Youth travel experience: An analysis of the relations between motivations, satisfaction and perceived change

Abstract

This paper aims at identifying the relation between motivation and satisfaction understood as components of the travel experience, and, at the same time, the impact of both on perceived change, considered as a multidimensional construct. Change is hereby conceptualized not only as personal and interpersonal change, but also as change in the relationship between the traveller and the natural environment. The study focuses on young travellers because they constitute a substantial market segment which importance to the industry is expected to increase in the future and because they are an innovative force leading the whole tourism market towards new choices. In a quantitative research design, existing scales were used to measure change, motivation to travel and satisfaction. Data was collected in August 2015 at a Dutch University of Applied Sciences (UAS) using a Computer Assisted Web Interview (c.a.w.i.) which reached students between 16 and 30 years of age fitting the definition of young travellers. The self-selected sample consists of 395 respondents of which 314 have travelled independently. Out of these 314, only 256 questionnaires were completed in all relevant sections. A structural equations model has been used to test the link between the observed variables regarding motivation, satisfaction and perceived change. This model combines the logic of factor analysis with multiple regressions and explains relationships through a simultaneous equations model. Results show that the motivation and the degree of satisfaction with the tourism experience exert an important influence on the change perceived by the young traveller. This study therefore confirms the transformative power of the travel experience and adds that the transformation cannot be understood if the motivation to travel and the satisfaction with the travel experience are ignored.