Tourism trip decision making at the sub-regional level.

Abstract

Tourism Trip Decision Making at the Sub- Regional Level: with special reference to Southern England The research investigated aspects of the decision making processes which influenced the choice of day trip tourism destinations for a sample of the population within the Southern Tourist Board area. The aims were to understand characteristics of day trip activities, to assess the effect of socio-demographic constraints on day trip behaviour, to examine the reasons for day trips, to develop household profiles and to reveal likely patterns of day trip activity. The final aim was to construct a model of day trip decision making. 71be research is based on two questionnaire surveys which produced a range of quantitative and qualitative information. Results from the first survey indicated that social class, age, group type and location of residence were important in understanding general trip \characteristics because of their particular influence on activities, cost, distance and reasons for a trip. The second survey was a longitudinal study of residents of the sub-region. The results showed that there were seven dominant reasons for a day trip, namely, for exercise, to visit friends and relatives, to act as host to friends and relatives, to be with the family, for the children, for a specific purpose and for personal reasons. The results of the diary survey allowed the production of household profiles based on day trip types. Socio- demographic variables which were found to be important influences on trip behaviour were social class, age of the household and the presence of children. A final development of the research was the construction of a model of decision making which showed the relationships of the various aspects which led to a day trip visit.