| dc.description.abstract | ABSTRACT
This papers` main objective is to find the most important factors, in attracting solo travelers to stay in hostels on their travels, from a customer perspective.
The study seeks to reveal and identify the motivations for why solo travelers travel alone, and discuss some of the reasons for an increasing solo travel market. As well, it will look at reasons for why hostels accommodate a majority of solo travelers, and what the most positive factors the solo travelers are attracted by when choosing hostels. Attempting to identify how signs of motivation appear and the behavioral process through stages of decision making, which lead to the goals and consumption of the travel choices made.
In the solo traveler`s market segment, it may seem like hostels are a popular accommodation option. What may be the key features attracting the solo travelers to hostels, and what are the attractive services or facilities hostels offer to their guests? Can we see these positive key features reflected in the guest reviews and are they in line with the observations from the findings in the chosen articles?
The study`s approach and methodology are based on an empirical approach by applying collected data supported by a literature review. The data consists of 300 positive customer reviews, collected from booking.com. Three hostels in Bergen were included by looking at the highest scored reviews, and 5 articles focused on solo traveler`s behavior.
The theories chosen for this study are Maslow`s hierarchy of needs, Dann`s push and pull theory and Hertzberg`s two factor theory. With facts from these theories, discussions and findings lead to some answers to the major motivations behind solo traveler`s reasons for their travel choices. The findings reveal that solo travelers have certain needs, and after the basic needs are satisfied, the needs of self-esteem and self- actualization occur. These needs are very much reflected through travel and how and where they want to be, explore, or interact with other people.
The conclusion of this study confirms the 10 most attractive features for solo travelers, showing the main positive reasons for a hostel stay. The most mentioned features in the reviews are; ambiance (atmosphere and activities and interaction with other people), staff, facilities which reflects the common areas. The social aspect with hostels is emphasized, as well as location and value for money, also appeared as the most significant features.
Research limitations. Literature offers many angles on solo travel behavior, but very little research on why hostels are the preferred accommodation option. The results in this paper is limited due to a small sample of reviews, from the three hostels in Bergen
However, the main limitation is the lack of literature and studies on hostels as a common and important type of accommodation, among hotels and budget hotels.
Keywords:
Solo traveler, hostel, why do people travel alone, why do solo travelers stay in hostels. | |