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An integrative model of destination image, self-congruity, and travel behavior is described in this article. In particular, the model postulates relationships between destination environment, destination visitor image, tourists' self-concept, self-congruity, functional congruity, and travel behavior. Travel behavior is hypothesized to be influenced significantly by both self-congruity and functional congruity. Self-congruity is the match between the destination visitor image and tourists' self-concept (actual, ideal, social, and ideal social self-image). Functional congruity is the match between the utilitarian attributes of the destination and the tourist's ideal expectations related to those attributes. Self-congruity is hypothesized to influence functional congruity. It is argued that the destination environment influences the formation and change of the destination visitor image and the tourist-perceived utilitarian destination attributes.

This article introduces univariate and bivariate spectral analysis as methods of modeling overseas tourists' expenditures in the United Kingdom. In general, these two methods detect cyclical behavior within and between time-series data, respectively. The univariate spectrum refutes any long-term 'business cycle' -type oscillations in the expenditure data. Only a significant annual cycle is revealed. The univariate spectrum is shown to assist greatly in the difficult problem of parameter determination in the more conventional autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) class of time-series models. The bivariate spectrum reveals significant lead relationships between cycles in pound sterling exchange rates against the U.S. dollar and French franc and cycles in tourists' expenditures. Such relationships would be difficult to detect via more commonly used time-series procedures.

A great variety of partial models exist for explaining consumer behavior. Model selection, specification, and evaluation often lack theory orientation and sufficient criteria. Compared with demographic or socioeconomic variables, psychographic concepts supposedly offer the highest predictive power for consumer behavior. This study examined four psychographic tools in tourism behavior models: personal values, lifestyle, vacation style, and benefits sought. A rank order of predictive superiority was determined for particular theme hotel choice variables. The second research objective aimed to validate the systematic relationships between the four latent constructs. Several concepts of validity are discussed for evaluating the results claiming a consecutive influence from values to lifestyle, to vacation-style attitudes, and to benefits sought. Path analyses for each of the hotel themes try to condense and summarize the entire result.

A consumer behavior model of price-value perceptions is modified and examined in relation to a destination visit. The modification involves the addition of visitor origin and season of visit to take into account influential trip characteristics. The adapted model is investigated with a substantial database of visitor perceptions of Victoria, British Columbia. Statistical analyses reveal that origin and season both interact and separately influence the price-value perceptions of tourists. The evidence suggests that pricing strategies should consider the external influence of such trip variables on traveler value perceptions.

There are several factors that affect the travel behavior of US tourists in choosing a city destination close to their place of residence. One such factor is the perceived destination image of the city under consideration for travel. Leisure motives, age, income and distance are other factors that influence the decision-making process. The perceived expensiveness of a destination is also an important determinant of destination choice.