Factors of Influence in Choosing Alternative Accommodation:A Study with Reference to Pondicherry, A Coastal Heritage Town

Accommodation establishments such as Commercial homes, Bed & Breakfast and Guest Houses provide alternatives to tourists who prefer accommodation other than traditional hotels. The purpose of this research study is to identify the factors that lead tourists to choose such alternative accommodation. Given the differences in the product – both in terms of acuity and actuality, the tourists’ motive in choosing alternative accommodation may be different from traditional accommodation. The study location. - Pondicherry, a heritage coastal town in India - experienced a recent spurt in the growth of alternative accommodation. Alternative hoteliers provide a different tourism product with several points of differences when compared with traditional hoteliers. From the primary data collected from guests at alternative accommodations, the factors that influenced their decision to.stay are identified using Factor analysis. Knowledge and understanding of these factors will help alternative hoteliers to develop meaningful and appealing points of differences.