The role of travelling distances: different planning, different motives

Abstract

The impact of travel distance on travel planning and motives of travelling represents a notable research gap. This study aims to demonstrate that impacts of intention predictors are different, since longer distance increases complexities of planning; also – that a long-haul travelling is driven by different motives than short-haul travelling. The study is based on analysis of survey data from Lithuania. The findings showed differences in how beliefs impact intentions to travel to distant and nearby cities. Behavioural and normative beliefs had stronger impacts on intentions for nearby destinations, whereas control beliefs had strong impacts for distant destinations. Also, the sets of travel motives for long-haul destinations and for short-haul destinations had different structure of motives. The findings deepen understanding of travel distance as an aspect of travelling that differentiates impacts of travel intention antecedents and generates different sets of travel motives for long-haul and short-haul travelling.