Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
travel purpose, length of travel, distance between origin and destination, travel group composition,
as well as travel mobility. Travel purpose can be generally defi ned as one's stated needs or motives
for travel. Travel purpose is, oftentimes, closely connected to activities and settings (e.g. golf
vacation or visit to a cultural heritage site) and, therefore, signifi cantly constrains/defi nes the
range of alternative destinations considered. Travel purpose also infl uences information search
strategies. Fodness and Murray (1998) fi nd that those travelling for vacation purposes are the
most likely to rely on their personal experience to plan their trips.
The time available for a trip constrains the geographical range of the trip. Thus, travellers with
limited amounts of time available tend to prefer nearby destinations. In contrast, travellers
with more time tend to prefer more distant destinations (McKercher 1998). In this sense, length
of trip constrains the range of alternatives that will be considered. Length of travel has also been
identifi ed as a factor that infl uences the use of particular information sources (Snepenger
et al
.
1990). Whether a destination will be considered as an alternative is also a function of the distance
from home to a destination, a factor which has been included as a key variable in aggregated
destination choice models (Kim and Fesenmaier 1990; Lo 1992). Empirical evidence suggests
that a relationship between travel distance and information search strategies exists. For example,
Pennington-Gray and Vogt (2003), among others, fi nd that out-of-state visitors are more likely
to obtain travel information at welcome centres than in-state residents.
Alternative destinations considered by a person who plans to go on a family vacation, for
example, are probably different from those considered for a trip with friends. The characteristics
of the travel party also impact the geographical range of alternative destinations in respect to the
mobility of the travel group. A family with children tends to take short vacations at easily
accessible destinations. In contrast, couples without children are more likely to choose destinations
with modest accessibility (McKercher 1998). Additionally, the nature of the travel party defi nes
the degree of heterogeneity in the group with respect to interests (Fesenmaier and Lieber 1985,
1988; Lue, Crompton and Fesenmaier 1993). In addition, travel group composition has been
found to infl uence the information search strategy selected (Fodness and Murray 1997). Family
groups tend to use media as information sources more than other types of travel parties, and are
more likely to be involved in extensive search processes in order to assure satisfaction of all the
members (Gitelson and Crompton 1983).
Mobility is not only a function of the nature of the travel group but also depends on the
transportation mode a traveller uses during a trip (Tideswell and Faulkner 1999). Alternative
destinations, which a traveller with a rental car or personal car can think of, might be unavailable
to travellers who use, for instance, only public transportation. Travel mobility has an impact on
the fl exibility of the travel itinerary and is positively related to not only the number of destinations
but also the number of attractions and activities that can be integrated into the trip. Transportation
mode used can also explain certain tendencies toward multi-destination travel, as travellers
with greater mobility are better equipped for visits to more than one destination (Cooper 1981).
Further, Fodness and Murray (1999) fi nd evidence for a relationship between mode of
transportation and types of travel information sources used.
Decision frames
Destination decisions can be framed in various ways depending on personal preferences for
certain decision-making strategies and the needs or constraints derived from the specifi c trip
planning situation. Specifi cally, the number and type of decision criteria taken into account will
vary based on the nature of the trip to be planned. For instance, trips defi ned around a specifi c
activity such as golfi ng will strongly infl uence the frame in which the decision has to be made.
