Economizing behaviour during travel: strategies and information sources used

In 2009, the consumer was hit hard by the consequences of the global economic and financial crisis. The crisis affected consumer spending in general and tourism in particular. In 2009, data was collected in the Netherlands about how people economize during travel, which can help to find out what kind of economizing behaviour travellers might adopt when they are confronted with less money to spend on their holidays. It was found that they mainly economize in terms of shorter vacations and changing destinations. Economizing options used differed between low and high income categories and between families with and without children. Evidence was found of a ‘cheese slicing’ strategy: economizing on a set of holiday attributes instead of on only one. Some implications for the tourism industry are suggested.