A study of pre-trip use of travel guidebooks by leisure travelers

Travel guidebooks are one of the information sources used by tourists. This study applies and extends the information needs model proposed by Vogt and Fesenmaier to examine what Hong Kong residents specifically required from their pre-trip use of guidebooks. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 leisure travelers, and 402 questionnaires subsequently distributed. A factor analysis is employed to show that as well as the five original needs from the model (functional, hedonic, innovation, aesthetic and sign needs), five more needs can be identified. These are itinerary improvement, travel partner, quality information, personal interest, and security needs. Functional needs are found to be the dominant factor and sign needs the least significant. The results of independent t-test and one-way ANOVA reveal that the importance placed on different needs varies according to age, education, income, planned destination, mode of travel, length of trip, number of visits and travel companions. The study makes recommendations for how travel guidebooks can better appeal to these needs and capture the attention of potential users.