The purpose of this study is to examine how potential customers (students) of tertiary educational institutions perceive the co-branding of such institutions with hotels. This study is an attempt to provide useful insights into the variables that influence evaluation of brand alliances in service sectors, and to discuss implications for institutional and hotel reputation building. Quantitative data were collected from students of post-secondary colleges in Hong Kong by using self-administered questionnaires. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of the six alliances between tertiary educational institution brands and hotel brands. The findings suggest that consumer pre-attitudes toward brand partners and perceived brand fit are positively related to consumer evaluations of the brand alliance. In addition, brand familiarity is found to be important in moderating the relationship between perceived brand fit and consumer evaluations of the brand alliance. This study gives an additional empirical research into brand alliances in service sectors. Future research could also consider evaluating brand alliances from the perspectives of hotel customers. Marketers must carefully consider consumer perceptions of fit and the importance of brand familiarity when seeking allied partners. This study breaks from the ranks of strategic management studies of alliances focusing on the views of managers, to examine brand alliances from the customer perspective. Moreover, it has bridged the gaps between various management and marketing disciplines, showing the applicability of product branding concepts to service branding and institutional reputation building contexts.
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This study identifies reasons why college students in Hong Kong want to study hospitality and tourism management (HTM) and why they want to pursue HTM degrees abroad. It also aims to identify students' preferred HTM study areas. An empirical study of a cohort of 384 HTM students was conducted to determine their motives for their choice of HTM. The results indicate that there were five motivational factors among HTM students: self-actualisation, job opportunity, field attractiveness, ease of study, and scholastic achievement. Detailed information on the motivational factors along with preferred overseas study destinations and HTM study areas are discussed.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3794/johlste.72.178]