Modeling tourist and community decision making: The SAVE Market

The Scientific, Academic, Volunteer and Educational (SAVE) tourist markets seek destinations that offer a highly educational experience, provide opportunity to meet and work with local residents, and require little tourism infrastructure. Because of the ‘low-maintenance’ nature of the SAVE market, it is a good seed market for developing countries and rural areas of developed nations wishing to increase tourism traffic and receipts. However, little is known about how the SAVE market makes travel decisions, or about the real impacts it has on community development. This conceptual paper models the choices made from both the demand (tourist) and supply (destination) side of the tourism industry within the context of the SAVE market. The application for community-based planning and development is discussed.

► Scientific: travel for the purpose of conducting specific research or observation. ► Academic: travel while participating in areas of their interest and gaining credit for school. ► Volunteer: travel to participate in activities that contribute to the betterment of society. ► Educational: travel to obtain, for personal gratification, knowledge or experience.