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The referral-marketing practices of travel agencies: an exploratory study of word-of-mouth communication in the travel-agency industry in the Western Cape

an exploratory study of word-of-mouth communication in the travel-agency industry in the Western Cape

Mornay Roberts-Lombard
University of Johannesburg
Derik Steyn
University of Oklahoma
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The referral-marketing practices of travel agencies: an exploratory study of word-of-mouth communication in the travel-agency industry in the Western Cape. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 29(1), 21-39. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v29i1.1674
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  • Submited: October 16, 2022
  • Published: October 17, 2022

Abstract

Organisations can make use of high levels of customer-service delivery to stimulate positive
word-of-mouth referrals. Referral marketing is primarily applied by organisations when the budget
is the marketers’ largest limitation. The purpose of the article is to indicate the current status of the
relationships that travel agencies in the Western Cape Province have with their referral market,
and to provide recommendations to the management of travel agencies in said province regarding
the improved application of the principles of relationship marketing to this market. The target
population for this study comprised 118 travel agencies of which 61 managers and/or owners
participated through personal interviews in the completion of questionnaires. Data analysis was
done by calculating averages and standard deviations, explorative factor analysis, Cronbach
Alpha-values and practical significance by means of effect sizes. The findings stipulate that the
owners and managers of travel agencies must create and establish more closely integrated
relationships with strategic suppliers to increase the value offering of their products and services
to customers, whereby the travel agencies can ensure that the needs and wants of customers
can be satisfied more successfully, which, in the long run, could lead to positive word-of-mouth
referrals.

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How to Cite
The referral-marketing practices of travel agencies: an exploratory study of word-of-mouth communication in the travel-agency industry in the Western Cape. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 29(1), 21-39. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v29i1.1674

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