A Study of the Non-economic Determinants in Tourism Demand

Traditionally, many studies have attempted to use economic demand models. This paper stresses on the influence of non-economic factors on tourism demand. Some researchers have suggested that tourists from different origins have various cultural and nationalistic backgrounds, and they may interpret visual imagery and experiences differently. Aligning with this suggestion, we have investigated different underlying factors of tourism demand from four continents (Asia, the Americas, Europe and Oceania). Statistical data are collected from international organisations and 135 countries were covered. Our results showed that there are differences and similarities among the factors in determining the tourism demand. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.