Cross‐Cultural Analysis of Market Profiles of Domestic and Foreign Travellers

Abstract

Discusses the growing importance of tourism which has prompted governments and travel organisations to conduct additional research on the travel and holiday habits of their own citizens and foreigners. Explains that this article's purpose is to identify the foreign traveller with respect to both demographic and psychographic profiles. Confirms the study was undertaken in a cross‐cultural setting to test the ability of these profiles to portray national differences that may exist between foreign travellers. Reports the findings strongly support the notion that psychographic variables are needed o distinguish the foreign traveller from the domestic traveller in a meaningful way. Uses a sample from questionnaires of travellers conducted in the USA and Finland from spring 1977 — the US sample was a random one of 401 from 2,200; and in Finland 307 people were used making 60%. Goes on to discuss the relative results from these. Sums up that foreign and domestic‐only travellers may be similar in their socio‐economic profiles but distinctly different in their psychographic patterns.