Visitor attitude to tourism destinations: a critical review and future research agenda

Figures & data

Figure 1. Paper selection process in the current study.

Stage one is database search that identified 2035 articles through database searching. Stage two is eligibility screening that recognised 323 papers after screening title, abstract and keywords. 171 studies were found relevant after screening borderline studies.

Figure 2. Publications across time (N = 171).

Before 1990, 12 and 2 articles were published in JTR and ATR, respectively. Between 1991 and 2000, 7, 5, and 3 articles were published in JTR, TM, and ATR, respectively. Between 2001 and 2010, 25, 22, 7, and 1 papers were published in JTR, TM, ATR, and JOST, respectively. Between 2011 and 2023, 36, 37, 9, and 5 papers were published in JTR, TM, ATR, and JOST, respectively.

Figure 3. The Paradigm Funnel of the current study.

Level 1 is empirical observations that includes 94 articles. Level 2 is analytical methods that involves 16 articles. Level 3 is specific theories that includes 49 articles. Level 4 is core assumptions that involves 12 articles.

Table 1. Levels of the paradigm funnel and research trends in each level (N = 171).

Funnel Level		Empirical research	Analytical methods	Specific theories	Core assumptions
		N = 94	N = 16	N = 49	N = 12
Data collection	Primary data	89	12	48	10
	Secondary data	5	4	1	2
Data analysis	Quantitative approach	82	10	47	12
	Qualitative approach	3	0	0	0
	Mixed method	9	6	2	0
Topical cluster	Post-travel	40	2	9	7
	Pre-travel	19	6	15	3
	Destination image	19	6	7	1
	Destination risk	12	2	12	1
	Attitude change	4	0	6	0
Destination*	Asia	24	5	17	4
	Europe	23	1	7	3
	America	23	2	11	3
	Middle East	14	3	5	0
	Oceania	8	1	7	1
	Africa	8	1	2	0
	Other	0	1	0	0

*Some studies measured attitudes towards more than one region.

Table 2. Existing methods in visitor attitude literature and potential approaches for future scholarship.

Existing methods	Potential methods
Quantitative approach (e.g. survey)	Machine learning
Qualitative (e.g. interview, focus group, content analysis, social media analysis)	The appreciative inquiry process, Q method
Mixed method (e.g. survey and interview)	Physiological technologies (e.g. FaceReader, electro-dermal analysis) combined with self-report surveys and interviews

Figure 4. Topical clusters in the current study.

Fifty-eight articles focused on post-travel attitude. Forty-three studies explored pre-travel attitude. Thirty-three papers studied destination image attitude. Twenty-seven articles investigated destination risk attitude. Ten studies focused on attitude change.