Segmenting East Asian Tourists to Greece by Travel Motivation

This study compares the push and pull motivations of East Asian (Japanese, Chinese and Korean) tourists who visit Greece and also proposes market segmentation based on travel motivations that transcend the national boundaries of those countries. Four main push factors were identified: “Knowledge”, “Ego-enhancement”, “Escape & Relaxation” and “Novelty”. Similarly, four pull factors were also identified: “Leisure, shopping and safety”, “Variety and cost”, “Culture & heritage” and “Travel arrangements and facilities”. Cross-cultural differences were found regarding the importance of travel motivations. Chinese tourists scored higher than other nationalities for almost all motivation categories. Although the cross-cultural differences are important, this study proposes another way to tackle the market segmentation by conducting an international segmentation based on inherent similarities across different nationalities of travelers. Three segments emerged from that analysis with the “Novelty Seekers” to be the largest followed by the “Want-it-All” and the “Lowly Motivated”.     

Examining Tourists’ Push and Pull Travel Motivations and Behavioral Intentions: The Case of British Outbound Tourists to Phuket,Thailand

This research aimed specifically to (1) determine the socio-demographic characteristics and travel patterns of British tourists visiting Phuket; (2) identify the main “push” and “pull” travel motivations of British tourists visiting Phuket; and (3) examine the relationship between British tourists’ main “push/pull” motivations and future travel intention to Phuket. Findings revealed that British tourists’ main push motivations were: “to have fun,” “to rest and relax,” and “to escape from daily routine and environment”; while the main pull motivations were: “natural sceneries and landscapes,” “beaches,” and “hospitality and friendliness of the people.” There was also a relationship found between “push/pull” motivations and future travel intention to Phuket.     

City Break Motivation

Abstract

This paper investigates why people take city break trips. The main objective of the study was to reveal the underlying push and pull motivational factors associated with taking a city break holiday to Dublin. In-depth interviews with 40 city break visitors uncovered six push factors and eight pull factors. The main push motives involved were ‘escape,’ ‘socialising,’ and ‘self esteem (gift giving).’ City breaks were generally viewed as active or ‘doing’ holidays, with the ‘relaxation’ motive hardly featuring at all as a reason to visit. Pull factors were found to be particularly important in terms of the travel decision. Factors such as ease of access and the availability of cheap flights were not only influential in determining the destination, but also acted, in some cases, as the main stimuli to take the trip.     

Motivation Factors of Ecotourists in Ecolodge Accommodation: The Push and Pull Factors

Tourist motivations are important factors in understanding tourist behaviour in relation to destination choice; and motivation relates to the needs, goals and preference of the tourists. Extensive research work on tourist motivation factors has been documented in the tourism literature. However, there seems to be a lack of empirical study on the accommodation sector, in particular ecolodge accommodation. Attention to tourists' motivational factors in the ecolodge accommodation is essential for determining the tourists' choices or needs and tourist behaviour in terms of choosing ecolodge accommodation. Previous studies determine that tourist motivations are influenced by both push and pull forces; and these forces describe how an individual is pushed by motivating variables into making travel decisions and how they are pulled or attracted by destination attributes. This paper reports an exploratory qualitative study on ecotourists' motivation factors in the ecolodge accommodation by adopting pull and push motivation theory. In-depth interviews were conducted with 29 ecotourists who stayed in the two ecolodges in Sukau. The findings reveal that ecotourists are primarily attracted by the destination attributes (natural attractions, wildlife, local lifestyle and eco-activities) where ecolodges are located, which we term pull factors. At the same time, they are also pushed by their social–psychological desire to escape from their routine of normal life (push factors) by visiting ecolodges. This suggests that there are two different motivational forces among the ecotourists; and that ecotourists' motivational factors can be explained by employing “seeking” and “escaping” as motivational dimensions of leisure behaviour (Ross & Iso-Ahola, 1991 Ross, E. L. D. and Iso-Ahola, S. E. 1991. Sightseeing tourists' motivation and satisfaction. Annals of Tourism Research, 18(2): 226–237. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], Annals of Tourism Research, 18(2) 226–237). The findings seem to inform that ecotourists' choices to stay in the ecolodges in Sukau are strongly influenced by the destination attributes or attractions around the ecolodges and not ecolodge accommodation attributes. The identification of motivational factors in this study provides a clearer account of what actually attracts the ecotourists to stay at ecolodges. It suggests that the marketing strategies for ecolodges should focus more on the destination attractions around the ecolodge accommodation. The ecolodge operators should position their ecolodges based on the unique destination attributes – wildlife and pristine environment – rather than the ecolodge attributes. Similarly, it is important for the ecolodge operators to conserve and protect their surrounding natural resources since these are the main motivational factors for tourists to patronize their ecolodges.     

The Effect of Length of Stay on Travelers' Perceived Satisfaction with Service Quality

SUMMARY

Consumer satisfaction related to service quality during the vacation experience is of paramount importance to the travel and tourism industry. This study tests empirically the effects the number of nights spent on a vacation have on the levels of satisfaction recent travelers report for three service aspects of the travel destination: perceived satisfaction with tourism service providers; perceived “freedom from defects” of tourism services; and perceived reasonableness of the cost of tourism services. Differentiation in satisfaction scores between “short-term visitors” (i.e., those who stayed from one to six nights) and “long-term visitors” (i.e., those who stayed seven or more nights) were examined. Significant differences between the two groups of visitors were present for (1) perceived satisfaction with industry professionals delivering the service experience at the travel destination, (2) perceived satisfaction with “freedom from defects” of the actual services at the destination, and (3) perceived reasonableness of the cost of services at the travel destination. Suggestions for how tourism industry professionals can make use of this information are presented.     

Development and validation of a destination personality scale for mainland Chinese travelers

This study aims to develop a destination personality scale utilizing a sample of mainland Chinese travelers and examine the impact of this new scale on tourists' travel attitudes and behaviors using a two-step mixed method approach. Results yield an 18-item five-dimensional destination personality scale (competence, sacredness, vibrancy, femininity, and excitement) with desirable reliability, construct validity, and predictive validity. Except for “vibrancy”, the other four dimensions are found to be significant determinants of travelers’ actual self-congruity, ideal self-congruity, and destination loyalty. Results suggest that “competence” and “femininity” are the primary determinants of three criterion variables when all other dimensions are controlled for. This study provides empirical evidence for the necessity of developing a culture-specific destination personality scale under the Chinese cultural context. Destination managers could use this scale to evaluate and identify their primary destination personality characteristics, and adjust their current promotion strategies to target travelers from mainland China more effectively.     

Travel motivation for Taiwanese hearing-impaired backpackers

Why do hearing-impaired people desire to undertake outbound travel as backpackers despite their hearing and speaking limitations? To investigate the reasons, this study applied the push and pull model of travel motivation as the framework. A total of 30 hearing-impaired backpackers participated in face-to-face interviews and responded to questions concerning their motivation to travel overseas. The results of this study reveal many unique motivation themes in the push and pull groups; specifically, five push themes (constraints of group tours, self-challenge, independence, different experience, and invitation by hearing-impaired friends) and two pull themes (enjoy local culture and lifestyle and the “I have been there” feeling) were identified. Furthermore, the participants’ desire to travel as backpackers is based on their previous negative experiences in group tours. Moreover, they prefer backpacking with hearing-impaired partners than with normal-hearing partners. Furthermore, for them, their independence enables them to their parents that they can travel alone. In addition, the study findings suggest that “communication negotiation” should be considered for inclusion in the motivation typology as a new dimension for hearing-impaired backpackers. Finally, the current study provides valuable insights into the behaviors of hearing-impaired backpackers and recommendations for tourism operators.     

An Analysis of Push and Pull Motivational Factors of International Tourists to Penang,Malaysia

This study identifies the travel motivations of international tourists to Penang, Malaysia, using the theory of push and pull motivations as a conceptual framework. The methodology was comprised of quantitative research based on 400 self-completed questionnaires. A principal component factor analysis was used to identify the underlying dimensions of push and pull motivational items. The results revealed three push and three pull factor dimensions. Among the identified motivation factors, Novelty and Knowledge-Seeking and Cultural and Historical Attractions were regarded as the most important push and pull factors, respectively. Based on the study’s findings, practical implications for tourism marketers are suggested and future research recommendations are provided.     

Understanding leisure travel motivations of travelers with acquired mobility impairments

The purpose of the study was to understand what motivated people with mobility impairments to travel frequently. Two focus groups were conducted and results were analyzed in light of Crompton’s (1979) push/pull conceptual framework exploring pleasure travel motivation. Results showed that although travelers with acquired mobility impairments shared many similar motives with travelers not identified as having mobility impairments, they also had unique motivations including “Independence”, “The Desire of Being in a Natural Environment”, “Adventure/Risk”, “Do It Today”, and “Accessibility.” Findings and limitations of the study are discussed and implications of the results are suggested.     

The effects of push and pull travel motivations,personal values,and destination familiarity on tourist loyalty: a study of Chinese cigar tourists to Cuba

This study examined Chinese cigar tourists’ motivations for visiting Cuba. Six push factors and five pull factors were identified using a push–pull factor framework. The effects of travel motivations, personal values, and destination familiarity on tourist loyalty were examined using a sample of 348 Chinese cigar tourists. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that unique experience seeking (a push factor) and destination-specific attractions and socialistic nostalgia (pull factors) predicted revisit intention; socialistic nostalgia also predicted willingness to recommend. Destination familiarity was found to influence revisit intention but not willingness to recommend. Personal values appeared unrelated to tourist loyalty.     

A Holistic Approach to Understanding the Use of Travel Guidebooks: Pre-, During,and Post-Trip Behavior

This study proposed a holistic approach to understanding the usage of travel guidebooks. Guidebooks were revealed to outperform other travel information sources in the stages of “during” and “post-travel” but lost their competitiveness in the pre-trip planning to the Internet, especially on the search for information on destination and accommodation. A factor analysis on an 18-item instrument concluded that travelers possess six underlying need dimensions when using guidebooks: reflective, security, confirming, destination, itinerary, and functional needs. Therefore, recommendations were provided for practitioners to reconsider the positioning of travel guidebooks when formulating product development and marketing strategies.     

The Senior Travel Market

Abstract

Demographically, the senior market segment is the fastest growing travel segment in the United States. While existing as one of the most influential groups of leisure travelers, they are often forgotten in the world of hotel marketing, advertising, and overall design of the hotel itself. This study examined the “Do's & Don'ts” of the senior market, as well as the importance seniors hold on service attributes, hotel layout, and building design. Findings are derived from literature reviews and observations. In addition, personal interviews were conducted to compare what hotel employees thought was an important need to the seniors in contrast to what the senior travelers thought was. Recommendations were made to assist hotel companies in attracting the senior market ranging from lifestyle advertising to building guestrooms with particular amenities.     

Exploring Tourist Perceived Value: An Investigation of Asian Cruise Tourists' Travel Experience

The present study explores Asian cruise travelers' perceived value of the travel experience and the effect of perceived value on satisfaction and behavioral intention. To measure Asian travelers' multi-dimensional perceived value, a cognitive-affective perceived value model was utilized. Survey items were adapted from cruise travel attribute items and SERV-PERVAL scales. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify travelers' cognitive and affective perceived value. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted in order for researchers to examine how tourists' multi-dimensional perceived value construct affected travelers' satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Statistical results showed that Asian cruise travelers have four sub-dimensions of cognitive perceived value: “facility,” “food & beverage (F&B),” “entertainment,” and “staff.” Affective perceived value was measured by emotional response measurement items. The current study indicated travelers' perceived value of the cruise experience affects travel satisfaction and travelers' behavioral intention.     

The Situational Influence of Travel Group Composition

Abstract

A substantial amount of statistics and articles in travel magazines indicated that family vacation travel is one of the major worldwide trends. However, very limited empirical research has been dedicated to this special market segment. This study examined Japanese family travelers to Taiwan by comparing and contrasting them with other travel companionship groups including traveling with friends and traveling alone. The importance of travel group composition segmentation was explained and conceptualized through the understanding of the value of social groups from sociology perspective. The results indicated that Japanese family travelers exhibited unique characteristics when traveling. Family travelers tended to be more motivated by learning oriented themes and participated enthusiastically in activities that facilitated experiential learning as well as total physical relaxation. The “traveling with friends” and “traveling solo” segments tended to be seeking more of activities that had strong entertaining and socializing undertones. The traveling solo group appeared to be the most evasive or the least understood in what their needs and preferences were. Marketing implications were discussed.     

Hong Kong Residents' Adoption of Risk Reduction Strategies in Leisure Travel

For decades risk has been identified as a major concern for traveling. Although some recent studies focused on studying consumers' perceived travel risks, only a few prior studies literally discussed consumers' risk reduction strategies in the context of travel-related services. To fill this gap, this study aims to investigate the travel-related risk reduction strategies that Hong Kong residents adopt to strengthen their confidence during leisure travel. This study also explores if travelers of different travel-related and sociodemographic characteristics adopt different risk reduction strategies. Among different risk reduction strategies—“purchase travel insurance,” “bring extra cash,” and “search for latest information about the destination”—are the ones which Hong Kong residents are likely to adopt when they travel for leisure. Results revealed that travel-related and sociodemographic characteristics influenced travelers' likelihood to risk reduction strategies differently. Specifically, travel experience of travelers, age, and household income displayed significant differences in the likelihood of adopting most of the risk reduction strategies.     

Dependency on Tour Operators

Abstract

Tour operators have increasingly emerged as the most powerful and influential factor of international flows from the main generating countries to various destinations, since they are able to interpret and manipulate the “push” and “pull” factors of the tourism process to a commercial end. As a result, many tourist-receiving destinations have to face the intervention of foreign tour operators in their tourism industry. Despite the crucial role played by tour operators for the development of insular regions' tourism, little empirical evidence is available on the relationship between tour operators and the destination tourism suppliers. This paper presents the findings of a study undertaken during the summer of 1997 on the Greek island of Crete. From the findings, it is evident that the Cretan tourism industry is heavily dependent on tour operators, and that various actions should be undertaken by the island's public and private sector to overcome this problem.     

Motivation,Participation, and Preference: A Multi-Segmentation Approach of the Australian Nature Travel Market

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a typology of nature travelers based on their motivations, activity participation, and destination preferences. A secondary analysis from the Pleasure Travel Market Survey for Australia (1994) was used. The results indicated that the proposed ‘motivation-participation-preference’ multi-segmentation bases could classify Australian nature travel market into six segments. They were ‘Physical Challenge Seekers,’ ‘Family Vacationers,’ ‘Culture & Entertainment Seekers,’ ‘Nature Tourists,’ ‘Escape & Relax Vacationers,’ and ‘Indifferent Travelers.’ Travelers among groups exhibited significant differences in terms of their so-ciodemographics, trip-related characteristics, and travel philosophies. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

The psychological process of travel destination choice

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews literature on travel destination choice and organizes these studies systematically. A “cell–system” structure is proposed to describe the psychological process of travel destination choice. When forming decisions on vacations, tourists gather information on potential destinations and evaluate visit intentions among potential destinations (“cell”). The visit intentions are successively compared while information is updated in the process (“system”). The “cell–system” structure provides a clear view of the psychological process of travel destination choice. Empirical studies based on the structure can provide further insights into why and how tourists choose travel destinations.     

The Study of Post-disaster Tourism Recovery and Reconstruction Based on Tourist Motivations: The Case of Jiuzhaigou after “5·12” Wenchuan Earthquake

旅游业灾后恢复重建是灾区经济社会恢复重建的重要“突破口”,尤其在旅游业作为主导产业或支柱产业的地区;而理解灾区游客旅游动机有利于旅游业灾后恢复重建管理战略的制定.该研究以遭受“5·12”汶川地震影响的九寨沟为例,运用结构方程模型,引入“灾害事件引发的旅游动机”,对灾区国内游客的多种旅游动机交互作用关系进行分析,证实了灾区旅游业恢复重建管理中:①恢复重建的关键内容是“核心旅游吸引物与安全”;②恢复重建的重点区域是灾区内已有高知名度的旅游地或在灾害事件中成为全球关注焦点的地区;③对目的地优质旅游接待服务意象的修复或构建能够恢复和提升灾区的旅游市场竞争力;④灾后旅游业市场营销需要重新区分客源市场并进行定位;⑤国民对灾区的爱国情怀可能会为目的地带来更多的国内旅游流,但需要营造“到灾区旅游是对灾区恢复重建最大援助”的社会氛围.     

Tourist Motives and Destination Competitiveness: A Gap Analysis Perspective

This study explores the use of gap analysis in examining the demand-side and supply-side perceptions of international tourists’ motives for visiting Botswana, along with Botswana’s competitiveness as a tourist destination. Statistically significant negative gaps between tourists and tourism providers’ perceptions mean that further understanding of tourists by providers is necessary to enhance the destination’s competitiveness. The analysis of findings was based on 14 “pull” motivations adapted from Kozak (2002) and 104 destination competitiveness measures, some of which were adapted from Omerzel (2006). Factor analysis, reliability analysis, and a series of independent t-tests were used to analyze the data. Study results indicate that tourists visit Botswana mainly for pleasure seeking rather than culture. The study further reveals that Botswana’s competitiveness as a destination is average. Furthermore, the study found statistically significant differences between tourists and tourism providers on all of the “push” factors and nine of the 15 destination competitiveness factors. In order for Botswana to be globally competitive, there is need for further improvement with a view to match international tourists’ expectations. Particular attention should be directed at improving the way the destination is managed. Further developments should be made on created resources, safety, demand conditions, historical and cultural heritage resources, organized excursions, and cleanliness.