The organized travel industry represents a dynamic and highly competitive field in which the preferences of young travelers change rapidly, and the ability to innovate, along with offering unique experiences, are critical success factors. This market segment primarily targets young adults, usually between the ages of 18 and 35, seeking unique, adventurous and social travel experiences. These trips are characterized by dynamic itineraries, excursions, outdoor activities, and the opportunity to meet other travelers in the same age group from around the world. Companies operating in this sector offer packages that include: affordable accommodations, organized activities, local transportation, and tour guides, allowing young people to explore new destinations in an accessible and convenient way.
In the context of the tourism industry, Utravel stands out for its strong ethical values and its commitment to generating a positive impact on the economies of local communities, as well as on the present and future of new generations of travelers. According to what emerged from the in-depth interview with the Growth Marketing Specialist, Utravel's main goal is international expansion, as the company aspires to revolutionize the tourism industry by giving small local businesses the opportunity to grow and be autonomous, eliminating dependence on external intermediaries and promoting a more direct and transparent relationship between travelers and local communities. In preparation for internationalization, Utravel has embarked on a rebranding process aimed at changing the company name and reflecting the diversification of its offerings by adding Club packages to its initial core business. Short-term goals include increasing the involvement of foreign youth, increasing the number of local coaches, and integrating new local partners.
A quantitative analysis conducted using the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing) technique showed that the sample collected is mainly composed of women aged 18 to 25 years old from the Northwest regions of Italy, particularly Lombardy and Liguria. This is a sample that likes to travel to live new experiences, meet new people and identify with the local culture of the area visited.
Although only 41% of respondents have participated in an organized trip, most of whom are between the ages of 41 and 50, almost the entire sample is familiar with several Italian tour operators: WeRoad, followed by SiVola, Avventure nel mondo, and Utravel are the main tour operators spontaneously mentioned by respondents when talking about organized trips, to which ScuolaZoo is added when prompts such as name and logo are presented.
The sample was analyzed through different analyses. To perform proper segmentation by homogeneity, the classical mode, consisting of factorial analysis and cluster analysis, was used. The result of this analysis was the identification of 3 clusters that we defined as follows:
The first cluster, named the low-cost explorer, is a budget-conscious traveler, looking for quality facilities and unique experiences with peers. He prefers to visit authentic and less touristy places, consequently he is perfect for Club packages. To adapt these packages to the focus on price, it was suggested that the company introduce modular packages so as to appeal more to this segment of the market. The packages have different prices to fit every need. This is also a cluster that prefers to travel with friends, consequently offering special discounts for friends traveling together could attract this cluster even more.
The second cluster, named the sociable naturalist, is looking for places that allow them to reconnect with nature and meet new people and is highly influenced by friends' opinions and online reviews. The presence of video testimonials from satisfied travelers will help the company build trust and attract this type of user.
The third cluster, named the "conscious" traveler, prefers companies that convey trust and assistance, attracted to paradise and seaside destinations, preferring a relaxation-oriented pace of vacation. This cluster is perfect for the Blind package, to which Utravel should add more customer support and assistance to increase trust.
The Importance-Performance Matrix revealed that Italian tour operators excel in service reliability, mood of travel, and experiences offered, but need to improve on package price, completeness of package offered, customer service, and insurance coverage.
The correspondence analysis allowed us to understand how Utravel ranks compared to the leading Italian tour operators. This analysis showed that the characteristics most associated with Utravel are: quality accommodations, small groups, and autonomy in visiting.
It should be noted that the sample analyzed is not evenly distributed by gender and age group, and only a minority of respondents have participated in trips organized by the tour operators analyzed. In order to obtain more meaningful results, it would be appropriate to include quotas divided by age group and gender, composed mainly of people who have already participated in organized trips. In addition, from the perspective of internationalization, selecting an international sample could help to understand differences in travel habits and perceptions of organized travel by users from different nations.
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