During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, New Zealand and Australia were isolated from international tourists following border closures to minimise the spread of the virus. This has severely impacted businesses reliant on international tourism revenues, which were vital to the two countries’ wider economies. Destination marketing organisations (DMOs) have therefore shifted the focus to domestic and intra-state consumers as people were unable to travel overseas or inter-state. There has also been increasing domestic drive tourism as opposed to air travels, as well as more short break holidays that typically last between one and four nights.
In the destination marketing literature, many scholars have examined the concept of destination attractiveness, which is also referred to as destination image, or perceptions of destinations. However, these research mostly measured destination image in a generic sense instead of examining a specific travel situation, such as the context of short break holidays. This is an important oversight as a destination’s attractiveness varies depending on different travel contexts, like a weekend getaway, a honeymoon, or a family’s long summer vacation.
Addressing the gap, this study focuses on domestic short break drive holidays around Auckland and Brisbane to identify what determines short break destination attractiveness and its key traveller segments. Specifically, it draws on the concept of the “behavioural immune system” to demonstrate that people’s perceptions of and negative associations with crowded environments during the pandemic are amplified in response to the disease. It also shows that these preferences are exhibited more strongly for older consumer segments, given that they are more vulnerable to contracting the virus.
Method and sample
A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was designed and implemented using Sawtooth Software. The DCE involved a hypothetical scenario in which participants had to complete 7 choice tasks with destinations of varying levels of attributes (distance to the beach, crowdedness, things to see and do, accommodation type, and distance from home to the destination). For each choice task, participants were asked to indicate their preference from 3
destinations and a no-choice option. The 7 choice tasks included 1 warm-up task with constant attribute levels across all respondents and 6 randomised tasks for data collection and analysis.
Data were collected from two samples, which consisted of residents of Auckland, New Zealand (N=225, recruited in February 2020) and residents of Brisbane, Australia (N=225, recruited in July 2020). Both samples were recruited via an online research panel of a UK-based research company. Selection criteria for participants were that (1) they had taken some short break by car during the past 12 months; (2) they perceived taking short breaks each year as important; and (3) they were likely to take a short break in the next 12 months.
Key findings
In line with the concept of “behavioural immune system”, general results from both the New Zealand and Australian data showed that ‘accommodation type’ and ‘crowdedness’ were the most important attributes that influence destination choice decisions. Specifically, hotel and service apartment were the most preferred accommodation types, followed by caravan park, and then hostel. Moreover, the more crowded a place is, the less attractive it is perceived. The third most significant attribute was ‘distance to the beach’, such that farther distance means the destination is less likely chosen. Finally, ‘distance from home to the destination’ and ‘things to see and do’ did not have significant effects.
Participants expressed strong importance of taking a short break and a strong desire to take a short break in the next 12 months. Driving this desire, their strongest motivations were to relax mentally and physically. Other motivations included to develop and build friendships, challenge abilities, and increase knowledge.
Furthermore, the study identified four tourist segments comprised of individuals who share similar preferences in selecting short break destinations.
1. ‘Young fun lovers’ is the largest group of the sample (40%). Their decision is least influenced by ‘crowdedness’ and ‘distance to the beach’, but this is the only segment concerned with ‘distance from home to the destination’. They prefer hotel, apartment, and hostel over caravan park for accommodation. This class is the youngest, has an income level above the national average, and mostly Australians. They mainly travel for social motivations, but not for intellectual purposes.
2. ‘Older relaxation seekers’ represents 28% of the sample. They prefer somewhere uncrowded and close to the beach and has a strong desire to stay in a hotel or apartment rather than a caravan park or hostel. This segment contains more separated or widowed consumers and the most number of older individuals. Their main motivation for holidays is to relax, rather than to build social connections.
3. ‘Affluent quality seekers’ make up 23% of the sample and would also choose destinations that are uncrowded and close to the beach. They demonstrate the strongest preference for both hotel and apartment and the weakest preference for hostel and caravan park. This segment has the largest proportion of people with an income higher than the national average.
4. Finally, the smallest group is ‘middle-aged lower-income caravan fans for relaxation’ (9%). These people are also sensitive to ‘crowdedness’ but are less negatively influenced by ‘distance to the beach’ compared to the previous two segments. Unlike
others, this group prefers caravan park over all other accommodation types. They have lower income and were more likely to live in New Zealand. This segment also goes on holidays to relax, but would not do it for intellectual or mastery purposes.
Recommendations
These findings suggest opportunities for smaller destinations with suitable accommodation types but less visitor arrivals, and therefore perceived to be less crowded and more favoured by travellers during the pandemic. Moreover, destinations within a comfortable drive from major population hubs, such as Brisbane and Auckland, have greater chance of repeat visits and higher levels of tourist familiarity. This travel context thus presents opportunities for destinations to develop initiatives to keep in touch with previous visitors through visitor relationship marketing. Given the importance of accommodation type, this strategy could be implemented by partnering with accommodation businesses to promote the destination, rather than directly through DMOs that rarely gain access to visitors’ personal contact details. This would also be more effective than trying to reach customers through traditional broadcast media in markets crowded with the noise of competing destinations and substitute product categories.
Lead Researcher
More information
The research article is also available on eprints.