The role of routines in the vacation decision-making process of Dutch vacationers

Abstract For most Dutch vacationers, going on holiday has become a ‘normal’ thing in their lives. This study attempts to find what that means for the way they decide on their vacation. If routinization occurs, how does it relate to factors such as the extensiveness of the decision-making process, the search for internal and external information and the (type of) destination selected? This paper presents the results of a qualitative study among 32 Dutch households, which is part of a larger research project on the routinization of vacation choice behavior of Dutch vacationers. It appears that the vacation decision-making processes of the interviewed households are much less extensive and far more routinized than described in the rational choice models. A limited or routine choice process entails a greater emphasis on an internal search for information. Furthermore, the results indicate that a domestic vacation in most cases required a less extensive decision-making process compared to a vacation abroad. The results however appear to be not always consistent, due to the fact that the extensiveness of the vacation choice process is influenced by several interacting factors. Factors related to both the type of vacationer and type of vacation play an important role. Policy makers and marketers can use these results in their communication and provision of services to the Dutch tourist.

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