Heckit modelling of tourist expenditure: evidence from Spain

Abstract

Purpose – This study intends to decompose the tourist choice process into two stages (decision to take a holiday and tourist expenditure), and to propose and test various expectations on the dimensions which explain the above decisions.Design/methodology/approach – In order to simultaneously model the two decisions, we use a system of equations based on the Heckit model.Findings – The dimensions affecting the decision to go on holiday are income, household size, education, size of the city of origin and opinion of going on holiday. The determinant factors influencing the level of expenditure are distance between origin and destination, type of accommodation, income, household size, age, marital status and length of stay. An important finding of this analysis is the differentiated effect of a given dimension on each decision.Research limitations/implications – The lack of information on some explanatory dimensions. Joint modelling. The spending decision should be modelled jointly with the decision to go on...