Value antecedents in relationship between tourism companies

Abstract

Purpose– In the context of relationship marketing, identifying the elements that contribute to creating value for companies has become essential for managing customer satisfaction and retention. The literature has focused on business-to-end consumer relationships and there are few contributions in the business-to-business context, especially in the tourism industry. The aim of this study is to analyze the process of relationship value creation between tourism companies from the more relevant antecedents proposed in the literature: relationship benefits, long-term orientation and attitude towards the main provider.Design/methodology/approach– A survey was conducted with 309 travel agency managers who assessed the relationship with their main provider. All constructs were measured with multiple-item scales adapted from the literature. The proposed relationships were tested with a causal model estimated by robust maximum likelihood algorithm showing adequate fix indices.Findings– The results show that attitude toward the service provider, long-term relationship and relational benefits – multi-dimensional construct formed by confidence, social and special treatment benefits – make a significant contribution to the value formation in the relationship with the main provider. Furthermore, relationship benefits exert the greatest effect on relationship value.Practical implications– Based on the authors findings, practical suggestions for developing and maintaining successful long-term relations between tourism companies are proposed. To avoid the characteristic disintermediation of the travel industry, both providers and client agencies must be aware of the importance of perceived relationship value. Interpersonal elements such as trust, affective ties and preferential treatment are important aspects in the creation of that value. Service differentiation strategies are also the key to improving supplier image and perceived value in relation to the competition. Finally, the appropriate combination of ICT investment and customized service can provide major opportunities for reinforcing relations between tourism companies.Originality/value– The paper provides empirical evidence of the impact of relationship benefits, attitude and long-term orientation on relationship value in the business-to-business tourism context.