Tourist Information Search Behaviour Scale

What it measures

Measures the antecedents and types of tourist information search behaviour in an integrative model. Objective knowledge captures what tourists actually know about a destination; Subjective knowledge captures how knowledgeable they believe themselves to be; Previous experience captures familiarity through prior visits; Internal information use captures reliance on stored knowledge and memory; External information use captures active search from external sources (media, travel agents, peers, internet). The model establishes that objective knowledge and previous experience reduce external search while increasing internal search — confirming that familiarity shapes how tourists gather information before travel decisions.

Representative items

• I know a great deal about this destination. (Objective Knowledge)
• I am very familiar with the tourist attractions of this destination. (Objective Knowledge)
• Compared to most people, I know a lot about travelling to this destination. (Subjective Knowledge)
• I have visited this destination many times before. (Previous Experience)
• I relied on my personal experience and knowledge when making travel decisions. (Internal Use)

Citation

Gursoy, D., & McCleary, K.W. (2004). An integrative model of tourists' information search behavior. Annals of Tourism Research, 31(2), 353–373.