A Study of Pleasure Trip Planning Behavior: Implications for Timing Tourism Promotional Messages

Abstract

This study assesses pleasure trip planning behavior to identity tendencies that can be exploited to increase the effectiveness of travel promotion programs. The majority of the literature on this topic has focused primarily on the interval of time between when trip planning begins and when the trip is taken. A broader focus was taken here to identify variables that impact trip planning intervals and other dimensions of trip planning behavior. Among the more interesting findings is the relatively short time (less than 7 days) between when trip planning begins and a destination is selected. The majority of respondents in the study population begin to plan trips only 30 days or less before their departure dates. Travelers were also found more likely to be in a trip-planning mode during the first 20 days in any given month than the last part of the month. And the planning interval was found to be longer for: summer trips, larger parties, outdoor recreation, festival event trips, vacations, and longer and more expensive trips.