Exploring the motivation and personality traits of adventure travelers: A hierarchical model approach

Abstract

Goal and objectives of the dissertationGoalThe limited research explaining the relationship between personality and tourism behavior was the catalyst for the current study. The goal of the study was to examine the underlying psychological traits that contribute to adventure travel propensity (ATP) by identifying the motivation and personality schemas of adventure travelers. In addition, this research aimed to determine the usefulness of employing a Meta-Theoretic Model of Motivation and Personality (3M Model) as an organizing structure for understanding how personality traits impact behavior.ObjectivesThe study was designed to determine the motivation-personality systems of adventure travelers. Building on existing tourist personality research and utilizing an integrated approach to motivation and personality, the 3M Model, the objective was to address the following research questions:1. Does a motivation-personality system of traits exist which is predictive of adventure travel propensity?2. Does a motivation-personality system of traits exist which is predictive of soft and hard adventure travelers?3. What are the trait antecedents of soft and hard adventure travelers?4. Does the 3M Model of motivation and personality provide a useful framework for examining tourist behavior?MethodologyData were collected using a mail questionnaire across four geographical regions following the U.S. Census A random sample of subscribers from National Geographic Adventure magazine was drawn using sampling frames representing the US in four regions. Questionnaires were mailed in October 2007 and used data collection strategies recommended by Dillman (2000). From 1,000 surveys, 339 were returned and completed for an overall response rate of 34%.A multi-method approach was used to develop the survey instrument. The survey was developed based on a literature review of existing research related to adventure recreation and tourism, consumer behavior, and personality, then modified based upon input obtained from a panel interview with adventure industry leaders. The result was a questionnaire combining previous studies and theories in the consumer behavior and recreation and tourism literature along with key industry perspectives.The overall statistical analysis included: descriptive statistics to analyze the demographic profile of the sample of adventure travelers; travel experience, intention, and pre- and post-travel behavior profile; descriptive statistics of the four personality trait levels; factor analysis to determine underlying factors of ATP; and hierarchical regressions to test the hypotheses. Guttman scaling procedure was also employed to categorize respondents into soft/hard categories as a context for understanding the demographic and travel behavior characteristics of the study sample.ResultsResults indicated significant differences exist between the hard adventure traveler (HAT) and soft adventure traveler (SAT) subgroups.In all measures of ATP, the best regression models were often the full model. For the ultimate destination experience measure of ATP, a combination of elemental, compound, and situational traits in the final hierarchical model accounted for a range of 28% to 40% of the variance. The trait indicators for all travelers were two elemental traits, need for arousal and physical/body needs (negative relationship); and two situational traits, interest in cultural experiences and fashion leadership. These accounted for 32% of the variance in ultimate destination experiences. In the case of HATs the same traits were predictive of ultimate destination experiences (need for arousal, physical/body needs-negative relationship, and interest in cultural experiences), with the exception of fashion leadership. These accounted for 28% of the variance for HATs. For SATs, the elemental trait need for physical/body needs (negative relationship), and two situational traits, interest in cultural experiences and fashion leadership (negative relationship) accounted for 40% of the variance in the ATP measure ultimate destination experiences. …