Fresh research by two UTM faculty members provides a nuanced understanding of visitor reactions to souvenir hawking and peddling conducted in tourist spots across Macao. The study also includes suggestions on how to make those encounters with traders more enjoyable for tourists
Souvenir hawking and peddling are common sights at tourist attractions, eliciting mixed reactions from visitors. A new study by two scholars from UTM delved into how tourists’ personal beliefs shape their perceptions of these activities, and their overall impression of the destination.
Visiting Assistant Professor Dr. Jack Tuan Phong Ly, Coordinator for UTM’s Cultural and Heritage Management Programme, and Assistant Professor Dr. Virginia Meng Chan Lau spearheaded this research. Their study advocated use of a clear regulatory system, provision of accurate information, and the value of a no-pressure approach to sales promotions related to hawking and peddling activities.
Dr. Ly and Dr. Lau’s research paper, “‘My friend, my friend, free try, free try’: An investigation of peddling activities through implicit self-theory”, was featured in the latest issue of the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, released in June. (Click here for access to full paper.)
“There is a souvenir hawking/peddling phenomenon in certain tourist destinations,” wrote Dr. Ly and Dr. Lau. When visiting the souvenir shopping streets, staff stand in front of their shops, actively calling out to passing customers with phrases such as “My friend, my friend, free try, free try!” or “My friend, my friend, one dollar, one dollar”, they wrote.
The scholars highlighted concerns about the effectiveness and appropriateness of such “indiscriminate” selling techniques for various tourist demographics. Some tourists may view them as an attempt to scam them, they argued.
The study involved 41 semi-structured interviews with tourists who had experienced hawking and peddling in Macao’s souvenir shopping streets, namely around the Ruins of St. Paul’s or in Taipa’s Rua do Cunha. Respondents varied in their reactions: some sampled products and made purchases; some took samples but did not buy anything; and others rejected or completely ignored the offer of samples.
Understanding your tourist
Dr. Ly and Dr. Lau applied the concepts of implicit self-theory, as formulated by U.S. psychologist Carol S. Dweck, to categorise respondents. Such theory posits some people view certain attributes – e.g., personality, emotion, or intelligence – either as fixed or essential qualities, that are impossible to control. Such people are termed in implicit self-theory as the ‘entity theorists’. Another group of people more amenable to having their impressions shaped by outside influences are termed the ‘incremental theorists’.
Identifying whether tourists were ‘entity theorists’ or ‘incremental theorists’ could help hawkers tailor their strategies, Dr. Ly and Dr. Lau argued.
According to their findings, tourists interested in the benefits of hawking and peddling activities were likely to be entity theorists. For these outcome-orientated tourists, hawkers should emphasise the best packages or promotions and highlight if a product is from a well-known brand, in order to reinforce consumer confidence in it. “If it is a new brand, the hawkers can also take this rare opportunity to provide the best first impression, which hopefully can develop into a long-lasting relationship with them,” suggested the scholars.
Conversely, tourists focused on the learning process, such as asking about the production process and quality control, were likely incremental theorists, said the researchers. For these process-orientated tourists, hawkers should provide comprehensive information and respond openly and objectively to their inquiries.
The study underscored the need for a “well-organised” regulatory system to bolster tourism development, particularly for entity-theorist visitors who tended to place high trust in local authorities to mitigate risk and the danger of scams associated with hawking and peddling.
This is a “very promising finding” for local governments committed to developing “reputable” souvenir shopping areas, stated the authors. They noted that creating such areas would however require collaboration among all stakeholders involved in hawking and peddling activities. Building a positive image and reputation was a collective effort that extended beyond government initiatives, the UTM scholars observed.
Consistent messaging about hawking and peddling at a particular destination – conveyed via recognised channels – was also crucial. “It is the basic condition to ease the stereotypical judgement of entity theorists, as they are quite sensitive” to the risk of negative outcomes, wrote the researchers.
Should any negative or misleading information be put online about such activities, then it would be helpful for official sources to address such topics in order to clarify facts and help maintain a destination’s good reputation, they suggested. “This honest act is necessary, at least for incremental theorists, as they are keen to evaluate the situation based on continuous assessment and search for improvement.”
The researchers noted that tourists generally disliked aggressive hawking and peddling tactics. “Entity theorists link the aggressive approach with stereotypical judgement and past bad experiences in other tourist destinations,” such as forceful sales tactics, they explained. “Incremental theorists believe that overly aggressive vendors “leave them no room to choose and learn.” This should prompt store managers to moderate the assertiveness of their staff’s promotional efforts, the UTM scholars suggested.
In the post-COVID-19 era, maintaining safe social and physical distancing is often valued by tourists. Store managers should develop guidelines based on cultural norms, ensuring employees exhibit a “sincere, polite, and welcoming attitude,” allowing tourists to dictate the level of contact, Dr. Ly and Dr. Lau recommended.
Editor: UTM Public Relations Team
