The Roles of Perceived Travel Benefits, Importance, and Constraints in Predicting Travel Behavior

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated the experiential, health, and relaxation benefits of leisure travel. Building on the model of attitude importance, this research further examined how Americans perceive travel benefits and how their perceptions influence their travel behavior. The results showed that the three factors of travel benefits—experiential, health, and relaxation benefits, had positive effects on frequency of travel through perceived importance of traveling. These findings suggest that the tourism industry can encourage the public to purchase more tourism services by showing them tourism provides benefits beyond satisfaction and enjoyment. However, it was also found that perceived travel constraints had negative effects on travel behavior through perceived travel benefits and importance of traveling, which suggests that it is crucial for employers to understand the benefits of travel and encourage their employees to use their vacation days.