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Are sustainable tourists a higher spending market?

Author

Listed:
  • Nickerson, Norma Polovitz
  • Jorgenson, Jake
  • Boley, B. Bynum

Abstract

Resistance to sustainability practices often stems from the industry's view that sustainable tourism requires a profitability tradeoff where the additional costs associated with sustainability do not pay off in increased economic returns, yet few studies have been attempted to prove or disprove this viewpoint. This study analyzed spending patterns and length of stay of visitors to Montana, USA to determine if strong geotravelers (higher sustainable behaviors) were different than those with less sustainable behaviors. Results found that total trip spending by strong geotravelers (US $1164) was significantly higher than the overall spending of both moderate (US $866) and minimal geotravelers (US $668). These findings suggest that sustainable travelers are a travel market to be reckoned with in the tourism marketing and business world. The combination of their pro-sustainable behavior and increased spending provides evidence of a market segment in which destinations can benefit.

Suggested Citation

  • Nickerson, Norma Polovitz & Jorgenson, Jake & Boley, B. Bynum, 2016. "Are sustainable tourists a higher spending market?," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 170-177.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:touman:v:54:y:2016:i:c:p:170-177
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2015.11.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Mauricio Carvache-Franco & Conrado Carrascosa-López & Wilmer Carvache-Franco, 2022. "Market Segmentation by Motivations in Ecotourism: Application in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Siti Intan Nurdiana Wong Abdullah & Zaiton Samdin & Jo Ann Ho & Siew Imm Ng, 2020. "Sustainability of marine parks: Is knowledge–attitude–behaviour still relevant?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(8), pages 7357-7384, December.
    4. Mauricio Carvache-Franco & Wilmer Carvache-Franco & Ana Gabriela Víquez-Paniagua & Orly Carvache-Franco & Allan Pérez-Orozco, 2021. "The Role of Motivations in the Segmentation of Ecotourism Destinations: A Study from Costa Rica," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-18, September.
    5. Fieger, Peter & Prayag, Girish & Hall, C. Michael & Rice, John & Gössling, Stefan, 2021. "When staying long enough is enough?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    6. Julio Vena-Oya & José-Alberto Castañeda-García & Miguel-à ngel Rodríguez-Molina, 2022. "Determinants of the Likelihood of Tourist Spending in Cultural Micro-Destinations: Type, Timing, and Distance of the Activity as Predictors," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(3), pages 21582440221, September.
    7. Williams, Allan Thomas & Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson Guillermo & Anfuso, Giorgio & Cervantes, Omar & Botero, Camilo Mateo, 2016. "Litter impacts on scenery and tourism on the Colombian north Caribbean coast," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 209-224.
    8. Philip R. Walsh & Rachel Dodds & Julianna Priskin & Jonathon Day & Oxana Belozerova, 2021. "The Corporate Responsibility Paradox: A Multi-National Investigation of Business Traveller Attitudes and Their Sustainable Travel Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-20, April.
    9. Mauricio Carvache-Franco & Marival Segarra-Oña & Conrado Carrascosa-López, 2019. "Segmentation by Motivation in Ecotourism: Application to Protected Areas in Guayas, Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-19, January.
    10. Juan Ignacio Pulido-Fernández & Yaiza López-Sánchez, 2016. "Are Tourists Really Willing to Pay More for Sustainable Destinations?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-20, November.
    11. Conrado Carrascosa-López & Mauricio Carvache-Franco & José Mondéjar-Jiménez & Wilmer Carvache-Franco, 2021. "Understanding Motivations and Segmentation in Ecotourism Destinations. Application to Natural Parks in Spanish Mediterranean Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-16, April.
    12. Marcelino Sanchez-Rivero & Juan Ignacio Pulido-Fernández, 2020. "Global Estimation of the Elasticity of “International Tourist Arrivals/Income from Tourism”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    13. Adongo, Charles A. & Taale, Francis & Adam, Issahaku, 2018. "Tourists' values and empathic attitude toward sustainable development in tourism," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 251-263.
    14. Liu, Xiao & Li, Ming-Yang, 2024. "Sustainable service product design method: Focus on customer demands and triple bottom line," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

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