Sensation seeking and tourism: Tourist role, perception of risk and destination choice

Abstract

Sensation seeking (SS) is a personality trait associated with the need for novelty and stimulation and has been linked to tourist behavior. Tourist role, perceptions of risk associated with travel to particular regions of the world, and international travel experience were investigated in relation to SS and gender. Survey data were collected from 290 US young adults. Although males were higher in overall SS, gender was not a significant predictor of tourist role or international travel experience. However, SS was related to tourist role, with those higher in SS choosing explorer and drifter roles. SS was not related to perceptions of risk. Both high and low sensation seekers perceived risk similarly. However, those higher in SS were more likely to have traveled internationally and to have traveled to regions of the world rated as riskier. The findings provide empirical support for the proposition that personality traits may influence travel styles and destination choices.