Long-Haul Tourist Preferences for Stopover Destination Visits

Abstract

International long-haul travel represents a distinct market segment with great potential. Yet, empirical studies on the stopover destination visits are limited. The current research is based on a web survey conducted among residents in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, which are three of the world’s top spenders and long-haul travel source markets. In this work, we examine tourist intentions to trade leisure time at a long-haul destination for a visit to a stopover destination. In particular, tourist preferences are analyzed as a function of traveler price sensitivity toward long-haul destinations, travel personality, activity engagement, motivation, travel profile, and demographic characteristics. Results provide insights into the under-researched topic of stopover tourism and guide aviation mega-cities toward an enhanced understanding of the potential demand.