DO WE STILL USE TOURISM BROCHURES IN TAKING THE DECISION TO PURCHASE TOURISM PRODUCTS?

Abstract

Technological changes and globalization exert essential influences in the tourism sector. The numerous changes which have been generated have radically transformed tourists' sources and means of information and, ultimately, their preferrences and habits in the buying process. The selection of tourism products is a process that is becoming more and more complex. Tourism brochures are traditional means to inform visitors, but recent technological changes have also influenced this aspect of communication with potential tourists. The article highlights the results of a quantitative marketing research conducted among the students and master students from the Transilvania University of Brașov with the aim to identify the degree of use of tourism brochures by the young generation in the decisional process for purchasing tourism products and services. The results obtained support the idea that tourism brochures still are important sources of information. Also, the printed tourism brochures are still preferred by a significant number of potential tourists from the young generation, even if tourists from this age segment who prefer the online tourism brochures represent the majority. The article also presents an analysis of relevant characteristics of the tourism brochure with an important impact in the decision process for purchasing tourism products and services.

Keywords

• tourism brochures
• buying decision process
• tourism products
• young generation.