Analysis of the influence of cultural distance on the intention to visit Spain as a tourist destination

Abstract

In the tourist sector, visiting tourists’ intention has been the subject of numerous investigations for decades. However, the determining factors of the choice of tourist destination have not been clearly defined. The culture of the country of origin has been recognised as a key element in discerning the varied behaviours that people display. In this study, the capacity of the cultural distance between the considered countries of origin and Spain, according to the model proposed by Hofstede, is evaluated to influence the intention of visiting Spain in the next years, measured as a function of the theory of planned behaviour. The results obtained allow identification of the relevant issues affecting potential tourists’ intention of visiting. Analysis of the validity and reliability of the data used yields satisfactory solutions that enable the establishment of conclusions about behavioural intentions that are very different depending on the cultural distance level of the tourist. The ability of the Hofstede model to explain the intention to visit Spain is, therefore confirmed.