| Abstract: | Using Consumer Expenditure Survey data, this study compares the different impacts of household socio‐economic characteristics on leisure travel expenditure patterns between 1996 and 2006. The total expenditure is divided into food/beverage, lodging, transportation and sightseeing/entertainment to examine more specific changes. Results indicate that family size, gender, number of elderly family members, race and region/location had different impacts on leisure trip consumption patterns in 1996 and 2006. There is no evident change for the income elasticities of four categories between these two years. The upward direction in high‐income households reflects the potential for luxury sightseeing and entertainment activities. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
