Spatiotemporal tourist behaviour in urban destinations: a framework of analysis

Abstract

Empirical research focusing on time–space tourist activity has increased in recent years, since new technological tools make it possible as never before to accurately track tourists’ movements. Nonetheless, the published studies are inconsistent when assessing spatiotemporal tourist behaviour (STTB), hindering the development of a solid research base that permits replication of and comparison amongst studies. The incipient conceptualization of STTB leads to the present inconsistency of assessment indicators used in empirical research, which will probably be stressed in the future. Continuous technological evolution will allow the collection of new kinds of data, whose analysis will certainly result in a better understanding of STTB, especially if structured by a consistent taxonomy. Aiming to address this gap, the theoretical underpinnings of the multidimensional concept of STTB are reviewed and a conceptual model is proposed, based on a behavioural perspective and for the urban intra-destination context, as a comprehensive framework of analysis. Further, the systematization of the indicators used in previous research to assess STTB, its influential factors, and other methodological aspects regarding its assessment, as well as practical implications and future research directions are discussed.

摘要

近年来, 以时空旅游活动为重点的实证研究有所增加, 因为新技术工具使精确跟踪游客的活动成为可能, 这是以前无法企及的。然而, 在评估游客时空行为(STTB)时, 发表的研究结果并不一致, 阻碍了坚实的研究基础的发展, 从而阻碍了研究之间的复制和比较。时空游客行为(STTB)起初的概念化, 导致目前实证研究中使用的评价指标不一致, 今后可能会强调这一点。持续的技术发展将允许收集新型的数据, 这些数据的分析肯定会导致更好地理解游客时空行为, 特别是再采用一致的分类方法的话。为了解决这一差距, 本文评估了游客时空行为多维概念的理论基础, 并基于行为视角和城际目的地背景提出了一个概念模型, 作为综合的分析框架。此外, 还讨论了以往研究中用于评估游客时空行为指标的系统化、其影响因素以及与评估相关的其他方法问题以及实际意义和未来研究方向。

Keywords:

• Spatiotemporal tourist behaviour
• intra-destination tourist movements
• multi-attraction visitation
• time–space tourist activity
• tourist mobility in cities
• tourist flows
• urban tourism
• tracking methods

关键词:

• 游客时空行为
• 游客跨目的地移动
• 多景点游览
• 游客时空活动
• 游客城际移动
• 旅游流
• 城市旅游
• 追踪方法

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ana Maria Caldeira

Ana Maria Caldeira is invited Assistant Professor of Tourism at the University of Aveiro (UA) (in Portugal) and researcher at the Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy (GOVCOPP) research unit at this University. She holds a degree in International Relations (ISCSP - University of Lisbon), a Master and a PhD in Tourism (University of Aveiro). Her research interests are tourist spatial behaviour, attractions and visitor management, urban and cultural tourism and consumer behaviour in tourism.

Elisabeth Kastenholz

Elisabeth Kastenholz is Associate Professor at the Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism at the University of Aveiro, where she teaches Tourism and Marketing related subjects since 1994, also integrating the University’s Research Unit GOVCOPP (Governance, Competitiveness and Pubic Policies) and serving as Coordinator of Tourism Studies. She holds a PhD in Tourism Studies, an MBA, a Licenciatura in ‘Tourism Management and Planning’ and a bachelor in ‘Public Administration - Specificity Foreign Affairs’. She was has coordinated 3 research projects and participated in several others. Her current research interests lie in sustainable tourism destination marketing, the ‘overall destination experience’, consumer behaviour in tourism, accessible tourism, rural tourism (and related topics like food & wine and nature-based tourism).