Soft amenity attribute preferences of resort vacationers

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to identify the key 'soft amenity' attributes resort vacationers perceived as benificial to meeting their vacation goals. A second purpose was to examine whether vacation soft amenity attribute preferences differed significantly across segments comprised of resort vacationers homogeneously grouped on the basis of gender, age, employment, place of residence and vacation goal. An open-ended questionnaire format generated over 4,300 soft amenity attributes which were subsequently grouped into eight categories. The most frequently cited attributes coincide with the results of most previous research on vacation behaviour. Chi-square analyses were performed to determine the influence that the independent variables had on resort vacationers' soft amenity attribute preferences. Region of vacationer residence exerted more influence over the preference of attributes than any other variable tested. Eleven of the 25 most frequently cited soft amenity attributes were significantly influenced by the region of residence. Age exerted the next strongest influence on attribute preference. Seven of the 25 most frequently cited attributes were significantly influenced by this variable. Preferences for golf, fishing, reading, walking and shopping were significantly influenced by gender. Resort vacationers who described themselves as 'doers' preferred sight-seeing significantly more than those with other principal vacation goals while relaxing and sunbathing were significantly preferred by 'relaxers'. A resort vacationer's employment status was found to have virtually no significant bearing on soft amenity attribute preference. The results suggest that interval resort owners believe that a wide array of soft amenity attributes are important to their vacation enjoyment. Merely offering them opportunities to use a variety of recreation facilities is inadequate to assuring owner vacation satisfaction. These results can also assist resort marketers in more effectively and efficiently matching prospective purchasers with the attribute preferences they are seeking to enhance vacation enjoyment.

Keywords

interval resort market segmentation soft amenities vacation enjoyment

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Backman, S.J. (1994) 'Using a Person-Situation Approach to Market Segmentation', Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 1-16.

Rao, S.R. , Thomas, E.G. and Javalgi, R.G. (1992) 'Activity Preferences and Trip-planning Behavior of the U.S. Outbound Pleasure Travel Market', Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 30, No. 3, pp. 3-11; Graham, J.E. and Wall, G. (1978) 'American Visitors to Canada: A Study in Marketing Segmentation', Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 16, pp. 21-24.

Loker, L. and Perdue, R.P. (1992) 'A Benefit-based Segmentation of a Nonresident Summer Travel Market', Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 30-35; Muller, T.E. (1991) 'Using Personal Values to Define Segments in an International Tourism Market' , International Marketing Review, Vol. 8, pp. 57-70; Woodside, A. and Jacobs, L. (1985) 'Step Two in Benefit Segmentation: Learning the Benefits Realized by Major Market Segments', Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 10, pp. 7-13; Calantone, R. and Johar, J. (1984) 'Seasonal Segmentation of the Tourism Market Using a Benefit Segmentation Framework', Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 23, pp. 14-23; Goodrich, J. (1980) 'Benefit Segmentation of U.S. International Travelers: An Empirical Study with American Express' , in Hawkins, D., Shafer, E. and Rovelstad, J. (eds), 'Tourism Marketing and Management Issues', George Washington University, Washington, DC; Woodside, A. , Moore, E. an d Etzel, M. (1980) 'Vacation Travel Behavior and Perceived Benefits of Home State Residents', Business and Economic Review, Vol. 26, pp. 28-35; Rubenstein , C. (1980) 'Vacations (Expectations, Satisfactions, Frustrations, Fantasies)', Psychology Today, pp. 62-66, 71-76; Crompton , J.L. (1979) 'Motivation for Pleasure Vacation', Annals of Tourism Research , Vol. 6, pp. 408-424; Goodrich, J.N. (1977) 'Benefit Bundle Analysis: An Empirical Study of International Travelers' , Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 16, pp. 6-9.

Madrigal, R. and Kahle, L.R. (1994) 'Predicting Vacation Activity Preferences on the Basis of Value-system Segmentation', Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 22-28; Lounsbury, J.W. and Polik, J.R. (1992) 'Leisure Needs and Vacation Satisfaction', Leisure Sciences , Vol. 14, pp. 104-119; Pitts, R.E. and Woodside, A.G. (1986) 'Personal Values and Travel Decisions', Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 25, pp. 20-25; Lounsbury, J.W. and Hoopes, L.L. (1986) 'A Vacation From Work: Changes in Work and Nonwork Outcomes', Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 71, pp. 1-12; Lounsbury, J.W. and Hoopes, L.L. (1985) 'An Investigation of Factors Association with Vacation Satisfaction', Journal of Leisure Research, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 1-13; Schewe, D.C. and Calantone, R.J. (1978) 'Psychographic Segmentation of Tourists', Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 16, pp. 14-20; Klausner, W.J. (1968) 'An Experiment in Leisure', Science Journal, Vol. 4, pp. 81-85.

Backman, ref. 1 above; Bonn, M.A. , Furr , H.L. and Uysal, M. (1992) 'Seasonal Variation of Coastal Resort Visitors: Hilton Head Island', Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 30, pp. 51-56.

van Raaij, W.F. (1986) 'Consumer Research on Tourism: Mental and Behavioral Constructs', Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 13, pp. 1-9.

Oppendijk van Veen, W.M. and Verhallen , T.W. (1986) ' Vacation Market Segmentation', Annals of Tourism Research , Vol. 13, p. 37.

Ibid.

June, L.P. and Smith, S.L. (1987) 'Service Attributes and Situational Effects on Customer Preferences for Restaurant Dining', Journal of Travel Research, Fall, pp. 20-27.

10.

Mannell, R.C. and Iso-Ahola , S.E. (1987) ' Psychological Nature of Leisure and Tourism Experience', Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 14, pp. 314-331.

11.

Gottlieb, A. (1982) 'Americans' Vacations ', Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 165-187.

12.

June and Smith, ref. 9 above.

13.

Mannell and Iso-Ahola, ref. 10 above.

14.

Rubenstein, ref. 3 above.

15.

Goodrich, ref. 3 above.

16.

Oppendijk and Verhallen, ref. 7 above.

17.

Cato, B. and Kunstler, R.A. (1979) 'Preferred Leisure Activities and Reasons for Participation: A Comparison Study with Implications for Marketing Leisure Services', Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 54-65.