This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Osti, L. Articles by King, B. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Cultural differences in travel guidebooks information search

School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Southern Cross University, Tweed Gold Coast Campus, Australia, Linda.Osti{at}scu.edu.au, School of Applied Economics, Victoria University (Australia)

Lindsay W. Turner

School of Applied Economics at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

Brian King

Centre for Tourism and Services Research at Victoria University

The current consumer trend away from package tourism towards more individually organized travel, including special interest travel, is likely to have an impact on the structure and organization of the travel industry, the channels of distribution, booking systems, business and destination suppliers from private sources such as the internet and published travel guidebooks. In planning their holidays, tourists are increasingly likely to demand greater destination information. If they are to be made aware of the available range of product options and to make appropriate product choices they will need information. The extent and type of the required information will depend on the type of vacation, on the consumer's destination knowledge, prior travel experience, and cultural background. The present study reports the findings of a quantitative survey administered to Japanese, Korean, Chinese and North American travellers. The researchers aimed to investigate the need for information across Western and Asian cultures. The study has focused on the need for information in travel guidebooks and examines the extent to which culture influences the type of information sought.

Key Words: Asian travellers • cross-cultural comparison • information needs • travel guidebooks

Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol. 15, No. 1, 63-78 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1356766708098172


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?