On the derivation of a common space of competing leisure attraction types

This study investigates day‐trippers’ attitudes toward different types of leisure attractions. The analysis of 15 attraction types generated one common perceptual space whose axes were interpreted as underlying competing dimensions. Data were collected by self‐administering computer‐assisted interviews using the technique of individual grouping which consists of an unconstrained sorting task of the stimuli. Non‐metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) procedures were employed in order to reveal a three‐dimensional configuration. Besides the direct stimuli comparisons, attribute data were generated for avoiding a completely subjective interpretation of the perceptual map. Individual difference scaling (INDSCAL) procedures were applied for an a priori segmentation approach which resulted in remarkable perceptual differences among the analysed sub‐groups. The MDS configuration suggests that despite the obvious unique character of every leisure attraction the descision process for visiting a particular attraction site is based upon a few perceptual dimensions. Implications of these results for marketing purposes are briefly discussed.