Estimate tourism model choice for pilgrim in the Way of St. James: the portuguese way

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how the characteristics of the pilgrims and the attributes of travel influence the choose of the Portuguese. It is important to understand the choices tourists make. This study identifies the factors that influence the tourists’ choice of way. The analysis is based on the official statistics of the Portuguese Way of Santiago between 2003 and 2020. The study provides several important findings concerning tourism’s model choice. Understanding the tourists’ modal choice behavior help public and private organizations to develop appropriate marketing strategies. The probit model is used to model a relationship between a dependent variable and the independent variables: Sex, Age and Continent. The independent variables are assumed to affect the choice of Portuguese Way. The model has been estimated by the maximum likelihood method. The estimated coefficients and standard errors disclose the factors that influence Choice of Portuguese. Discrete choice experiments are used for measuring and predicting individuals’ preferences and choices of alternatives and provide quantitative measures of the relative importance of attributes of chooses of the Portuguese way. The study provides several important findings concerning the pilgrim’s modal choice. The social stratum, family cycle, origin country, start city are key elements in explaining the tourist model choice decision. The results of the estimate model reveal that the variables social stratum has a significant and positive impact in the choose of Portuguese way, but the life cycle doesn’t have an impact the dependent variables. Finally, the o religious motivations are a significant and negative effect in the Portuguese Way. Understanding the tourists’ modal choice behavior may help tourism organizations to develop appropriate marketing strategies.