Purpose

This paper aims to explore the determinants and implications of travel motivations of international tourists visiting the Cappadocia destination.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative research method focusing on numerical data was used to test the proposed hypotheses, and the survey technique has been used to collect data. The research participants consisted of 363 international tourists visiting the Cappadocia region/Turkey and spending at least one night there. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed using the AMOS 22 package program to ensure the scales’ construct validity. Then, the structural equation model was established to test the study’s hypothesis, and these hypotheses were tested with the help of path analysis.

Findings

As determinants of travel motivations, while electronic word of mouth (eWOM) has a positive effect on travel motivation dimensions, the impact of travel risk perception is negative. Moreover, from the dimensions of travel motivations, novelty/learning and socialization positively affect destination loyalty. However, the influences of escape and relaxation and self-development are meaningless. Besides that, travel risk perception strongly impacts eWOM.

Practical implications

Destination managers and practitioners must maintain a higher level of tourist motivation and reduce tourists’ travel risk perception levels to improve destination competitiveness by constituting a more loyal customer profile. Moreover, eWOM platforms should be used efficiently.

Originality/value

This study points to a functional multidimensional model that contributes to the literature and guides destination managers and practitioners. The proposed framework of determinants and consequences of tourists’ travel motivation can also be applied in other service contexts.

中文翻译：

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旅行动机的决定因素和影响：访问卡帕多西亚的国际旅行者

目的

本文旨在探讨访问卡帕多西亚目的地的国际游客的旅行动机的决定因素和影响。

设计/方法/方法

以数值数据为重点的定量研究方法被用来检验提出的假设，调查技术被用来收集数据。研究参与者由 363 名国际游客组成，他们访问了卡帕多西亚地区/土耳其并在那里至少住了一晚。使用 AMOS 22 软件包程序进行验证性因素分析，以确保量表的结构有效性。然后，建立结构方程模型对研究假设进行检验，并借助路径分析对这些假设进行检验。

发现

作为旅行动机的决定因素，虽然电子口碑（eWOM）对旅行动机维度有积极影响，但旅行风险感知的影响是消极的。此外，从旅行动机的维度来看，新奇/学习和社交对目的地忠诚度有积极影响。然而，逃避和放松和自我发展的影响是没有意义的。除此之外，旅行风险感知强烈影响 eWOM。

实际影响

目的地管理者和从业者必须保持较高水平的旅游动机并降低游客的旅行风险感知水平，以通过建立更忠诚的客户档案来提高目的地竞争力。此外，应有效使用 eWOM 平台。

原创性/价值

这项研究指出了一个功能多维模型，该模型有助于文献并指导目的地管理者和从业者。建议的游客旅行动机的决定因素和后果框架也可以应用于其他服务环境。