Choosing a university in Portugal : a conceptual model

Abstract

This study, based on the scientific domains of Consumer Behavior (decision-making process) and Brand Reputation perception, aims to check if Tourism is the key influencer or only a part of the set of components in the choice of a university in Portugal. The marketing mix (4 Ps) was the strategy chosen for the construction of the model and the parametric tests and the Logit Model are the statistical approaches suggested in this study. The limitations lie in the scarce literature on the subject and difficulty to access Academic Tourism data in Portugal and its economic representativeness. This knowledge will define the real factors involving choosing a university abroad and complete the literature with a Portuguese experience. The practical result is to present a strategic marketing guide for companies aiming at working with academic tourism, a booming segment in recent years.