Investigating travel style preferences for visiting a novel destination: A conjoint-based approach
Abstract
Previous research has advanced several typologies that classify people in terms of their travel preferences and behaviors (Cohen, 1972; Plog, 1974; Smith, 1989). While these typologies differ, they are all based on the notion that travelers can be placed along a continuum that ranges from familiarity-seeking at one end to novelty-seeking at the other. Implied within this general descriptive framework is that the people in each of these travel style categories have different preferences for where and how they travel. Based on this perspective, the purpose of this dissertation was (1) to compare high familiarity-seekers (HFS) and high novelty-seekers (HNS) on key demographic and behavioral characteristics previously cited in the literature and (2) to determine the impact of selected situational variables on each groups' likelihood of visiting a fictitious novel destination. Study participants were segmented into travel style categories using the International Tourist Role scale (Mo, Howard, and Havitz, 1993). Conjoint analysis was then used to assess the effects on the likelihood of visiting the novel destination of three attributes: (1) accommodations, (2) travel companions, and (3) language. The results indicated little difference between HFS and HNS on the demographic measures but many differences in terms of the behavioral measures. Additionally, each of the travel style groups differed in terms of their preferences for the three study attributes. The empirical findings support the theoretical frameworks proposed in the literature and, simultaneously, attests to the usefulness of the travel style concept in understanding travel preferences.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Klenosky, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Recreation|Behaviorial sciences
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