Motorcycle Tourism Demand Generators and Dynamic Interaction Leisure

Diane Sykes, MBA, andKathryn G. Kelly, PhDKaplan University

Presented at: MBAA International ConferenceRelevant and Innovative: Advancing Thoughts, Theories, and Practice in Business Disciplines

February 27 – March 1, 2013

The Drake Hotel, Chicago, IL

Why Study Motorcycle Tourism?

• Understanding the motorcycle tourist can help governments, city-regions and businesses create events and highlight destinations by adjusting their current strategies to appeal to motorcycle tourists.• Research on understanding the motorcyclist tourist and creating events that appeal to him (and increasingly to her) is in short supply. • Large, growing market with significant tourism economic impact – riders have disposable income and leisure time

– Daytona Bike Week (400,000); Sturgis (600,000)– Inter- Regional Events – Laconia, BBB Rally, Leesburg (300,000 – 400,000)– Regional Events – Thunder in the Valley – (170,000)– State Events – Gettysburg Bike Week – Ruidoso -- Carlisle (20,000 – 40,000)

Lack of Existing Research leads to exploring Multiple

Disciplines• Research on Motorcycle Tourists is rare!– Robert Corey in 1996 (West Virginia) on a drama-based model of travel destination choice

– There is quite a bit of commercial market research, however, Marketing firm for Sturgis Rally (Lawrence & Schiller) is “unaware of any public research . . .”

– Hallmark sub-cultural research limited to Harley Davidson riders and BMW riders (in the U.S.) by Schouten & McAlexander and Austin & Gagne led to finding applicable theories

Applicable Theories from Subcultural Studies

• Austin, and Austin & Gagne studied BMW riders at rallies and examined ritual & boundary – Serious Leisure (Stebbins), Edgework & Voluntary Risk-taking (Lyng)

– Narrative Theory (Haigh & Crowther) , Story-telling (Austin)

– Mobile communities (Austin & Gagne)– Authentic experiences (Austin & Gagne) Non-McDonalized lifestyle

• Schouten & McAlexander studied Harley-Davidson riders• Subculture of consumption with unique ethos

and common values• Corey studied motorcycle tourists in West Virginia– Drama Theory

How do we Study Motorcycle Tourism?

• Definition of Motorcycle Tourism includes these 3 elements:– Tourism involves trips away from home for vacation, leisure, entertainment, or recreation• May include participation in sporting events or attendance at events organized for commercial gain, and/or charity, or independently organized motorcycling

– Tourist may be active or passive (driver or passenger) and trip can be day trip or involve overnight stay• Trailering a motorcycle also counts

– Motorcycle is a two- or three- wheel powered, non- enclosed vehicle designed for on-road, off-road or dual-purpose use• Includes cruisers, touring, and sport-tourer motorcycles

(adapted from Lamont (2010) study on bicycle tourism in Australia)

• Need a Framework (or Road Map)

Methodology • Self-Administered Original questionnaire (27 questions) was emailed to a convenience sample of 651 guests of Steel Steeds Motorcycle Campground – 127 Responses but this study only considers the 11 open ended questions and considers the holistic themes that emerged from those responses

Need for the Framework• Lack of integrative views (MacInnis, Stebbins)• Need a holistic perspective involving synthesis,

overarching ideas and extant knowledge• Journey to adjacent disciplines to create a fine

landscape, not patchwork quilt • Limitation of a single theory became evident

Process of Devising the Framework

Sykes & Kelly (2012) offered an initial road map for study based on:

– Ritchie and Hudson’s (2009) taxonomy that found six (6) primary streams of research on the tourism experience with varying sub-streams of tourism research. We used Stream 1 – a fundamental stream to Understand the Essence of the Consumer/Tourist Experience.

Then we examined congruent theories from existing research on the motorcycle subculture.• Swanson (2007) developed a helpful Theory Framework for Applied

Disciplines using a boundary, contributing theories, core theories, useful theories, novel theories and excluding irrelevant theories.

Then we examined other applicable theories from various disciplines and existing research on the tourism demand generators and tourist experiences.

Contributing Theories and Useful Theories• Flow

• Serious Leisure• Edgework

– Voluntary risk taking• Affect Control Theory• Symbolic Interaction• Intimacy Theory

– Communitas/Communities• Authenticity

– Spirituality– Ritual & Boundary– Identity Theory

• Narrative Theory

Tourist Gaze: (out of the ordinary, heightened intensity, all 5 senses, extends the ocular gaze)

•Sense-scapes•Experience scapes

Ride in a landscape, not through it

(Price-Davies)Blends into the “scene” factor in:

Drama Theory:Act, Actor, Agency, Purpose, Scene(helpful when riders chose route)

Demand Generators:Core Demand Generator Supporting Attractors (linked to the Core)DiversionsBasics of Travel

Novel TheoriesTemporality, Adventure/Fun,

Security/Safety, Climate/Weather, Trip Purposes, Cost,

Flexibility/dynamic change

Motorcycle Tourism Demand Generators

Journey DestinationSupporting

Attractors & Diversions

Basics of Travel – demands

Bikers WelcomeFellowship/Comaraderie

Sub-stream 1 – Beginnings of

Consumer Experience Research

Sub-stream 5 ( some 3) Theories

from other fields

Sub-Stream 4The Debate over

Authenticity

Additional

Applicable Tourism Theories

Temporality/Time

Fun/Adventure

Safety/Security

Trip Purposes

Flexibility/Change

Cost

Climate/Weather

Affect Control TheorySymbolic InteractionNarrative TheoryIntimacy Theory

FlowSerious Leisure

Edgework

Authenticity

Tourist (Geographical) GazeDrama Based TheoryDemand Generators

FRAMEWORK FOR STUDY

NEW BOUNDARY – DYNAMIC INTERACTION LEISURE2 benefits to motorcycle tourism: Identification of new tourism opportunities; Recognition and understanding from broader tourism industry

New Boundary: Dynamic Interaction Leisure

The holistic view of this data collected supported our view that demand generators are different for motorcycle tourism. • It’s not the destination – it’s the journey.

So the core demand generators have been modified to Journey and Destination.

• Thus, supporting attractions and diversions are less important as individual drivers and become part of the core demand generators.

• In the Basics of travel – Demands, bikers want to feel welcome and enjoy fellowship and camaraderie.

Motorcycle Tourism Demand Generators

This study creates a new boundary that includes the element of motorcycle tourism and the leisure embraced by motorcyclists that fuse the contributing theories and useful theories and the data analysis.

Motorcyclists engage in leisure even when they are not tourists. Their environment is changing and dynamic, they interact with nature, the elements and each other, and even a ride to work can be a leisure experience.

Future Research Questions• How much does each motorcycle tourist demand

generator matter to bikers?• How willing are businesses and governments to attract motorcyclists?

• How can regions work together to host motorcyclists and boost local/regional tourism?

• More research on behaviors, motivations, needs and wants of the motorcycle tourist is needed.This paper creates a definition of

motorcycle tourism and a framework for study.

A new boundary was set for Dynamic Interaction Leisure.

Thank you References contained in conference proceedings or available

on request.

REFERENCES