Consumer's Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Responsible Tourism Literature review

Consumer's Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Responsible Tourism - Literature review Example An analysis will also be conducted into the opinions of tourism consumers in general to understand how the market has grown and is in a continual state of flux. The final section will cover how the market could be improved by identifying problems with the current responsible tourism market. This will help to paint a rich picture of how the consumer regards responsible tourism to allow providers to better understand their market and their customer. The Characteristics of a Responsible Tourist As responsible tourism encompasses a wide-range of tourist destinations beyond what is commonly perceived as eco-tourism, there are a wide variety of characteristics that can be said to be common to the responsible tourist. A responsible tourist will have to have some awareness of the sustainable nature of their holiday, whether that be on an economic or environmental level (Andereck, 2009). Recent studies have shown that 77% of consumers believe that tourism should have some focus on the environ mental level (Miller, 2003), meaning that the majority of tourists could be classified in this way. However, it should be stressed that this figure represents the intentions of the consumer rather than their actions, and there is a conceivable difference between the two (Miller, 2003). Those who have intentions of being a responsible tourist can, therefore, be said to represent the majority of the tourism industry but it is perhaps easier to classify the characteristics of the actual responsible tourist. These individuals are generally those who are ethical consumers in other areas of their life, with a great focus on the environmental impact of their purchases (Andereck, 2009). These people tend to be young adults with a significant amount of disposable income, with those interested being happier to spend more money to receive a socially responsible product (Miller, 2003). These individuals are generally more likely to be concerned with a number of factors that can be affected by t ourism, and seek a ‘guilt-free’ holiday (Swarbrooke & Horner, 2003). Many of these individuals have, or wish to, partake in a holiday in which they can get directly involved in the responsible tourism, rather than simply choosing hotels or airlines that behave responsibly (Pizan & Mansfeld, 2000). This can involve getting involved in projects in the third-world, or tree-planting initiatives. Perceptions and Attitudes of the Consumer towards Responsible Tourism The perceptions and attitudes of the consumer have changed in recent years from being considered an unnecessary expense to something worth spending money on (Reisinger & Turner, 2003). The perceptions of this type of tourism are now generally positive, with many consumers considering the impact of their tourism on the place that they stay and the environment in general (Miller et al, 2010). Many people now have concerns about consumerism, and the tourism industry is wise to offer this option as a solution. It shou ld be noted that some still consider that responsible tourism has not come far enough, with optional extras such as postcards and food purchases not being as extensively covered by the notion of responsible tourism as other areas (Swarbrooke & Horner, 2003). Others suggest that responsible