Taking Dogs to Tourism Activities

Abstract

This research’s purpose is to examine the factors that affect pet owners’ decisions when taking pets to participate in tourism activities. Unlike tourist travelling alone, pet owners must consider their own circumstances as well as the constraints their pets place on them. To narrow the gap in the literature, 568 Taiwanese dog owners who have included their pets in tourism activities were recruited. The results from structural equation modeling show pet-associated constraints will negatively affect owners’ behavior. On the other hand, motivated owners who are attached to their pets will still include their pets in tourism activities if they have the needed negotiation strategy.