Events and Tourism Review Events and Tourism Review Vol. 3 No. 1 (Spring 2020), 26-31, DOI: 10.18060/24220 Copyright © 2020 Ijada Jackson-Macon & Godwin-Charles Ogbeide This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribuion 4.0 International License. Events and Tourism Review June 2020 Volume 3 No. 1 Generation Y and Z Destination Attractiveness Attributes Ijada Jackson-Macon Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Godwin-Charles Ogbeide Purdue University Northwest For Authors Interested in submitting to this journal? We recommend that you review the About the Journal page for the journal's section policies, as well as the Author Guidelines. Authors need to register with the journal prior to submitting or, if already registered, can simply log in and begin the five-step process. For Reviewers If you are interested in serving as a peer reviewer, please register with the journal. Make sure to select that you would like to be contacted to review submissions for this journal. Also, be sure to include your reviewing interests, separated by a comma. About Events and Tourism Review (ETR) ETR aims to advance the delivery of events, tourism and hospitality products and services by stimulating the submission of papers from both industry and academic practitioners and researchers. For more information about ETR visit the Events and Tourism Review. Recommended Citation Jackson-Macon, I. & Ogbeide, G-C. (2020). Generation Y and Z Destination Attractiveness Attributes. Events and Tourism Review, 3(1), 26-31. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/jet/about http://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/jet/about/submissions#authorGuidelines http://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/jet/user/register http://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/index/login https://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/ETR/user/register http://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/ETR Jackson-Macon, I. & Ogbeide, G-C. (2020) / Events and Tourism Review, 3(1), 26-31. 27 Events and Tourism Review Vol. 3 No. 1 (Spring 2020), 26-31, DOI: 10.18060/24220 Copyright © 2020 Ijada Jackson-Macon & Godwin-Charles Ogbeide This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore Generation Y and Z perceptions of destination attractiveness (DA) and their propensity to visit a destination. The objectives of this research include examining which destination attractiveness factors are critical to Generation Y, and Z tourists, and to compare and contrast Generation Y and Z attractiveness factors to other tourists. College students and recent graduates from multiple universities in the USA were surveyed for this study. The results of this study will contribute to the existing knowledge in the areas of destination marketing and management. Keywords: Destination Attractiveness, Cultural and Heritage Resources, Natural Resources, General Infrastructure, Hospitality, Generation Y and Z Introduction Destination attractiveness and competitiveness factors are very critical for tourism development (Crouch & Ritchie, 1999; Dwyer & Kim, 2003). The sample for most of the past studies on destination attractiveness and competitiveness includes tourists (mostly middle-aged adults) who have visited the specific destinations or both local and national tourists who visited the area. The aforementioned tourists usually respond to questionnaires regarding the destination competitiveness indicators chosen for the study (Cracolici & Nijkamp, 2008; Crouch 2011; Gupta & Singh, 2015; Law & Lo, 2016). Based on previous studies, it could be surmised that there is a critical need to identify the destination attractiveness factors to attract “future” tourists (Generation Y and Z) to destinations. Literature Review There are many factors in various research models used to explore destination attractiveness and competitiveness (Crouch, 2011; Dwyer & Kim, 2003). Some of the popular factors consist of core resources, culture, demand conditions, destination management, natural resources, and infrastructure (Crouch, 2011; Dwyer et al., 2004; Gupta & Singh, 2015; Hassan, 2009; Hong, 2009). Some researchers indicated that natural resources and cultural/heritage resources are some of the best resources and destination competitive indicators for attracting tourists (Crouch, 2011; Dwyer et al., 2004; Gupta & Singh, 2015; Hong, 2009; Law & Lo, 2016). Some of the core resources such as shopping, entertainment, and the domestic environment of a destination were not so important for destination competitiveness (Gupta & Singh, 2015; Hong, 2009). However, Generation Y tends to be attracted to meetings and events through entertainment (Ogbeide et al., 2013). Thus, there is a need to determine the factors that attract Generation Y and Z to destinations. Purpose and Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore Generation Y and Z perceptions of destination attractiveness. The objectives of this study include the following: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Jackson-Macon, I. & Ogbeide, G-C. (2020) / Events and Tourism Review, 3(1), 26-31. 28 Events and Tourism Review Vol. 3 No. 1 (Spring 2020), 26-31, DOI: 10.18060/24220 Copyright © 2020 Ijada Jackson-Macon & Godwin-Charles Ogbeide This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 1. Determine Generation Y and Z critical destination attractiveness factors 2. Compare and contrast Generation Y and Z’s attractiveness factors to other tourists Methodology Population and Sample Selection The target population for this study was Generation Y and Z potential travelers in the Midwestern part of the USA. The instrument for this study was adapted from literature (Gomezelj & Mihalic, 2008; Gupta & Singh, 2015). All the questions, except the demographic and psychographic questions, were based on a 7-point Likert scale instrument. The survey questions intended to measure how much each participant agreed or disagreed with the extent to which each statement represented his/her perception of destination attractiveness and propensity to visit a destination. A section of the instrument focused on the demographic and psychographic characteristics of the participants. The validity of the instrument was based on a panel of experts, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to justify its reliability. Data were collected online, and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 for Windows, a product of SPSS, Inc. was used for data analysis. Other tourist destination attractiveness factors were based on the literature review. Result and Discussion The results of this study indicated the top 15 destination attractiveness attributes (Table 1). The results also indicated eight critical destination attractiveness factors and their mean ranking (Table 2). The similarities and differences within the findings of this study as compared to previous studies indicated eight destination attractiveness factors for US Generation Y and Z, domestic Indian tourists, and international tourists to India. These findings showed that “cultural and heritage resources” are the most important destination attractiveness factors. Other important factors between the three groups are cultural and heritage resources, hospitality, and general infrastructure. The least important factor between the three groups is entertainment. Other interesting observations from this study are Generation Y and Z’s interest in local foods/authentic cuisines. Local foods and authentic cuisines were highly ranked attributes in this study and in previous studies about destination attractiveness and competitiveness. Conclusion and Implication Cultural dispositions may affect Generation Y and Z’s, and other tourists’, destination attractiveness factors. For example, natural resources serve as critical destination attractiveness factors to tourists in India, but not Generation Y and Z in the US. Similarly, tourism infrastructure is a critical destination attractiveness factor to Generation Y and Z in the US, but not to tourists in India. Also, shopping is a critical destination attractiveness factor to Generation Y and Z within the US, but not to tourists in India. The findings of this study have critical policy implications for the authorities responsible for tourism development. They should pay more attention to enhancing the following three factors: cultural and heritage resources, hospitality, and general infrastructure in their https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Jackson-Macon, I. & Ogbeide, G-C. (2020) / Events and Tourism Review, 3(1), 26-31. 29 Events and Tourism Review Vol. 3 No. 1 (Spring 2020), 26-31, DOI: 10.18060/24220 Copyright © 2020 Ijada Jackson-Macon & Godwin-Charles Ogbeide This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. communities to attract future tourists. These three factors were found to be important destination attractiveness factors (Table 2).. Besides, DMO’s should showcase the above factors in their campaign endeavors for attracting the attention of different market segments in the global tourism market. Table 1. Top Destination Attractiveness Attributes Destination Attractiveness Attributes N Mean Std. Deviation Factor Classification Personal safety and security 362 4.62 0.681 General Infrastructure Affordable place to visit 361 4.54 0.767 Shopping/Affordability Availability of local foods and authentic cuisines 363 4.49 0.756 Cultural and Heritage Resources Good opportunities to experience the unique culture of the area 360 4.47 0.753 Cultural and Heritage Resources Availability of natural attractions/scenery (e.g., mountains, beaches, lakes etc.) 364 4.45 0.775 Natural Resources Cleanliness and sanitation of the destination 362 4.42 0.774 Natural Resources Good lodging facilities 364 4.38 0.774 Tourism Infrastructure Positive word-of-mouth from friends/family 358 4.26 0.873 Hospitality Personal income or the availability of financial resources 360 4.25 0.972 Shopping/Affordability Good destination image/perception 358 4.22 0.905 Hospitality Good telecommunication systems in place (e.g., Wi-Fi, Internet, and Cell Phone Towers) 364 4.16 1.002 General Infrastructure Good culinary “foodie” destination 364 4.16 0.901 Tourism Infrastructure Climate for summer-based activities (e.g., camping, beach, swimming etc.) 364 4.09 0.975 Natural Resources Access to online and/or mobile travel booking 359 4.08 0.998 Hospitality Good local transportation systems in place (e.g., Taxis, Uber, Rental Cars and Metro) 364 4.05 0.942 General Infrastructure One of the important and relevant components of this study is the noticeable difference in some of the destination attractiveness factors between Generation Y and Z within the US and other tourists. Hence, DMOs should be mindful of all these destination attractiveness indicators and differences and utilize the knowledge to create appropriate marketing strategies to attract Generation Y and Z and other future tourists to their communities. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Jackson-Macon, I. & Ogbeide, G-C. (2020) / Events and Tourism Review, 3(1), 26-31. 30 Events and Tourism Review Vol. 3 No. 1 (Spring 2020), 26-31, DOI: 10.18060/24220 Copyright © 2020 Ijada Jackson-Macon & Godwin-Charles Ogbeide This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Table 2. Eight Critical Destination Attractiveness Factors and Ranking Destination Attractiveness Factors US Generation Y and Z Domestic Indian Tourists’ International Tourists to India Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Cultural and Heritage Resources 4.17 1 4.13 1 4.87 1 Tourism Infrastructure 4.15 2 2.73 6 2.87 5 Hospitality 4.15 2 3.21 3 3.15 3 Shopping/Affordability 4.10 4 1.46 8 1.90 7 General Infrastructure 4.08 5 3.18 4 2.98 4 Natural Resources 4.03 6 4.01 2 3.90 2 Recreational Activities 3.53 7 2.95 5 2.60 6 Entertainment 3.31 8 1.64 7 1.39 8 References Cracolicl, M. F., & Nijkamp, P. (2008). The Attractiveness and Competitiveness of Tourist Destinations: A study of Southern Italian Regions. Journal of Tourism Management, Vol. 30, pp. 336-344, Elsevier Ltd. Crouch, G. I. (2011). Destination Competitiveness: An Analysis of Determinant Attributes. Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 27-45, Sage Publications. Crouch, G. I., & Ritchie, J. R. B. (1999). Tourism, competitiveness and societal prosperity . Journal of Business Research, Vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 137-152. Dwyer, L., & Kim, C. (2003). Destination Competitiveness: Determinants and Indicators. Current Issues in Tourism, Vol. 6, No. 5, pp.369-413. Dwyer, L., Edwards, D., & Mellor, R. (2004). Attributes of Destination Competitiveness: A Factor Analysis. Tourism Analysis, Vol. 9, pp.00-00, Cognizant Communication Corp. Gomezelj, D. O., & Mihalic, T. (2008). Destination Competitiveness—applying different models, the case of Slovenia. Journal of Tourism Management, Vol. 29, pp. 294-307, Elsevier Ltd. Gupta, S., & Singh, A. (2015). Determinants of Tourism Destination Competitiveness: A Case of Bundelkhand, India. International Journal of Management Research, Vol. 6, No. 2. Hassan, S. S. (2000). Determinants of Market competitiveness in an Environmentally Sustainable Tourism Industry. Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 239-245, Sage Publications. Hong, W. C. (2009). Global Competitveness measurement for the tourism sector. Current Issues in Tourism, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 105-132, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Jackson-Macon, I. & Ogbeide, G-C. (2020) / Events and Tourism Review, 3(1), 26-31. 31 Events and Tourism Review Vol. 3 No. 1 (Spring 2020), 26-31, DOI: 10.18060/24220 Copyright © 2020 Ijada Jackson-Macon & Godwin-Charles Ogbeide This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Ogbeide, G-C., Fenich, G., Scott-Halsell, S., & Kesterson, K., (2013). Communication preferences for attracting the millennial generation to attend meetings. Journal of Convention and Event Tourism, 14(4) 331-344. Law, F. Y., & Lo, M. C. (2016). Rural tourism destination competitiveness of Kubah National Park in Sarawak: Tourists’ perspectives. Asian Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 21, Supp. 1, pp. 127-148. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/