Determinants of destination choice by Japanese overseas travelers

Using the data from the Japanese Pleasure Travel Survey, this study developed a logistic regression model to analyze destination choices of Japanese outbound pleasure travelers. The analysis revealed the effects of a number of variables on the Japanese destination choices. These variables are demographic characteristics including age, marital status, education level, and income, as well as types and purposes of trip. Various motivational factors were also found to be significant in classifying the Japanese market by their destination choices. The findings of this study provide useful information for destination marketers in their efforts to segment and target the Japanese outbound pleasure travel market. They will have a better understanding of the characteristics of the Japanese market relative to the strengths and weaknesses of their respective destinations, thus allowing them to be more effective in their packaging and promotion.     

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.     

International Students: Linking Education and Travel

Despite growing research interest in international students, potential links between international tourism and education have received little attention to date. A survey among full-degree foreign students at an Australian university aims to fill this gap. The identified links between travel and study and the conversion of desired into actual travel lead to a proposed conceptual framework of information sources, destination image, and a continuum of study and tourism activities. Further research is proposed to better understand mutual influences of education and travel, their relative importance for international students, and the opportunities for cooperation and exploitation of synergies among respective authorities.     

Market Segmentation of International Tourists Based on Motivation to Travel: A Case Study of Taiwan

Tourism represents a principal sector of the economy of Taiwan. Consequently, the government is currently focusing on developing the country as a major tourist destination in Asia. Thus, the primary aims of this research were to explore factors related to tourists’ motivations to visit Taiwan as well as the demographic segmentation of these foreign tourists. Using a convenience sample, 249 surveys were collected and analyzed. The results show that five push (enlightenment and reputation; unusual and affection; freedom; interpersonal communication and sharing; and family and friends relationship) and six pull factors (attitude and quality of service; cost, shopping, and tasting; diverse attraction; culture connections; sport facilities, wildlife and events; and accessibility) play important roles in the motivations of foreign tourists. Furthermore, foreign tourists can be clustered into five groups based on motivation (scenery/knowledge seekers, accessibility/expenditure seekers, relaxation/relation seekers, novelty/experience seekers, sport/service seekers) and five demographic groups (gender, age, marital status, nationality, and income). According to these results, suggestions are made as to how Taiwan could effectively develop tourism policies and marketing strategies to attract international tourists.     

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 impact of tourism mini-movies on destination image: The influence of travel motivation and advertising disclosure

Despite the growing use of mini-movies by tourism marketers, the effectiveness of this approach on inducing positive destination image remains relatively unexplored. This study examines the effectiveness of mini-movies in facilitating positive destination image while considering the influence of travel motivation and advertising disclosure via a 2 (travel motivation prime: presence versus absence) × 2 (advertising: disclosure versus non-disclosure) between-subjects experimental design. The methodology details the process of eliciting an individual's memorable tourism experience to prime future travel motivations. The study discusses implications for destinations that are looking to leverage the impact of mini-movies in their branding strategies.

Abbreviations: DMO: destination marketing organization; SD: standard deviation; ANOVA: analysis of variance     

Corporate image and destination image: the moderating effect of the motivations on the destination image of Spain in South Korea

The research objective is to analyse the destination image and corporate image of Spain among the Korean university population. We study the moderating effect of the motivation between two potential groups of tourists, escapers (tourists who travel for relaxation) and seekers (tourists who travel for seeking culture). Information was collected in South Korea via a questionnaire and the data were analysed using structural equation and multi-group analysis. For both groups, the results show that the corporate image has influence on the cognitive component of the destination image, motivation impacts on the cognitive and affective dimensions, and the cognitive component effects the affective component.     

Travel Personae of American Pleasure Travelers: A Network Analysis

Travel style has been shown to be a useful concept for understanding travelers. In this study it is argued that the portfolio of trips (specifically, the portfolio of various trip styles) one takes can be used to describe his/her overall travel persona. Network analysis was used to examine the structural relationships between types of trips based upon the assumption that each travel style may be considered as a “node,” and its association with other travel styles may be represented by the links within the network. Analyses indicate that American travelers take on a wide range of different travel personae which, in turn, are related to their choices of places visited and their response to advertising materials. It was concluded that the framework provided by these findings along with new tools on the Internet offer the potential to develop highly personalized communications with existing and potential visitors.     

Decisive factors in medical tourism destination choice: A case study of Isfahan,Iran and fertility treatments

The birth of the first in vitro fertilized baby, followed by further advances in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has made this technology one of the most attractive tourism innovations among the different categories of medical tourism. In addition, factors such as legal, moral, religious and ethical issues play important roles in choosing reproductive tourism destinations. The aim of this study was to examine the factors influencing destination choice in infertile couples who referred to the Isfahan Fertility and Infertility Center in Isfahan, Iran. Field evaluation was carried out based on a documentary survey and questionnaire completed by interviewers. Among a target group of 80 infertile couples, 67 were interviewed. The majority of participants in this study were Muslim couples who traveled for reproductive tourism to Iran. It can be concluded that religious affinity may have paramount importance in reproductive medical tourism for Muslim infertile couples.     

Applying destination attribute segmentation to health tourists: A case study of Polish spa resorts

The present research presents an effective segmentation of visitors to Polish spa resorts and thereby provides useful insights contributing to the understanding of the attributes determining the perceived spa resort’s image and nature of the delineated segments. The research is based on the findings from a self-administered questionnaire, an instrument consisting of 11 pull-motivational items, developed and used in a survey of 2050 Polish spa resort visitors. Based on destination attributes and relevant socio-demographic characteristics, a clustering method identified three distinct segments of visitors to Polish spa resorts.

Abbreviations: ANOVA: analysis of variance; NFZ: National Health Fund, ZUS Polish Social Insurance Institution; PCA: principal component analysis; WHO: World Health Organization     

Outlying Islands as a Tourist Destination for Local Residents: The Case of Cheung Chau in Hong Kong

Cheung Chau is an outlying island in Hong Kong, which is relatively untouched by the region's rapid economic development. The island provides a dramatic contrast to the cosmopolitan city center, one of the most popular travel destinations in Asia and a major business hub. This makes Cheung Chau a special attraction for local residents seeking to get away from their routine lives. However, no published studies have examined the opinions of residents on sustainable tourism development on Hong Kong's outlying islands and the motivating factors that drive residents to visit those islands. Hence, an exploratory qualitative study was undertaken to develop an understanding of the public's motivation for visiting Cheung Chau. The results of in-depth interviews with 15 residents who had visited the island are presented, along with an examination of the future direction of tourism development in Cheung Chau.     

Eco-efficiency and its determinants at a tourism destination: A case study of Huangshan National Park,China

This study creates a comprehensive evaluation index system, including undesirable outputs and a Slacks-Based Measure-Data Envelopment Analysis model, to analyse the characteristics and evolution of eco-efficiency at an individual tourism destination. This study also empirically identifies the determinants of eco-efficiency. Huangshan National Park, one of the most iconic and highly visited national parks in China, was chosen as the study site. The study results indicate that eco-efficiency has improved continuously. Pure technical efficiency is higher than scale efficiency, while eco-efficiency is more relevant to scale efficiency than to pure technical efficiency. The evolution of eco-efficiency undergoes four stages: an initial inefficient stage, a rapid growth stage, a mature efficient stage and a downside risk stage. Moreover, tourism development, industrial structure and technical level have significantly positive impacts on eco-efficiency, but investment level displays the opposite trend. Environmental regulation emphasizing waste control does not effectively promote eco-efficiency. Finally, theoretical and practical contributions of the findings are discussed in the context of eco-efficiency at a tourism destination. For instance, an eco-efficiency analysis of a destination should treat the tourism destination as a macro-scale system with complex evolutionary rules and should combine this perspective with theory, such as the tourist area cycle of evolution proposed by Butler in 1980.     

世界遗产地旅游推力-引力因素研究--以西递和宏村为例

旅游推力-引力因素是研究旅游动机的有效方法。以世界遗产地西递-宏村为案例区,运用因子分析法（Factoranalysis）推力因素和引力因素两个不同的领域分析古村落旅游者旅游行为的潜在特征,确立5个推力因子和4个引力因子,并在此基础上利用方差分析法（one-way ANOVA）进一步检验了推力和引力因素在不同人口统计学特征群体间存在的显著差异,以期为世界文化遗产地的开发、保护和旅游市场拓展提供有益参考。     

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.     

Understanding Student Travel Behavior: A Segmentation Analysis of British University Students

Although the youth and student travel market has often been referred to as a lucrative niche market, there is still relatively little known about the decision-making processes and holiday behaviors of its members. The primary aim of this paper is to segment and profile British student travelers based on their motivational and behavioral characteristics. The study analyzes variations in the motivations and holiday activities of university student holidaymakers and thus contributes to a better understanding of the typologies of modern student travelers. A self-administered survey was collected from 412 students and a two-step cluster analysis was performed. The results suggest the existence of four distinct clusters: the sun-seekers, the sightseers, the in-betweeners, and the clubbers. Age and gender were, among other variables, shown to be statistically significant in shaping the tourist behavior of young people.     

Travel risk dimensions,personal-related factors,and intention to visit a destination: a study of young educated German adults

The study examines travel risk dimensions and their relationships with tourist role, past visit experience, gender and intention to visit Thailand among young educated German adults. Using an online survey of 323 German university students, six dimensions of travel risk perception and their relationships with tourist role and past travel experience were revealed. Over-commercialisation risk was found to be the most concerned risk and produce different relationships with tourist role and travel experience from other types of risks. Although political risk was of least concern, it was confirmed as the only risk having a negative influence on travel intention.     

Travel Motivation,Destination Image and Visitor Satisfaction of International Tourists After the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake: A Structural Modelling Approach

This study investigates the relationships between travel motivation, destination image and overall satisfaction of international tourists visiting Sichuan province after the great Wenchuan earthquake of 2008. Did the earthquake influence tourist’ motivations for visiting Sichuan either positively or negatively, and did the earthquake affect their image of the province as desirable travel destination? Survey data collected from 346 international tourists in Chengdu, the provincial capital, revealed that respondents were primarily motivated by Sichuan's traditional attractions – its scenery and the giant pandas native to the area rather than by the earthquake. Structural equation modelling revealed a statistically significant relationship between travel motivation and overall visitor satisfaction, as well as relationships between travel motivation and types of destination image. Furthermore, both positive and negative destination images seem to have an effect on overall satisfaction. This study implies that international tourists to Sichuan tend to visit for its scenery and wildlife; the 2008 earthquake has had little effect on their travel motivations and destination images; and these visitors hold positive images of the province.     

旅游地社会-生态系统成长模式研究——以金寨县为例

旅游引发的自然、社会、物质和人力资本等流量与流向的变化,关系着旅游地社会-生态系统运行的轨迹和可持续状态。基于循环经济相关理论,尝试构建旅游地社会-生态系统“五流”分析框架,以金寨县为案例地,使用PCA-OWA方法,分析2008—2019年旅游地社会-生态系统的资本变化、成长阶段及成长模式,并对其演化轨迹进行情景模拟。结果表明：（1）旅游业通过直接影响人口流动、商品和服务流动、信息流动以及各种资源消耗等“流”因素,使得金寨县旅游地社会-生态系统的物质和人力资本逐步增加,但社会资本仍处于较低水平,自然资本消耗较为明显;（2）12年间金寨县社会-生态系统呈现逐步好转的态势,其成长可划分为2008—2011年低水平匀速增长及2012—2019年快速成长2个阶段;（3）外生模式是金寨县目前持续的运行状态,未来在环境保护与经济发展关系的不断优化下有可能进入内生模式。随着旅游活动的扰动增强,旅游地社会-生态系统内部关系更加复杂,深入探究旅游地社会-生态系统成长的内在机理,可为区域可持续发展的政策制定提供科学参考。     

Spiritual retreat tourism development in the Asia Pacific region: investigating the impact of tourist satisfaction and intention to revisit: a Chiang Mai,Thailand case study

The aim of this research is to investigate how spiritual retreat tourism influences tourist satisfaction and intention to revisit a destination. A quantitative approach was employed and a self-administered survey was used to collect data. A multiple regression analysis was used to analyze data. The results revealed that push factors including novelty, relaxation, transcendence, self-esteem, physical appearance and escape influence spiritual retreat tourist satisfaction; while pull factors, especially authentic experiences, natural settings, peaceful atmosphere, far from the usual places and historical significance, influence spiritual retreat tourist satisfaction, in turn leading to intention to revisit the same destination.     

A Comparative Study of the Motivations,Activities, Overall Satisfaction,and Post-Trip Behaviors of International Tourists in Macau: Mainland Chinese,Hongkongese, Taiwanese,and Westerners

Cross-cultural differences are a vital issue in international tourism; the success of international tourism marketing strategies depends upon understanding tourists from different cultures and regions. To understand the diverse and lively Macau international tourism market, this study explored the cross-cultural differences in push and pull motivations, participating activities, and overall satisfaction level of traveling to Macau for four international tourist groups: Mainland Chinese, Hongkongese, Taiwanese, and Western. Using exploratory factor analysis, this study identified three push (knowledge and fun, relaxation and escape, and shopping and nightlife) and four pull motivation factors (exciting and relaxing atmosphere, local and cultural resources, gambling and entertainment, and famous destination). The results indicated that significant differences among the four tourist groups were found in the characteristics, motivations, activities, overall satisfaction, and post-trip behaviors. These findings will assist the development of promotional strategies and better communication that acknowledge cultural differences.