Nature-oriented tourist behavior among pleasure travelers to North America

This study focuses on identifying variables related to tourist participation in multiple nature-based activities while on a pleasure trip. U.K. long haul travelers to North America in 1989 and 1996 are compared. A Nature-based Activity Index was created to measure the extent to which tourists participate in selected nature-based activities while traveling. A regression model was developed and used to examine the relationship between the Index and vacation lifestyles, travel motivations, destination attributes, sociodemographics and trip characteristics of U.K. travelers.; The secondary data for this study were part of a series of Pleasure Travel Market Studies funded by the former Tourism Canada and the former U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration. Two samples drawn in 1989 and 1996 in Britain were used in this study. Personal in-home interviews were conducted in selected areas of Great Britain. Respondents were 18 years of age or older who had taken or planned to take a long haul vacation trip outside of central Europe. Only respondents who had visited mainland U.S. or Canada on their most recent trip were included in this study.; Major findings include: (1) household income, education and age were found to be positively related to the index of activities; (2) travelers who preferred an active vacation and traveled on a pleasure trip participated more in varied nature-based activities; (3) motivations such as seeking adventure, novelty, physical activity and social escape did not predict involvement in nature-based activities; (4) destination attributes such as secure and comfortable environment, along with the quality of lodging and restaurants available did not predict the extent of nature-based activity; and (5) compared to the travelers in the 1989 study, travelers in the 1996 study engaged in more nature-based activities even though their length of stay in country was shorter.; Conclusions based on these findings include: (1) the Nature-based Activity Index is a useful tool to segment travelers who engage in a diverse set of nature-based activities while on a trip; (2) sociodemographic variables are predictors of tourists' participation in varied nature-based activities, and are viable marketing variables which can be used by tourist destinations to identify their target markets; and (3) tourist's preferences for nature-based activities tend to change over time; therefore, destinations should adjust their nature-oriented products accordingly.