Start Date

8-1-2011 10:30 AM

End Date

8-1-2011 11:45 AM

Track

1. Track 1 – Formal Paper Presentation

Subject Area

Travel and Tourism

Faculty Member

Zvi Schwartz zschwart@illinois.edu

Abstract

This study empirically investigates the question of who is a tourist, building on the literature of what is tourism, how to measure tourism, and the negative characterization of the term tourist. The study’s main contribution is that it contrasts the distance-based practical definitions with tourists’ self-identification and characterizes those who define themselves as tourists. Data came from 1,619 responses to a visitor survey, conducted at a midwestern destination. A surprisingly high proportion of the respondents self-identified as tourists suggested that while it might still exist, the negative connotation of the term “tourist” is not always as dominant as suggested by the literature. The statistical analyses (chi-square test, Marascuilo procedure, and a binary logistic model) suggest that the propensity to self-identify as tourist is positively related to the distance traveled and first-visit status, and it is lower among visitors whose trip purpose was to visit friends or relatives. These findings on how travelers might feel about the role of distance in the definition of tourism could assist policy makers who use distance to define and measure tourism. The characterization of those who self-identify as tourists has important implications for CVBs and DMOs who wish to better address the negative connotation of the term “tourist” in their communication.

Keywords

Tourism definition, tourist self-identification, anti-tourist attitude, distance

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Jan 8th, 10:30 AM Jan 8th, 11:45 AM

Are You A Tourist? Tourists’ Self-identification and the Definition of Tourism

This study empirically investigates the question of who is a tourist, building on the literature of what is tourism, how to measure tourism, and the negative characterization of the term tourist. The study’s main contribution is that it contrasts the distance-based practical definitions with tourists’ self-identification and characterizes those who define themselves as tourists. Data came from 1,619 responses to a visitor survey, conducted at a midwestern destination. A surprisingly high proportion of the respondents self-identified as tourists suggested that while it might still exist, the negative connotation of the term “tourist” is not always as dominant as suggested by the literature. The statistical analyses (chi-square test, Marascuilo procedure, and a binary logistic model) suggest that the propensity to self-identify as tourist is positively related to the distance traveled and first-visit status, and it is lower among visitors whose trip purpose was to visit friends or relatives. These findings on how travelers might feel about the role of distance in the definition of tourism could assist policy makers who use distance to define and measure tourism. The characterization of those who self-identify as tourists has important implications for CVBs and DMOs who wish to better address the negative connotation of the term “tourist” in their communication.