The Relational Behavior Between Wholesaler and Retailer Travel Agencies: Evidence From Taiwan

Abstract

This study examined the relational behavior model between wholesale and retail travel agencies. The conceptual model of the study is based on the relational behavior model and relationship marketing literature. The study surveyed 201 retailers in Taiwan. The results indicated that wholesalers' relational behaviors (initiating, signaling, and disclosing behaviors), offering support, and end-users' satisfaction positively influence the relationship quality between travel wholesalers and retailers. In turn, relationship quality positively influences retailers'loyalty and wholesalers'market share. The study highlights the moderators of relationship age and product importance and suggests that they have salient influences on the antecedents and consequences of the relational behavior models. Specifically, retailers' loyalty is reduced when relationship age is short and products become less important. This study supports the theoretical model of relational behavior between travel wholesalers and retailers and provides suggestions for relationship marketing in the travel industries.

Tourism supply chain management: A new research agenda

“…Other studies discuss the relationships between airlines and travel agencies (Alamdari, 2002;Appelman & Go, 2001) and wholesale and retail travel agencies (Tsaur et al, 2006). Alamdari (2002) explores the interactions between airlines and travel agents by analyzing the distribution strategies of major carriers in the United States, Europe, and Asia.…”

“…Appelman and Go (2001) describe the beginning of the transformation of the relationships between worldwide airlines and travel agencies engaged in international travel. Tsaur et al (2006) examine a relational behavior model between wholesale and retail travel agencies in Taiwan.…”

Using competing models to evaluate the role of environmental pressures in ecommerce adoption by small and medium sized travel agents in a developing country

“…The internet is clearly a powerful tool within the travel industry, with the sector having witnessed a steady growth in its adoption as a vehicle for ecommerce in the last few decades (Buhalis & Law, 2008). Nevertheless its adoption in travel and tourism SMEs in developing countries has only received relatively limited and fragmented coverage (Andreu et al, 2010;Tsaur, Yung, & Lin, 2009); and although an empirical and theoretical perspective has been provided into e-commerce adoption in tourism firms more generally (El-Gohary, 2012), its investigation specifically within the context of travel agents with the ongoing challenges of their intermediary status in an increasingly uncertain environment has yet to be explored.…”

Capacitated Facility Location and Allocation with Uncertain Demand for Tourism Logistics: A Multiobjective Optimisation Approach

“…Conventionally, tourism logistics is recognised as the forward/reverse logistics in a tourism destination as from a perspective of tourism supply chain [19][20][21]. In these opinions, the subject matter of tourism logistics generally refers to food-related products, hotel supplies, and commodities of which the expected customers are mainly tourists (e.g., art and craft) [21].…”