. Both
primary and secondary data were produced by employing qualitative methods. Purposive
sampling techniques were used to select interviewees and focus group discussion participants.
The main data gathering tool used in this study was an in-depth interview conducted by
telephone conversation. Focus group discussion was used to triangulate and to substantiate the
interview results. The collected data were analyzed and presented thematically using a
qualitative approach. The research findings show that Ethiopian tour operators offer highly
standardized and homogenous package tours. Mainly two types of package tours are developed;
regular and tailor-made package tours. Additionally, tour operators do not buy travel
components in bulk rather they assemble upon request or when they have confirmed departures.
Besides, the findings indicated that the characteristics of the Ethiopia package tour; sells are
depended on the success of source market outbound tour operators, on the online presence of
company product, and staff expertise, package sales are at peak on high tourism season, and
package tours are also highly-price sensitive. The finding has addressed issues to consider by
tour operators to design package tours such as; destinations knowledge, innovation and
creativity, information technology, marketing, and communications are significant for package
tour design. The study also reveals factors related tourists and destinations in package tour
design. These include; unable to meet tourist preferences, destinations tourism infrastructure,
and tour operators' skills and experience to design and develop package tours. The study
identified the unique activities added or included in the package tour such as; dining at the
cultural restaurant, Amharic language lessons, dressing in traditional Ethiopian clothes,
cooking at household, and activities at the farm. The study reveals also tour operator's
relationship with tourism business firms. Tour operators have a stringent relationship with local
guides and attractions site and a smooth and formal with hoteliers, car rental firms, and tour
operators. This study has addressed the significance of tour operators in the development of
package tours and recommendations are forwarded for the tour operators on how to design a
viable package tour as well as other stakeholders towards tourism business development in
Ethiopia.
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Keywords
package tour, package tour design, tour operators, Ethiopian tour operators