Factors affecting tourists' public transport use and areas visited at destinations

Abstract

Tourist movement patterns and transport mode choice are important topics in tourism research. However, little is known about how tourists at an urban destination make their decision on the areas that they visit and transport modes used. This paper examines tourists' choice of transport mode and areas visited in the Munich region through the use of a bivariate probit model. The findings show that tourists' choice of transport mode and areas visited are closely related and thus should be examined together. Public transport at an urban destination is more likely to be used by well-educated, first time visitors, who are also price-conscious. Travel partner and motivations also affect mode choice. The decision to travel beyond the city is influenced by visitors' country of residence, length of stay, number of previous trips, perception of ease-of-travel, and local attractions.