Effects of nature-based visitor motivations on appraisals of destination & attraction desirability: a Norwegian case study
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to clarify what inspires travelers to choose nature-based destinations and attractions by analyzing the motivators they seek. The key issue is how such motivations influence satisfaction and loyalty assessments of “Destination Norway” (DN) itself and of the round-trip attraction “Norway in a NutshellTM” (NIN). We examined a sample of 618 international visitors. Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed eight factors of nature-based travel motivations. The motivators affected satisfaction with DN and NIN somewhat differently. Intrinsic, psychographic motivators influenced the place destination (i.e., kinship interaction, social communication, prestige & ego enhancement). Two intrinsic motivators influenced service experiences of the roundtrip attraction. Conversely, two extrinsic, utilitarian motivators (i.e., see-the-scenery & way-of-life) fueled the round-trip attraction. Finally, an overall model including all travel motives, satisfaction and loyalty variables altered the effects of the travel motivations in line with the hypothesized relations. Moreover, satisfaction and loyalty towards DN directed satisfaction and loyalty towards NIN.
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