Do tourists have different motivations for online travel purchasing? A segmentation of the Russian market

Abstract

This study investigates online travel purchasing (OTP) motivations of Russian tourists as a neglected research topic in the literature. Data were collected from 403 Russian tourists visiting Antalya, Turkey. Convenience, hedonic, socialization and economic motivations were identified as the main underlying OTP motivations. Furthermore, cluster analysis on OTP motivation dimensions yielded three market segments: multi-benefit seekers, convenience lovers and utilitarian benefiters. Differences among the segments in terms of their demographic profiles and online purchasing behaviours were additionally tested by cross-tab analyses with χ2 tests. Finally, study findings revealed that influences of OTP motivations on behavioural intention to buy tourism-related products might differ across the segments.