Integrating venturesomeness and consumption needs: effects on destination choice along the TALC

ABSTRACT

This research studies destination choice based on Plog’s venturesomeness concept, incorporating the effects of four consumption needs from the theory of market choice behavior. An empirical test in the context of destinations in two stages of Butler’s tourism area life cycle (TALC) showed that venturesomeness does not predict behavioral intentions as postulated by Plog. However, results demonstrated that epistemic and emotional (functional and social) needs are predictors of preference for novel (mature) destinations, supporting the original conceptualization of Plog’s psychographic framework. The findings shed light on a long-time debated model in the tourism literature.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychographics
• venturesomeness
• allocentrism-psychocentrism
• consumption needs
• destination choice
• theory of planned behavior
• destination life cycle
• TALC
• Cancun
• Isla Holbox

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to Dr. Penny Simpson, Professor of Marketing at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, for her invaluable support in developing this research project. The views expressed in the article and any errors are of the author’s own.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) and Consejo Tamaulipeco de Ciencia y Tecnología (COTACYT) [308936].