Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
12-1-1998
Abstract
This paper examines the criteria that males and females use to make tourism destination choices and whether such differences result in different destination preferences. Males and females may apply different criteria to make tourism destination choices. Respondents were asked to rank eight popular WA holiday destinations, using twelve attributes. Comparisons between males and females were conducted using t-tests, perceptual mapping and external preference analysis. Females rated each attribute consistently more important than males and, overall, consistently high. This finding is interpreted with reference to Meyers- Levy’s (1986) selectivity hypothesis and related to other research in the marketing context on information processing. It is recommended that marketers recognise that there are gender differences in information processing when designing tourism destination marketing campaigns.
Publication Details
Ryan, M., Henley, N. & Soutar, G. (1998) Gender differences in tourism destination choice: Implications for tourism marketers, Australian and New Zealand Marketing Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand. Available here