The role of price sensitivity and pricing in the demand for accommodation of local visitors to the Kruger National Park

Abstract

The need for the study was prompted by discussions with my fellow photographers and friends that fewer people visited the Kruger National Park the last few years. Various reasons were given for it. I discussed it with Professors G. Puth and A. N. Schreuder, and members of the National Parks Board. Initially it was decided that a study should be done of why there was a decrease in the demand for accommodation in the Park, and how it could possibly be improved. Mr. P. Fearnhead and Professor A. N. Schreuder suggested that it would be better if a price sensitivity study should be done with a new computer program, namely conjoint analysis. This type of study has not been done in South Africa before. One of the major purposes of a conjoint analysis is to measure consumer preferences among competitive products and services. Basically it measures preferences of tourists by making trade-offs between five attributes and seventeen levels, and that consumers make complex decisions not on one factor alone but on several factors "jointly". Thus it was named conjoint analysis. Ranking a number of different combinations of attribute levels on a nine-point rating scale indicated their preferences. The results were then processed by a computer program, Conjoint Value Analysis (CVA), Version 2.0 system. They indicated their preferences by ranking a number of different combinations of attribute levels to give utility values for the attributes. Six representative camps (three large and three small ones) were used for a stratified sample of 428 respondents. The findings will give recommendations that can be used. AFRIKAANS : Die behoefte vir die studie is aangespoor deur gesprekke met my medefotograwe en vriende dat minder mense die Nasionale Kruger Wildtuin die laaste aantal jare besoek het. Veskeie redes is daarvoor gegee. Ek het dit met Professore G. Puth en A. N. Schreuder, en lede van die Nasionale Parkeraad bespreek. Oorspronklik is besluit dat 'n studie gedoen behoort te word oar hoekom daar 'n afname in die vraag vir akkommodasie in die Wildtuin was, en hoe dit moontlik verbeter kon word. Mnr. P. Fearnhead en Professor A. N. Schreuder het voorgestel dat dit beter sou wees indien 'n prysssensitiwiteit-studie met 'n nuwe rekenaarprogram, nl. gesamentlike analise ("conjoint analysis"), gedoen sou word. Hierdie tipe studie was nag nie voorheen in Suid-Afrika gedoen nie. Een van die hoof oogmerke van 'n gesamentlike analise is om verbruiksvoorkeure tussen mededingende produkte en dienste te meet. Basies meet dit voorkeure van toeriste deur kompromiee ("trade-offs") tussen vyf eienskappe en sewentien vlakke te maak, en dat verbruikers komplekse besluite maak nie oar een eienskap aileen nie, maar verskeie eienskappe gesamentlik ("jointly"). Daarom is dit gesamentlike analise ("conjoint analysis") genoem. Hulle voorkeure word gewys deur die toekenning van 'n rangorde aan 'n aantal veskillende kombinasies van eienskap-vlakke op 'n nege-punt skattingskaal. Die resultate is daarna deur 'n rekenaarprogram, Conjoint Value Analysis (CVA), Version 2.0 sisteem, verwerk. Hulle wys hulle voorkeure deur die toekenning van 'n rangorde van 'n aantal van verskillende kombinasies van eienskap-vlakke om nuttigheidswaardes vir die eienskappe te gee. Ses verteenwoordigende kampe (drie grates en drie kleintjies) is gebruik vir 'n gestratifiseerde steekproef van 428 respondente. Die bevindings sal aanbevelings gee wat gebruik kan word.