A Process Approach to Segmenting the Getaway Travel Market

This paper discusses recent theoretical developments on a behavior change model and empirically explores its application in the area of getaway travel. This model utilizes a process approach to assess how people move from one stage of behavior to another. A mail questionnaire was sent to 2100 households living within 300 miles of the destination of interest; data from 702 respondents were used in the study. Five stages of behavior change levels were created by scaling respondents with a high intention to travel within four given time frames. Analyses were then conducted to evaluate relationships between stage of travel behavior and past getaway travel behavior, age, income, reasons for information search, and advance planning. Differences in stage composition, isolated through this framework, illustrate systematic relationships among the stages and processes of change. The results indicate that this process model is an effective approach for understanding the triggers to activating getaway travel behavior and therefore for market segmentation. Directions for future research using a process model in leisure travel research are also discussed.