Imagining Destinations
American College Students: Perceptions of and Travel Motivations for Visiting Costa Rica
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Pavlina Latkova, Rachelle Wilson
The study explored Costa Rica’s pre- and post-trip image using Echtner and Ritchie’s (1991, 1993) destination holistic and unique image framework. Participants included fourteen students enrolled in a faculty-led international service-learning class that traveled to Costa Rica in spring 2016. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via Skype prior and after the trip. Two independent researchers conducted verbatim transcription of interviews, coded data, and identified emergent themes. Participants’ perception of Costa Rica as an ecotourism destination and the opportunity to learn and to get involved with local communities were the main travel motivators. Media portrayed Costa Rica’s “Pura Vida” was reflected in students’ pre-trip interview responses. Participants expected to experience rich and unique biodiversity and happy people enjoying their life. Costa Rica’s image of a prime ecotourism destination was confirmed in the post-trip interviews. Similarly to the pre-trip interviews, participants reported experiencing the pristine natural beauty and kind and hospitable people. In addition, they recalled a strong sense of community, cultural heritage, and environmental stewardship among minority cultures (i.e., Afro-Caribbean, indigenous Indians), and feeling safe while traveling. Costa Rica’s image held by American college students suggests there is an increased awareness and demand for environmentally and socially responsible travel in this market.
Satisfaction with a Destination and Recommendation: Differences between Relatives, Friends, and Other Travelers
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Laurentina Vareiro
Recommendation from family and friends are considered to be the most credible source in the travel decision-making process. Since destination loyalty focuses on this variable, this study investigates tourists' motivations and perceived attributes of the city comparing the following two groups: those who indicated that they obtained travel information from relatives/friends (n = 120) and those who obtained information from other sources (n = 186). The research methodology consists of a quantitative approach based on a self-administered survey applied to travellers who visited Braga (Portugal) during 2017. The results indicated that there were some significant differences across the two groups with respect to demographic characteristics, tourists' motivations, and perceived attributes of the city. However, the groups did not differ in their global image of the destination and intention to recommend it to relatives and friends.
Public Opinion and Tourism in Spanish Destinations: The Cases of Gran Canaria, Andalusia, and Malaga
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Pedro Ernesto Moreira Gregori, Juan Carlos Martin, Concepción Román
In this article we analyze the positive and negative impacts of tourism according to the opinion of residents of Gran Canaria, Andalusia, and Malaga, we compare similarities and differences. The methodology is based on surveys carried out in different periods of time and years. In Gran Canaria, the survey was administered by telephone to 504 residents. While in Andalusia the survey was based on face-to-face interviews with 1781 residents in the eight andalusian provinces. The unequal characteristics of both territories, both in extension and in population density, deserved to limit the Andalusian sample to its study. This is the motive we focus on comparing the views of residents in Malaga. For being also the most tourist province of the Autonomous Community (receives more than 30% of the total of the tourists). Both Malaga and Gran Canaria are mature and consolidated sun and beach tourist destinations.
