Memorable City Breaks in Serbia: Tourists' Sociodemographic Background
Keywords:
memorable tourism experience, city break, sociodemographic characteristics, tourists, Serbia
Abstract
City breaks have become one of the most popular and rapidly expanding forms of travel. As a result, the market for these trips is becoming increasingly competitive. Due to major changes in tourist demand, it has become increasingly difficult to meet their needs. Many cities are still focused on providing classic tourism goods and services, ignoring travelers' growing desire for distinctive and unforgettable experiences. Such experiences are essential for the success of a tourist destination, achieving competitiveness, and determining tourists’ future behavior. Different people may perceive travel experience differently, which is determined by their personal background and demographics. However, the link between tourist sociodemographic features and MTEs has not been directly examined. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring the impact of tourists’ sociodemographic characteristics in shaping memorable experiences in city break destinations. The research was carried out among 614 international tourists in three Serbian cities. The findings revealed the impact of gender, age, marital status, income, and travel companions on MTEs.
References
Azevedo, A. 2010. Designing unique and memorable experiences: Co-creation and the
surprise factor. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Systems 3(1).
Blank, C., Gatterer, K., Leichtfried, V., Pollhammer, D., Mair-Raggautz, M., Duschek, S.,
Humpeler, Е., Schobersberger, W. 2018. Short vacation improves stress-level and
well-being in German-speaking middle-managers - A randomized controlled trial.
International journal of environmental research and public health 15(1), 130.
Chandralal, L., Valenzuela, F. 2013. Exploring memorable tourism experiences: Antecedents and behavioral outcomes. Journal of Economics, Business and Management 1(2), 177-181.
Chandralal, L., Rindfleish, J., Valenzuela, F. 2015. An application of travel blog
narratives to explore memorable tourism experiences. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism
Research 20(6), 680-693.
Chen, X., Cheng, Z.F., Kim, G.B. 2020. Make it memorable: Tourism experience, fun, recommendation and revisit intentions of Chinese outbound tourists. Sustainability 12(5), 1904.
Davies, S., Broekema, H., Nordling, M., Furnham, A. 2017. Do women want to lead?
Gender differences in motivation and values. Psychology 8(1), 27.
Dubey, A.K., Chandra, S., Sajnani, M. 2018. Influence of Gender on Travel Motivation.
Global Journal of Enterprise Information System 10(1), 14-24.
Fornell, C., Larcker, D.F. 1981. Evaluating structural equation models with
unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of marketing research 18(1),
39-50.
Hosseini, S., Cortes Macias, R., Almeida Garcia, F. 2021. Memorable tourism experience research: a systematic review of the literature. Tourism Recreation Research 48(3), 465-479.
Huang, C.C., Wang, Y.M., Wu, T.W., Wang, P.A. 2013. An empirical analysis of the
antecedents and performance consequences of using the moodle platform. International Journal of Information and Education Technology 3(2), 217.
Kim, J.H., Ritchie, J.B., McCormick, B. 2012a. Development of a scale to measure memorable tourism experiences. Journal of Travel Research 51(1), 12–25. Kladou, S., Mavragani, E. 2015. Assessing destination image: An online marketing approach and the case of TripAdvisor. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management 4(3), 187-193.
Kovačić, S., Milenković, N., Slivar, I., Rancic, M. 2019. Shaping city brand strategies based on the tourists’ brand perception: report on Banja Luka main target groups. International Journal of Tourism Cities 6(2), 371-396.
LeFebvre, A., Huta, V. 2021. Age and gender differences in eudaimonic, hedonic, and
extrinsic motivations. Journal of happiness studies 22(5), 2299-2321.
Matud, M.P. 2004. Gender differences in stress and coping styles. Personality and
individual differences 37(7), 1401-1415.
Nunnally, J. C. 1978. Psychometric theory. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Shabnam, S., Quaddus, M., Ali, M. B., Shanka, T. 2022. Memorable Tourism Experience: Formative Conceptualization and Tests Of Sociodemographic Moderators. Tourism Analysis 27(3), 409-415.
Scott, S.B., Rhoades, G.K., Stanley, S.M., Allen, E.S., Markman, H.J. 2013. Reasons
for divorce and recollections of premarital intervention: Implications for improving relationship education. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice 2(2),
131-145.
Sthapit, E., Coudounaris, D.N. 2018. Memorable tourism experiences: Antecedents and
outcomes. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 18(1), 72-94.
Tung, V.W.S., Ritchie, J.B. 2011. Exploring the essence of memorable tourism
experiences. Annals of Tourism Research 38(4), 1367-1386.
UNWTO, 2018. https://www.unwto.org/global/event/unwto-conference-city-breaks-creating-innovative-tourism-experiences
Uysal, M., Perdue, R., Sirgy, M. 2012. The handbook of tourism and quality of life
research. Dordreche: Springer.
Vespestad, M.K., Mehmetoglu, M. 2015. Gender differences in vacation behavior.
Tourism Review International 19(3), 147-161.
Vujičić, M.D., Stamenković, I., Stankov, U., Kovačić, S.,Vasiljević, Đ.A., Popov-Locke, J. 2020. What will prevail within citybreak travel, motivation or demotivation?: Case study of Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia. Geographica Pannonica 24(1), 42-55.
Šagovnović, I., Kovačić, S. 2020. Influence of tourists’ sociodemographic characteristics on their perception of destination personality and emotional experience of a city break destination. International Journal of Tourism Cities 7(1), 200-223.
surprise factor. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Systems 3(1).
Blank, C., Gatterer, K., Leichtfried, V., Pollhammer, D., Mair-Raggautz, M., Duschek, S.,
Humpeler, Е., Schobersberger, W. 2018. Short vacation improves stress-level and
well-being in German-speaking middle-managers - A randomized controlled trial.
International journal of environmental research and public health 15(1), 130.
Chandralal, L., Valenzuela, F. 2013. Exploring memorable tourism experiences: Antecedents and behavioral outcomes. Journal of Economics, Business and Management 1(2), 177-181.
Chandralal, L., Rindfleish, J., Valenzuela, F. 2015. An application of travel blog
narratives to explore memorable tourism experiences. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism
Research 20(6), 680-693.
Chen, X., Cheng, Z.F., Kim, G.B. 2020. Make it memorable: Tourism experience, fun, recommendation and revisit intentions of Chinese outbound tourists. Sustainability 12(5), 1904.
Davies, S., Broekema, H., Nordling, M., Furnham, A. 2017. Do women want to lead?
Gender differences in motivation and values. Psychology 8(1), 27.
Dubey, A.K., Chandra, S., Sajnani, M. 2018. Influence of Gender on Travel Motivation.
Global Journal of Enterprise Information System 10(1), 14-24.
Fornell, C., Larcker, D.F. 1981. Evaluating structural equation models with
unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of marketing research 18(1),
39-50.
Hosseini, S., Cortes Macias, R., Almeida Garcia, F. 2021. Memorable tourism experience research: a systematic review of the literature. Tourism Recreation Research 48(3), 465-479.
Huang, C.C., Wang, Y.M., Wu, T.W., Wang, P.A. 2013. An empirical analysis of the
antecedents and performance consequences of using the moodle platform. International Journal of Information and Education Technology 3(2), 217.
Kim, J.H., Ritchie, J.B., McCormick, B. 2012a. Development of a scale to measure memorable tourism experiences. Journal of Travel Research 51(1), 12–25. Kladou, S., Mavragani, E. 2015. Assessing destination image: An online marketing approach and the case of TripAdvisor. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management 4(3), 187-193.
Kovačić, S., Milenković, N., Slivar, I., Rancic, M. 2019. Shaping city brand strategies based on the tourists’ brand perception: report on Banja Luka main target groups. International Journal of Tourism Cities 6(2), 371-396.
LeFebvre, A., Huta, V. 2021. Age and gender differences in eudaimonic, hedonic, and
extrinsic motivations. Journal of happiness studies 22(5), 2299-2321.
Matud, M.P. 2004. Gender differences in stress and coping styles. Personality and
individual differences 37(7), 1401-1415.
Nunnally, J. C. 1978. Psychometric theory. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Shabnam, S., Quaddus, M., Ali, M. B., Shanka, T. 2022. Memorable Tourism Experience: Formative Conceptualization and Tests Of Sociodemographic Moderators. Tourism Analysis 27(3), 409-415.
Scott, S.B., Rhoades, G.K., Stanley, S.M., Allen, E.S., Markman, H.J. 2013. Reasons
for divorce and recollections of premarital intervention: Implications for improving relationship education. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice 2(2),
131-145.
Sthapit, E., Coudounaris, D.N. 2018. Memorable tourism experiences: Antecedents and
outcomes. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 18(1), 72-94.
Tung, V.W.S., Ritchie, J.B. 2011. Exploring the essence of memorable tourism
experiences. Annals of Tourism Research 38(4), 1367-1386.
UNWTO, 2018. https://www.unwto.org/global/event/unwto-conference-city-breaks-creating-innovative-tourism-experiences
Uysal, M., Perdue, R., Sirgy, M. 2012. The handbook of tourism and quality of life
research. Dordreche: Springer.
Vespestad, M.K., Mehmetoglu, M. 2015. Gender differences in vacation behavior.
Tourism Review International 19(3), 147-161.
Vujičić, M.D., Stamenković, I., Stankov, U., Kovačić, S.,Vasiljević, Đ.A., Popov-Locke, J. 2020. What will prevail within citybreak travel, motivation or demotivation?: Case study of Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia. Geographica Pannonica 24(1), 42-55.
Šagovnović, I., Kovačić, S. 2020. Influence of tourists’ sociodemographic characteristics on their perception of destination personality and emotional experience of a city break destination. International Journal of Tourism Cities 7(1), 200-223.
