The Role of Psychographic Factors in Nature-Based Tourist Expenditure

Abstract

Numerous studies have examined the relationship between tourist expenditure and observable characteristics of the individual and the trip. We add latent variables based on psychographic factors into a model of expenditure by nature-based tourists. This study models the log of per person trip expenditure by domestic and international visitors in a Norwegian alpine national park region as a function of psychographic factors as well as traditional measures of trip and demographic characteristics. In the regression models, factor scores were utilized from nature orientation, recreation experience preference (REP), a new ecological paradigm (NEP) and wilderness preference (WPS) scales. Higher scores on a NEP environmentalism factor were associated with higher expenditure, while higher scores This study was funded by the Research Council of Norway, through the project 'Sustainable tourism development in mountain park areas' (186891/110), under the NATURNAER (former AREAL) programme, and co-funded by the Norwegian Farmers' Union (Norges Bondelag) and the National Park Realm (Nasjonalparkriket). We also thank the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Region East, Gudbrandsdal District, as well as the participating accommodation establishments in Northern Gudbrandsdal, for their kind support in recruiting tourists to the survey. Furthermore, we thank project partners, project reference group members, and stakeholder representatives for their contributions to the survey development. Finally, we thank Eivind Farstad for comments on an earlier draft. All remaining errors and omissions are entirely our own responsibility. TOURISM ECONOMICS 302on a REP risk seeking factor were associated with lower expenditure. Higher scores on a risk seeking, or challenge factor, from the nature orientation scale was associated with lower expenditure, while higher scores on an inspiration seeking factor were associated with higher expenditure. Structural equation models were then estimated for comparison. The implications for tourism management and marketing are discussed.

The potential implications of environmental deterioration on business and non-business visitor expenditures in a natural setting

“…As regards our second research question, in accordance with other researchers (Leones et al, 1998;Mehmetoglu, 2007;Saayman and Saayman, 2014;Veisten et al, 2014), we found that nonbusiness visitors with strong nature-related preferences spent more than those motivated by other things. But this was not so for business visitors: those who had strong nature preferences had lower total expenditure than business visitors with weak nature preferences.…”

Tourist Segments for New Facilities in National Park Areas: Profiling Tourists in Norway Based on Psychographics and Demographics

“…The distribution of monthly household income is exactly the same as the distribution of the share stating relatively high income (Table 4); yet, for the foreign visitors these two variables correlated because monthly household income was estimated from the share stating relatively high income (Veisten, Lindberg, Grue, & Haukeland, 2014). As expected, trip costs are highest in the segment with the lowest share of Norwegians, while having the highest shares of Germans and Dutch.…”

Progress on outbound tourism expenditure research: A review

“…In terms of the scale of data, tourism expenditures at the micro level were thoroughly researched (Cho, 2010;Eugenio-Martin & Campos-Soria, 2011. Although modelling OTE on an international scale provides helpful implications for developing policies in both the country of origin and destination countries Olya & Mehran, 2017;Song & Lin, 2010;Veisten et al, 2014), the application of micro modelling is imperative and helpful as consumer behaviours in a particular market segment are diverse and heterogeneous. Therefore, conducting research on an individual/household scale is beneficial when tourism is transformed to a more customized and specialized industry.…”

“…National happiness also boosts long-term international T&T expenditure (Gholipour et al, 2016). Veisten, Lindberg, Grue, and Haukeland (2014) revealed that higher expenditure is associated with higher levels of environmentalism, optimism, and inspiration. In addition, they demonstrated that a visitor who is seeking excitement and danger has, in general, lower expenditures.…”