Interactive Voice Assistants for Travel Planning. Insights for Tourism Marketing Communication of Destination Management Organizations

Master's Thesis from the year 2020 in the subject Communications - Multimedia, Internet, New Technologies, grade: 1,0, FH Vienna (Kommunikation, Marketing & Sales Management), language: English, abstract: In the master's thesis, the differences in the consumer behavior between Millennials and Best Agers regarding the use and acceptance of Interactive Voice Assistants for travel planning are therefore examined in more detail. In order to answer the overall research question, factors for the acceptance and use of Interactive Voice Assistants for travel planning were identified with the help of an established model in the field of acceptance research.

Based on these factors, a questionnaire was designed and carried out among people of different ages, to which Millennials and Best Agers can be assigned. The survey mainly revealed differences in the Perceived Usefulness and Attitudes of Millennials and Best Agers towards the use of Interactive Voice Assistants for travel planning.

However, since this innovative technology hardly seems to be accepted by these two target groups, Destination Management Organizations need to develop an understanding of how Interactive Voice Assistants can continue to be used successfully, taking into account their relevance for marketing communication and their rapid development. This knowledge should be conveyed in the master's thesis. Based on this understanding, further measures for marketing communication of Destination Management Organizations could be set up.