Lawrence Ho Fund Awards £30, 000 to research project

Dr Paul Barron and Dr Anna Leask, Readers in Marketing and Tourism at Edinburgh Napier, have successfully been awarded almost £30,000 from the Lawrence Ho fund.
 
The project will expand upon research in generational change within the tourism and hospitality industries. The award will allow for the conduct of a large, longitudinal study of generational changes in consumer behaviour and the consequent impact on future tourist decision making. Located in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore, the study aims to:

• Undertake an Asian-centric review of the literature regarding Generation Y as consumers and compare and contrast the Anglo-American literature with that literature evident across Asia.
• Conduct a number of interviews of senior hotel, casino and visitor attraction managers in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore to elicit their views on Generation Y and the means by which they are currently marketing to this group and their plans (if any) for the future capture of the Generation Y consumers.
• Administer a questionnaire aimed at the Generation Y consumer in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore in order to more fully understand their demands and requirements of visitor attractions, hotels and casinos in the region.

The results of the study have wide practical implications for the tourism industry in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore and it is the aim of the research team at Edinburgh Napier to disseminate the results of this study to industry bodies in the host locations. To this end, the study will culminate in the conduct of a series of industry focused presentations that highlight key findings and provide recommendations regarding their implementation.