Tourists' Selection Criteria and Motivation. Does Nationality Matter?

Purpose - The aim of this study is to investigate the most important criteria that prompted tourists to visit a destination. In the present paper we will attempt to examine the factors affecting tourists to select a destination, the factors motivating tourists to select a destination and if nationality as a parameter affects the choice of the destination by the tourists regarding the features and the benefits of the destination and as well as the motivations of the tourists. Design/methodology/approach - An empirical study was carried out using a sample of 165 tourists of three nationalities. Data was collected from tourists through personal interviews with the use of a structured questionnaire and was analyzed with the use of Exploratory Factor Analysis, ANOVA and cross tabulations.