Ski – resort and regional development: profile of visitors ... - E-Journal

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Onome Daniel Awaritefe
RESULT PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
Demographic Characteristics of Tourists
Analysis of data in Table I was on tourists' demographic, social and cultural characteristics
obtained from the first section of the questionnaire. This indicated that majority of the tourists
were males, single, between the ages of 21 and 45 years, highly educated and earn more than
N75, 000 monthly. Majority of the tourists were also Nigerians with others being Europeans
from Western Europe, and Americans and Asians. Other Africans were few and from
neighbouring West African countries. The largest proportion of tourists was also the working
class, and. travelled in company of their spouses or family/relations.
Tourism Product Demand and Characteristics of Tourists
Result of the measurements obtained on the 8 independent variables and the dependent variable
of tourism product demand is summarized in a multiple regression model as follows:
TPD = 9.3 + 2.2 (OCCP)- 2.31 (ED) + 0.24 (INC) + 3.95 (SEX) - 0.097 (AGE) - 0.05 (CULNT) +
0.002 (FAMSZ) + 0.043 (SOGR).
Where: TPD = Tourism Product Demand; OCCP = Occupation of tourists; Ed = Education; INC =
Income; CULNT = Culture/nationality; FAMSZ = Family size; and SOGR = Social
Group/Company during travel.
The above regression equation indicates that among the 8 variables of demographic, social
group and cultural characteristics of tourists, the ones that contributed highest to determining
variation in tourism product demand within the tourism destinations are education, sex, and
occupation/socio-economic status. Other variables such as family size, social group, income,
and age contributed less in their influence on tourism product demand, though tourism product
demand was not positively influenced by age and education of tourist. Thus, while tourists
with high education and older tourists did not necessarily patronise tourism products most,
it was those with high income, medium family size and of certain social group, sex and
culture/nationality that patronised.
However, the eight independent variables on both demographic, social group, and cultural
characteristics of tourists accounted for only 19% of the total variation in tourists’ product
demand. Moreover, based on the computed F values obtained for the regression analysis: (F
calculated = 1.763 and F-table value = 2.367 at P > 0.05), the hypothesis that demographic,
social group and cultural characteristics having significantly influenced tourism product
demand was rejected. It was concluded, therefore, that demographic, social group, and cultural
characteristics of tourists did not adequately explain tourists’ product demand. However,
significant variation in tourism product demand was revealed in some destination products
by differences resulting from socio-economic status, education, and culture/nationality and
Tourism Today - Fall 2007 - Full Paper