Cruise Passengers' Spatial Behaviour and Expenditure Levels at Destination

• Published in: Tourism planning & development Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 17 - 36
• Main Authors: Domènech, Antoni, Gutiérrez, Aaron, Anton Clavé, Salvador
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02.01.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Cruise tourism; Expenditures; GPS tracking data; spatial analysis; survey; tourist mobility
• ISSN: 2156-8316; 2156-8324
• DOI: 10.1080/21568316.2019.1566169

The article uses the spatial-temporal behaviour of cruise passengers at a given destination as an explanatory factor of their expenditure. First, it shows that different expenditure levels imply different mobility patterns. Second, it identifies the spatial-temporal variables that better explain the cruise passengers' expenditure at destination. GPS tracking technologies are employed to monitor the mobility of cruise passengers in the city of Tarragona (Catalonia) along with traditional surveys about their expenditure in the city. The combination of both sources allowed for the observation that those tourists with a higher per-capita expenditure are those who spend more time onshore, visit a lower number of tourist sites and spend more time in places with a tourist-oriented, mixed commercial and recreational function. This more thorough knowledge of the relationship between spatial-temporal behaviour and expenditure of cruise passengers onshore is essential for planning the commercial supply and the management of tourists' mobility.