Uraiporn Kattiyapornpong

Socio‐demographic constraints to travel behavior

– This study aims to ascertain the effect of socio‐demographic constraints on dimension of travel choice. This study also seeks to derive personal ecological explanations for variation in travel preference, travel intention and travel choice behavior of a wide range of destinations., – A large representative sample of 49,105 Australian respondents is utilized. Binary logistic regression is used to determine the impact of constraint variables., – Age, income and life stage have significant differential and interactive effects on travel behavior. Socio‐demographic variables act in different ways to constrain/free different types of travel behavior. However there are significant levels of travel by even the most constrained groups as well as significant amounts of non‐travel by the least constrained sectors of our society. These impacts are country specific., – The travel motivations of constraint groups need to be considered to order better understand travel behavior. Investigation of psychological and ecological facilitators and constraints to travel is needed., – This information is most useful for market segmentation and the development of constraint group destination marketing plans. Managers can use utilize such results to minimize the barriers to travel by particular groups., – This paper utilizes a large database to provide insights into the personal ecological constraints to travel.

A practitioner's report on the interactive effects of socio-demographic barriers to travel

Researchers have viewed constraints as a subset of reasons for not engaging in a particular behavior. This study investigates the impact of two-way interactions between age, income, and life stage (forming groups of more and less constrained respondents) on dependent variables comprising intentions held by Australian residents to travel intrastate, interstate or overseas for a vacation. A representative sample of 49,105 Australian respondents is utilized. Binary logistic regression is used to profile respondents who intend to take a domestic or an overseas holiday of more than three days duration. This paper finds that the interactions between the constraint variables of age, income and life stage are important in explaining travel preferences. Constraint groups are then formed by combining the important constraint variables. There are significant levels of vacation travel by even the most constrained groups as well as significant amounts of non-travel by the least constrained sectors of our society. Marketing insights and recommendations are provided for the most constrained travel group and the least constrained travel group.

Propensity to shop: Identifying who shops til they drop

ABSTRACT Tourist shopping expenditure is a vital ingredient which contributes significantly to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the nation. Past research has stressed the importance of specific demographic variables related to shopping behavior; however, it has not included interactions between or configurations among demographic variables, shopping related psychographics, and shopping destinations. This study seeks to address that gap. The data was collected from a large representative sample of 26,686 Australian domestic short-stay visitors. Binary logistic regression found that demographic variables and their specific interactions were significantly related to tourist shopping behaviors as well as psychographics, trip motivation, and their shopping destination propensity, when tested simultaneously. The findings assist destination marketing managers to identify and target specific domestic short-stay tourist shoppers.

Social structure and psychographic explanations of destination preference of Australians' travel to South-East Asia.

This research explores the relationships between social structural variables, psychographic variables and preference for travel to Asia by Australians. Differences in preference for travel to specific South-East Asian destinations, namely, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, are explained using psychographic explanatory variables and combinations of the social structural variables (also known as socio-demographic variables) of age, income and life stage. A large representative sample of 49,105 Australian respondents is utilized. Binary logistic regression is used to profile respondents who prefer to take a holiday in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand for more than 3 days. This research found that age, income and life stage have significant differential and interactive effects on travel preference. The results show that social structural and psychographic variables act in different ways to constrain/enable travel preference for Asia. This means there are differences in the socio-demographic and psychographic profiles of travelers who prefer specific destinations within Asia. This information is useful for market segmentation and the development of destination marketing plans. Destination and tourism marketing managers can utilize such results to minimize the barriers to travel by particular groups. Future research directions are outlined.