Customer Relationship Management in Tourism: Management Needs and Research Applications

Abstract

This invited paper for the TIA Management Research papers provides an overview of customer relationship management (CRM) and relates this topic to the strategic marketing of and research about travel and tourism products. CRM is widely used in the tourism industry, with loyalty programs keeping customers returning and travel websites yielding a large volume of e-transactions. The question is raised whether researchers, particularly academic and government, are participating enough in industry CRM-based market research to transform consumer behavior research into more holistic consumer profiles and dynamic models of travel demand and supply. The paper ends with suggested research topics that highlight meaningful pathways and methods for further CRM implementation.