The Role of Psychographic Factors in Nature-Based Tourist Expenditure

Knut Veisten, Kreg Lindberg, Berit Grue and Jan Vidar Haukeland
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Knut Veisten: Institute of Transport Economics, Gaustadalleen 21, NO-0349 Oslo, Norway
Kreg Lindberg: Oregon State University – Cascades, 2600 NW College Way, Bend, OR 97701, USA
Berit Grue: Institute of Transport Economics, Gaustadalleen 21, NO-0349 Oslo, Norway
Jan Vidar Haukeland: Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 5003, NO-1432 Ã…s, Norway

Tourism Economics, 2014, vol. 20, issue 2, 301-321

Abstract: Numerous studies have examined the relationship between tourist expenditure and observable characteristics of the individual and the trip. We add latent variables based on psychographic factors into a model of expenditure by nature-based tourists. This study models the log of per person trip expenditure by domestic and international visitors in a Norwegian alpine national park region as a function of psychographic factors as well as traditional measures of trip and demographic characteristics. In the regression models, factor scores were utilized from nature orientation, recreation experience preference (REP), a new ecological paradigm (NEP) and wilderness preference (WPS) scales. Higher scores on a NEP environmentalism factor were associated with higher expenditure, while higher scores on a REP risk seeking factor were associated with lower expenditure. Higher scores on a risk seeking, or challenge factor, from the nature orientation scale was associated with lower expenditure, while higher scores on an inspiration seeking factor were associated with higher expenditure. Structural equation models were then estimated for comparison. The implications for tourism management and marketing are discussed.

Keywords: nature orientation; new ecological paradigm; psychographics; recreation experience preference; structural equation modelling; wilderness preference scale (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:toueco:v:20:y:2014:i:2:p:301-321

DOI: 10.5367/te.2013.0281

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