The impacts of tourists' hedonic consumption tendencies on the behavio(u)ral intentions

Performing effective marketing activities by making consumer behaviors more understandable requires determining the factors affecting the consumer purchasing process. In this respect, the main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between hedonic consumption tendencies and behavioral intentions. The sub-goal of the study is to investigate whether tourists' hedonic consumption tendencies and their behavioral intentions are related and differ in terms of nationality, type of tourism and gender. For the purpose of allowing to make comparisons among tourists, the study examines tourists who traveled to the port of Kusadasi and Marmaris via cruise ships, and tourists staying in first class holiday villages and five-star hotels in Fethiye for sea-sand-sun (mass) tourism. Furthermore, British, Russian and German tourists are included in the sample. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were utilized in the study. Firstly, validity and reliability analyses were carried out through 201 questionnaires obtained as a result of the pilot study. Afterwards, pilot interviews were conducted with two tourists. Depending on the positive results obtained, face-to-face interviews with a total of 16 tourists were carried out. The results of interviews and pilot survey analyzes revealed that the survey could be put into practice. Accordingly, a total of 1152 valid questionnaire data were analyzed. As a result of the study, it was found that there is a significant relationship between the hedonic consumption tendency and the behavioral intention and the behavioral intentions of the hedonic consumption tendencies are significantly influenced by both the nation and the type of the tourism. In this respect, suggestions were presented especially to industry professionals and researchers within the scope of the research.