IGCSE Travel and Tourism Practice Exam

What is the main focus of primary market research?

1. Analyzing competitors' financial statements

2. Reviewing published tourism reports

3. Finding out customers' experiences and expectations directly

4. Calculating average spending patterns of tourists

The correct answer is: Finding out customers' experiences and expectations directly

The main focus of primary market research is to gather firsthand information directly from customers about their experiences, needs, and expectations. This approach allows researchers to collect specific data tailored to the questions they need to answer, which is vital for understanding customer behavior and preferences in the travel and tourism context. By engaging directly with consumers through surveys, interviews, or focus groups, businesses can uncover insights that are unaffected by external interpretations or data analysts’ perspectives. In contrast, other choices such as analyzing competitors' financial statements or reviewing published tourism reports typically involve secondary market research, where information is collected from existing sources rather than directly from targeted respondents. These methods, while valuable for different reasons, do not provide the same depth of personalized understanding as primary research. Similarly, calculating average spending patterns of tourists is a specific analytic approach that may utilize secondary data rather than channeling feedback directly from customers about their experiences. Thus, direct engagement through primary research remains the best means to understand customer experiences and expectations.