TOURIST BEHAVIOR IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS: THE ROLE OF SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
Keywords:
consumer behavior, tourism, decision-making, socio-demographic segments
Abstract
Understanding consumer behavior in the tourism sector is crucial for the success of tourism organizations and the development of effective marketing strategies. Examining how consumers make decisions regarding tourism products enables better understanding of their needs and preferences. The research aims to analyze consumer behavior during the decision-making process in tourism, specifically analyzing behavior across different socio-demographic segments. The empirical analysis was conducted on a sample of 237 respondents using primary data processed in the statistical software SPSS. The results indicate that consumer behavior related to researching and purchasing package holidays, visiting tourist destinations, and loyalty toward travel agencies differs across socio-demographic segments. These findings suggest that it is highly important for organizations in the tourism sector to recognize the specific behavioral patterns of different consumer segments and to adjust their marketing and business strategies accordingly.
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References
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Aziz, Y. A., Hussin, S. R., Nezakati, H., Raja Yusof, R. N., & Hashim, H. (2018). The effect of socio-demographic variables and travel characteristics on motivation of Muslim family tourists in Malaysia. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 9(2), 222–239. https://doi.org/10.1108/
jima-03-2016-0016
Birdir, S. S. (2015). Segmentation of tourist using demographic and travel characteristics: The case of Istanbul. International Review of Management and Marketing, 5(4), 221–229.
Cheng, W., Tian, R., & Chiu, D. K. (2024). Travel vlogs influencing tourist decisions: information preferences and gender differences. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 76(1), 86–103. https://doi.org/
10.1108/AJIM-05-2022-0261
Correia, A., Zins, A. H., & Silva, F. (2015). Why do tourists persist in visiting the same destination? Tourism Economics, 21(1), 205–221. https://doi.org/10.5367/te.2014.0443
De Cicco, R., Dini, M., Curina, I., Francioni, B., & Cioppi, M. (2024). The influence of socio-demographic factors on feelings of attachment, involvement, loyalty attitudes, and environmentally responsible behavior toward a cultural destination. Turistica-Italian Journal of Tourism, 32(1), 150–176. https://doi.org/10.70732/tijt.v32i1.18
Djeri, L., Božić, S., Stamenković, P., & Nagy, I. (2017). The influence of education level on choosing coastal regions as tourist destinations. Geographica Pannonica, 21(2), 96–105. https://doi.org/10.5937/
geopan1702096d
Dobre, C., Linca, A. C., Toma, E., & Iorga, A. (2024). Sustainable development of rural mountain tourism: Insights from consumer behavior and profiles. Sustainability, 16(21), 9449. https://doi.org/10.3390/
su16219449
Jensen, J. M. L. (2006). Segmenting European tourists by nationality: an investigation of visitors to attractions on the Danish island of Funen. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 6(3), 248–264. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250600812864
Kattiyapornpong, U., & Miller, K. E. (2009). Socio-demographic constraints to travel behavior. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 3(1), 81–94. https://doi.org/10.1108/
17506180910940360
Lee, G. T., Kang, S. H., Kim, Y. R., & Huh, C. (2025). Segmenting Luxury Tourists Using Income and Expenditure: A Typology and Determinants from International Visitor Data. Sustainability, 17(21), 9705. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219705
Li, X., Li, X. R., & Hudson, S. (2013). The application of generational theory to tourism consumer behavior: An American perspective. Tourism Management, 37, 147–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.tourman.2013.01.015
Lin, J. H., Lee, S. J., Yeh, C., Lee, W. H., & Wong, J. Y. (2014). Identifying gender differences in destination decision making. Journal of Tourism & Recreation, 1(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.12735/jotr.v1i1p01
Mihai, V. C., Dumitras, D. E., Oroian, C., Chiciudean, G. O., Arion, F. H., & Mureșan, I. C. (2023). Exploring the factors involved in tourists’ decision-making and determinants of length of stay. Administrative Sciences, 13(10), 215. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13100215
Moutinho, L. (1987). Consumer behaviour in tourism. European Journal of Marketing, 21(10), 5–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/
EUM0000000004718
Nicolau, J. L., Losada, N., Alen, E., & Dominguez, T. (2020). The staged nature of decision making among senior tourists. Journal of Travel Research, 59(4), 602–613. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287519851229
Nikitina, O., Vorontsova, G. (2015). Aging population and tourism: socially determined model of consumer behavior in the “senior tourism” segment. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 214, 845–851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.11.736
Nunnally, J. C., (1978). Introduction to psychological measurement. McGraw-Hill.
Rasoolimanesh, S. M., Khoo-Lattimore, C., Md Noor, S., Jaafar, M., & Konar, R. (2021). Tourist engagement and loyalty: gender matters? Current Issues in Tourism, 24(6), 871–885. https://doi.org/10.1080/
13683500.2020.1765321
Rodríguez-Pallas, Á., Sarabia-Molina, M. Y., Sánchez-Fernández, M. D., & Ramón-Cardona, J. (2024). Gender and age in the travel choice by Spanish travel agency consumers. Societies, 14(6), 90. https://doi.org/
10.3390/soc14060090
Rojo-Ramos, J., Vidal-Espinoza, R., Palacios-Cartagena, R. P., Galán-Arroyo, C., Manzano-Redondo, F., Gómez-Campos, R., & Adsuar, J. C. (2021). Adventure tourism in the Spanish population: sociodemographic analysis to improve sustainability. Sustainability, 13(4), 1706. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041706
Saltık, Z., & Akova, O. (2026). Who goes green? Demographic drivers of sustainable tourist behavior. Anatolia, 37(1), 82–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2025.2549932
Shuai, M., Liu, C., Ahmed, F., & Wang, R. (2022). Analysis on the change of tourists' leisure agricultural tourism behavior and the influence of individual intrinsic characteristics. Asia Pacific Management Review, 27(2), 115–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmrv.2021.06.001
Thrane, C., & Farstad, E. (2012). Nationality as a segmentation criterion in tourism research: The case of international tourists' expenditures while on trips in Norway. Tourism Economics, 18(1), 203–217. https://doi.org/10.5367/te.2012.0110
Tomić, S., Leković, K., & Tadić, J. (2019). Consumer behaviour: the influence of age and family structure on the choice of activities in a tourist destination. Economic research-Ekonomska istraživanja, 32(1), 755–771. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677x.2019.1579663
Published
2026-10-16
How to Cite
Šapić, S., Filipović, J., & Lazarević, J. (2026). TOURIST BEHAVIOR IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS: THE ROLE OF SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS. Tourism International Scientific Conference Vrnjačka Banja - TISC, 9(1), 106-116. https://doi.org/10.52370/TISC26106SS
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Articles
