A study of pre-trip use of travel guidebooks by leisure travelers

Tourism Management 32 (2011) 616e628

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A study of pre-trip use of travel guidebooks by leisure travelers Chak Keung Simon Wong a, *, Fung Ching Gladys Liu b a b

Room GH807, H core, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

a r t i c l e i n f o

a b s t r a c t

Article history: Received 24 October 2008 Accepted 25 May 2010

Travel guidebooks are one of the information sources used by tourists. This study applies and extends the information needs model proposed by Vogt and Fesenmaier to examine what Hong Kong residents specifically required from their pre-trip use of guidebooks. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 leisure travelers, and 402 questionnaires subsequently distributed. A factor analysis is employed to show that as well as the five original needs from the model (functional, hedonic, innovation, aesthetic and sign needs), five more needs can be identified. These are itinerary improvement, travel partner, quality information, personal interest, and security needs. Functional needs are found to be the dominant factor and sign needs the least significant. The results of independent t-test and one-way ANOVA reveal that the importance placed on different needs varies according to age, education, income, planned destination, mode of travel, length of trip, number of visits and travel companions. The study makes recommendations for how travel guidebooks can better appeal to these needs and capture the attention of potential users. Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Travel guidebooks Leisure travelers Information search

1. Introduction Information searching has been a prominent topic in the tourism literature since the work of Nolan (1976). It is an important topic because an information search is the first step toward the purchase of a product or service (Murray,1991). A number of studies has indicated that the use of travel information sources may extend beyond the prepurchase evaluation of alternatives (Fesenmaier, Vogt, & Stewart, 1993; Messmer & Johnson, 1993). In today’s dynamic global environment, understanding how tourists acquire knowledge is an important element of making decisions about marketing management, designing effective communication campaigns and delivering services (Srinivasan, 1990; Wilkie & Dickson, 1985). Travel guidebooks are used for a variety of purposes, mainly before travel takes place (Nishimura, Waryszak, & King, 2006). According to Towner (2000), there is no clear definition of a travel guidebook. For the purposes of the present study, the definition used is “a commercial book that provides destination information (city, region, country or continent) to visitors and is available for purchase in bookstores”. This description excludes brochures from tour operators or travel agents and free information pamphlets

* Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (C.K. Simon Wong), gladys.liu@live. com (F.C. Gladys Liu). 0261-5177/$ e see front matter Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2010.05.013

produced or distributed by destination marketing organizations. Travel magazines in Hong Kong such as Weekend Weekly and U Magazine and the free booklets given out by magazine publishers are also excluded. Nishimura, Waryszak, and King (2007) state that descriptions of the various components of travel, including product information, are considered a necessity by most users. Examples of such information include facts about destinations (such as climate, currency and customs), descriptions of places of interest, details of local transport, accommodation and restaurants, available activities, shopping suggestions and advice about safety issues. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of travel guidebooks. McGregor (2000) states that they influence the formation of destination images. Moreover, Lew (1991) indicates that they provide guidance, help to shape tourists’ expectations of a place and also affect their post-visit satisfaction. Guidebooks not only affect destination images, but also influence individual travel decisions. They show travelers both desirable and undesirable aspects of a destination and assist them in selecting from the available product options (Carter, 1998; Lew, 1991). There are hundreds if not thousands of travel guidebooks on the market. Different publishers focus on different things, and so the contents of books will vary. Travel guidebooks can be categorized into destination and theme. Demographic factors and travel-related behaviors of users have been shown to have an effect on their needs when reading travel guidebooks.

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Despite the widespread interest of tourists in using travel guidebooks, little research has covered this topic or systematically analyzed tourists’ needs. As yet not one study has investigated the motivations of Hong Kong residents reading travel guidebooks. Given the diverse roles these books play, this study places strong emphasis on gaining an understanding of the broader context. This can enhance our understanding of the information context within which potential and actual tourists use guidebooks. Based on the findings of this study, the needs of such readers are identified and the effect of demographic factors and travel-related behaviors explained. The specific objectives of this study are: 1. To identify what Hong Kong leisure travelers’ needs from travel guidebooks prior to departure; 2. To investigate the underlying dimensions of these needs; 3. To discover any significant differences among different groups of users, in terms of demographic variables and travel-related characteristics; 4. To make recommendations to travel guidebook publishers and travel agencies about tailoring travel guidebooks or information brochures for outbound tourists.

2. Literature review The tourism industry is one of the four economic pillars of Hong Kong. Concerted efforts by the HKSAR Government and the tourism industry have brought about a strong and steady growth in tourism in recent years. Outbound tourism plays an important role in this. According to the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, 2008), the number of Hong Kong residents departures by air has gone up from 4,970,577 in 2002 to 6,140,837 in 2007, a 25.3% increase. Research by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (2008) indicates that the most popular destination among Hong Kong residents from 2000 to 2005 was Thailand, which accounted for 11.3% of the total departures by air, followed by Japan, Taiwan, Europe and the Americas. Although mainland China actually gets the highest number of visitors, people

617

also travel there by train or bus which falls outside the inclusion criteria of this study (that is, travel by air) and hence China as a destination is not considered in this study. Similarly, people going to Macau usually do so by ferry and are also excluded from our investigation. With the steady growth in outbound tourism in Hong Kong, we need to examine the different components of pre-travel activity such as the information search process. Awareness of a particular product or service, and the purchase decisions which result, will largely depend on the extent and credibility of the information consumers are able to gather. Gitelson and Crompton (1983) suggest that external information searches are important in tourism for three reasons. Firstly, a trip involves the use of disposable income and free time, and is a high risk purchase; a view supported by Murray (1991) and Zeithaml (1981). Secondly, the intangible nature of tourism services suggests that secondary sources must be used, as a consumer is unable to observe the potential purchase in person. Finally, visiting new and unfamiliar destinations is often one of the main reasons why vacationers plan their trip. For all these reasons, information searching is an important element of consumers’ decision-making process. Tourists need to know more about the destination in terms of accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, and other activities. Information is collected and used largely for functional reasons or to plan trips (Vogt & Fesenmaier, 1998). This enables travelers to reduce uncertainty and enhance the quality of their trip (Fodness & Murray, 1997). According to Moutinho (1987), an information search consists of the process of consulting various sources before making a purchasing decision. Consumers recognize the need for more knowledge, which activates the decision to search for information about alternatives. Previous studies have identified several tourist information search models, which are summarized in Table 1. On the basis of Assael’s (1984) consumer information acquisition and processing model, Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) propose a new, intermediary stage that recognizes multiple information needs or roles. In this stage, background factors such as demographics, involvement in information search, or situational factors

Table 1 Summary of the information search models. Author

Model

Approach

Factors included

Assael (1984)

Consumer information acquisition and processing model

Multiple stages

Stage 1 (Input variables): - Consumers, e.g., demographics - Environmental, e.g., social, cultural - Marketing, e.g., product, price, place, promotion Stages 2 & 3: - Information acquisition like internal and external search - Processing efforts like categorizing, evaluating, organizing, and retaining Stage 4: - Brand evaluation and features prioritization Stage 5: - Actual purchase and use of the product

Fodness and Model of tourist information Murray search strategy process (1998, 1999)

Gursoy and McCleary (2004)

Tourist’s information search behavior model

- Spatial internal/external search - Contingencies (situational and product characteristics), e.g., - Temporal pre-purchase/ongoing research composition of traveling party, purpose of trip - Operational information source that uses solely - Tourist characteristics (individual differences), e.g., family itself or combines with other sources lifecycle - Search outcomes (behavior differences of the trip), e.g., length of stay, number of destinations/attractions visited - Perceived internal and external costs - Psychological/motivational - Economics - Level of involvement required - Processing - Familiarity - Expertise - Learning - Previous visits

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are used to link information needs to the use of specific source categories, such as social, personal, marketing, and editorial. The five needs are defined as functional, hedonic, innovation, aesthetic and sign needs. However, Nishimura et al. (2006) interviewed 26 Japanese who traveled to Australia and found that some uses of guidebooks could not readily be categorized into any of the Vogt and Fesenmaier constructs. They then conducted a quantitative analysis from which they characterized five new guidebook needs; while this still included functional needs, in this model the other four are defined as forward-looking, enjoyment, learning, and guidebook enthusiast needs. The study shows that functional needs are the strongest, followed by learning, enjoyment, guidebook enthusiast and finally forward-looking needs (Nishimura, King, et al., 2007; Nishimura, Waryszak, et al., 2007). Three main factors have been listed in the literature as affecting information search behavior. Firstly, consumers will use internal information or memory before moving on to external searching of a variety of sources (Murray, 1991). The extent to which a consumer searches for travel information depends on the amount of internal information he or she possesses. A pre-visit information search will probably not be needed if a consumer has adequate internal information to call upon already. In other words, the more unfamiliar the destination, the more time and effort will be spent on the pre-purchase information search (Fodness & Murray, 1999). Secondly, demographics as well as travel factors have been linked to travel planning (Zalatan, 1996) and information searching (Fodness & Murray, 1997; Vogt & Fesenmaier, 1998). Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) assert that hedonic, aesthetic, and sign needs increase with age, and that people with less education or lower incomes also have higher levels of information need. Collegeeducated individuals are more likely to use destination-specific literature (Gitelson & Crompton, 1983), and people of higher socioeconomic class frequently use travel agents as information sources (Woodside & Ronkainen, 1980). In terms of gender, women have a higher level of functional needs (Vogt & Fesenmaier, 1998), while men are less likely to use travel agents (Gitelson & Crompton, 1983). However, another body of work on tourist information searching has proposed that travel-related variables are more useful than demographic characteristics in explaining the range of information gathered and the degree of influence this data exercises on travel decision-making (Bieger & Laesser, 2001; Etzel & Wahlers, 1985; Schul & Crompton, 1983). Finally, mode of travel may influence the search and use of information sources and travel decision-making (Bieger & Laesser, 2001; Nishimura, King, et al., 2007; Nishimura, Waryszak, et al., 2007; Snepenger, 1987). Nishimura, King, et al. (2007) and Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) find that the more freedom respondents have in travel decision-making, the more they will use guidebooks prior to travel. Participants in comprehensive package tours are generally not required to make multiple decisions. Travel decision-making is “all in one” for such tourists. But for independent travelers, an ongoing process of travel decision-making may be required that continues throughout the trip, incorporating external searching for information. In backpacker tourism, travel guidebooks seem to be an essential “tool” for backpacker with the phenomenon of growing number of guidebooks (Sorensen, 2003, pg. 848) to refer to and make decision on accommodation, transportation arrangement and planning for the routings. Sorensen (2003) even suggested that alternative guidebook like “Lonely Planet has come to symbolize the backpackers, their activities, norms and values” (pg. 860). Muzaini (2006) echoed this finding when investigating backpackers traveling to Southeast Asia. New backpackers may refer to Lonely Planet e the widely accepted travel guidebook as “a symbol of the lesser traveler” (Sorensen,

2003:860). The use of travel guidebooks is also welcomed by other forms of tourists such as beach tourists, gaze tourists and film tourists (Law, Bunnell, & Ong, 2007). Zillinger (2007a, 2007b) found that travel guidebook plays an important role in guided tourism investigating German Car-Tourists behavior when they traveled in Sweden. The influence of travel guidebooks on these processes can generally be divided into two categories. Firstly, guidebooks may influence the formation of destination images, which may subsequently determine tourist expectations and satisfaction (Lew, 1991). McGregor (2000) confirms that guidebooks facilitate and encourage the formation of certain images of places without the need actually to see them, asserting that “texts provide lenses for viewing the world”. Secondly, guidebooks may also influence individual travel decisions, either positively or negatively (Lew, 1991). They could provide an important means of labeling both the desirable and undesirable aspects of a destination and assisting tourists to select from the available product options (Carter, 1998; Lew, 1991). The extent to which tourists accept these perspectives will depend on their individual interests and needs (Lew, 1991). Mobile technology definitely changes the world way of data mining. Brown and Chalmers (2003) applied ethnographic methods to understand how city tourists collaborate the use of maps and guidebooks and mobile information systems in their practices and traveling experiences. Tourists are facing the challenges of “what” to do, “how” to do, “when” to visit the places, finding “where” things are and “sharing” that holidays with others at home (Brown & Chalmers, 2003:339e340). According to Brown and Chalmers (2003), published guidebooks and maps are the two most typical information for tourists. Tourists will be benefited if mobile possesses global positioning system (GPS) and what Brown and Chalmers (2003) created a name for it as “put guidebooks in their place”. In designing technologies for tourists, emphasis can be placed on: 1) assisting tourists to share their visits; 2) develop electronic guides and maps; and 3) develop electronic tour guide system to support pre ad post-visiting. In today’s world, internet is unsurprising the most used information source (Choi & Lee, 2009; Sorensen, 2003). Nevertheless, travel guidebooks are still considered as one of the information source. In particularly, ProTravelers used travel guidebook more than Safety Conscious and Traditionalists travelers in USA (Choi & Lee, 2009, pg. 291). Previous literature (Gitelson & Crompton, 1983; Nolan, 1976; Snepenger, Meged, Snelling, & Worrall, 1990) also discovered that tourists considered travel guidebooks as important information source. Indeed, Gitelson and Crompton (1983) in their study of an early welcome center point out that commercial guidebooks are the most frequently used external information source. This study does not deny the importance and common usage of internet searching behavior. To be more specific, this study focuses on the understanding of how tourists use the travel guidebooks while other information sources such as internet, word of mouth, maps, travel agency and newspaper are outside the scope of this study. Guidebooks still have competitive advantage that they provide tangible products which travelers can refer to during the journey. Though comprehensive information and evocative imagery covering all aspects of travel and destinations, travel guidebooks offer an insight into prospective experiences. While other information sources provide more fragmented information, guidebooks possess a range of information that has the capacity to inspire the traveler. Accessible anytime and anywhere, guidebooks offer multipurpose flexibility. This study specifically researches the use of travel guidebooks among all the possible information sources. There are hundreds if not thousands of types of travel guidebooks on the market. Taking

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Thailand as an example, more than 15 types of guidebook about this destination are available in bookstores (Popular, 2007). Different publishers focus on different things, and so the contents of books will vary. Travel guidebooks can be categorized into destination and theme. Destination guidebooks focus on a particular country and provide all kinds of information about it such as accommodation, transportation and food. Theme guidebooks cover a particular theme or activity, such as culture, diving, hot springs, spa, golf, and so on, and include information about this activity in a range of destinations. This variety of travel guidebooks enables publishers to cater for the widely different needs of their customers. 3. Methodology This study employed a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative interviews were conducted first of all, in order to collect information on Hong Kong residents’ needs when using travel guidebooks. The population for this consisted of Hong Kong residents who had traveled by air for leisure purposes in the previous 12 months and were guidebook users. All interviews were conducted between November 2007 and February 2008 and there

were 15 interviewees in total. The following exploratory research questions were formulated. 1. In what ways did you make use of guidebooks before your trip? 2. What do you expect to see more of in guidebooks? Can you make any other suggestions for how they could better satisfy your needs when searching for information? These questions were derived from Vogt and Fesenmaier’s (1998) model. However, Nishimura et al. (2006) identify inconsistencies and limitations in this model. The purpose of this qualitative pilot was, therefore, to identify whether Hong Kong residents had any special needs in terms of the use of travel guidebooks, and if so what these might be. Twenty-two derived statements were generated from this pilot exercise, with a further eighteen statements obtained from the literature. Fig. 1 displays the Dendrogram e a qualitative method to show the relationships of the answers collected from the interview. Table 2 displays the source of all the 40 items developed. Twenty-two items were developed from qualitative research and eighteen items were derived from literature review.

obtain background information know highlights of food know highlights of attractions know about accommodation obtain concise information obtain objective information obtain accurate information obtain updated information plan itinerary use maps for pedestrians use maps for drivers know more about local activities compare local tours know more about local shows estimate travel expenses

Functional needs

excite myself about travel enjoy reading guidebooks enjoy experiencing local culture

Hedonic needs

find new experience plan exotic or almost impossible trips identify places that few have traveled to assure vacation choice visualize the destination through pictures fantasize more about the destination discuss with travel companion answer other people’s questions advice others on vacation matters show others I am knowledgeable obtain personal comments from author learn the personality of community learn basic local languages speed up information search process fee at ease by carrying guidebook during trip travel efficiently obtain coupons reduce likelihood of accident and disaster reduce likelihood of being disappointed plan activities for kids plan activities for seniors search facilities for disabled

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Innovation needs

Aesthetic needs

Sign needs

Learning needs

Benefit-seeking needs

Security needs

Travel partner needs Fig. 1. Dendrogram showing the analysis of the qualitative interview.

Pre-trip use of travel guidebooks

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Table 2 Showing the source of the derived statements for the final survey. Construct Functional needs

Hedonic needs

Innovation needs

Aesthetic needs Sign needs

Learning needs Benefit-seeking needs

Security needs

Travel partner needs

Item No 1 2 3 4 7 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 16 17 18 13 14 15 12 21 22 5 23 24 25 40 19 20 26 6 10 11 8 9 27 28 29

Statement

References

To obtain background information about the destination e.g., weather, currency, time difference To estimate travel expenses To use maps for pedestrians To use maps for drivers To plan my own itinerary To know about highlights of food To know about highlights of attractions e.g., opening hours of museums and theme parks To choose and know more about the accommodation I am going to stay To know more about local activities e.g., diving To make a comparison before joining the local tours To know more about local shows e.g., musical drama To obtain information that is concise To obtain information that is objective To obtain information that is accurate To obtain information that is updated To excite myself about travel To enjoy reading guidebooks To enjoy experiencing the local culture To find information about new experiences e.g., attractions or food To identify original places that few have traveled to To plan exotic or almost impossible trips To assure my vacation choice To visualize the destination through pictures To fantasize more about the destination To discuss information with my travel companion To answer other people’s questions To advice others on vacation matters To show others I am knowledgeable To obtain personal comments and sharing from the author To learn the personality of the community, e.g., activities during festivals To learn basic local languages To obtain coupons and reduce travel expenses To travel efficiently To speed up information search process To feel at ease by carrying the guidebook during the trip To reduce the likelihood of accident and disaster during travel To reduce the likelihood of being disappointed at the destination e.g., know how dirty or dangerous the place is To plan activities for kids if accompanied by kids To plan activities for seniors if accompanied by seniors To search facilities for the disabled if accompanied by the disabled

Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998)

A survey questionnaire, comprising a list of information search needs, was then used to gather further data. A pilot was conducted involving 10 Hong Kong residents who were either tourism professionals or had participated in the qualitative interviews, with the aim of checking their understanding of the questionnaire. The questionnaire was subsequently rephrased to ensure that it contained no ambiguities. Both the instruments developed by Vogt and Fesenmaier (1988) and Nishimura, King, et al. (2007) and Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) were considered. Table 2 displays the eighteen statements either adopted from literature twenty-two statements developed from the pilot qualitative interview. The final list of 40 items was considered to be manageable from a respondent perspective while still allowing the researchers to adhere to the original intention of measuring a full range of relevant functional and nonfunctional needs. Since the targeted respondents of the survey were Hong Kong residents, a bilingual questionnaire in both English and Chinese was developed as an instrument for data collection. Before the survey, three screening questions were asked to ensure that the respondent was appropriate for selection as a study participant. People were selected only if they fulfilled the following four conditions: 1. Permanent resident of Hong Kong; 2. Aged eighteen or above;

Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Qualitative findings Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) Qualitative findings Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) Qualitative findings Qualitative findings Qualitative findings

3. Indicated a plan to travel within 12 months from the date of the survey; and 4. Indicated that their next travel is for leisure purposes. The final questionnaire consisted of three sections. Part 1 gathered general information about travel-related behaviors such as destinations, mode of travel, travel group size, partner characteristics, length of trip and number of visits. Part 2 listed the 40 perceived needs developed from the qualitative pilot test and supported by the information search model of Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998). In response to the introductory statement, “The reason I will use travel guidebooks before the trip is.” respondents were asked to provide an answer to each statement on a five-point scale ranging from 1 ¼ strongly disagree to 5 ¼ strongly agree. Finally, Part 3 collected information on the demographic background of the respondents such as age, gender, education level, and personal income. Convenience sampling was used and the questionnaires distributed during February and March 2008. Approximately 400 valid respondents were selected from locations outside travel agencies and bus stops on lines leading to the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). The travel agencies chosen were located in the Shatin, Mong Kok, and Tsim Sha Tsui districts, which are densely populated with high pedestrian flows. Bus stops across the eighteen districts, where the final destination of the route was HKIA, were selected; passengers on these buses are usually tourists

C.K. Simon Wong, F.C. Gladys Liu / Tourism Management 32 (2011) 616e628

who intend to travel by air, and so would be likely to be willing to participate in the survey while waiting for the bus. Mean ratings, factor analysis, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA tests were used to analyze the survey data. Mean rating was used to select the most important of the 40 derived statements of need. Moreover, to validate the instrument, an exploratory factor analysis was performed on the 40 items as a result of which ten factors were generated. Also, an independent t-test was conducted to examine any significant differences between males and females for each factor. Finally, the one-way ANOVA test explored the mean differences in the 10 dimensions in terms of the demographic factors and travel-related behaviors of the respondents. 4. Results and findings Of the 427 subjects studied, 25 indicated that they did not use travel guidebooks and were discarded, so a total of 402 (94.1%) valid questionnaires were used for the data analysis. The demographic profile of the respondents is shown in Table 3. Just over half (56.5%) of the participants were female; the majority (44.8%) was aged 18e25 while 23.9% were in the 26e35 age group. More than half (59.7%) of the sample was qualified to university first degree level or above. Regarding personal monthly income, one-third (31.1%) earned below HK$5000 and one-third (36.8%) between HK$5000 and $14,999. In terms of destinations, it can be seen from Table 3 that Japan was the most popular among all respondents, accounting for 27.9% of responses, followed by Taiwan (21.1%) and Europe (10.4%). Looking at mode of travel, most respondents (38.1%) had chosen allinclusive package tours while 31.8% were independent travelers. More than half the sample (57.2%) intended their trip to last 4e7 days. 40.5% participants had not visited the intended destination before, while 40.0% had made 1e3 previous visits. In terms of travel group size, half the sample (50.7%) preferred to travel in a small group of 2e3 people and 6.5% to travel alone. Among the 376 respondents who indicated that they would have travel companions, 59.6% planned to travel with friends and 37.5% with family members. Comparing the means of all the statements, “to know about highlights of attractions, e.g., “opening hours of museums and theme parks” was rated as the most important need from a guidebook. The second most popular was “to plan my own itinerary”, followed by “to obtain background information about the destination”, “to travel efficiently”, “to know about highlights of food”, and “to assure my vacation choice”. All of these needs showed mean scores greater than 3.80. “To learn basic local languages” and “to show others I am knowledgeable” were viewed as unimportant needs, with mean scores of 2.60 and 2.73 respectively. To validate the instrument, an exploratory factor analysis was performed on the 40 statements. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation was applied and a factor loading of greater than 0.5 used as a criterion to select a statement into a factor (Hair, Anderson, Tatham, & Black, 1998). From the varimax rotated factor matrix, originally 10 factors were extracted from the 40 statements. The selection criterion of an eigen value above 1.0 was used (Hair et al., 1998). All 10 factors represent 66.0% of the total explained variance. After the reliability analysis, the result was 10 factors comprising 37 statements. These 10 factors were labeled as follows: functional needs (factor 1), itinerary improvement needs (factor 2), travel partner needs (factor 3), quality information needs (factor 4), sign needs (factor 5), hedonic needs (factor 6), personal interest needs (factor 7), security needs (factor 8), innovation needs (factor 9), and aesthetic needs (factor 10). The reliability coefficients of the 10 factors ranged from 0.62 to 0.90. This result suggests that the factor structure has a high level of internal consistency. Table 4 summarizes the results of the factor analysis of the statements and the reliability analysis of each factor.

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Table 3 Demographic profiles and travel-related behaviors of respondents. Characteristics

Frequency

%

Gender Male Female

175 227

43.5 56.5

Age group 18e25 26e35 36e45 46

180 96 77 49

44.8 23.9 19.2 12.2

Highest educational level Form 5 or below Form 7 or diploma University or above

94 68 240

23.4 16.9 59.7

Personal monthly income level
125 50 98 73 56

31.1 12.4 24.4 18.2 13.9

Destination of the next trip Japan Taiwan Other Europe China Thailand United States & Canada Australia

112 85 51 42 41 36 18 17

27.9 21.1 12.7 10.4 10.2 9.0 4.5 4.2

Mode of travel All-inclusive package tour Basic package tour Independent travel

153 121 128

38.1 30.1 31.8

Planned length of trip 3 days 4e7 days 8e10 days 11 days

49 230 59 64

12.2 57.2 14.7 15.9

Number of visits to the destination 0 1e3 4

163 161 78

40.5 40.0 19.4

Size of travel group 1 2e3 4e6 7

26 204 117 55

6.5 50.7 29.1 13.7

Travel companies (n [ 376) Family Friends Family & friends

141 224 11

37.5 59.6 2.9

No. of children traveling with (n [ 376) 0 1 2

341 18 17

90.7 4.8 4.5

Consistent with the literature review and previous research, functional needs achieved the highest mean score of the various factors, with a factor mean of 3.72. The second most highly rated factor was itinerary improvement needs, which showed a slightly lower mean of 3.71. This was followed by quality information, aesthetic, hedonic, personal interest, innovation and security needs. Mean scores lower than the neutral position along the 5point scale were shown for travel partner needs (mean ¼ 2.90) and for the lowest scoring item, sign needs (mean ¼ 2.88). Vogt and Fesenmaier’s (1998) model has five needs: Functional, Hedonic, Innovation, Aesthetic and Sign. While this study derived 10 constructs doubling the original five. The 10 factors are:

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Table 4 Factor analysis with varimax rotation and reliability analysis of the needs of Hong Kong residents when using travel guidebooks. Statement

Factor loading

Factor and overall mean

Eigen value

% of Variance

Cumulative variance

Cronbach’s alpha

To know about highlights of attractions, e.g., opening hours of museums and theme parks To assure my vacation choice To know about highlights of food To find information about new experiences, e.g., attractions or food To feel at ease by carrying the guidebook during the trip To know more about local activities, e.g., diving To speed up information search process To choose and know more about the accommodation I am going to stay in

0.71

Factor 1: Functional needs Mean ¼ 3.72

4.80

12.0

12.00

0.87

Factor 2: Itinerary improvement needs Mean ¼ 3.71

3.33

8.30

20.30

0.84

Factor 3: Travel partners’ needs Mean ¼ 2.90

2.79

7.00

27.30

0.90

Factor 4: Quality information needs Mean ¼ 3.48

2.78

6.95

34.30

0.81

0.67 0.65 0.62 0.59 0.59 0.58 0.54

To use maps for pedestrians

0.71

To To To To To

0.66 0.66 0.64 0.63 0.49

travel efficiently estimate travel expenses plan my own itinerary discuss information with my travel companion obtain background information about the destination, e.g., climate, currency, time difference

To plan activities for seniors if accompanied by seniors

0.92

To plan activities for kids if accompanied by kids To search facilities for the disabled if accompanied by disabled

0.88 0.82

To obtain information that is accurate

0.82

To obtain information that is objective To obtain information that is updated To obtain information that is concise

0.79 0.67 0.60

To show others I am knowledgeable To advise others on vacation matters To answer other people’s questions

0.78 0.73 0.69

Factor 5: Sign needs Mean ¼ 2.88

2.65

6.60

40.90

0.79

To enjoy reading guidebooks

0.78

2.34

5.80

46.70

0.78

To excite myself about travel To enjoy experiencing the local culture To learn the personality of the community, e.g., activities during festivals

0.73 0.69 0.49

Factor 6: Hedonic needs Mean ¼ 3.24

To make a comparison before joining local tours

0.58

1.99

5.00

51.70

0.62

To know more about local shows, e.g., musical drama To learn basic local languages

0.57 0.52

Factor 7: Personal interests needs Mean ¼ 3.04

To reduce the likelihood of accidents and disasters during travel

0.75

1.98

5.00

56.70

0.72

To reduce the likelihood of being disappointed at the destination, e.g., know how dirty or dangerous the place is

0.71

Factor 8: Security needs Mean ¼ 3.030

To plan exotic or almost impossible trips

0.77

1.93

4.80

61.50

0.70

To identify original places that few have traveled to

0.75

Factor 9: Innovation needs Mean ¼ 3.032

To fantasize more about the destination

0.78

1.81

4.50

66.00

0.77

To visualize the destination through pictures

0.74

Factor 10: Aesthetic needs Mean ¼ 3.35

Remarks: In factor analysis, “to obtain coupons and reduce travel expenses” and “to obtain personal comments and sharing from the author” were excluded because their factor loadings were lower than 0.5. In reliability analysis, “to use maps for drivers” with a factor loading of 0.52 was deleted from factor 2 since it decreased the reliability coefficient from 0.84 to 0.81.

Functional needs, Itinerary Improvement needs, Travel Partner needs, Quality Information needs, Sign needs, Hedonic needs, Personal Interest needs, Security needs, Innovation needs and Aesthetic needs. In other words, all the five needs from Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998) are kept and extend to have five more needs. From this study, it can show the consistency of the result plus the extension of more other needs in Asian perspectives. If we compare this result with Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007), they developed another five needs: Functional needs, Forward-looking needs,

Enjoyment needs, Learning needs and Guidebook enthusiast needs among guidebook users and non-users. Technically, functional needs prevail among all 3 studies. However, the factors derived from Nishimura, King, et al. (2007) and Nishimura, Waryszak, et al. (2007) were different from this study. This study may reveal more underlying factors guidebook users may possess. Table 5 shows that significant differences emerged between people of different age, education level, and income level within the underlying factors in the one-way ANOVA test. Mean differences

Table 5 Results of independent t-test and one-way ANOVA on mean difference of 10 factors by demographic profiles of the respondents (N ¼ 402). Factor 1 Functional needs

Factor 2 Itinerary improvement needs

Factor 3 Travel partner needs

Factor 4 Quality information needs

Factor 5 Sign needs

Factor 6 Hedonic needs

Factor 7 Personal interests needs

Factor 8 Security needs

Factor 9 Innovation needs

Factor 10 Aesthetic needs

Gender

t ¼ 0.301 No significant difference

t ¼ 0.665

t ¼ 0.298

t ¼ 0.174

t ¼ 0.967

t ¼ 0.778

t ¼ 0.450

t ¼ 0.639

t ¼ 0.345

t ¼ 0.059

Age group

F ¼ 0.133 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.005 36e45 < 18e25 (3.51 < 3.84)* 46 < 1825 (3.60 < 3.84)*

F ¼ 0.005 18e25 < 26e35 (2.72 < 3.06)* 1825 < 46 (2.72 < 3.16)*

F ¼ 0.281

F ¼ 0.215

F ¼ 0.424

F ¼ 0.135

F ¼ 0.295

F ¼ 0.002 1825 < 2635 (2.85 < 3.27)* 1825 < 3645 (2.85 < 3.12)*

F ¼ 0.044 26e35 < 1825 (3.22 < 3.44)* 26e35
Highest education

F ¼ 0.001 F5 < Ua (3.55 < 3.81)* F7,diploma < U (3.60 < 3.81)* No significant difference

F ¼ 0.000 F5 < U (3.48 < 3.86)* F7,diploma < U (3.51 < 3.86)*

F ¼ 0.005 U < &F5 (2.77 < 3.07)* U < F7,diploma (2.77 < 3.11)*

F ¼ 0.607 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.293

F ¼ 0.897

F ¼ 0.197

F ¼ 0.008 U < F5 (2.93 < 3.28)*

F ¼ 0.335 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.141

Monthly income (in HKD) (K [ thousand)

F ¼ 0.582 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.054

F ¼ 0.543

F ¼ 0.838

F ¼ 0.731

F ¼ 0.799

F ¼ 0.816

F ¼ 0.541

F ¼ 0.001 <5K < 15Ke24.999K (2.81 < 3.33)* <5K < 25K (2.81 < 3.15)* 10Ke14.KK999K < 15Ke24.999K (3.01 < 3.33)*

F ¼ 0.580 No significant difference

C.K. Simon Wong, F.C. Gladys Liu / Tourism Management 32 (2011) 616e628

Demographic profiles

Remarks: Mean ratings are bolded *p < 0.05. a “U” is university.

623

624

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between age groups are significantly different on factor 2 (p ¼ 0.005), factor 3 (p ¼ 0.005), factor 9 (p ¼ 0.002) and factor 10 (p ¼ 0.044). Respondents in the 18e25 age group were more concerned about itinerary improvement needs than those aged 36e45 and 46 or above. Respondents aged 26e35 and 46 or above tended to pay more attention to travel partner needs than those in the 18e25 category. Respondents in both the 26e35 and 36e45 age brackets cared more about innovation needs than those aged 18e25. Aesthetic needs were ranked as less important to respondents aged 26e35 than the 18e25 and 46 or over groups, while those aged 36e45 also ranked it as less important than the latter category. Furthermore, respondents with different levels of education differed in their ratings for factor 1 (p ¼ 0.001), factor 2 (p ¼ 0.000), factor 3 (p ¼ 0.005) and factor 8 (p ¼ 0.008). Respondents educated to university degree level or above were more concerned with both functional needs and itinerary improvement needs than those with Form 5 or below or Form 7 or diploma holders. The latter two groups were more concerned about travel partner needs than university educated respondents, and those with Form 5 or below paid more attention to security needs than graduates. Significant differences were also found between respondents with different incomes on factor 9, innovation needs (p ¼ 0.001). People whose monthly income was HK$15,000e24,999 and HK$25,000 or above tended to place more importance on this factor than those whose income was HK$5000 or below, with those in the HK$10,000e14,999 group coming midway between the two. According to the ANOVA testing, significant differences also emerged between respondents in terms of destination, mode of travel, length of trip, number of prior visits to the destination, travel companions, and number of children. The relationship between these variables and the underlying factors is set out in Table 6. Mean ratings of the mode of travel were significantly different for factor 2 (p ¼ 0.001) and factor 3 (p ¼ 0.051). Basic package tour and independent travelers paid more attention to itinerary improvement needs than all-inclusive package tour travelers. Independent travelers were also concerned more with travel partner needs than were participants in basic package tours. In terms of the length of trip, significant differences in mean ratings were also found for factor 2 (p ¼ 0.009) and factor 5 (p ¼ 0.037). Respondents planning to travel for 8e10 days or more tended to pay more attention to their itinerary improvement needs than those intending to be away for 4e7 days. Those whose trip would last 4e10 days had a higher mean score for sign needs than respondents planning a trip of 11 or more days. Respondents’ experiences with the destination affected the significant differences in factor 3 (p ¼ 0.042), factor 5 (p ¼ 0.001) and factor 9 (p ¼ 0.023). Those who had already visited 1e3 times tended to pay more attention to travel partner needs, sign needs, and innovation needs than those who had never been to that destination before. Firsttime travelers were also less concerned about innovation needs than those with 4 or more prior visits. Respondents traveling with different partners differed in their ratings of factor 2, itinerary improvement needs. Individuals traveling with friends were likely to rate such needs higher than those traveling with family. Finally, with respect to the number of children accompanying the respondent, significant differences were found on factor 2 (p ¼ 0.043), factor 5 (p ¼ 0.013) and factor 7 (p ¼ 0.024). Respondents who did not plan to travel with children were more concerned with itinerary improvement needs, sign needs, and personal interest needs than those with one child, and travelers with two or more children gave an even higher rating to the first-named of these factors. 5. Discussion The finding that functional needs are the most important factor for respondents to this survey might demonstrate their considerable need for knowledge about their proposed destinations. There

appears to be strong demand among guidebook users for the books to highlight attractions, food, and new experiences. The next most important issue is itinerary improvement. People will refer to the information they need to improve their travel components so as to plan their own itinerary, travel efficiently, and discuss the possibilities with their travel companion(s). Due to the growing preference of Hong Kong residents to travel for leisure on their own so as to enjoy greater flexibility and freedom, the basic package tour, a hybrid of the all-inclusive package tour and independent travel, has become especially popular. For example, YO2 (Your Own Tour), in which air tickets and hotel accommodation are booked through travel agencies, was launched by Hong Thai Travel in 2005. In this package, a tour guide organizes a day tour at the destination but tourists can plan their own itinerary for the rest of the trip (Hong Thai, 2008). Moreover, YO2 offers air tickets and hotels at a discounted group-ticket price, and charges no tour guide fee. It has thus become a very popular mode of travel among Hong Kong residents. Both travelers on basic package tours and independent travelers are more concerned with their itinerary improvement needs than those who are taking an all-inclusive package tour. The more freedom the tourist exercises over the trip, the more likely they are to demand that guidebooks satisfy their itinerary improvement needs. Quality information needs rank third in terms of the factor mean, which indicates that respondents require accurate, concise, up to date and objective information. Such data might take a lot of time and effort to find, so if guidebooks alone can provide comprehensive information about all the components of travel, users will not need to look for other sources. Also, in a culture which prizes “value for money”, it is essential for guidebooks to be the best quality because of the cost to travelers. There are clear boundaries between functional, itinerary improvement and quality information needs. The first-named refers to the immediate and direct utilitarian necessities that must be fulfilled if the trip is to proceed successfully; the second to the acquisition of extra information for improving the trip; and the latter to the quality of the information obtained. All three are information-based, from which it can be concluded that travel guidebook users are most interested in the information aspects of such a publication. A guidebook should therefore focus on its practical purpose, while at same time the quality of pictures will satisfy the aesthetic and hedonic needs of guidebooks users. Furthermore, this study also shows that Hong Kong guidebook users also have personal interest, security and travel partner needs. Security needs are significant partly due to the influence of the events of 9/11, the frequency of road accidents in tours round China, the riots in Tibet, and the internal wars and unrest in Iraq. These create doubt and fear in the mind of travelers and an increasing demand for safety. The emergence of travel partner needs reflect the customary travel arrangements of Hong Kong residents, with two or three companions being the most common. In addition to managerial implications, this study may contribute conceptual insights to the literature of tourism research. A total of ten needs were discovered in this study which is different from the five needs developed by Vogt and Fesenmaier (1998). Of the ten, five are the same as Vogt & Fesenmaier’s model: functional needs, innovation needs, hedonic needs, Aesthetic needs and Sign needs. The six new needs derived in this research are: itinerary improvement needs; travel partners’ needs, quality information needs, personal interest needs and security needs. These findings added to the existing literature that leisure travelers possess more complicated demands on the use of travel guidebooks. This study reveals an interesting finding that these additional needs are more inclined to personal needs nature. For example, the second highest need requested by leisure travelers is the Itinerary

Table 6 Results of independent t-test and one-way ANOVA on mean difference of 10 factors by travel-related behaviors of the respondents (N ¼ 402). Factor 1 Functional needs

Factor 2 Itinerary improvement needs

Factor 3 Travel partner needs

Factor 4 Quality information needs

Factor 5 Sign needs

Factor 6 Hedonic needs

Factor 7 Personal interests needs

Factor 8 Security needs

Factor 9 Innovation needs

Factor 10 Aesthetic needs

Destination

F ¼ 0.288 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.087

F ¼ 0.464

F ¼ 0.512

F ¼ 0.515

F ¼ 0.014 Thailand < Europe (2.99 < 3.63)* Taiwan < Europe (3.24 < 3.63)* Japan < Europe (3.13 < 3.63)* US < Europe (3.10 < 3.63)* Australia < Europe (3.16 < 3.63)*

F ¼ 0.287 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.004 Thailand < Europe (2.81 < 3.29)* Thailand < Australia (2.81 < 3.50)* Taiwan < Japan (2.83 < 3.10)* Taiwan < Europe (2.83 < 3.29)* Taiwan < Australia (2.83 < 3.50)*

F ¼ 0.266 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.202

US < Japan (2.56 < 3.10)* US < China (2.56 < 3.12)* US < Europe (2.56 < 3.29)* US < Other (2.56 < 3.09)* US < Australia (2.56 < 3.50)* Travel mode

F ¼ 0.312 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.001 All < Basicb (3.53 < 3.83)* All
F ¼ 0.051

a

F ¼ 0.200 F ¼ 0.184 Independent < Basic (2.74 < 3.02)*

F ¼ 0.944 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.074

F ¼ 0.228

F ¼ 0.199

F ¼ 0.957

Length of trip

F ¼ 0.235 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.009 4e7 < 8e10 (3.60 < 3.90)* 4e7 < ‡11 (3.60 < 3.85)*

F ¼ 0.070 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.174

F ¼ 0.037 ‡11 < 4e7 (2.60 < 2.95)* ‡11 < 8e10 (2.60 < 2.94)*

F ¼ 0.062 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.394

F ¼ 0.382

F ¼ 0.117

F ¼ 0.293

Number of visits

F ¼ 0.381 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.096

F ¼ 0.042 0 < 1e3 (2.75 < 3.00)*

F ¼ 0.697 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.001 0 < 1e3 (2.70 < 3.06)*

F ¼ 0.212 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.858

F ¼ 0.650

F ¼ 0.023 0 < 1e3(2.89 < 3.12)* 0 < ‡4 (2.89 < 3.16)*

F ¼ 0.808 No significant difference

Size of travel group

F ¼ 0.926 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.882

F ¼ 0.163

F ¼ 0.986

F ¼ 0.753

F ¼ 0.826

F ¼ 0.824

F ¼ 0.164

F ¼ 0.251

F ¼ 0.232

Travel companions

F ¼ 0.084 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.006 Family < Friends (3.55 < 3.80)*

F ¼ 0.192 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.823

F ¼ 0.531

F ¼ 0.481

F ¼ 0.966

F ¼ 0.966

F ¼ 0.450

F ¼ 0.209

No. of children

F ¼ 0.687 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.043 1 < 0 (3.30 < 3.72)* 1 < ‡2 (3.30 < 3.83)*

F ¼ 0.861 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.918

F ¼ 0.013 1<0 (2.33 < 2.93)*

F ¼ 0.100 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.024 1<0 (2.59 < 3.07)*

F ¼ 0.482 No significant difference

F ¼ 0.070

F ¼ 0.053

625

*p < 0.05. a All-inclusive package tour. b Basic package tour. c Independent travel.

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Travel-related behaviors

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C.K. Simon Wong, F.C. Gladys Liu / Tourism Management 32 (2011) 616e628

Improvement needs (mean ¼ 3.71) which is just slightly lower than functional needs (mean ¼ 3.72). This indicates the high demand by leisure travelers on how the travel guidebooks can assist their planning of itinerary. Same applies to Quality Information Needs (mean ¼ 3.48) e being the third highest means among all the ten needs. The travel guidebook must provide accurate, objective, updated and concise information for the users. Another interesting finding is that three other needs are inclined to more personalorientated nature. Personal Interest Needs and Security Needs and Travel Partner Needs show the trend of satisfying customers’ personal requests and even travel partners wants and preferences. This study extends the literature about the more diverse information search needs by leisure travelers in the tourism arena. In terms of demographic differences, participants aged 26e45 find aesthetic needs less important. These groups of people constitute the major working capital of society (Labour Department, 2008). Living in the Hong Kong culture of “time is money”, they have little time for imagination and fantasy. Instead, they prefer to escape from their busy working and living environment through travel, and to look for new experiences, so their innovation needs are much stronger. As a result, people earning HK $15,000 or above tended to place higher importance on innovation needs than those on HK$5000 or less, which suggests that people with a higher disposable income might be able to seek out higher levels of uniqueness in their travel experiences. Education also has an effect on information needs. Those with a university degree or above show stronger functional and itinerary improvement needs. We might speculate that well-educated people are more likely to be critical as they will demand more information. However, this result contradicts the findings of earlier studies which suggest that people with less education have higher information needs. This might be explained by the results for respondents at the Form 5 or below educational level, who show a comparative lack of skill in searching for resources and destination information. Security needs naturally are of great concern to them. Regarding mode of travel, respondents planning to stay longer in the destination tend to pay more attention to their itinerary improvement needs. It might be proposed that the more time available at the destination, the more flexible and customized the itinerary can become. Repeat visitors care more about travel partner, sign, and innovation needs. Goeldner and Ritchie (2003) have shown that most people tend to seek familiarity rather than novelty when traveling to a new destination for the first time. Repeat visitors will share their experiences with newcomers or other repeaters and try new things that they have not experienced before. On the other hand, people traveling without children care more about itinerary improvement, sign, and personal interest needs than those going with one child. During travel, children are always their parents’ first priority. Since children have different needs from adults, parents will usually pay more attention to the special services and facilities aimed at their offspring, such as information about theme parks, zoos and aquariums or places designated for family activity. If no children are present, the adults can do whatever they want according to their personal interests and needs. It can also be seen that respondents aged 26e35 or 46 and above are likely to care more about the needs of their travel partner than those aged 18e25, which reflects the fact that older people usually travel with their children or their spouse who may have special needs. It is better to be prepared for such situations by reading travel guidebooks before the trip. The study has also found that Hong Kong residents generally pay more attention to itinerary improvement needs when traveling with friends than with family, for a family usually includes children or seniors which can constrain the needs of other members of the party.

6. Recommendations In order to satisfy the needs of guidebook users more effectively, a number of recommendations can be made. Firstly, travel guidebook publishers should focus their efforts on providing information. In the light of the growing YO2 market, the information on attractions and transportation should be kept and updated continuously. Opening hours and entry fees for attractions should be listed, and the routes and timetables of local transportation clearly set out. Suggestions on routes or transportation links for day tours would also be included. In addition, maps should be more detailed for smaller streets. Secondly, although travel guidebooks do not have a specific target market and undertake no promotion strategy, there is an emerging market of customers of the YO2 tour, where more personal interests are added into the trip and so tailormade travel plans are needed. For example, in light of the fact that people with higher incomes tend to have greater innovation needs, information about new experiences (with food and activities, for example) should be introduced to capture this market. For those who are traveling with families, information on services and facilities for children and seniors may be useful. Furthermore, bearing in mind that aesthetic and hedonic needs are important factors for Hong Kong residents, and are influenced by pictures, travel guidebooks should pay attention to the content of communications. This might include word selection, use of visuals and writing style. A balance between words and pictures can help to satisfy the needs of users. For example, in Hong Kong in 2007, the Weekend Weekly launched a PSP-version travel guidebook called Travel Robot. This type of technology should also be applied to guidebooks. An index should be added and different colors used to separate sections and facilitate navigation for users. In addition, travel guidebooks should be perceived as trustworthy and objective by staying independent of institutionalized travel. Potential travelers aim to get correct and unbiased information for their travels. Therefore, when travel guidebooks working in collaboration with travel business organizations may be perceived as “collusion” and loss of credibility will be resulted. As a result, travel guidebooks should build up their reputation by remaining independent and providing objective advice. Lonely Planet is one of the exemplary information providers in the industry (Harper et al. 2007, pg. 19) Finally, the travel guidebook should be updated frequently, in particularly to the “road status” as suggested by Sorensen (2003). The road status can include “how to get best deal, disease, dangerous experiences, etc”. The updated information will make the travel guidebook more welcomed by the users. 7. Conclusion The present study has shown that travel guidebooks address multiple purposes, including itinerary improvement, quality information, travel partner needs, personal interest, and security needs. Functional needs were the dominant factor while sign needs were the least significant. With regard to the relationships between demographic and travel-related characteristics and guidebook usage needs, the variables of age, education, income, planned destination, mode of travel, length of trip, number of visits and travel companions were significantly related to different needs. Travel is intangible and the total experience is greater than the individual parts that are offered to tourists. Reading travel guidebooks is the first component of travel. Though comprehensive information and evocative imagery covering all aspects of travel and destinations, travel guidebooks offer an insight into prospective experiences. While other information sources provide more fragmented information, guidebooks possess a range of information that has the capacity to inspire the traveler. Accessible anytime

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and anywhere, guidebooks offer multi-purpose flexibility. The present study has provided particular insights into the use of guidebooks by adding the perspective of their extended use. 8. Limitations The results of the current study should, however, be evaluated in the light of certain limitations. Firstly, owing to the constraints of resources, the sample size was set to 400. Since convenience sampling was used, a certain level of bias may be present in the findings as the respondents only represent a small part of the whole target population. However, according to Hair et al. (1998), at least five times as many observations as there are variables to be analyzed is the ideal (5  40 ¼ 200) so the sample size is still acceptable. Moreover, although the target group comprised those who planned to travel within the next year, we cannot be sure that they actually did so. Some respondents reflected that they had not yet decided on some aspects of their journey, such as the travel mode and length of trip. Such respondents were asked to choose the answers which corresponded to their most likely choices, which may affect the findings, especially when studying the relationship between travelrelated behaviors and information needs. In addition, the findings from this study are most appropriate to the type of travel guidebooks sold in bookstores rather than other types of information sources. This study only asked about whether the respondents used travel guidebooks or not, but not the “frequency of use”. However, the results were still considered as representative because over 94% of the sample had used travel guidebooks at least once in the previous year. In the light of this limitation, “frequency of use” is recommended to be included in the future research. In addition, cultural differences are existed (Hofstede, 1980). Hong Kong, as rated by itim International (2009), is comparatively higher on collectivism, lower in uncertainty avoidance, higher in power distance and higher in long-term Orientation. Thus, further research is needed to complement this work so that modifications are required to Vogt and Fesenmaier’s (1998) model. Therefore, a questionnaire specifically applicable to Hong Kong residents is also suggested. 9. Future research This type of work could give rise to a number of future development opportunities. It would be interesting to investigate guidebook usage before, during, and after travel. Such results would be useful when examining the change in structure and importance of information needs over different phases of travel. The major influences on guidebook use could also be studied. Another interesting possibility would be to repeat the research over different market segments such as day visitors, overnight visitors, group tourists, or business travelers among Hong Kong residents. Their particular information needs must also be considered before writing travel guidebooks. Additionally, further investigations could be conducted into the effect of culture on guidebook usage needs and comparisons made between users in different countries. Tailored marketing strategies could then be used to target each market segment. References Assael, H. (1984). Consumer behavior and marketing action. Boston: Kent. Bieger, T., & Laesser, C. (2001). Segmenting travel on the sourcing of information. In J. A. Mazanec, G. I. Crouch, J. R. B. Ritchie, & A. G. Woodside (Eds.), Consumer psychology of tourism, Vol. 2 (pp. 154e167). Wallingford, England: CABI Publishing. Brown, B., & Chalmers, M. (14e18 September 2003). Tourism and mobile technology. In K. Kuutti, H. Karsten, P. FitzpatrickDourish, & K. Schmidt (Eds.), Proceedings of the eighth European conference on computer-supported cooperative work (pp. 335e354). Helsinki, Finland: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

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