VALS As A Tool of Tourism Market Research: The Pennsylvania Experience

Abstract

The use of lifestyle research by corporations for marketing purposes has gained popularity in recent years. However, VALS analysis value and lifestyle analysis as a marketing tool has never been fully explored by researchers in the travel industry. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Travel Development's incorporation of the VALS program into its tourism mar ket study is one such attempt. Complementary to the bureau's annual tracking study, VALS provides new insights into consumer behavior relating to tourism development, enabling the bureau to have a better understanding of the market conditions and to improve the marketing strategies. This article focuses on the concept of VALS and the research findings on the VALS analysis relating to Pennsylvania as a trip destination.

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