Ecotourism destinations in Rio Grande do Sul: attributes and motives for choice

Abstract

The study of the buying motives and attributes have been widely explored in different market sectors. Companies are, evidently, becoming increasingly concerned with satisfying the needs of their clients, therefore a knowledge of who their clients are, their desires and their profile becomes indispensable. The ecotourism sector is a market sector which is expanding in Brazil, a country with innumerable natural resources which, little by little, are attracting more ecotourists. This work identifies and analyzes the buying motives and attributes considered by ecotourism consumers. The research includes an exploratory phase, in which 12 in-depth interviews were carried out, generating 78 variables, between the attributes and motives. The second phase of the research, the survey, obtained 432 respondents. Descriptive and factorial analyses were carried out, and the averages were also analyzed. The analyses identified the attributes most highly valued by ecotourists in relation to ecotourism destinations, and the motives that lead them to choose these destinations. Among the conclusions presented, it was possible to identify 5 factors among the motives, and 5 among the attributes. This information is valuable for enabling companies in the sector to improve their market positioning. Key words: Ecotourism; Motive for Choice; Natural Resources.