A comparison of main-destination visitors and through travelers at a dual-purpose destination

Robert Douglas McKercher

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

48 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Dual-purpose destinations serve both tourists choosing an area as their main destination and those using it as a stop-over or secondary destination. While the dual role of most destinations is widely recognized, the importance of the through-traveler segment is often unappreciated, unrecognized, or misunderstood. Indeed, to date, little work has been conducted examining main-destination and through travelers. This article reports on a study conducted in Albury, New South Wales, Australia, the largest city located between Melbourne and Sydney. It discovered that main-destination and through travelers were so significantly different that they could be considered discrete markets. Indeed, the study suggests that some dual-purpose destinations ought to consider a multiple positioning strategy to appeal to these different segments. Main-destination and through travelers come from different geographic areas, have different demographic profiles, and exhibit different behavior at the destination.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)433-441
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Travel Research
Volume39
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2001

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Transportation
  • Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management

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