Contemporary insights to the dynamic pre-trip information sourcing behaviour

Abstract

Prior to their trips, leisure travellers search for information, both in the pre- and the post-decision stages. Previous studies on leisure travel decision making have documented how personal characteristics and perceived risk influence pre-trip information sourcing, but not detailed their effects on information sources used before and after a purchase decision is made. This study explores the role of traveller characteristics and the mediating effects of perceived risk on the choice of pre-trip information sources used by Finnish leisure travellers. The findings disclose a dynamic structure of information sources used before and after purchase decision contingent on risk perception. In particular, risk-averse travellers make increased use of television (commercials, news and TV travel shows), radio and family as information sources in a post-decision stage. For practice, these findings imply that tourism and hospitality marketers benefit from effective destination marketing strategies spanning an optimal mix of information channels.