Tourist destination and experience choice: A choice experimental analysis of decision sequence effects

While many studies have investigated travel motives and modelled holiday destination choices, none have directly modelled choice of type of holiday experience and how these two choices interrelate. This study tests whether early exposure to geographical destination or experience type information in a decision task influences consumers final choices when choosing a holiday. The study compares two choice tasks that have the same instructions and attributes but differ with respect to which attribute is exposed first and is used to label the choice options: the destination name or the experience type. Findings show that early exposure to either attribute enhances the importance of the attribute, although the effect is less pronounced for experiences than for destinations. The findings are explained using the psychological notions of leader primacy, complacency and induced mindset. The research, conducted in Australia, shows that sequential effects can be very important in shaping tourism consumption choices and decision-making.