Risk Perceptions and Pleasure Travel: An Exploratory Analysis

This article investigates risk perceptions associated with pleasure travel. Psychophy sical scaling methods and multivariate analysis identified three basic dimensions of perceived risk: physical-equipment risk, vacation risk, and destination risk. Subsequent cluster analysis of the respondents based on the three risk dimensions identified three groups of travelers with substantially different risk perceptions regarding travel. The three risk groups differed in terms of the most recent trip taken and the benefits soughtfrom travel as well as basic demographic characteristics. Interestingly, relationships between risk perceptions and travel behavior appear to be situation-specific, suggesting that it may be difficult to generalize behaviors observed in the purchase of goods to travel decision making.