Travel is planned behaviour. Really?

This paper examines the issue of impulse, compared to planned, purchasing in tourism. The literature suggests that travelling is associated with planning, mainly because it is a portfolio decision (consisting of multiple elements), and searching for information is necessary due to the service character of its industries. This contrasts with the literature on purchasing behaviour, which suggests that a significant amount of non-planned, impulse purchasing exists for retail goods and "big-ticket" items. We propose that this type of purchase decision also exists in tourism, signified by travel behaviour that differs according to planning horizons. Our study offers empirical support for the notion that impulse purchasing does indeed occur in tourism, that it is associated with shorter trips and a small number of travel companions, but not with higher income or higher travel expenditures.