Investigating the Main Barriers and Key Success Factors of Consumer Service Exporters: Lessons from Australian Tourism and Education Sectors

Most international service research has focused on the export activities of professional and business to business services. Consumer services such as education, retailing, transport, tourism, and healthcare have been less researched from an international services point of view. These companies frequently export their services by attracting foreign consumers to the domestic marketplace where they provide the service. Drawing from interviews with international managers of Australian tourism and educational companies, this exploratory study attempted to understand the main barriers and drivers of performance for consumer service exporters. Data show that superior performance for consumer service firms combines home and host country as well as firm specific resources and capabilities. International managers play an essential role in leveraging these resources and capabilities in ways that enable the firm to gain advantage.