Project NCN OPUS 31

Factors Determining Tourists’ Transport-Mode Choices in Ten European Capitals

Project Leader: Dr. habil. Piotr Zientara, Professor at the University of Gdańsk (UG)

Researchers: Dr. Magdalena Jażdżewska-Gutta, Dr. habil. Anna Zamojska, Professor at UG, Dr. habil. Monika Bąk, Professor at UG

Project funded by: National Science Centre, Poland, as part of the OPUS 31 competition

Project Number: UMO-2021/41/B/HS4/00123

Project Duration: 2022–2024

Project Objectives and Assumptions

The aim of the project was to investigate tourists’ motivations for using public transportation in European capitals (including Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm, and Warsaw), identify factors influencing tourists’ transport-mode choices, and compare transport systems in these cities in the context of sustainable mobility. Data was collected through surveys and the service safari technique, which is a form of participant observation. The study was conducted among over 5,000 tourists.

Unlike most previous studies, which focused on surveying tourists in a single city or country, this project examined the behavior of tourists from different countries in multiple cities across various countries. This allowed for the identification of not only individual determinants of transport-mode choices but also contextual factors related to specific locations and their unique transport systems.

Key Findings of the Project

The project analyzed tourists' motivations and constraints in using public transportation in ten European capitals from the perspective of Hierarchical Leisure Constraints Theory (HLCT). The findings confirmed most of the research hypotheses, indicating that motivation has a positive impact on the use of public transport and on negotiating constraints. At the same time, constraints negatively influenced public transport usage. However, the relationship between constraints and the negotiation process was not statistically significant for the entire sample, likely due to the availability of different transport options for tourists. This confirmed the usefulness of HLCT in analyzing tourists’ transport behavior.

Additionally, multigroup analysis revealed significant differences between cities with high and low shares of public transport usage. In cities with high public transport usage, constraints had a stronger impact on negotiation processes, suggesting that tourists in these cities are more likely to overcome barriers to use public transport. In cities with low public transport usage, this relationship was not significant, indicating that other factors (e.g., availability of alternative transport modes) play a more significant role in tourists' decisions. No significant differences were found between domestic and international tourists.

The project also analyzed tourists’ sustainable mobility in ten European capitals, focusing on factors influencing transport-mode choices. The study used the Destination City’s Sustainable Mobility Index (DCSM Index), which evaluates the sustainability of urban transport systems by integrating various factors that promote eco-friendly modes of transport and limit less sustainable options. Key findings include:

Tourists’ transport decisions are shaped by the destination city’s characteristics, their transport habits from their home country, and travel-specific details such as accommodation and trip characteristics.
Tourists from countries with higher environmental protection standards are more likely to choose sustainable transport options.
The duration of stay and the number of previous visits influence mobility choices.
Accommodation closer to the city center increases the likelihood of using eco-friendly transport modes.
The project also investigated the impact of perceptions of overcrowding on destination attractiveness, travel satisfaction, and tourist loyalty in London, Paris, and Rome. Key findings include:

• In Rome, overcrowding positively affected destination attractiveness and tourist satisfaction—visitors viewed it as part of the city’s atmosphere, reflecting its rich heritage and culture.
• In London, overcrowding negatively affected the city’s attractiveness, indicating that tourists expected more space.
• In Paris, overcrowding reduced destination attractiveness, likely due to tourists' expectations regarding public space aesthetics.
• In all three cities, destination attractiveness was a critical factor influencing tourist satisfaction.
• Destination attractiveness and satisfaction affected tourist loyalty, meaning their willingness to return and recommend the city to others.
• In Rome, loyalty was strongly linked to attractiveness, while in London, the connection was less pronounced.
• In Paris, loyalty was strongly correlated with overall tourist satisfaction

Key conclusions from the project:

• There is no single factor that guarantees tourist satisfaction. Instead, a combination of convenience, accessibility, and safety shapes positive tourist experiences.
• Cost of transport is not always the decisive factor—tourists are willing to pay more if the service offers comfort and reliability.
• Short travel times and affordability are beneficial but insufficient on their own to ensure high satisfaction.

Articles prepared under the project

Zientara, P., Jażdżewska-Gutta, M., Bąk, M., & Zamojska, A. (2024). Examining the use of public transportation by tourists in ten European capitals through the lens of hierarchical leisure constraints theory. Journal of Travel Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875241228499

Zientara, P., Jażdżewska-Gutta, M., Bąk, M., & Zamojska, A. (2024). What drives tourists’ sustainable mobility at city destinations? Insights from ten European capital cities. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 33, 100931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2024.100931

Bąk, M., Jażdżewska-Gutta, Zamojska, A., & Zientara, P. From Crowding Perception to Destination Loyalty. Assessing the Moderating Role of Travel Satisfaction in European Cities – article under review.

Jażdżewska-Gutta, M., Bąk, M., & Zientara, P. Tourist Mobility in Ten European Capitals through Service Safari and Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis – article under review.

Conference Presentations

Surrey 2023: Bringing Hospitality, Tourism, Transport and Events Back for Good, July 5–7, 2023. Presentation: Constraints theory and tourist mobility choices at the destination. Evidence from ten European capitals.

7th World Research Summit for Hospitality and Tourism, December 8–11, 2023, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Orlando, Florida, USA. Presentation: What Drives Tourists’ Sustainable Mobility at City Destinations? Insights from 10 European Capital Cities.

Urban Transitions 2024: Integrating Urban and Transport Planning, Environment and Health for Healthier Urban Living (Sitges, Barcelona, Spain), November 5–7, 2024.

Research funded by: National Science Centre, Poland, under the project titled “Factors Determining Tourists’ Transport-Mode Choices in Ten European Capitals”, Project No. UMO-2021/41/B/HS4/00123.