In a groundbreaking study set to transform our understanding of domestic tourism, researchers have combined two prominent theoretical frameworks, the Theory of Travel Consumption Systems (TTCS) and Generational Consumption Theory (GCT), to analyze the nuanced travel preferences of Indian domestic travelers. This innovative integration not only deepens the exploration of consumer behavior in culturally and socio-economically diverse contexts but also challenges prevailing assumptions about generational homogeneity in tourism consumption patterns.
The study, conducted in the rapidly evolving tourism market of India, harnesses latent profile analysis to unearth four distinctive traveler archetypes: holistic travelers, rooted travelers, spirited travelers, and seasoned social wanderers. These profiles shed light on how different generational cohorts, shaped by their unique values and lifestyles, navigate travel preferences in a dynamic socio-economic landscape. The fusion of TTCS and GCT allows for a multifaceted examination where generational attributes are not merely demographic markers but integral behavioral differentiators within travel consumption systems.
Holistic travelers emerge as an intriguing hybrid group, encompassing members across four mainstream generations who exhibit convergent travel behavior patterns. This suggests that despite generational distinctions, certain travel consumption tendencies transcend age boundaries, pointing to a shared set of priorities or influences shaping their choices. The rooted travelers, predominantly comprising older individuals, prioritize conventional travel motivations centered on family connections and essential travel needs. Their preferences underscore a stable, tradition-oriented approach to domestic travel, emphasizing familiarity and comfort.
Contrasting sharply with rooted travelers are the seasoned social wanderers, another predominantly senior group characterized by a flair for spontaneity and a pronounced emphasis on social interaction during travel. This profile reveals how older generations can possess adventurous and socially driven travel behaviors, challenging stereotypes that associate advanced age with conservative travel patterns. The spirited travelers, mainly consisting of younger profile members, seek excitement and novelty, fulfilling both foundational travel needs and a thirst for experiential richness. They typify a generation for whom travel serves as a canvas for personal expression and social engagement.
These multifaceted traveler profiles reveal significant intra-generational variations, a critical insight that contests the simplistic notion of generational unity often adopted in prior tourism research. By employing GCT within the Indian domestic tourism context—a market less represented in traditional TTCS research concentrated in Western settings—the study brings to light the intricate interplay of evolving cultural values, socio-economic factors, and generational mindsets that collectively shape travel behavior in emerging economies.
India’s unique socio-cultural fabric, marked by strong family orientations and communal bonds, finds expression in distinct travel priorities identified within these traveler profiles. The interaction between these social dimensions and spontaneous tendencies among certain groups highlights the complexity of domestic tourism dynamics, suggesting that travel choices are deeply embedded in broader social and cultural narratives. This insight is particularly relevant given McKinsey’s forecast positioning India as the world’s largest source of leisure tourists, driven by burgeoning economic prosperity and expanding middle-class affluence.
The methodology—latent profile analysis—employed in this research empowers the identification of nuanced clusters within travel data, allowing researchers to uncover hidden patterns that traditional segmentation approaches might miss. This technique facilitates a more granular understanding of the co-existence of multiple consumption subgroups within generational cohorts, illuminating the diversity of travel behaviors even among individuals sharing similar demographic attributes. Such depth of analysis enhances the predictive accuracy for travel behavior models and informs tailored marketing and policy interventions in the tourism sector.
By validating GCT’s applicability beyond Western tourism environments and integrating it with TTCS, the study paves the way for a theoretical evolution in tourism studies. It underscores the dynamic nature of consumption systems where generational shifts — influenced by changing values, socio-economic advancement, and cultural transformations — continuously reshape travel consumption. This theoretical synergy enriches the conceptual toolkit available to tourism scholars and practitioners aiming to capture the fluidity of traveler preferences in diverse markets.
The study also critically informs tourism management strategies by highlighting the necessity of acknowledging heterogeneity within generational cohorts. Marketing campaigns, product development, and service offerings crafted on the assumption of generational uniformity risk overlooking the diverse needs and motivations of subgroups within the same age cohort. The nuanced traveler profiles extracted from the Indian domestic tourism milieu offer a template for more personalized and culturally sensitive engagement with travelers, ultimately enhancing tourism experiences and satisfaction.
Moreover, the research contributes significantly to the growing body of literature on Indian domestic tourism, a field ripe for scholarly exploration given the country’s vast and varied travel market. It draws attention to the social dimension of travel behavior—not just individual preferences—highlighting how family responsibilities, social networks, and spontaneous social interactions intertwine to influence travel decisions. This approach resonates with the collectivistic cultural tendencies prominent in India, where travel choices often reflect broader social roles and relational dynamics.
The identification of the “seasoned social wanderers,” a group that embodies both age and social spontaneity, exemplifies the novel insights possible through this combined theoretical lens. It suggests that older travelers are not a monolithic group bound by traditional travel constraints but can exhibit dynamic, socially rich travel patterns. This challenges stereotypical images of aging and tourism, advocating for a more inclusive and diversified understanding of senior travelers’ motivations and behaviors.
In parallel, the spirited travelers’ profile highlights the generational shift towards experiential tourism, where travel is valued not only for escape or relaxation but as a space for identity exploration and social belonging. Younger Indians’ penchant for excitement-laden travel experiences underscores broader societal trends around self-expression, digital connectivity, and social media influence, which redefine contemporary tourism consumption.
The research’s implications extend beyond academia into practical domains of tourism policy and economic development. Understanding the diverse preferences and consumption systems of Indian domestic travelers equips stakeholders with the ability to predict emerging travel trends, optimize resource allocation, and foster sustainable tourism practices aligned with travelers’ evolving expectations. The integration of socio-cultural insights with behavioral data forms a robust foundation for crafting responsive, inclusive tourism frameworks tailored to India’s demographic complexity.
By challenging conventional generational stereotypes and highlighting the intersectionality of age, culture, and socio-economic factors, this study catalyzes a paradigm shift in how domestic tourism consumption is conceptualized and approached. It proposes a move away from one-dimensional demographic segmentation towards a multidimensional understanding that captures the fluid boundaries and overlapping identities within traveler populations.
The study also exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary research by blending sociological theories of consumption with tourism behavior analysis, offering a model for future inquiries into other emerging markets where rapid economic and cultural change is reshaping consumer landscapes. Such research is invaluable in an era marked by globalization, digitization, and shifting societal norms which collectively redefine the parameters of tourism demand.
Ultimately, this pioneering work not only enriches the literature on Indian domestic tourism but also stakes a claim for the broader applicability of integrated theoretical frameworks in dissecting complex travel behaviors worldwide. It presages a new wave of research capable of addressing the nuanced realities of traveler heterogeneity, cultural specificity, and the socio-economic undercurrents that animate global tourism trends.
Subject of Research:
The study focuses on segmenting Indian domestic tourists by analyzing their travel preferences through the integration of the Theory of Travel Consumption Systems (TTCS) and Generational Consumption Theory (GCT).
Article Title:
Segmenting Indian domestic tourists: preference-based latent profile analysis.
Article References:
Pooja, K., Upadhyaya, P. & Mohanty, A. Segmenting Indian domestic tourists: preference-based latent profile analysis. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1839 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-06124-9
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