Preferences and trip expenditures—a conjoint analysis of visitors to Seoul, Korea

Abstract

This study analyzed the preferences of international urban travelers by focusing on European, North American, and Japanese travelers to Seoul, Korea, and attempted to identify the relationship between preferences and expenditures for the attributes or activities. The results indicated that, for both pleasure and business trips, the travelers from the near origin (Japan) tended to give most consideration to the ‘tangible’ attribute (shopping), while the travelers from the distant origins (Europe and North America) evaluated the ‘intangible’ attribute (local culture) as most valuable. Regardless of origin, business travelers spent significantly more than pleasure travelers in total trip expenditure. Preference for a specific activity does not seem to directly correlate with expenditure on the activity. The results provide useful implications for cities in developing a marketing plan for international travelers. Recommendations for future research are also suggested.