Antónia Correia

Why people travel to exotic places

Purpose – This study focuses on the Portuguese tourist decision process in terms of traveling to exotic places. Based on the push‐pull motive model defined by Crompton in 1979, this paper seeks to propose an integrated approach to understand tourist motivations and how these contribute to the perception of a destination.Design/methodology/approach – A structural model and a categorical principal component analysis are used to assess to what degree motivational factors may influence perceptions about a destination. The empirical study is supported through data from a sample of 1,097 individuals who travelled by plane to exotic places, during 2004.Findings – The findings show that push and pull motivations influence the way tourists perceive the destination but the resulting image does not determined the intrinsic motivations.Research limitations/implications – The study has the restriction of being limited to the Portuguese case. However, these findings open paths for further investigation, namely extendin...

Golf Tourism Repeat Choice Behaviour in the Algarve: A Mixed Logit Approach

This paper focuses on the behavioural intention of repeater golf tourists in the Algarve. The analysis employs a questionnaire undertaken in 2004 to ascertain the significant characteristics of the returning golf-playing tourist. A random parameter logit model is used to analyse which characteristics (for example, individual characteristics, motivations, tripographic variables, and the most quoted attributes of golf destinations) are associated with the probability of golf tourists playing in the Algarve to return to this Portuguese tourist region, taking into account uncontrolled heterogeneity of the data. This model outperforms the standard logit model. Some policy implications are presented.

From tourist motivations to tourist satisfaction

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the concept of push and pull satisfaction and relates it with a uni-dimensional measure of satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – A factor structure is derived, comprising push and pull satisfaction factors which are related to the level of overall satisfaction. The empirical study was performed in Lisbon, one of the main cultural cities in Europe. Findings – Results suggest that overall satisfaction reflects the tourist assessment of push and pull dimensions of satisfaction. Furthermore, results also demonstrate that satisfaction arose within the opportunity to experience the cultural and social specificities of a destination considering the appropriate facilities. Based on the study findings, implications for management and marketing are presented. Research limitations/implications – This study comprises various methodological limitations mainly concerning the sample size that was restricted to 323 cases as well as it only considers the cultural city of Lisbon. ...

Heterogeneity in Destination Choice: Tourism in Africa

This study analyzes the Portuguese tourist choice process in relation to an emerging destination—Africa. The empirical study was conducted among Portuguese tourists by means of a mixed logit model. The model underlines the importance of a multistage process of decision since the probability of a Portuguese tourist taking a vacation in an African country depends on a mix of motivations concerning destination attributes, travel arrangements, information gathered, previous experience, and individual socioeconomic characteristics. Policy implications are derived for improving the understanding and management of the destination choices of heterogeneous tourists.

Decision‐making processes of Portuguese tourist travelling to South America and Africa

Purpose – This paper aims to study the decision‐making processes of Portuguese tourists traveling to South America and Africa destinations by developing a conceptual framework that focuses on information sources, motivations, perceptions, satisfactions, and behavioral intentions.Design/methodology/approach – The study applies a structural model that looks to explain the factors behind decision making and the relationships present. The relationships are observed in detail through the application of a categorical principal component analysis.Findings – The results of the empirical study show that behavioral intentions precede emotional and cognitive satisfaction, which in turn, are explained through perceptions and motivations. Tourists perceive tourism destinations as places of leisure although little information is available on existing facilities and core attractions.Research limitations/implications – The study has the restriction of being limited to the Portuguese tourists. However, these findings open...

First-time and repeat visitors to Cape Verde: the overall image.

This paper analyses the overall tourism image of Cape Verde by applying a categorical regression estimation. In the empirical test, a random sample of 120 Portuguese tourists travelling to Cape Verde during the carnival holidays was used. A significant positive relationship was found between a set of emotional and cognitive attributes and tourism image. The study analyses tourists with different experiences (first-time visitors and repeat visitors) in terms of image perception. The findings demonstrate that first-time and repeat visitors perceive the image of the archipelago differently. These differences should be considered as a determinant when creating a competitive brand image for Cape Verde.

Determinants of tourism return behaviour

Recent studies demonstrate that an increased number of Portuguese tourists choose Brazil as a tourism destination. Based on a literature review on the determinants of tourism demand, this study proposes a logit model that explains the probability of returning to this destination as a function of motivations, expectations, travel characteristics and the tourists socio-demographic profile. After formulating the model, defining and testing of the six research hypotheses takes place. The study sample comprises 112 Portuguese tourists travelling to Brazil. The data fit the model adequately and the paper concludes with the authors discussing the theoretical and marketing implications.

Destination branding: a critical overview.

The concepts of brand, brand image, and brand personality are well documented in literature but their application to tourism and destinations is relatively new. Destinations need to create a brand to help their positioning and to emphasize the uniqueness of the place. This paper examines the concepts of brand image and brand personality and its applications in the field of tourism destinations, in order to understand the common ground as well as the boundaries between the two constructs. From the comparative analysis of concepts of brand image and brand personality, a framework which interrelates and explains the common grounds of these concepts is suggested.

Environmental and Economic Tools to Support Sustainable Golf Tourism: The Algarve Experience, Portugal

Environmental quality is a driving force for the sustainable development of tourism in the 21st century. Nevertheless, the increasing pressures placed upon the stocks of natural capital call for integrated approaches to balance the impacts of tourism activities. Recent growth trends of the golf industry are strengthening its potential to become a vehicle for competitive and sustainable tourism. On the other hand, golf courses cause undisputed environmental impacts, which require effective management and control. This paper presents a sustainability assessment framework and the results from its application to the Algarves golf courses. A key element of the sustainability analysis was the development of performance indicators. It was concluded that the position of the existing courses in the environmental dimension could be improved if management tools were implemented by many of the golf clubs. This measure would bring the environmental indicators closer to the benchmarking values of the courses with the best environmental performance. In terms of economic and social performance, the indicators show that golf is a profitable business, whether as an anchor for other tourist development, or as a sporting activity on its own.

Perceived risk and novelty-Seeking behavior: The case of tourists on low-Cost travel in Algarve (Portugal)

Risk is a major concern among tourists and the objective of this chapter is to investigate how different factors contribute to the overall perceived risk and how novelty motivations moderate this risk. The sample population of the study consists of 4,057 international tourists on low-cost travel visiting the Algarve, Portugal in 2005 and 2006. The research findings show that the sensibility towards the occurrence of any type of risk vary with the tourists age, familiarity with the destination, and travel experience as well as their propensity to seek novelty. Furthermore, it finds that younger tourists are more apt to be novelty seekers and, simultaneously, less sensitive to risk, than older tourists are. Familiarity with the destination derives from previous visits, diminishes the sensibility to the risk, and increases the degree of novelty-seeking. This chapter discusses specific managerial and theoretical implications.