Fuzzy Modelling of Tourist Motivation: An Age-Related Model for Sustainable, Multi-Attraction, Urban Destinations

Abstract

Tourist motivation, as a core of travel behavior, significantly influences consumer intentions and has attracted academic attention for decades. A plethora of studies analyse sets of internal and external motivators, while methodologies that exclusively focus on a single factor, such as age, that can sometimes have a determining influence in multi-attraction destinations, are less prevalent. This study introduces a fuzzy logic approach to develop a new model for analysing the internal motivations of different-aged consumers in multi-attraction urban destinations. Fuzzy models, as a mathematical means of representing vagueness and imprecise information, have the capability of recognizing, representing, manipulating, interpreting, and utilizing data and information, which typically for urban tourist motivations, are vague and lack certainty. This research tests the model in a real-life setting, using the example of Novi Sad, a mid-sized European city, which is typical of many similar cities who are attempting to develop sustainable tourism by attracting older tourists. The new model shows how tourist motivations for multi-attraction destinations are affected by age, through a specially developed m-file for MATLAB, so that it can be applied and tested in other tourism contexts. Theoretical and practical implications for sustainable destination management and marketing are described.

What Shapes Activity Preferences? The Role of Tourist Personality, Destination Personality and Destination Image: Evidence from Serbia

“…Finally, targeting tourists with specific demographic and psychographic profiles is an important way in which destination marketing can support sustainability [3], as it offers the opportunity for Destination Management Organizations to focus tourist activity in areas and in product segments that are aligned with their sustainability goals [6].This research provides practical information for DMOs on how the features of their destinations can be promoted to specific tourist segments, through the application of Destination Personality approaches in their marketing and branding. The insights from this research can help to DMOs to create both personalized tourism offers that focus on specific activities [2,7], and more general destination brands, which are a key feature of sustainable tourism destinations [4].…”

“…They influence tourists' experiences, their levels of satisfaction and their happiness with particular destinations [1]. For this reason, activities are a critical focus for planning and decision-making, and for managing tourism products, services and experiences [2] in ways that help to ensure the long-term sustainability of destinations [3].…”

Low-Carbon Travel Motivation and Constraint: Scales Development and Validation

“…As visitors in different travel situations may hold different motivations, researchers have used many aspects to discuss tourism motivation and develop different travel motivation scales. For example, rural tourists are generally motivated by relaxation, social interaction, education, family gatherings, novelty, and excitement [18]. Cruise tourists are usually motivated by self-esteem and social identity, exploration and relaxation, learning and discovery, novelty and stimulation, and socialization and cohesion [14].…”

Diamond Model of Green Commitment and Low-Carbon Travel Motivation, Constraint, and Intention

“…Travel motivation is a series of needs that presuppose individuals to a particular tourism activity [ 19 ], primarily influenced by perceived costs and values [ 20 ]. Vujičić, et al [ 21 ] defined tourist motivation as a fully integrated network of biology and culture, giving value and direction to tourism choices, behaviors, and experiences. Xu, et al [ 22 ] argued that tourist motivation is the emotional and cognitive stimulus that causes behavioral intent.…”