Linking travel motivations with perceptions of destinations: The case of youth travelers in Alpine summer and winter tourism

Abstract

The youth travel market is an important market segment in terms of size and growth rates. Youth travelers, however, differ in their travel motivations from other market segments. Therefore, in order to attract and satisfy youth travelers it is necessary to match their travel motivations with their perceptions of destinations. Based on an empirical study (N=2.128) among German Youth Travelers a methodology is presented which enables tourism managers to link travel motivations with perceptions of the destination. A two‐dimensioned matrix assesses the degree to which motivations and perceptions correlate. This analytical tool then forms the basis for the formulation of marketing strategies. The results of the empirical study presented in this paper show clear differences between travel motivations in summer and winter tourism and between perceptions of the Alps as a summer and winter destination.