A Research on Tourist Typology and Information Search Behavior

Abstract

The importance of the research for tourists who are the subject of tourism and the tourists who are the reason for the existence of the sector is very important. Especially in the context of consumer behavior, researches for tourists are very helpful in increasing the satisfaction of current tourists and gaining potential tourists. This study is aimed to determine whether there is a meaningful relationship between tourist typologies and information research behavior before the travel decisions in the context of consumer behavior of tourists with different typologies. For this purpose, 432 domestic tourists visited the Safranbolu district of Karabük province in the May-September 2016 period were surveyed. As a result of the analysis of the survey data, it was determined that the typologies of the domestic tourists who visited Safranbolu district were shaped in three dimensions as researchers’ tourists, organized mass tourists and adventurous tourists. It was determined that the tourists were interested in information research in general information about the destination, transportation accommodation facilities, travel routes, health safety facilities and entertainment facilities during the information research process before the travel. As a result of the research, it was determined that there is a low positive relationship (r=0,281) between tourist typology and information research behavior. Priorities of domestic tourists in information research behavior were composed of transportation and accommodation facilities, travel routes, health and safety facilities, recreational facilities and the general characteristics of the destination. It was also found that the researcher tourists do more research than the organized mass tourists and adventurous tourists.