Tourism Marketing - Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies - page 437

TABLE 19.1 Personality and Travel-Related Characteristics of Psychocentrics and Allocentrics

Psychocentrics/Dependables Allocentrics/Venturers

Intellectually restricted Intellectually curious

Low risk-taking Moderate risk-taking

Withhold income Use disposable income

Use well-known brands Try new products

Territory bound Exploring/searching

Sense of powerlessness Feel in control

Free- oating anxiety/nervousness Relatively anxiety-free

Nonactive lifestyle Interested/involved

Nonadventurous Adventurous

Lacking in con dence Self-con dent

Prefer the familiar in travel destination Prefer nontouristy areas

Like commonplace activities at travel destinations Enjoy sense of discovery and delight in new experiences,

before others have visited the area

Prefer sun-and-fun spots, including considerable relaxation Prefer novel and different destinations

Low activity level High activity level

Prefer destinations they can drive to Prefer flying to destinations

Prefer heavy tourist development (lots of hotels, family-type
restaurants, tourist shops, etc.)

Tour accommodations should include adequate-to-good hotels and food,
not necessarily modern or chain-type hotels, and few

'' tourist-type '' attractions

Prefer familiar atmosphere (hamburger stands, familiar-type
entertainment, absence of foreign atmosphere)

Enjoy meeting and dealing with people from a strange or foreign culture

Complete tour packaging appropriate, with heavy scheduling
of activities

Tour arrangements should include basics (transportation and hotels)
and allow considerable freedom and flexibility

Travel less Travel more frequently

Spend more of income on material goods and impulse buys Spend more of income on travel

Little interest in events or activities in other countries Inquisitive, curious about the world and its peoples

Naive, nondemanding, passive traveler Demanding, sophisticated, active traveler

Want structured, routinized travel Want much spontaneity in trips

Expect foreigners to speak in English Will learn language or foreign phrases before and during travels

Want standard accommodations and conventional (American) meals Seek off-the-beaten-path, little-known local hotels, restaurants

Buy souvenirs, trinkets, common items Buy native arts/crafts

Prefer returning to same and familiar places Want different destinations for each trip

Enjoy crowds Prefer small numbers of people

Source: Stanley C. Plog, Leisure Travel: Making It a Growth Market . . . Again!, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1991). Reprinted with permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Plog found that the U.S. population was normally distributed along a continuum between these
two extreme types. This is illustrated in Figure 19.3. Other groups have been identi ed between the
allocentrics and psychocentrics. Most people fall in the midcentric classi cation.
A new dimension was added with the establishment of an energy versus lethargy scale. It was
determined that this dimension was not correlated, making it possible to place individuals into four
quadrants based on how they scored on the two scales. The four quadrants were high-energy
allocentrics, low-energy allocentrics, high-energy psychocentrics, and low-energy psychocentrics.
High-energy allocentrics have an insatiable desire to be active on trips, exploring and learning what is
new and exciting at a destination. Low-energy allocentrics would travel at a more leisurely pace, be