Factors Affecting Tourists Choice Of Destination - A Study In Sultanate Of Oman

Tourism traditionally is when an individual or a group of individuals travel to or within a country temporarily for partaking in various activities, some formal activities include business meetings, medical visits, education, scouting for sportspersons or show business, whereas others partake in activities inclusive of sightseeing, exploration, weddings, parties, concerts, expos or conventions, visiting friends, family and relatives. This paper attempts to analyze a few important factors affecting tourists’ choice of destination. Four factors namely, Location, Infrastructure, Culture and Trends have been identified as the key factors affecting the destination choice of tourists visiting Salalah, Sultanate of Oman. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has been used to analyze the impact of these factors on the choice of destination. The findings suggest that infrastructure, followed by culture and locations have the maximum impact on the choice of a tourist destination.