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Option framing for upselling tourism services: Does cognitive availability prevent irrational choices?

Author

Listed:
  • Verônica Feder Mayer

    (28110Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Brazil)

  • Glauber Eduardo de Oliveira Santos

    (28133University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil)

  • Osiris Ricardo Bezerra Marques

    (28110Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Brazil)

Abstract

This article examines the effect of option framing and cognitive load on consumer choices of tourism services. Previous literature has shown that consumers tend to choose more options and spend more money when they begin the choice process from a complete set of options (downgrade/delete framing) than when they start choosing from a more basic set of options (upgrade/add framing). To exam this irrational behavior, we conducted two experimental studies with 561 consumers of leisure travel. The results of the two experiments provided robust evidence on the effect of the downgrade framing strategy on upselling tourism services and revealed that cognitive availability did not prevent consumers from making irrational choices. These findings indicate that decisions involving leisure trips may be even more susceptible than previously thought to cognitive biases and contextual influences due to their emotional and hedonic aspects, extending the existing literature on behavioral economics in tourism.

Suggested Citation

  • Verônica Feder Mayer & Glauber Eduardo de Oliveira Santos & Osiris Ricardo Bezerra Marques, 2022. "Option framing for upselling tourism services: Does cognitive availability prevent irrational choices?," Tourism Economics, , vol. 28(2), pages 476-494, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:toueco:v:28:y:2022:i:2:p:476-494
    DOI: 10.1177/1354816620949722
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Natalia Porto & Vicente Ramos, 2022. "Developments in the field of tourism economics: The seventh IATE (International Association for Tourism Economics) conference," Tourism Economics, , vol. 28(2), pages 473-475, March.

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