The questions this thesis is trying to answer are
* Can a bonus card system help to make the tourists loyal to a destination and turn one-time visitors into frequent repeaters?
* What is the difference to the already existing tourist cards offered by many destinations already?
* Can such a system be combined with the visitor′s tax tourists have to pay in many resorts and help to improve its image and acceptance?
* How can such a system be implemented?
This thesis is one of the first essays about the combination bonus card and destination. Yet there is no specific literature existing about this subject and therefore also descriptions of other areas will be used and adapted. One of the basic objectives of this essay is, to give arguments for a tourist destination to convince possible partner companies to enter such a program and not to be afraid of the investment, and to deliver a guide for the implementation of a destination bonus card system.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Subject and Objective
1.2. Approach
2. Fundamentals
2.1. The Customer
2.1.1. The Status of the Customer
2.1.2. Customer Value
2.1.3. The Customer as Prosumer
2.2. Customer Retention
2.2.1. The Importance of Loyal Customers
2.2.2. Basics for the Loyalty
2.2.2.1. Customer Satisfaction
2.2.2.2. Added Value
2.2.2.3. Proximity to the Customer
2.2.3. Instruments
2.3. Card-Systems as Marketing Instrument
2.3.1. A General Overview
2.3.2. The Customer Card
2.3.2.1. The Position of the Customer Card
2.3.2.2. Objectives of Card Emissions
2.3.2.3. Functions of Cards
2.3.3. Cards in Tourism
2.3.3.1. The Difference of Tourist Cards
2.3.3.2. The Function of Tourist Cards
2.3.3.3. Tourist Cards versus Citizen Cards
2.3.4. Provision of Cards
2.4. The Tourist Destination and the Darss Peninsula
2.4.1. The Tourist Destination
2.4.2. Destination MV
2.4.2.1. Facts about MV
2.4.2.2. The Darss Peninsula
2.5. The Visitor's Tax
2.5.1. The Visitor's Tax in Germany
2.5.2. Ahrenshoop's Ordinance as Example
2.5.3. Comprehension Difficulties for the Tourists
2.6. Benchmarking
2.6.1. Definition
2.6.2. Types of Benchmarking
2.6.2.1. Internal Benchmarking
2.6.2.2. External Benchmarking
2.6.3. The Use of Benchmarking in this Essay
3. Benchmark-Study and Market Analysis
3.1. Tourist Cards
3.1.1. German Tourist Cards
3.1.2. The Rügen Card as Competitor
3.1.3. The Engadin Card as Best Practice Example
3.1.4. The Stralsund Card as Negative Example
3.2. Card Systems in other Sectors
3.2.1. An Overview
3.2.2. The Miles-and-More Program of Lufthansa
3.2.3. The Payback Card as Market Leader
3.2.4. The Soltau Card as City Card Example
3.3. Sample Companies for the Implementation
3.3.1. Smart Loyalty AG
3.3.2. Smart Approach GmbH
3.3.3. The Basic Functions of the Systems
4. Data Interpretation
4.1. Data of the Destination Darss
4.1.1. Number of Visitors
4.1.2. Calculation of the Target Group
4.2. The Questionnaire
4.2.1. Fundamentals of the Survey
4.2.2. The Survey as Snapshot
4.2.3. Interview Rules
4.2.4. About the Questions
4.2.5. Scale
4.2.6. ServQual
4.2.7. Further Surveys about this Subject
4.2.8. About the Analysis
4.3. Analysis of the Survey Results
4.3.1. Single Question Frequencies
4.3.1.1. Satisfaction with the Visitor's Tax
4.3.1.2. Interests in a Bonus-System
4.3.1.3. Effects on the Off and Low Season
4.3.2. Cross Tabulation
4.3.2.1. Interests in Bonus System vs. Federal State of Origin
4.3.2.2. Interests in a Bonus System vs. other Bonus Programs
4.4. Interpretation Summary
5. Implementing a Destination Bonus Card System
5.1. Procedure
5.2. Stage 1: Preparing Research
5.2.1. Competitors and Comparable Products
5.2.2. Card Systems on the Local Market
5.2.3. Interests of Potential Partners
5.2.4. Interests of Potential Customers
5.3. Stage 2: Setting the Objectives
5.3.1. Functions of the Card
5.3.2. Partner Companies
5.3.3. Target Groups
5.3.4. The Award System
5.3.5. System Providers
5.4. Stage 3: The Implementation
5.4.1. Project Group
5.4.2. Project Structure
5.4.3. Card Name and Design
5.4.4. Emission Price of the Card
5.4.5. Integration of Partner Companies
5.5. Stage 4: Controlling
6. Conclusion
Objectives & Core Topics
The primary objective of this thesis is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a customer loyalty bonus card system within a tourist destination, using the Darss Peninsula as a practical case study. The research explores whether such a system can effectively increase repeat visitation, improve competitiveness against other tourist destinations, and enhance the acceptance of local visitor taxes by providing added value to the tourist.
- Customer retention and loyalty strategies in the tourism sector.
- Benchmarking and market analysis of existing tourist and city card systems.
- Integration of bonus programs with local tourist infrastructure and visitor tax models.
- Implementation framework for destination bonus card systems, including target group analysis and operational procedures.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.1. The Status of the Customer
In the case of tourism it can be said, that the customer is equal to the tourist. But the word tourist does not describe enough, what he is supposed to do, which is spending money and so creating revenue for the travel industry, the small shops, hotels and restaurants and with this tax income for the destination. He is not only touring and traveling, he is also client and consumer.
But a customer is more than this, he has a much higher status. We are not anymore back in the times, when the customer was acting according to Maslow’s Pyramid, when in the first place he had to fulfill his basic needs to survive, which means he had to buy his bread no matter where and was not able to choose in which bakery he would do this. Today the customer is comparable to a sovereign emperor who has in most cases except for some monopolistic branches the power to decide which product he wants to purchase or which service he wants to use.
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: Outlines the subject, objectives, and the research approach regarding the implementation of a loyalty system in a tourist destination.
2. Fundamentals: Establishes the theoretical framework by defining customer value, loyalty, and the role of card systems in tourism and regional marketing.
3. Benchmark-Study and Market Analysis: Compares existing tourist and city card programs to identify best practices and potential pitfalls for a new destination-based system.
4. Data Interpretation: Evaluates primary survey data and secondary statistics to analyze the potential target group and interest in a bonus program on the Darss Peninsula.
5. Implementing a Destination Bonus Card System: Provides a structured four-stage guide for the planning, design, and implementation of a destination-wide loyalty card.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, confirming the viability of a destination-specific bonus card system as a tool for loyalty and competitive advantage.
Keywords
Customer Loyalty, Tourist Destination, Bonus Card System, Customer Retention, Market Analysis, Benchmarking, Tourism Marketing, Visitor Tax, Data-based Marketing, Prosumer, Customer Value, Destination Management, Implementation Guide, Service Triangle, Competitive Advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work investigates the feasibility and strategic benefits of applying customer loyalty programs, typically used by private companies, to the structure of a tourist destination.
Which key thematic areas are covered?
The research covers customer value concepts, customer retention instruments, benchmarking of existing card systems (tourist cards vs. city cards), and practical implementation phases for a destination.
What is the primary goal of the proposed bonus card?
The goal is to increase tourist loyalty, turn one-time visitors into repeat customers, and create an added value that justifies local visitor taxes, ultimately boosting the destination's competitiveness.
What research methods were utilized?
The thesis combines an extensive literature review, a benchmark study of existing card models, and a empirical snapshot survey of tourists on the Darss Peninsula.
What does the main part of the thesis address?
It addresses the theoretical foundation of customer behavior, an analysis of regional and city card examples (e.g., Rügen Card, Engadin Card), and a step-by-step implementation guide.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Customer Loyalty, Tourist Destination, Bonus Card, Customer Retention, Benchmarking, and Destination Management.
Why was the Darss Peninsula chosen for this study?
The Darss serves as a representative case study of a region with many small/mid-sized, privately owned tourism businesses that could benefit from a joint marketing and loyalty association.
How does the author propose to increase off-season visitation?
By using the bonus card system as a tactical marketing tool, offering specific incentives or rewards that are only valid or more attractive during the low-demand seasons.
- Quote paper
- Timo Kühnle (Author), 2004, Customer Loyalty Program: Tourist Destination and Bonus Card System, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/31346
