Description
The purpose of the study is to examine young Australian tourists’ consumption values,
perceived beneficial image and tourist’s destination choice intention towards Mauritius as a tourism
destination
International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research
Examining a consumption values theory approach of young tourists toward destination choice intentions
Ian Phau Vanessa Quintal Tekle Shanka
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To cite this document:
Ian Phau Vanessa Quintal Tekle Shanka , (2014),"Examining a consumption values theory approach of young tourists toward
destination choice intentions", International J ournal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 8 Iss 2 pp. 125 - 139
Permanent link to this document:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJ CTHR-12-2012-0090
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Examining a consumption values theory
approach of young tourists toward
destination choice intentions
Ian Phau, Vanessa Quintal and Tekle Shanka
Ian Phau is a Professor,
Vanessa Quintal is a
Senior Lecturer and Tekle
Shanka is a Senior
Lecturer, all are based at
the Curtin University,
Perth, Australia.
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of the study is to examine young Australian tourists’ consumption values,
perceived bene?cial image and tourist’s destination choice intention towards Mauritius as a tourism
destination.
Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through an intercept method of Australian
consumers in a downtown shopping complex. A self-administered questionnaire was used; 408 usable
questionnaires were collected, and regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.
Findings – Only emotional/epistemic, social and functional values were found to signi?cantly in?uence
perceived bene?cial image of the tourism destination. Only social and conditional values were found to
signi?cantly in?uence destination choice intention.
Practical implications – Communication initiatives should focus on functional and conditional values
such as quality of infrastructure and personal safety bene?ts. Destination planners and marketers
should emphasize emotional values in their programs, as these values bond with potential young
Australian tourists.
Originality/value – This is the ?rst study where young Australian tourists’ perceived bene?cial image,
consumption values and intentions to visit Mauritius are investigated. It provides policy makers with
strategies to better promote Mauritius as a tourism destination.
Keywords Intention, Consumption values, Destination branding, Mauritius, Perceived bene?cial image
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
It is widely accepted by marketing researchers and practitioners that images of a vacation
destination play an important role in travel decision-making (Kim et al., 2012; Byon and
Zhang, 2010). Considering the results of studies to date, it was noted that most studies
have focused on the image attributes of a destination, but they have not addressed the
characteristics of destination images that affect decisions to visit particular places
(Jalilvand et al., 2012; Phau et al., 2010; Prayag and Ryan, 2012; Jenkins, 1999). This paper
expands on a study by Tapachai and Waryszak (2000), investigating the relationships
between consumption values, perceived bene?cial image and destination choice intention
of young Australians tourists who have never been to Mauritius. This study aims at utilizing
consumption values theory as an alternative framework to understand what destination
attributes tourists value most. It is important to understand the effects of consumption
values on perceived destination image, as it shapes the image and expectations of a tourist
destination, in this case the small island resort of Mauritius Lin and Huang, 2012; Perunjodi
and Prabha, 2012; Prayag and Ryan, 2012). In turn, it will impact on a tourist’s intention to
visit (Govers et al., 2007; Perunjodi and Prabha, 2012; Prayag and Ryan, 2012; Tapachai
and Waryszak, 2000).
Being one of the most lucrative industries, tourism has brought upon many countries an
upsurge of foreign exchange earnings and job creation. It was revealed by the World Travel
and Tourism Council’s (2011) latest economic impact report that tourism’s direct
Received 26 December 2012
Revised 4 June 2013
17 December 2013
Accepted 7 February 2014
DOI 10.1108/IJCTHR-12-2012-0090 VOL. 8 NO. 2 2014, pp. 125-139, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1750-6182 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY RESEARCH PAGE 125
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contribution to global GDP increased by 3.3 per cent in 2010 to US$1,770 billion. It was also
anticipated that there would be a further rise by 4.5 per cent to US$1,850 billion in 2011,
with the creation of another 3 million direct industry jobs (Ekanayake and Long, 2012). As
such, understanding the decision-making process of tourists is of great concern and
interest to marketers, especially when the tourism industry is becoming increasingly
competitive (Currie and Wesley, 2008). The need for tourist destinations to create a
distinctive image to differentiate themselves from their competitors is more critical than ever
before. This attributes to the growth of research in the concept of destination image, as it
has profound effects on tourists’ perceptions and decision-making of the ultimate choice of
travel destinations (Echtner and Ritchie, 1991). Since the earliest image studies (Hunt,
1975), destination image has been acknowledged as a critical success factor in the area
of tourism development, and has become the pivotal facet of destination marketing
strategies (Grosspietsch, 2005; Gallarza et al., 2001; Ferreira and Harmse, 2000; Prayag
and Ryan, 2012). This is further accentuated by tourism managers’ claims that image is a
crucial part of a consumer’s destination selection process (Baloglu and McCleary, 1999;
Stepchenkova and Morrison, 2006).
While destination marketers study these factors to detail an understanding of potential
tourists’ destination choice-related decisions, previous theoretical justi?cations for
destination choices are restricted in terms of predictive capabilities (Jalilvand et al., 2012;
Prayag and Ryan, 2012; Williams and Soutar, 2000). It is believed that the use of the
consumption values theory presents a way forward in marketing research of tourism
destinations (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). The theory states that destination choice can
be in?uenced by attributes such as functional, social, conditional, emotional and epistemic
values (Sheth et al., 1991; Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). While other studies examine
consumers in terms of single values, Ramkissoon et al. (2009) suggest that this approach
is problematic. Not only can single values be interpreted in multiple ways, but using higher
ranked values also may lead to measurement issues. Therefore, the authors suggest that
segmenting tourists by their value systems offers greater reliability and interpretability.
Scholars criticize that destination image is a concept which lacks a solid conceptual
structure (Fakeye and Crompton, 1991; Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000; Ryan and Cave,
2005), and that research is narrowly concentrated on only a few developed countries,
neglecting most emerging tourist destinations in developing countries (Sonmez and
Sirakaya, 2002; Prayag and Ryan, 2012). However, it is important to recognize what tourists
think about the destination and how this in?uences the marketing of small developing
nations as tourist destinations.
Mauritius, an island resort well known as a holiday destination for beach-resort tourists,
depends on tourism as one of the main pillars of the Mauritius economy. In 2007, 906,971
tourists visited the island and tourism receipts amounted to 40,687 million rupees
(approximately AUD 1.3 billion) (Central Statistics Of?ce, 2008). In 2012, this ?gure rose to
965,441 tourists and 42,717 million rupees (approximately AUD 1.4 billion) in tourist
receipts (Central Statistics Of?ce, 2012). In 2011, Mauritius received ?367,000 visitors
aged between 19–35 years and who stayed an average of 7.5 days on the island, with
approximately 30,000 of them being Australians (Central Statistics Of?ce, 2011). However,
in recent years, there has been a growing number of competing travel destinations, making
it increasingly important for Mauritius to ensure its competitiveness as a tourist destination.
The recent marketing efforts of the Government of Mauritius provide evidence that it is
important to create a destination brand for a small developing island to compete amongst
other international existing and emerging tourism destinations (Perunjodi and Prabha,
2012). Although Mauritius is widely accredited in destination image literature as having
successfully developed an appealing destination image (Klein, 2005; Gooroochurn and
Sinclair, 2005; Durbarry, 2004), few image studies to date have focused speci?cally on how
it can maintain success in its destination tourism development (Perunjodi and Prabha,
2012).
PAGE 126 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY RESEARCH VOL. 8 NO. 2 2014
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Research has also shown that literature is lacking in how travelers evaluate images of
destinations that they have not visited (Chon, 1990; Prebensen, 2007). Further, Australian
travelers are known to be constantly looking for new destinations which promise value for
money and new adventures (Truong and Foster, 2006). Yet no study has analysed the
image of Mauritius as a tourism destination from an Australian perspective, and this paper
aims to close this gap.
In addition, extant literature has proposed that the young international tourist market has
tremendous potential in generating high economic revenue (Bywater, 1993; Chhabra,
2010; Lewis et al., 2010). Young Generation Y tourists, often termed as the youth market,
were born between 1978 and 1994 (Kotler et al., 2006). Having reached an impressionable
age, these individuals are old enough to make their own travel decisions and are predicted
to be a signi?cant emerging market in the travel and tourism industry (Treloar et al., 2004).
In fact, Kim and Jogaratnam (2003) suggest that “the student segment constitutes a
signi?cant portion of revenues in the travel industry”. Young Australian tourists have been
found to perceive overseas travel to be more exotic and prestigious than domestic tourism
(Dolnicar, 2005; Tourism Research Australia, 2007). Further, the proliferation of budget
airlines, student tour packages and more ?exible modes of employment have facilitated the
growth in this tourist market (Richards and Wilson, 2012). This paper will examine young
Australian tourists’ perceived bene?cial image of Mauritius, their consumption values and
their intentions to visit Mauritius. This paper is organized into several sections beginning
with a discussion on extant literature and leading to the model and hypotheses
development. This is followed by a description of the research method. The discussion of
the ?ndings and analysis will next be presented. Finally, the managerial implications and
limitations of the study are discussed.
Theoretical framework and hypotheses development
Destination image
Baloglu and McCleary (1999) assert that:
[...] human behaviour is reliant upon image rather than objective reality, which suggests that the
world is a psychological or distorted representation of objective reality residing and existing in
the mind of the individual.
As per a systematic analysis by the World Tourism Organization, image is de?ned as “an
aura, an angel, and a subjective perception accompanying the various projections of the
same message transmitter” (Konecnik, 2004). Dichter (1985) viewed image as an overall or
total impression which is formed as a result of the evaluation of individual attributes which
may contain both cognitive and emotional content. On the other hand, Dobni and Zinkhan
(1990) revealed that image is to a great extent formed through consumers’ rational and
emotional interpretation of their perception. They also deduced that an image is in?uenced
by stimulus ingredients of the product as well as the characteristics of the perceiver all
together. Putting these ideas together, it is clear that the image of place is most in?uential
in consumers’ destination selection (Ramkissoon et al. 2009; Tasci and Gartner, 2007). It
can be depicted from the works of the numerous authors mentioned above that in one way
or the other, most of them mentioned associations or perceptions (i.e. impressions held;
imaginations and emotional thoughts; sum of beliefs, ideas or impressions; ideas or
conceptions held). Therefore, a basic foundation of these de?nitions is that destination
image is an impression that tourists create in their own minds through some sort of
compression and/or selection among multiple associations (Echtner and Ritchie, 1991).
There is a clear consensus that destination image is a multidimensional composite concept
of both cognitive and affective evaluations interlinked to form an overall impression
(Gartner, 1993; Tasci and Gartner, 2007). Building from the above, the tourism marketing
literature de?nes a destination’s image as a mental picture of a destination, the sum of
beliefs, ideas and impressions that people have of the place or destination (Byon and
Zhang, 2010; Fakeye and Crompton, 1991; Ramkissoon et al., 2009). Gartner (1993, 1996)
VOL. 8 NO. 2 2014 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY RESEARCH PAGE 127
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argued that destination images are developed by three hierarchically interrelated
components, namely, cognitive, affective and cognitive. Gallarza et al. (2001), on the other
hand, embraced the view that a destination image constitutes the favourable or
unfavourable opinions or perceptions that consumers have of a tourism product or
destination. Ramkissoon et al. (2009) reviewed ?70 studies on destination image in the top
three journals to conclude that there is no consensus of an overarching approach to
measure destination image. Although there is reliance towards quantitative methodologies,
there is a suggestion that a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods should be
used.
Consumption values theory
The theory of consumption values suggests that consumers attach different values to
different products, which will ultimately have an in?uence on purchase motivation
(Ramkissoon et al., 2009). It is also important to note that one consumer can attach multiple
interpretation to one “value” (Kamakura and Novak, 1992). It is important as such to
consider segmenting customers by value system instead of a single value to remove
measurement errors and enhance better and richer interpretation (Sheth et al., 1991).
Building on the above, Sheth et al. (1991) have argued that choice is in?uenced by ?ve
attributes, namely, functional, social, conditional, emotional and epistemic values.
Depending on the situation, these ?ve consumption values, which are derived from a
multiplicity of disciplines including social psychology, clinical psychology, sociology,
economics and experimental psychology, may in?uence a consumption experience (Lin
and Huang, 2012; Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). Further, Sheth et al. (1991) argued that
consumption value theory rests on three propositions:
1. that market choice is a function of multiple consumption values;
2. that these consumption values make differential contributions in any given choice
situation; and
3. that the values are independent.
The functional value is based on the assumption that a consumer is driven by an alternative
that performs the best on salient physical and utilitarian attributes or the alternative that
possesses the most of those attributes (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). For instance, a
tourist will choose Mauritius based on the functional values that it generates, such as exotic
food, historical site and quality of the infrastructure.
The social value of a destination relates to the association, and the willingness to please or
socially accept one or more speci?c social groups (i.e. demographic, socio-economic and
cultural ethnic). Thus, a tourist will choose the destinations associated with those groups to
which he or she belongs to, identi?es with or aspires to be in. For instance, Mauritius
comprises a multicultural society relatively similar to Australia, where different ethnic
groups mingle together. Therefore, a tourist will choose Mauritius because he/she feels a
social connection with the country.
The emotional value of a destination refers to its ability to arouse feelings or affective states.
An affective-based value plays a signi?cant role in many market choice situations (Sheth
et al., 1991). A tourist driven by this value will choose alternatives that are able to arouse the
desired feeling. For instance, Mauritius being an island with a carefree atmosphere can
awaken feelings of freedom and relaxation in a consumer. Therefore, the tourist will likely
visit Mauritius based on the emotional values attached to the country.
The epistemic value of a destination is its ability to arouse curiosity, provide novelty and/or
satisfy a desire for knowledge. Alternatives acquire epistemic value through the capacity to
provide something new or different. A tourist driven by epistemic values will choose
alternatives that are able to satisfy a desire for something new or different or fashionable.
For instance, a tourist might enjoy Mauritius because he/she wants to experience a new
PAGE 128 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY RESEARCH VOL. 8 NO. 2 2014
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and different place perhaps because the island offers unique experiences like bungee
jumping, white water rafting and big game ?shing.
The conditional value of a destination refers to a set of circumstances depending on the
situation, for instance Christmas and weddings. A tourist will choose the alternatives to
derive utility from its association with an antecedent situation. Conditional value focuses on
the extrinsic utility rather than intrinsic utility of alternatives. For instance, a tourist who has
been appalled by the Bali bombings might perceive Mauritius to provide conditional values
in terms of personal safety and good quality of life.
The theory of consumption values can identify the main value-adding elements in
destination choice or primary drivers/motivators for choosing a destination. This view is
supported by Yeonsoo et al. (2002), who assert that the consumption value theory
enables deeper explanations because it examines underlying reasons in the consumer
decision-making process. This can more easily be exploited for predictive purposes. For
example, a main driver for tourists in the process of choosing a holiday destination is the
relatively low price of the holiday package or accommodation. However, the motivator for
choosing the destination is the inherent epistemic facet of experiencing a new culture and
a tropical climate. Each value dimension is valuable information for destination marketers
for their strategic initiatives (Williams and Soutar, 2000). If the delivery and design of
tourism services are related to what customers value, marketing strategies will be
successful (McGuire, 1999). Therefore, there is a need to investigate the value dimensions
identi?ed in greater depth and to operationalize these dimensions so that the key
relationships that can better explain tourists’ choices and reactions can be established
(Yeonsoo et al., 2002).
Perceived bene?cial image
Perceived bene?cial image provides a theoretical foundation for the assessment of potential
tourists’ image of Mauritius prior to visitation. The bene?cial image is conceptualized as the
image characteristics of a destination that subsequently in?uence tourists’ decision to visit
particular vacation destinations (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). Perceived bene?cial
image is found to differ depending on the nature of the tourist destination. Leisen (2001)
examined US citizens’ perceptions of destination image of New Mexico and reported that
younger individuals-valued natural amenities, such as architecture, festivals and local
cuisine, were perceived more favourably. Conversely, Kim et al. (2012) suggested that
students placed higher emphasis on image attributes such as nightlife, shopping and
quality restaurants in their decisions to visit South Korea. Founded on the marketing image
concept and on the consumption values theory delineated above, Tapachai and Waryszak
(2000) formulated two propositions. These were:
1. potential tourists who are in the process of deciding on a destination would form their
images of the alternative destinations in their evoked set with respect to some or all of
these ?ve bene?cial characteristics or consumption values; and
2. these kinds of images will in?uence potential tourist’s vacation decisions to visit a
destination.
Based on the above propositions, a bene?cial image of a destination was developed and
conceptualized as “perceptions or impressions of a destination held by tourists with
respect to the expected bene?t or consumption values including functional, social,
emotional, epistemic, and conditional bene?ts of a destination” (Tapachai and Waryszak,
2000). As a result, the impressions and perceptions that consumers hold lead to their
decision to select a country as their vacation destination (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000).
As such it can be hypothesized that:
H1. Consumption values are a signi?cant predictor of perceived bene?cial image of a
tourist destination.
VOL. 8 NO. 2 2014 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY RESEARCH PAGE 129
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Destination choice and intention
To investigate this decision-making process leading to the choice of a travel destination,
the theory of planned behaviour is often used as a research framework to predict the
behavioural intention of choosing a destination (Jalilvand et al., 2012; Prayag, 2008). The
central paradigm of the theory of planned behaviour is that people are apt to carry out a
particular type of behaviour if they believe that such behaviour will lead to a speci?c
outcome that they value; that their important referents will value and approve of the
behaviour and that they have the necessary resources, abilities and opportunities to
perform such behaviours (Lam and Hsu, 2005; Ajzen, 1991). The theory of planned
behaviour postulates a set of relations among attitude, subjective norms, perceived
behavioural control and behavioural intention (Lam and Hsu, 2005; Lee, 2007). Behavioural
intention could be termed as an individual’s likely or planned future behaviour (Swan,
1981). It symbolizes the latter’s expectations about a particular behaviour in a given
circumstance and can be operationalized as the likelihood to act (Fishbein and Ajzen,
1975). Intention results in behaviour when there is an opportunity to act; therefore, if the
intention is measured correctly, it will impart the best predictor of behaviour (Fishbein and
Ajzen, 1975). Kim and Richardson (2003) have also found that destination image affects
tourism-related attitudes and behaviours through reinforcement of existing attitudes,
creation of new attitudes and the change of attitudes. Woomi and Soocheong (2008) have
also showed that perceived image of a particular destination can in?uence tourist attitude
towards tourist destination. In this study, behavioural intention is de?ned as a respondents’
anticipation of a future trip to Mauritius for vacation purposes.
The preceding discussion of consumption values, perceived bene?cial image and
destination choice intention (see Figure 1) has led to the following hypotheses:
H2. Perceived bene?cial image is a signi?cant predictor of destination choice intention.
H3. Consumption values is a signi?cant predictor of destination choice intention.
Methodology
Sample, data collection and survey instrument
The targeted usable sample was set at 400, as the number of respondents between 200
and 400 are generally accepted as the critical sample size for multiple regression and path
analysis as put forward by Sekaran (2003) and Hair et al. (1998a, 1998b) (cited in Baloglu
and McCleary, 1999).
Data were collected through an intercept method of Australian consumers in a downtown
shopping complex. Trained interviewees intercepted every ?fth shopper who crossed a
designated line to participate in the survey through a self-administered questionnaire. The
key screening question for the respondents to be used for analysis is for respondents who
have not been to Mauritius. To comply to the ethics policy as set out by the committee,
Figure 1 Proposed conceptual framework
Consumption
Values
Perceived
Destination
Image
Destination
Choice
Intention
H
1
H
2
H
3
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only respondents aged ?18 years were asked to complete the survey instrument.
Each respondent who agreed to participate in the survey was given a three-page
self-administered survey form which took about 10 minutes to complete.
The survey was composed of ?ve sections. Section A comprised a screening question to
ensure that the respondents have not been to Mauritius before. Section B comprised a
45-item consumption values scale (functional, social, epistemic, emotional and conditional
values) developed by Baloglu and McCleary (1999) and Tapachai and Waryszak (2000).
Section C comprised a 33-item measure for perceived image as a vacation destination
developed by Beerli and Martin (2004). Section D comprised a 3-item scale to measure
destination choice intention developed by Lam and Hsu (2005). Finally, the last section
records the demographic information of the respondents. Measures for Section B, C
and D were 7-point Likert scales. The focus group was also conducted which involved
ten members to identify attributes speci?c to Mauritius to minimize the problems of
misunderstanding and misinterpretation in regards to the ?nal questionnaire. All the key
items for the speci?c scales listed above are found in Tables II and III. The corresponding
coef?cients for alpha reliabilities are also stated in the tables.
Results and ?ndings
Demographic pro?le
A total of 408 usable samples were collected. The rejected survey forms were discarded
due to incompletion or if the respondents had been to Mauritius. Further, all non-Australian
respondents were excluded from the study. The demographic pro?le of the respondents
indicated that there were slightly more males (56.2 per cent) than females (43.8 per cent).
The sample constitutes 37.1 per cent of respondents aged ?21 years with a mean age of
23. The majority of respondents were undergraduates (71.4 per cent). Table I provides a
breakdown of the respondents’ demographic pro?le.
Preliminary tests
Exploratory factor analysis was undertaken on the three scales, namely:
1. “consumption values”;
2. “perceived destination image”; and
3. “destination choice intention”.
Principal component and varimax rotation procedures were utilized to identify orthogonal
factor dimensions. The latent root criterion of 1.0 was utilized for factor extraction, and
factor loadings of 0.40 were utilized for item inclusion (Hair et al., 1998a, 1998b; Nunnally,
1978).
Table I Demographic characteristics of respondents (N ? 388)
Demographic characteristics Number Per cent
Age
18 years or younger 144 37.1
22-24 years 121 31.2
25 years or older 123 31.7
Gender
Male 218 56.2
Female 170 43.8
Marital status
Single 260 67.0
Married/de facto/other 128 33.0
Education level
Undergraduate 277 71.4
Postgraduate 111 28.6
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A ?nal reduction in the number of items was undertaken by removing all items whose factor
loadings were ?0.30, those whose communality was ?0.40 and those which did not record
an item-to-total correlation of at least 0.50. These decision procedures and conceptual
modi?cations resulted in a 33-item instrument that measured the consumption values
construct (functional, social, emotional, epistemic and conditional), perceived bene?cial
image construct (relaxation and escape, and attractiveness of the destination) and ?nally
destination choice intention (likelihood, want and intention to visit Mauritius as a vacation
destination). Of the 46 items intended to measure the ?ve dimensions of consumption
values, only 15 were retained (as shown in Table II). The reason for discarding the other
items was because they had dual or triple loadings ?0.3 on more than one factor.
According to Coakes and Steed (2003), these items must be interpreted with care because
a simple structure is not evident.
Contrary to expectations, the items associated to emotional and epistemic values were
loaded on the same component. The reason being possibly that perceptions based on
epistemic value provided more emotional bene?ts rather than epistemic. For instance,
“experiencing new and different places” brought about more emotional advantages rather
than epistemic. Therefore, in this case, epistemic and emotional values were brought
together under one factor. It was dif?cult to isolate epistemic elements of value for this
consumption experience, and it was found that most responses ?tted neatly into the
emotional value dimension. The total four items explain 64.04 per cent of the total variance.
A factor analysis was conducted on the 33 perceived destination image items. As re?ected
in Table III, two factors that emerged are:
1. “relaxation and escape”; and
2. “attractiveness of the destination”, which explains 68.75 per cent of total variance.
Items that were double loading or with low factor loadings were eliminated. Both factors
recorded an acceptable range of reliability that is ?0.7 (Nunnally, 1978).
An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on destination choice intention. It was
revealed that destination choice intention is a unidimensional construct comprising three
items (eigenvalue ? 2.612, Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin ? 0.753, Bartlett’s sphericity ? 0.000). It is
noted that the scale is reliable with an acceptable Cronbach’s alpha of 0.925 (Nunnally,
1978).
Table II Factor analysis for consumption values
Factors Functional values Emotional and epistemic values Conditional values Social values
Proximity to my country 0.792
Tropical unspoiled countryside 0.749
Exotic food/varied gastronomy 0.748
Historical sites 0.664
Quality of infrastructure 0.569
Experiencing new/different places 0.833
Having fun, being entertained 0.776
Escaping from the routine 0.770
Relaxing physically and mentally 0.729
Friendliness of locals 0.747
Personal safety 0.734
Good value for money 0.706
Good quality of life 0.565
Developing close friendships 0.862
Meeting people with similar interests 0.848
Per cent variance 34.24 13.39 9.56 6.85
Cronbach ? 0.793 0.841 0.704 0.865
Eigenvalue 5.13 2.01 1.44 1.03
Notes: KMO ? 0.842; Bartlett’s Sphericity Sig ? 0.000; ? ? 0.857; Per cent Var ? 64.04
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Regression analyses
Multiple regressions were conducted between the factors of consumption values and
perceived destination image. Table IV re?ects the results. The results indicate that the
model is signi?cant with F-value of 36.65 and an adjusted R
2
of 0.27.
According to the t-values, emotional/epistemic (ß ? 0.247, p ? 0.001), social (ß ? 0.218,
p ? 0.001) and functional (ß ? 0.147, p ? 0.001) values have a signi?cant effect on overall
perceived bene?cial image. In contrast, conditional values (ß ? 095, p ? 0.058) have no
signi?cant effect on overall perceived bene?cial image. The conclusion that conditional
value is not a signi?cant predictor of destination image differs from well-acknowledged
literature and ?ndings (Fakeye and Crompton, 1991; Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). The
reason might be that perceptions based on conditional values are not considered very
important for Australian tourists. Therefore, H1 is partially supported.
Multiple regression was conducted between the two factors of “perceived destination
image” (namely, “relaxation and escape” and “attractiveness”) and “destination choice
intention”. The regression analysis results indicate that the model is signi?cant with F-value
of 63.3 and an adjusted R
2
of 0.243. “Attractiveness” of Mauritius as a vacation destination
alone signi?cantly contributes to destination choice intention (ß ? 0.456, p ? 0.001).
“Relaxation and escape”, on the other hand, appears to have no signi?cant effect on
destination choice intention (ß ? 0.071, p ? 0.178). However, the conclusion that
“relaxation and escape” is not a signi?cant predictor of destination choice intention does
not support ?ndings from literature (Baloglu and McCleary, 1999; Baloglu and Mangaloglu,
2001; Beerli and Martin, 2004). As such, H2 is partially supported. Table V re?ects the
results.
Multiple regressions were conducted between consumption values and destination choice
intention. The regression analysis results indicate that the model is signi?cant with F-value
of 12.8. The regression analysis results indicate that only social values (ß ? 0.240, p ?
0.001) and conditional values (ß ? 0.113, p ? 0.001) have signi?cant effects on the overall
Table III Factor analysis of perceived destination image
Factors
Relaxation and
escape
Attractiveness of
the destination
Escaping from routine 0.860
Get away from demands of everyday life 0.811
Relaxing and calm 0.807
Getting away from crowds 0.802
Cheap travel 0.796
Good value for money 0.795
Political stability 0.790
Economic development 0.781
Family orientated destination 0.690
Per cent variance 52.88 15.87
Cronbach ? 0.878 0.862
Eigenvalue 4.759 1.428
Notes: KMO ? 0.864; Bartlett’s Sphericity Sig ? 0.000; ? ? 0.862; Per cent Var ? 68.75
Table IV Regression of consumption values on perceived destination image
Beta t Signi?cance R
2
Ad R
2
F ratio
Emotional/epistemic values 0.247 4.777 0.000 0.278 0.270 36.65*
Conditional values 0.095 1.904 0.058
Social values 0.218 4.201 0.000
Functional values 0.147 2.826 0.005
Note: * p ? 0.001
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destination choice intention. The emotional/epistemic values (ß ? ?0.030, p ? 0.596) and
functional values (ß ? 0.097, p ? 0.095) are not signi?cant predictors. Table VI re?ects the
results. Therefore, H3 is partially supported.
Implications and recommendations
From a conceptual standpoint, this is the ?rst study to not only attempt to verify the
differences in perceptions of travelers but also to explain those differences by using the
consumption values theory. It is vital to understand different predictors other than functional
attributes, as social, conditional, emotional and epistemic values can also incite travelers to
choose a vacation destination. This addresses the gap that has been there between little
empirical research on the subject of consumption values theory and its application to
vacation destinations (Sheth et al., 1991). This study has also con?rmed previous theory
suggesting that consumption values are important antecedents of perceived bene?cial
image and destination choice intention (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000).
The descriptive data from the items of the consumption values elicit some interesting
implications. Mauritius seems to be rated very well for its functional values. Speci?cally,
policy makers should emphasize on the “quality of infrastructure” and “exotic food/varied
gastronomy” as good reasons for visiting Mauritius. At the same time, the message in the
communication programmes should make reference to the conditional values such as
“personal safety” and “good value for money”. This ?nding could stem from the fact that the
current disastrous events that have occurred around the world have created a sense of unease
among tourists. A tourist might be deterred from visiting a destination if there is a signi?cant
amount of perceived risk, and Mauritius is seen as a good alternative, especially when in
comparison to Bali, which could be perceived as a more dangerous vacation destination, given
the political unrest in recent years (Soeriaatmadja, 2005). This can have a signi?cant impact not
only in terms of drawing tourists to Mauritius but also in terms of positioning the destination as
a safe alternative. Destination managers should capitalize on this strength.
All scores of the items for emotional and epistemic values were exceptionally high,
re?ecting the importance tourists put on issues like having fun, escaping from routine,
relaxing and experiencing new and different places. These could be the important
attributes that tourists are seeking in vacation destinations; hence, Mauritius should continue to
be positioned as the land of paradise meeting those emotional and epistemic values. It is also
suggested that communication initiatives should depict Mauritius as a place where you can
develop close friendships and meet people with similar interests, while at the same time offer
newand novel experiences to the tourist. This study provides additional empirical evidence that
consumption values are strongly related to perceived bene?cial image of a destination prior to
Table V Regression of perceived destination image on destination choice intention
Beta t Signi?cance R
2
F ratio
Relaxation and escape 0.071 1.349 0.178 0.243 63.27*
Attractiveness 0.456 8.695 0.000
Note: * p ? 0.001
Table VI Regression of consumption values on destination choice intention
Beta t Signi?cance R
2
Ad R
2
F ratio
Emotional/Epistemic values ?0.030 ?0.531 0.596 0.113 0.104 12.18*
Conditional values 0.113 2.039 0.042
Social values 0.240 4.181 0.000
Functional values 0.097 1.674 0.095
Note: * P ? 0.001
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visitation. Building on the above, tourists perceived Mauritius as an attractive destination for its
cheap travel, political stability and family-oriented destination. Furthermore, the use of the
consumption values theory therefore enables future development in marketing research
because of its predictive capabilities. Based on the ?ndings, epistemic/emotional, social and
functional values in?uences tourists’ perceived destination image. It has also been revealed
that emotional and social values are the most important value categories in forming perceptions
of vacation destinations. Therefore, Mauritius destination marketing managers should continue
to explore and build on this perception by facilitating a better environment for tourists to interact
and also to ensure that there are fun and entertaining activities for tourists in Mauritius.
At the same time, more focus should be placed on these values in the communication
campaign or bearing in mind that the destination has to improve and develop to cater for
the tourists with those expectations and perceptions in mind to avoid disappointment.
Further, because emotional value is signi?cantly in?uencing the composite vacation
destination perception and destination choice intention, special attention should be given
to communicating how the vacation destinations provide emotional experiences, such as
the relaxation or fun and unique experiences that tourists can bring home.
It is, however, very interesting to note that items pertaining to relaxation and escape from
a busy lifestyle did not contribute to destination choice intention. Perhaps these are not
motives of Australian student travelers who may be more interested in participating in
speci?c activities such as sur?ng, hiking, meeting people of different cultures and
experiencing different cultures. Future studies could look into other segments of the market,
such as young professionals who are looking for a place to unwind.
The study demonstrated that consumption values play a signi?cant role in determining
intention to visit a vacation destination. It is important to destination marketers to
understand and identify the expectations prior to visiting a vacation destination. For
instance, if tourists prioritize personal safety as an important factor when choosing a
destination, marketers should promote the vacation destination as a safe place. Similarly,
based on the results of the study, marketers trying to promote Mauritius in Australia would
be attracted by communication initiatives that portray the building of new friendships or that
Mauritius is a safe place that is good value for money. In today’s economic and political
climate, these might be attractive opportunities to capitalize on.
The key to commercial success lies in understanding potential Australian tourists, their
lifestyles and attitudes, and in creating the product–service combinations that match their
expectations and needs. As the success of any vacation destination depends on tourist’s
willingness and intention to visit the destination, any effort made to provide accurate
information concerning the destination should be tailored to suit the needs and
expectations of those tourists. In the same vein, destination marketing organizations would
also need to be in tune with global events that may alter tourists’ consumption values.
Concluding comments
Important ?ndings that also resulted from this research demonstrated that different value
components in?uence perceived destination image and visitation intention in varying
degrees. The consumption values theory provide a platform to pinpoint exactly which value
items work, and which do not. These ?ndings can be readily transformed into marketing
strategies, with tourists’ perceptions generating direct contribution to destination branding,
promotional strategies and market segmentation. In this way, marketing strategies will
succeed if tourism services are designed and delivered in relation to what tourists value. In
summary, this study has provided a better understanding of constructs of consumption
values, perceived destination image and destination choice intention from the tourists’
perspective and how these concepts can be used to effectively market and visualize the
uniqueness of a vacation destination like Mauritius.
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There are, however, a number of limitations and directions worthy of future research. The
sample undertaken is limited to potential Australian tourists. However, replicating this study
across other countries or cultures could bring varying results. The lack of knowledge on the
heterogeneous Australian market warrants future research, as they are a fast and a
potentially growing market. In addition, the sample included predominantly young adults;
hence, other demographics can also be studied (e.g. the seniors) to improve the
generalisability of the ?ndings. Future studies could explore using a qualitative approach,
which could provide deeper and richer understanding of individuals.
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Corresponding author
Ian Phau can be contacted at [email protected]
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doc_850685790.pdf
The purpose of the study is to examine young Australian tourists’ consumption values,
perceived beneficial image and tourist’s destination choice intention towards Mauritius as a tourism
destination
International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research
Examining a consumption values theory approach of young tourists toward destination choice intentions
Ian Phau Vanessa Quintal Tekle Shanka
Article information:
To cite this document:
Ian Phau Vanessa Quintal Tekle Shanka , (2014),"Examining a consumption values theory approach of young tourists toward
destination choice intentions", International J ournal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 8 Iss 2 pp. 125 - 139
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Examining a consumption values theory
approach of young tourists toward
destination choice intentions
Ian Phau, Vanessa Quintal and Tekle Shanka
Ian Phau is a Professor,
Vanessa Quintal is a
Senior Lecturer and Tekle
Shanka is a Senior
Lecturer, all are based at
the Curtin University,
Perth, Australia.
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of the study is to examine young Australian tourists’ consumption values,
perceived bene?cial image and tourist’s destination choice intention towards Mauritius as a tourism
destination.
Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through an intercept method of Australian
consumers in a downtown shopping complex. A self-administered questionnaire was used; 408 usable
questionnaires were collected, and regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.
Findings – Only emotional/epistemic, social and functional values were found to signi?cantly in?uence
perceived bene?cial image of the tourism destination. Only social and conditional values were found to
signi?cantly in?uence destination choice intention.
Practical implications – Communication initiatives should focus on functional and conditional values
such as quality of infrastructure and personal safety bene?ts. Destination planners and marketers
should emphasize emotional values in their programs, as these values bond with potential young
Australian tourists.
Originality/value – This is the ?rst study where young Australian tourists’ perceived bene?cial image,
consumption values and intentions to visit Mauritius are investigated. It provides policy makers with
strategies to better promote Mauritius as a tourism destination.
Keywords Intention, Consumption values, Destination branding, Mauritius, Perceived bene?cial image
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
It is widely accepted by marketing researchers and practitioners that images of a vacation
destination play an important role in travel decision-making (Kim et al., 2012; Byon and
Zhang, 2010). Considering the results of studies to date, it was noted that most studies
have focused on the image attributes of a destination, but they have not addressed the
characteristics of destination images that affect decisions to visit particular places
(Jalilvand et al., 2012; Phau et al., 2010; Prayag and Ryan, 2012; Jenkins, 1999). This paper
expands on a study by Tapachai and Waryszak (2000), investigating the relationships
between consumption values, perceived bene?cial image and destination choice intention
of young Australians tourists who have never been to Mauritius. This study aims at utilizing
consumption values theory as an alternative framework to understand what destination
attributes tourists value most. It is important to understand the effects of consumption
values on perceived destination image, as it shapes the image and expectations of a tourist
destination, in this case the small island resort of Mauritius Lin and Huang, 2012; Perunjodi
and Prabha, 2012; Prayag and Ryan, 2012). In turn, it will impact on a tourist’s intention to
visit (Govers et al., 2007; Perunjodi and Prabha, 2012; Prayag and Ryan, 2012; Tapachai
and Waryszak, 2000).
Being one of the most lucrative industries, tourism has brought upon many countries an
upsurge of foreign exchange earnings and job creation. It was revealed by the World Travel
and Tourism Council’s (2011) latest economic impact report that tourism’s direct
Received 26 December 2012
Revised 4 June 2013
17 December 2013
Accepted 7 February 2014
DOI 10.1108/IJCTHR-12-2012-0090 VOL. 8 NO. 2 2014, pp. 125-139, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1750-6182 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY RESEARCH PAGE 125
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contribution to global GDP increased by 3.3 per cent in 2010 to US$1,770 billion. It was also
anticipated that there would be a further rise by 4.5 per cent to US$1,850 billion in 2011,
with the creation of another 3 million direct industry jobs (Ekanayake and Long, 2012). As
such, understanding the decision-making process of tourists is of great concern and
interest to marketers, especially when the tourism industry is becoming increasingly
competitive (Currie and Wesley, 2008). The need for tourist destinations to create a
distinctive image to differentiate themselves from their competitors is more critical than ever
before. This attributes to the growth of research in the concept of destination image, as it
has profound effects on tourists’ perceptions and decision-making of the ultimate choice of
travel destinations (Echtner and Ritchie, 1991). Since the earliest image studies (Hunt,
1975), destination image has been acknowledged as a critical success factor in the area
of tourism development, and has become the pivotal facet of destination marketing
strategies (Grosspietsch, 2005; Gallarza et al., 2001; Ferreira and Harmse, 2000; Prayag
and Ryan, 2012). This is further accentuated by tourism managers’ claims that image is a
crucial part of a consumer’s destination selection process (Baloglu and McCleary, 1999;
Stepchenkova and Morrison, 2006).
While destination marketers study these factors to detail an understanding of potential
tourists’ destination choice-related decisions, previous theoretical justi?cations for
destination choices are restricted in terms of predictive capabilities (Jalilvand et al., 2012;
Prayag and Ryan, 2012; Williams and Soutar, 2000). It is believed that the use of the
consumption values theory presents a way forward in marketing research of tourism
destinations (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). The theory states that destination choice can
be in?uenced by attributes such as functional, social, conditional, emotional and epistemic
values (Sheth et al., 1991; Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). While other studies examine
consumers in terms of single values, Ramkissoon et al. (2009) suggest that this approach
is problematic. Not only can single values be interpreted in multiple ways, but using higher
ranked values also may lead to measurement issues. Therefore, the authors suggest that
segmenting tourists by their value systems offers greater reliability and interpretability.
Scholars criticize that destination image is a concept which lacks a solid conceptual
structure (Fakeye and Crompton, 1991; Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000; Ryan and Cave,
2005), and that research is narrowly concentrated on only a few developed countries,
neglecting most emerging tourist destinations in developing countries (Sonmez and
Sirakaya, 2002; Prayag and Ryan, 2012). However, it is important to recognize what tourists
think about the destination and how this in?uences the marketing of small developing
nations as tourist destinations.
Mauritius, an island resort well known as a holiday destination for beach-resort tourists,
depends on tourism as one of the main pillars of the Mauritius economy. In 2007, 906,971
tourists visited the island and tourism receipts amounted to 40,687 million rupees
(approximately AUD 1.3 billion) (Central Statistics Of?ce, 2008). In 2012, this ?gure rose to
965,441 tourists and 42,717 million rupees (approximately AUD 1.4 billion) in tourist
receipts (Central Statistics Of?ce, 2012). In 2011, Mauritius received ?367,000 visitors
aged between 19–35 years and who stayed an average of 7.5 days on the island, with
approximately 30,000 of them being Australians (Central Statistics Of?ce, 2011). However,
in recent years, there has been a growing number of competing travel destinations, making
it increasingly important for Mauritius to ensure its competitiveness as a tourist destination.
The recent marketing efforts of the Government of Mauritius provide evidence that it is
important to create a destination brand for a small developing island to compete amongst
other international existing and emerging tourism destinations (Perunjodi and Prabha,
2012). Although Mauritius is widely accredited in destination image literature as having
successfully developed an appealing destination image (Klein, 2005; Gooroochurn and
Sinclair, 2005; Durbarry, 2004), few image studies to date have focused speci?cally on how
it can maintain success in its destination tourism development (Perunjodi and Prabha,
2012).
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Research has also shown that literature is lacking in how travelers evaluate images of
destinations that they have not visited (Chon, 1990; Prebensen, 2007). Further, Australian
travelers are known to be constantly looking for new destinations which promise value for
money and new adventures (Truong and Foster, 2006). Yet no study has analysed the
image of Mauritius as a tourism destination from an Australian perspective, and this paper
aims to close this gap.
In addition, extant literature has proposed that the young international tourist market has
tremendous potential in generating high economic revenue (Bywater, 1993; Chhabra,
2010; Lewis et al., 2010). Young Generation Y tourists, often termed as the youth market,
were born between 1978 and 1994 (Kotler et al., 2006). Having reached an impressionable
age, these individuals are old enough to make their own travel decisions and are predicted
to be a signi?cant emerging market in the travel and tourism industry (Treloar et al., 2004).
In fact, Kim and Jogaratnam (2003) suggest that “the student segment constitutes a
signi?cant portion of revenues in the travel industry”. Young Australian tourists have been
found to perceive overseas travel to be more exotic and prestigious than domestic tourism
(Dolnicar, 2005; Tourism Research Australia, 2007). Further, the proliferation of budget
airlines, student tour packages and more ?exible modes of employment have facilitated the
growth in this tourist market (Richards and Wilson, 2012). This paper will examine young
Australian tourists’ perceived bene?cial image of Mauritius, their consumption values and
their intentions to visit Mauritius. This paper is organized into several sections beginning
with a discussion on extant literature and leading to the model and hypotheses
development. This is followed by a description of the research method. The discussion of
the ?ndings and analysis will next be presented. Finally, the managerial implications and
limitations of the study are discussed.
Theoretical framework and hypotheses development
Destination image
Baloglu and McCleary (1999) assert that:
[...] human behaviour is reliant upon image rather than objective reality, which suggests that the
world is a psychological or distorted representation of objective reality residing and existing in
the mind of the individual.
As per a systematic analysis by the World Tourism Organization, image is de?ned as “an
aura, an angel, and a subjective perception accompanying the various projections of the
same message transmitter” (Konecnik, 2004). Dichter (1985) viewed image as an overall or
total impression which is formed as a result of the evaluation of individual attributes which
may contain both cognitive and emotional content. On the other hand, Dobni and Zinkhan
(1990) revealed that image is to a great extent formed through consumers’ rational and
emotional interpretation of their perception. They also deduced that an image is in?uenced
by stimulus ingredients of the product as well as the characteristics of the perceiver all
together. Putting these ideas together, it is clear that the image of place is most in?uential
in consumers’ destination selection (Ramkissoon et al. 2009; Tasci and Gartner, 2007). It
can be depicted from the works of the numerous authors mentioned above that in one way
or the other, most of them mentioned associations or perceptions (i.e. impressions held;
imaginations and emotional thoughts; sum of beliefs, ideas or impressions; ideas or
conceptions held). Therefore, a basic foundation of these de?nitions is that destination
image is an impression that tourists create in their own minds through some sort of
compression and/or selection among multiple associations (Echtner and Ritchie, 1991).
There is a clear consensus that destination image is a multidimensional composite concept
of both cognitive and affective evaluations interlinked to form an overall impression
(Gartner, 1993; Tasci and Gartner, 2007). Building from the above, the tourism marketing
literature de?nes a destination’s image as a mental picture of a destination, the sum of
beliefs, ideas and impressions that people have of the place or destination (Byon and
Zhang, 2010; Fakeye and Crompton, 1991; Ramkissoon et al., 2009). Gartner (1993, 1996)
VOL. 8 NO. 2 2014 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY RESEARCH PAGE 127
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argued that destination images are developed by three hierarchically interrelated
components, namely, cognitive, affective and cognitive. Gallarza et al. (2001), on the other
hand, embraced the view that a destination image constitutes the favourable or
unfavourable opinions or perceptions that consumers have of a tourism product or
destination. Ramkissoon et al. (2009) reviewed ?70 studies on destination image in the top
three journals to conclude that there is no consensus of an overarching approach to
measure destination image. Although there is reliance towards quantitative methodologies,
there is a suggestion that a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods should be
used.
Consumption values theory
The theory of consumption values suggests that consumers attach different values to
different products, which will ultimately have an in?uence on purchase motivation
(Ramkissoon et al., 2009). It is also important to note that one consumer can attach multiple
interpretation to one “value” (Kamakura and Novak, 1992). It is important as such to
consider segmenting customers by value system instead of a single value to remove
measurement errors and enhance better and richer interpretation (Sheth et al., 1991).
Building on the above, Sheth et al. (1991) have argued that choice is in?uenced by ?ve
attributes, namely, functional, social, conditional, emotional and epistemic values.
Depending on the situation, these ?ve consumption values, which are derived from a
multiplicity of disciplines including social psychology, clinical psychology, sociology,
economics and experimental psychology, may in?uence a consumption experience (Lin
and Huang, 2012; Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). Further, Sheth et al. (1991) argued that
consumption value theory rests on three propositions:
1. that market choice is a function of multiple consumption values;
2. that these consumption values make differential contributions in any given choice
situation; and
3. that the values are independent.
The functional value is based on the assumption that a consumer is driven by an alternative
that performs the best on salient physical and utilitarian attributes or the alternative that
possesses the most of those attributes (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). For instance, a
tourist will choose Mauritius based on the functional values that it generates, such as exotic
food, historical site and quality of the infrastructure.
The social value of a destination relates to the association, and the willingness to please or
socially accept one or more speci?c social groups (i.e. demographic, socio-economic and
cultural ethnic). Thus, a tourist will choose the destinations associated with those groups to
which he or she belongs to, identi?es with or aspires to be in. For instance, Mauritius
comprises a multicultural society relatively similar to Australia, where different ethnic
groups mingle together. Therefore, a tourist will choose Mauritius because he/she feels a
social connection with the country.
The emotional value of a destination refers to its ability to arouse feelings or affective states.
An affective-based value plays a signi?cant role in many market choice situations (Sheth
et al., 1991). A tourist driven by this value will choose alternatives that are able to arouse the
desired feeling. For instance, Mauritius being an island with a carefree atmosphere can
awaken feelings of freedom and relaxation in a consumer. Therefore, the tourist will likely
visit Mauritius based on the emotional values attached to the country.
The epistemic value of a destination is its ability to arouse curiosity, provide novelty and/or
satisfy a desire for knowledge. Alternatives acquire epistemic value through the capacity to
provide something new or different. A tourist driven by epistemic values will choose
alternatives that are able to satisfy a desire for something new or different or fashionable.
For instance, a tourist might enjoy Mauritius because he/she wants to experience a new
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and different place perhaps because the island offers unique experiences like bungee
jumping, white water rafting and big game ?shing.
The conditional value of a destination refers to a set of circumstances depending on the
situation, for instance Christmas and weddings. A tourist will choose the alternatives to
derive utility from its association with an antecedent situation. Conditional value focuses on
the extrinsic utility rather than intrinsic utility of alternatives. For instance, a tourist who has
been appalled by the Bali bombings might perceive Mauritius to provide conditional values
in terms of personal safety and good quality of life.
The theory of consumption values can identify the main value-adding elements in
destination choice or primary drivers/motivators for choosing a destination. This view is
supported by Yeonsoo et al. (2002), who assert that the consumption value theory
enables deeper explanations because it examines underlying reasons in the consumer
decision-making process. This can more easily be exploited for predictive purposes. For
example, a main driver for tourists in the process of choosing a holiday destination is the
relatively low price of the holiday package or accommodation. However, the motivator for
choosing the destination is the inherent epistemic facet of experiencing a new culture and
a tropical climate. Each value dimension is valuable information for destination marketers
for their strategic initiatives (Williams and Soutar, 2000). If the delivery and design of
tourism services are related to what customers value, marketing strategies will be
successful (McGuire, 1999). Therefore, there is a need to investigate the value dimensions
identi?ed in greater depth and to operationalize these dimensions so that the key
relationships that can better explain tourists’ choices and reactions can be established
(Yeonsoo et al., 2002).
Perceived bene?cial image
Perceived bene?cial image provides a theoretical foundation for the assessment of potential
tourists’ image of Mauritius prior to visitation. The bene?cial image is conceptualized as the
image characteristics of a destination that subsequently in?uence tourists’ decision to visit
particular vacation destinations (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). Perceived bene?cial
image is found to differ depending on the nature of the tourist destination. Leisen (2001)
examined US citizens’ perceptions of destination image of New Mexico and reported that
younger individuals-valued natural amenities, such as architecture, festivals and local
cuisine, were perceived more favourably. Conversely, Kim et al. (2012) suggested that
students placed higher emphasis on image attributes such as nightlife, shopping and
quality restaurants in their decisions to visit South Korea. Founded on the marketing image
concept and on the consumption values theory delineated above, Tapachai and Waryszak
(2000) formulated two propositions. These were:
1. potential tourists who are in the process of deciding on a destination would form their
images of the alternative destinations in their evoked set with respect to some or all of
these ?ve bene?cial characteristics or consumption values; and
2. these kinds of images will in?uence potential tourist’s vacation decisions to visit a
destination.
Based on the above propositions, a bene?cial image of a destination was developed and
conceptualized as “perceptions or impressions of a destination held by tourists with
respect to the expected bene?t or consumption values including functional, social,
emotional, epistemic, and conditional bene?ts of a destination” (Tapachai and Waryszak,
2000). As a result, the impressions and perceptions that consumers hold lead to their
decision to select a country as their vacation destination (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000).
As such it can be hypothesized that:
H1. Consumption values are a signi?cant predictor of perceived bene?cial image of a
tourist destination.
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Destination choice and intention
To investigate this decision-making process leading to the choice of a travel destination,
the theory of planned behaviour is often used as a research framework to predict the
behavioural intention of choosing a destination (Jalilvand et al., 2012; Prayag, 2008). The
central paradigm of the theory of planned behaviour is that people are apt to carry out a
particular type of behaviour if they believe that such behaviour will lead to a speci?c
outcome that they value; that their important referents will value and approve of the
behaviour and that they have the necessary resources, abilities and opportunities to
perform such behaviours (Lam and Hsu, 2005; Ajzen, 1991). The theory of planned
behaviour postulates a set of relations among attitude, subjective norms, perceived
behavioural control and behavioural intention (Lam and Hsu, 2005; Lee, 2007). Behavioural
intention could be termed as an individual’s likely or planned future behaviour (Swan,
1981). It symbolizes the latter’s expectations about a particular behaviour in a given
circumstance and can be operationalized as the likelihood to act (Fishbein and Ajzen,
1975). Intention results in behaviour when there is an opportunity to act; therefore, if the
intention is measured correctly, it will impart the best predictor of behaviour (Fishbein and
Ajzen, 1975). Kim and Richardson (2003) have also found that destination image affects
tourism-related attitudes and behaviours through reinforcement of existing attitudes,
creation of new attitudes and the change of attitudes. Woomi and Soocheong (2008) have
also showed that perceived image of a particular destination can in?uence tourist attitude
towards tourist destination. In this study, behavioural intention is de?ned as a respondents’
anticipation of a future trip to Mauritius for vacation purposes.
The preceding discussion of consumption values, perceived bene?cial image and
destination choice intention (see Figure 1) has led to the following hypotheses:
H2. Perceived bene?cial image is a signi?cant predictor of destination choice intention.
H3. Consumption values is a signi?cant predictor of destination choice intention.
Methodology
Sample, data collection and survey instrument
The targeted usable sample was set at 400, as the number of respondents between 200
and 400 are generally accepted as the critical sample size for multiple regression and path
analysis as put forward by Sekaran (2003) and Hair et al. (1998a, 1998b) (cited in Baloglu
and McCleary, 1999).
Data were collected through an intercept method of Australian consumers in a downtown
shopping complex. Trained interviewees intercepted every ?fth shopper who crossed a
designated line to participate in the survey through a self-administered questionnaire. The
key screening question for the respondents to be used for analysis is for respondents who
have not been to Mauritius. To comply to the ethics policy as set out by the committee,
Figure 1 Proposed conceptual framework
Consumption
Values
Perceived
Destination
Image
Destination
Choice
Intention
H
1
H
2
H
3
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only respondents aged ?18 years were asked to complete the survey instrument.
Each respondent who agreed to participate in the survey was given a three-page
self-administered survey form which took about 10 minutes to complete.
The survey was composed of ?ve sections. Section A comprised a screening question to
ensure that the respondents have not been to Mauritius before. Section B comprised a
45-item consumption values scale (functional, social, epistemic, emotional and conditional
values) developed by Baloglu and McCleary (1999) and Tapachai and Waryszak (2000).
Section C comprised a 33-item measure for perceived image as a vacation destination
developed by Beerli and Martin (2004). Section D comprised a 3-item scale to measure
destination choice intention developed by Lam and Hsu (2005). Finally, the last section
records the demographic information of the respondents. Measures for Section B, C
and D were 7-point Likert scales. The focus group was also conducted which involved
ten members to identify attributes speci?c to Mauritius to minimize the problems of
misunderstanding and misinterpretation in regards to the ?nal questionnaire. All the key
items for the speci?c scales listed above are found in Tables II and III. The corresponding
coef?cients for alpha reliabilities are also stated in the tables.
Results and ?ndings
Demographic pro?le
A total of 408 usable samples were collected. The rejected survey forms were discarded
due to incompletion or if the respondents had been to Mauritius. Further, all non-Australian
respondents were excluded from the study. The demographic pro?le of the respondents
indicated that there were slightly more males (56.2 per cent) than females (43.8 per cent).
The sample constitutes 37.1 per cent of respondents aged ?21 years with a mean age of
23. The majority of respondents were undergraduates (71.4 per cent). Table I provides a
breakdown of the respondents’ demographic pro?le.
Preliminary tests
Exploratory factor analysis was undertaken on the three scales, namely:
1. “consumption values”;
2. “perceived destination image”; and
3. “destination choice intention”.
Principal component and varimax rotation procedures were utilized to identify orthogonal
factor dimensions. The latent root criterion of 1.0 was utilized for factor extraction, and
factor loadings of 0.40 were utilized for item inclusion (Hair et al., 1998a, 1998b; Nunnally,
1978).
Table I Demographic characteristics of respondents (N ? 388)
Demographic characteristics Number Per cent
Age
18 years or younger 144 37.1
22-24 years 121 31.2
25 years or older 123 31.7
Gender
Male 218 56.2
Female 170 43.8
Marital status
Single 260 67.0
Married/de facto/other 128 33.0
Education level
Undergraduate 277 71.4
Postgraduate 111 28.6
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A ?nal reduction in the number of items was undertaken by removing all items whose factor
loadings were ?0.30, those whose communality was ?0.40 and those which did not record
an item-to-total correlation of at least 0.50. These decision procedures and conceptual
modi?cations resulted in a 33-item instrument that measured the consumption values
construct (functional, social, emotional, epistemic and conditional), perceived bene?cial
image construct (relaxation and escape, and attractiveness of the destination) and ?nally
destination choice intention (likelihood, want and intention to visit Mauritius as a vacation
destination). Of the 46 items intended to measure the ?ve dimensions of consumption
values, only 15 were retained (as shown in Table II). The reason for discarding the other
items was because they had dual or triple loadings ?0.3 on more than one factor.
According to Coakes and Steed (2003), these items must be interpreted with care because
a simple structure is not evident.
Contrary to expectations, the items associated to emotional and epistemic values were
loaded on the same component. The reason being possibly that perceptions based on
epistemic value provided more emotional bene?ts rather than epistemic. For instance,
“experiencing new and different places” brought about more emotional advantages rather
than epistemic. Therefore, in this case, epistemic and emotional values were brought
together under one factor. It was dif?cult to isolate epistemic elements of value for this
consumption experience, and it was found that most responses ?tted neatly into the
emotional value dimension. The total four items explain 64.04 per cent of the total variance.
A factor analysis was conducted on the 33 perceived destination image items. As re?ected
in Table III, two factors that emerged are:
1. “relaxation and escape”; and
2. “attractiveness of the destination”, which explains 68.75 per cent of total variance.
Items that were double loading or with low factor loadings were eliminated. Both factors
recorded an acceptable range of reliability that is ?0.7 (Nunnally, 1978).
An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on destination choice intention. It was
revealed that destination choice intention is a unidimensional construct comprising three
items (eigenvalue ? 2.612, Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin ? 0.753, Bartlett’s sphericity ? 0.000). It is
noted that the scale is reliable with an acceptable Cronbach’s alpha of 0.925 (Nunnally,
1978).
Table II Factor analysis for consumption values
Factors Functional values Emotional and epistemic values Conditional values Social values
Proximity to my country 0.792
Tropical unspoiled countryside 0.749
Exotic food/varied gastronomy 0.748
Historical sites 0.664
Quality of infrastructure 0.569
Experiencing new/different places 0.833
Having fun, being entertained 0.776
Escaping from the routine 0.770
Relaxing physically and mentally 0.729
Friendliness of locals 0.747
Personal safety 0.734
Good value for money 0.706
Good quality of life 0.565
Developing close friendships 0.862
Meeting people with similar interests 0.848
Per cent variance 34.24 13.39 9.56 6.85
Cronbach ? 0.793 0.841 0.704 0.865
Eigenvalue 5.13 2.01 1.44 1.03
Notes: KMO ? 0.842; Bartlett’s Sphericity Sig ? 0.000; ? ? 0.857; Per cent Var ? 64.04
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Regression analyses
Multiple regressions were conducted between the factors of consumption values and
perceived destination image. Table IV re?ects the results. The results indicate that the
model is signi?cant with F-value of 36.65 and an adjusted R
2
of 0.27.
According to the t-values, emotional/epistemic (ß ? 0.247, p ? 0.001), social (ß ? 0.218,
p ? 0.001) and functional (ß ? 0.147, p ? 0.001) values have a signi?cant effect on overall
perceived bene?cial image. In contrast, conditional values (ß ? 095, p ? 0.058) have no
signi?cant effect on overall perceived bene?cial image. The conclusion that conditional
value is not a signi?cant predictor of destination image differs from well-acknowledged
literature and ?ndings (Fakeye and Crompton, 1991; Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000). The
reason might be that perceptions based on conditional values are not considered very
important for Australian tourists. Therefore, H1 is partially supported.
Multiple regression was conducted between the two factors of “perceived destination
image” (namely, “relaxation and escape” and “attractiveness”) and “destination choice
intention”. The regression analysis results indicate that the model is signi?cant with F-value
of 63.3 and an adjusted R
2
of 0.243. “Attractiveness” of Mauritius as a vacation destination
alone signi?cantly contributes to destination choice intention (ß ? 0.456, p ? 0.001).
“Relaxation and escape”, on the other hand, appears to have no signi?cant effect on
destination choice intention (ß ? 0.071, p ? 0.178). However, the conclusion that
“relaxation and escape” is not a signi?cant predictor of destination choice intention does
not support ?ndings from literature (Baloglu and McCleary, 1999; Baloglu and Mangaloglu,
2001; Beerli and Martin, 2004). As such, H2 is partially supported. Table V re?ects the
results.
Multiple regressions were conducted between consumption values and destination choice
intention. The regression analysis results indicate that the model is signi?cant with F-value
of 12.8. The regression analysis results indicate that only social values (ß ? 0.240, p ?
0.001) and conditional values (ß ? 0.113, p ? 0.001) have signi?cant effects on the overall
Table III Factor analysis of perceived destination image
Factors
Relaxation and
escape
Attractiveness of
the destination
Escaping from routine 0.860
Get away from demands of everyday life 0.811
Relaxing and calm 0.807
Getting away from crowds 0.802
Cheap travel 0.796
Good value for money 0.795
Political stability 0.790
Economic development 0.781
Family orientated destination 0.690
Per cent variance 52.88 15.87
Cronbach ? 0.878 0.862
Eigenvalue 4.759 1.428
Notes: KMO ? 0.864; Bartlett’s Sphericity Sig ? 0.000; ? ? 0.862; Per cent Var ? 68.75
Table IV Regression of consumption values on perceived destination image
Beta t Signi?cance R
2
Ad R
2
F ratio
Emotional/epistemic values 0.247 4.777 0.000 0.278 0.270 36.65*
Conditional values 0.095 1.904 0.058
Social values 0.218 4.201 0.000
Functional values 0.147 2.826 0.005
Note: * p ? 0.001
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destination choice intention. The emotional/epistemic values (ß ? ?0.030, p ? 0.596) and
functional values (ß ? 0.097, p ? 0.095) are not signi?cant predictors. Table VI re?ects the
results. Therefore, H3 is partially supported.
Implications and recommendations
From a conceptual standpoint, this is the ?rst study to not only attempt to verify the
differences in perceptions of travelers but also to explain those differences by using the
consumption values theory. It is vital to understand different predictors other than functional
attributes, as social, conditional, emotional and epistemic values can also incite travelers to
choose a vacation destination. This addresses the gap that has been there between little
empirical research on the subject of consumption values theory and its application to
vacation destinations (Sheth et al., 1991). This study has also con?rmed previous theory
suggesting that consumption values are important antecedents of perceived bene?cial
image and destination choice intention (Tapachai and Waryszak, 2000).
The descriptive data from the items of the consumption values elicit some interesting
implications. Mauritius seems to be rated very well for its functional values. Speci?cally,
policy makers should emphasize on the “quality of infrastructure” and “exotic food/varied
gastronomy” as good reasons for visiting Mauritius. At the same time, the message in the
communication programmes should make reference to the conditional values such as
“personal safety” and “good value for money”. This ?nding could stem from the fact that the
current disastrous events that have occurred around the world have created a sense of unease
among tourists. A tourist might be deterred from visiting a destination if there is a signi?cant
amount of perceived risk, and Mauritius is seen as a good alternative, especially when in
comparison to Bali, which could be perceived as a more dangerous vacation destination, given
the political unrest in recent years (Soeriaatmadja, 2005). This can have a signi?cant impact not
only in terms of drawing tourists to Mauritius but also in terms of positioning the destination as
a safe alternative. Destination managers should capitalize on this strength.
All scores of the items for emotional and epistemic values were exceptionally high,
re?ecting the importance tourists put on issues like having fun, escaping from routine,
relaxing and experiencing new and different places. These could be the important
attributes that tourists are seeking in vacation destinations; hence, Mauritius should continue to
be positioned as the land of paradise meeting those emotional and epistemic values. It is also
suggested that communication initiatives should depict Mauritius as a place where you can
develop close friendships and meet people with similar interests, while at the same time offer
newand novel experiences to the tourist. This study provides additional empirical evidence that
consumption values are strongly related to perceived bene?cial image of a destination prior to
Table V Regression of perceived destination image on destination choice intention
Beta t Signi?cance R
2
F ratio
Relaxation and escape 0.071 1.349 0.178 0.243 63.27*
Attractiveness 0.456 8.695 0.000
Note: * p ? 0.001
Table VI Regression of consumption values on destination choice intention
Beta t Signi?cance R
2
Ad R
2
F ratio
Emotional/Epistemic values ?0.030 ?0.531 0.596 0.113 0.104 12.18*
Conditional values 0.113 2.039 0.042
Social values 0.240 4.181 0.000
Functional values 0.097 1.674 0.095
Note: * P ? 0.001
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visitation. Building on the above, tourists perceived Mauritius as an attractive destination for its
cheap travel, political stability and family-oriented destination. Furthermore, the use of the
consumption values theory therefore enables future development in marketing research
because of its predictive capabilities. Based on the ?ndings, epistemic/emotional, social and
functional values in?uences tourists’ perceived destination image. It has also been revealed
that emotional and social values are the most important value categories in forming perceptions
of vacation destinations. Therefore, Mauritius destination marketing managers should continue
to explore and build on this perception by facilitating a better environment for tourists to interact
and also to ensure that there are fun and entertaining activities for tourists in Mauritius.
At the same time, more focus should be placed on these values in the communication
campaign or bearing in mind that the destination has to improve and develop to cater for
the tourists with those expectations and perceptions in mind to avoid disappointment.
Further, because emotional value is signi?cantly in?uencing the composite vacation
destination perception and destination choice intention, special attention should be given
to communicating how the vacation destinations provide emotional experiences, such as
the relaxation or fun and unique experiences that tourists can bring home.
It is, however, very interesting to note that items pertaining to relaxation and escape from
a busy lifestyle did not contribute to destination choice intention. Perhaps these are not
motives of Australian student travelers who may be more interested in participating in
speci?c activities such as sur?ng, hiking, meeting people of different cultures and
experiencing different cultures. Future studies could look into other segments of the market,
such as young professionals who are looking for a place to unwind.
The study demonstrated that consumption values play a signi?cant role in determining
intention to visit a vacation destination. It is important to destination marketers to
understand and identify the expectations prior to visiting a vacation destination. For
instance, if tourists prioritize personal safety as an important factor when choosing a
destination, marketers should promote the vacation destination as a safe place. Similarly,
based on the results of the study, marketers trying to promote Mauritius in Australia would
be attracted by communication initiatives that portray the building of new friendships or that
Mauritius is a safe place that is good value for money. In today’s economic and political
climate, these might be attractive opportunities to capitalize on.
The key to commercial success lies in understanding potential Australian tourists, their
lifestyles and attitudes, and in creating the product–service combinations that match their
expectations and needs. As the success of any vacation destination depends on tourist’s
willingness and intention to visit the destination, any effort made to provide accurate
information concerning the destination should be tailored to suit the needs and
expectations of those tourists. In the same vein, destination marketing organizations would
also need to be in tune with global events that may alter tourists’ consumption values.
Concluding comments
Important ?ndings that also resulted from this research demonstrated that different value
components in?uence perceived destination image and visitation intention in varying
degrees. The consumption values theory provide a platform to pinpoint exactly which value
items work, and which do not. These ?ndings can be readily transformed into marketing
strategies, with tourists’ perceptions generating direct contribution to destination branding,
promotional strategies and market segmentation. In this way, marketing strategies will
succeed if tourism services are designed and delivered in relation to what tourists value. In
summary, this study has provided a better understanding of constructs of consumption
values, perceived destination image and destination choice intention from the tourists’
perspective and how these concepts can be used to effectively market and visualize the
uniqueness of a vacation destination like Mauritius.
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There are, however, a number of limitations and directions worthy of future research. The
sample undertaken is limited to potential Australian tourists. However, replicating this study
across other countries or cultures could bring varying results. The lack of knowledge on the
heterogeneous Australian market warrants future research, as they are a fast and a
potentially growing market. In addition, the sample included predominantly young adults;
hence, other demographics can also be studied (e.g. the seniors) to improve the
generalisability of the ?ndings. Future studies could explore using a qualitative approach,
which could provide deeper and richer understanding of individuals.
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Corresponding author
Ian Phau can be contacted at [email protected]
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