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Tourist motivation: an integral approach to destination choices

Chang-Keun Yoo (Department of Airlines and Tourism, Uiduk University, Gyeongju, Republic of Korea)
Donghwan Yoon (Department of Hotel and Tourism, The University of Suwon, Hwaseong, Republic of Korea)
Eerang Park (School of Management, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand)

Tourism Review

ISSN: 1660-5373

Article publication date: 7 March 2018

Issue publication date: 1 May 2018

10173

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to discuss prevalent socio-psychological models which examine how tourists’ needs and motivations affect their destination choices by collectively considering Plog’s (1974) psychographic profiles, Cohen’s (1979) tourist typology and Peace’s (1988) travel career ladder. The current study argues that no single model can adequately explain tourists’ destination selection process as well as travel behaviors and introduces a new integrated perspective of existing psychological models.

Design/methodology/approach

Examining responses from 202 Hong Kong residents who have travel experience, this study divides the respondents’ psychographics into three types.

Findings

Using multinomial logit model (MNL) analysis, the study finds that tourists’ travel motivations and destination settings can be varied by their psychographics types. The findings also reveal that tourist’s psychographic types can be varied by demographics, travel type, frequencies, duration, purpose and destination setting.

Originality/value

The study provides implications for tourism marketers as well as the tourism literature by suggesting an integrative approach for a better understanding of tourist motivations.

Keywords

Citation

Yoo, C.-K., Yoon, D. and Park, E. (2018), "Tourist motivation: an integral approach to destination choices", Tourism Review, Vol. 73 No. 2, pp. 169-185. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-04-2017-0085

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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