What factors encourage cruise tourists to buy souvenirs? And is it possible to detect the influence of retail atmospherics on purchases in souvenir retail contexts which range from purpose-built shore-side cruise market stalls to urban shopping precincts and a combination of the two settings? Research conducted in three small cruise ports in very different parts of the world, Bridgetown, Barbados; Saint John, New Brunswick (Canada); and Tauranga, New Zealand explores the influence of retail atmospherics and motivational factors on souvenir purchases made by cruise passengers. The three factors of retail atmospherics (ambience, layout and design, social and service environment) were investigated in terms of their influence on souvenirs purchase decisions (what was purchased and why). Cruise passengers at each destination were sampled randomly during their port visit using a mixed method approach and a common survey instrument. A total of 589 cruise tourists (Bridgetown 100, Saint John 219, Tauranga, 270) were interviewed. Findings indicate that retail atmospherics and purchase intentions both played common roles in influencing souvenir purchases but that there are differences between the three destinations in terms of what was purchased in each type of setting. These results are likely to have management implications for souvenir retailers operating in small cruise ports.
Keywords
Retail atmospherics, souvenirs, purchase behaviour, small ports, cruise tourism