TRIP PLANNING BEHAVIOR OF TOURISTS: SAN ANTONIO CASE STUDY

People travel for various reasons, including business, to visit friends and relatives and for recreation. Travelers make decisions about destinations, accommodations, modes of transportation and attractions. In order to reach such destinations, travelers rely on various sources and types of information while planning and conducting their trips. Pretrip planning usually is done before departing on the trip, enroute planning occurs during the trip, and onsite planning takes place once the traveler reaches the destination and during the rest of the trip. With the increased development of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), especially advanced traveler information systems (ATIS) in Texas, there is a need to determine how this advanced technology can help unfamiliar travelers such as tourists plan and conduct their trips. ATIS acquire, analyze, communicate, and present information for use in assisting travelers in moving from a starting location to their desired destination. The overall goal of this study is to analyze the behavior of travelers and determine their desires and preferences for information when planning and conducting trips to unfamiliar areas. This report presents results obtained from a comprehensive mail-back survey conducted with the visitors of San Antonio. A general framework of the trip planning process is developed through the analysis of the survey. Also an analysis is presented on how ATIS can satisfy the trip planning needs of travelers and enhance the service of providing real-time travel information to help visitors plan and conduct their trip. The survey questionnaire and accompanying letter are appended, along with a bibliography.

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