Latent demand for vacation travel: A cross‐cultural analysis of French‐ and English‐speaking residents of Ontario and Quebec

Abstract

In contrast to definitions of expressed demand based upon observable buying behavior, the concept of latent demand pertains to those with an interest in participation or “purchase”; who have not translated that interest into action. The study reported here investigated variations between French and English Canadians in their latent demand for visiting selected vacation destinations and the relative influences of cultural compared to socioeconomic antecedents upon latent demand. Findings of the study suggested that differences existed between French and English Canadians in their latent demand for visiting selected destinations and that these variations were attributable to both culture and, to a lesser extent, selected socioeconomic factors. The concept of latent demand includes factors constraining the expression of demand; constraints associated with antecedents that influence latent demand are discussed.

Keywords:

• Latent demand
• expressed demand
• cross‐cultural
• constraints
• vacation travel
• vacation destinations