Third International Conference on Tourism & Leisure Studies

Abstract

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.