Time for a Radical Reappraisal of Tourist Decision Making? Toward a New Conceptual Model

Abstract

The rule that human beings seem to follow is to engage the brain only when all else fails-and usually not even then. AbstractGeneral models of tourist decision making have been developed to theorize tourist decision processes. These models have been based on the premise that tourists are rational decision makers and utility maximizers. Further, these models have been operationalized through input-output models to measure preferences and behavioral intentions. The extent that they remain viable to explain and predict tourist behavior as tourism markets mature however is uncertain. This review article critiques these approaches and proposes a new general model based on dual system theory to account for different types of choice strategies, the constructive nature of preferences, and to recognize the individual and contextual factors that influence choice processes. The article argues that a general tourist choice model should integrate the psychological processes that determine choice strategies, or heuristics, and consider choice context. These include individual differences, task-related factors, and principles determining system engagement. Future research and practical implications are outlined.

Digging deeper into decision-making of Chinese long-haul outbound tourists: A two-stage preference - estimation approach

“…Tourists, indeed, are faced with considerable alternatives, especially in the current digital and global context, and they may not be able to evaluate each of the available alternatives equally and thoroughly (McCabe, Li, & Chen, 2016). Thus studies using the choice-set approach propose that decision-making is a funnel-like process in which a large number of alternatives from awareness set are eliminated initially to form a smaller consideration-set after which, alternatives within the consideration-set are evaluated more carefully to reach a final choice (Um & Crompton, 1990;Woodside & King 2001).…”

Deciding not to choose: Delegation to social surrogates in tourism decisions

“…Smallman and Moore (2010) argued that decisions in travel are often spontaneous or impulsive. McCabe et al (2015) also challenged assumptions that tourists behave in a uniform process, declaring that subjective and situational factors influence behavior. "Rational" behavior is limited by factors such as decision-making heuristics, inertia, risk aversion, and information overload.…”

“…Behaviors included extended, limited, and routine problem solving. "Inertia" may also play a role in decisions (McCabe et al, 2015). Based on a dual-system theory approach, McCabe et al (2015) theorized that tourists likely combine rational and intuitive approaches in their decisions.…”

“…Yet, because travel is social, and the vast majority of travelers travel with others, it has been recommended to investigate decision making in situations other than individual choice scenarios (Decrop, 2006). McCabe, Li, and Chen (2015) also challenged rational choice modelsdproposing a number of heuristics that tourists may use in making decisions.…”

The influence of education level on choosing coastal regions as tourist destinations

“…Due to the specificity of the tourism product, primarily its intangibility, customer's information seeking prior to purchase and alternative estimation, is emphasized in tourism industry like in no other sector (Decrop, 2006;Sirakaya, Woodside 2005;Blešić, et al, 2011, McCabe, et al, 2016. It is therefore extremely important to understand the processes and phases of decision making on taking a trip to a particular destination.…”