The effect of subjective distance on destination attractiveness

Abstract

This research follows on from the research of Mayo, Jarvis and Xander (1988) and Crompton (1979a). The former found that more subjectively distant destinations tended to be considered to be more attractive vacation destinations than places which were perceived to be closer to the leisure traveller's point of origin. Crompton (1979a) found that the image of Mexico became more positive among potential travellers, the further away from Mexico they were.

The present study gathered data from 235 residents in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. Approximately half of the subjects made distance estimates and gave attractiveness ratings for three different sorts of natural environments which they had visited within New Zealand; the Pacific region and beyond the Pacific region. This half of the sample gave nine sets of subjective distance/destination attractiveness estimates for places they had visited. The other half of the sample made nine sets of subjective distance/destination attractiveness estimates for destinations of their own choosing which they had never visited, but were situated within the same three regions listed above. This study found no relationship between the variables subjective distance and destination attractiveness, and it made no difference whether- or not the subject had visited the destination under consideration or whether that destination was situated a short, medium or long subjective distance from the subject's residence. Destination attractiveness remained relatively constant irrespective of subjective distance.

In response to the study's findings an "Attractiveness Gap" contingency model is proposed. This model measures the subject's perceived attractiveness of the home town or origin zone, and uses twenty-one weighted criteria to derive an "attractiveness score" for the subject's home region. Attractiveness scores for competing vacation destinations are calculated in the same way, and are compared to the 'attractiveness score' for the subject's origin zone. From the size of the 'attractiveness gap' between the origin zone and each destination, it is possible to rank the destinations in order of attractiveness as a vacation destination. This model takes account of this study's finding that when people perceive their local environment to be particularly attractive they tend to find competing distant destinations of the same type are no more attractive as a vacation destination.