THE APPLICATION OF PATH MODELLING IN THE ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE CULTURAL TOURISM MARKET

The aim of this article is to present consumer behaviour in the tourism market, i.e. behaviour constituting the compound effect of an individual's multi-stage reaction to multiple determinants, crowned with the after-feelings the consumer begins to develop at the earliest stage of a tourist trip. A satisfied tourist is one who recommends a given destination and expresses their will to return there. This paper seeks to present "path analysis" as a research tool used to analyse the determinants surrounding a tourist's intent to revisit a particular tourist destination. The results of the conducted research confirm both the usefulness of path analysis modelling and the undeniable influence of the preparation for a trip on the satisfaction gained by a cultural tourist.JEL Classification: C49, D01, D11, D12, Z11, Z12, Z13Keywords: path analysis, tourist behaviour, cultural tourism.IntroductionThe primary participants of the tourism industry are tourists. Thus, investigating their behaviour seems justified in every respect. With the huge supply of tourist products and attractions, consumer behaviour is the main source of verification of the tourist industry's market undertakings and operations In the contemporary economy it is the tourist who, through his/her decision-making processes, acknowledges or questions the actual validity of decisions and actions undertaken by the supply-end intermediaries. Hence, the knowledge of the consumer's behaviour in the market is a key factor in determining the success of each and every service provider.In order to find out about a tourist's intent to return to a given destination, this paper seeks to use "path analysis". Pertinent analysis is presented with the use of data obtained from the author's own research conducted in 2010 among tourists whose aim in visiting Krakow was closely linked to the cultural assets the city offers. The selected research group drew the author's attention to the issue of cultural tourism and the profile of its participants.1. Literature Review1.1. Consumer behaviour in the tourist market (tourist behaviour)The question of consumer behaviour in the tourist market has already been described by, inter alios,. Middleton (1996), Swarbrooke & Horner (2003), and Crompton (1992). The term tourist behaviour is understood as a consumer's entire set of (specific psycho-physical predispositions) actions, activities and conduct, connected with making choices in given economic, social and demographic conditions. Whereas the object of consumer behaviour is the individual who carries the status of a consumer (tourist), and who represents not only themselves, but also their households, the subject of this behaviour is the process of satisfying tourist needs which become revealed when the consumer starts using the functional values of tourist products in the given tourism region while on a trip. Consequently, the decision- making process referring to the tourist trip (i.e. the process of satisfying needs) consists of the following five stages: feeling the need to travel; searching for information, forming choice options for the possibilities of satisfying the needs and their assessment, the purchase of tourist products, and the feelings upon satisfying tourist needs.The first three stages relate to the so-called pre-imaginary trip, while the fourth stage concerns the actual trip itself. During the actual trip, tourists behave according to their intellectual and emotional experiences. On completion of the trip, the tourist recalls what he or she has observed, heard and experienced, which represents the so-called "re-call" stage of the trip. A tourist's behaviour in respect to the four aforementioned stages of a given trip results from a combination of numerous factors (Niemczyk, 2012d), whilst the fifth and final stage draws on substantial scientific research which elaborates on the first four stages (Middleton, 1996; Swarbrooke & Horner, 2003; Niemczyk, 2010). …