In today’s tourist markets, a declining average stay is observed in tourism length of stay. This trend goes hand in hand with an increasing frequency of trips throughout the year (Martinez-Garcia &Raya, 2008; Yang & Liu, 2003). The length of stay is one of the key elements in a tourist’s decision-making process (Bull 1995) and is of great importance for tourist destination. To point out the importance of length of stay for touristic destinations: the touristic product must adapt itself to the amount of time tourist have at a destination; shorter stays can cause greater administration costs for some companies and the promotional campaigns must be adjusted to the tourist’s decisions with regard to the time they spent at a destination (Ritchie & Crouch, 2003). Hence, the key question for tourism destinations is: What are the important factors that will determine the length of stay; How can I make them stay longer?
According to Alegre & Pou (2006) a holiday’s length, like the actual decision to spend the holiday at a certain destination, can be explained by two types of variables: first variables associated with personal and family characteristics and second economic variables such as level of income or the price of the holiday. Family and personal characteristics that can influence the length of stay can be the tourists age, gender, family status, number of children, nationality and level of education and profession. These characteristics can have a direct effect on the holidays length, for example that a couple with kids have limited time to go on holiday and can only go during the school holidays. However, variables like age and gender might have an indirect effect on the length of stay since they influence consumer’s preferences and help to define values and motivations.
When looking at the economic variables, according to economic theory, a rise in income with fixed relative prices should lead to an increase in the demand for tourist services. A rise in holiday price with fixed income should lead to a fall in demand (Berman & Kim, 1999).
In a research to determine what affects the length of stay in the tourism destination Madeira Island (Barros & Machado 2010) it is concluded that socio- economic characters like age, gender, education and nationality explain the length of stay. However Martinez- Garcia & Raya (2006) (who researched the length of stay of low-cost travellers to Spain) state that age, gender and reason for travel appear to have no significant effect on a holidays duration. On the other hand it states that variables like type of accommodation, tourist destination and level of education are aspects which further increase (or decrease) days stayed at a destination. Which explains the direct effect of economical variables which Alegre & Pou (2006) also mentioned.
When comparing both results it can be concluded that tourists behave similarly in different context relative to some characteristics (economic variables), but different to the role of some other variables (personal variables).
So when do tourist stay longer at a destination? To answer this question a conclusion should be that the differences in destinations analysed in the different studies and the different characteristics of their respective tourists generating markets will condition the differences observed in the specific results.
Destination managers should take into account that tourist time availability for travel, their country of origin, age and occupation as well as the type of destination can be relevant for the length of stay. What can also be considered is that the length may act as an adjustment variable, reduce it when prices are higher, the income is lower and the tourist has less time available for travel. Therefore, to attract tourists with longer stays, focus on those who are not time bound (elderly). But given that higher prices contribute to shorter stay, there seems to be a trade- off between higher prices (quality) and longer stays. Attracting higher income tourists may be a good strategy for this example.
References
Alegre, J. & Pou L.(2006), the length of stay in demand for tourism, Tourism Management 27 (2006) 1343–1355
Barros Pestena C.P. & Machado L.P. (2010) The length of stay in tourism. Annals of Tourism Research. 37 (3), 629-706
Berman, M. D., & Kim, H-J. (1999). Endogenous on-site time in the recreation demand model. Land Economics, 75(4), 603–619.
Bull, A. (1995). The economics of travel and tourism (2nd ed). Australia Longman
Martinez- Garcia, E., & Raya, J. M. (2008). The determinants of the length of stay in the Azores. Tourism Economics, 14, 2005-222
Ritchie, F.R.B., & Crouch, G.I. (2003) The competitive destination. Cambridge: CABI Publishing
Dear Lisa,
i agree on your ideas about duration can change nation to nation, age to age, income to income. However i dont think just long stays will contribute the economy and makes more money. For example, sport tourism, golf and ski tourism are very expensive and short term stay tourism and stakeholders in that destination get benefit from these type of tourism with short term stays more than long term stays.
In addition to these people who stays more in the destination, such as elderly people who are retired and have time to stay more, mostly stays in cheap season or in more affordable time periods. I dont think stay in winter time 2 months in Mediternean destination contributes to economy more than stay in 2 week in summer season.
I agree on other arguments of you, and i think its a verywell written essay.
Thank you so much for your comment. I agree with you that some types of tourism have the image that they are designed for a shorter stay, like your example of ski tourism. These kinds of tourism are relatively very expensive and a lot of people are not in the position to stay longer because of financial reasons. I wanted to point out that main characteristics of current tourism is the reduction in the length of stay at a destination and recieved little attention in literature. To combine two researches who both model the length of stay in a certain destination, I wanted to give insight in the variables that are important for the length of stay. Although these can differ in research there are some comparible factors which destinations can use in trying to increase the length of stay. Because at the end when a tourists stays longer at a destination they will reasonably spend more money. And lets face it with the new trend that people go on shorter holidays and increase the frequency of trips is proven to be one of the factors that will endanger the environment even more. (Paul Peeters 2010)
I agree with the argumentation of this article. It is well structure and it has good flow and proper citations however the conclusion seems a little weak, maybe because it is hard to go in depth in 500 words. The topic has different variables and it seems that there were clear in the essay. Good job.
I agree with the argumentation of this article. It is well structure and it has good flow and proper citations however the conclusion seems a little weak, maybe because it is hard to go in depth in 500 words. The topic has different variables and it seems that they were clear in the essay. Good job.