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The Influence of Gasoline Price and Mass Media on Travel Intentions
The public relies heavily upon mass media such as TV, radio, and newspapers. For information, from mass media we get to know what today’s weather will be like, what entertainment options exist for the evening, current political issues, and the like. Thus, many mass media researchers say, “Although mass media do not indicate what people should think, they can indicate what people should think about.”
What is the role of mass media in tourism? A recent study of the impact of gasoline price changes and mass media coverage of them on travel intentions provides insight to media influences on travel behavior. During the year 2000, the price of gasoline fluctuated nationally from an average of $1.38 per gallon in January to $1.95 in July and $1.60 in November, according to AAA Fuel Gauge Index.
Chang Huh and Seunghyun Kim, analysts of the Tourism Resource Center at Michigan State University, identified a significant role of mass media. According to those analysts, “when gasoline prices rise quickly, the mass media frequently raises issues about those increasing gasoline prices through TV, radio, and newspapers. Media attention of rising gasoline prices tends to influence people to take fewer and shorter pleasure trips.”
During gasoline peak price periods, the number of gasoline price stories in newspapers followed the changes of gasoline prices closely in the period from the first week of September 1999 to the third week of September 2000. The trends of travelers’ trip intentions moved in the opposite direction of gasoline prices and the number of gasoline price issues in the newspapers (see graphic below). “What we found was that gasoline prices and mass media coverage have a strong impact on travel intentions,” said Chang. “People are influenced by gasoline prices as well as mass media coverage when planning trips.”
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