ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the destination decision making and selection process in the light of current literature and the consumers’ decision making processes. For this purpose, it reviews the current literature and models chronologically, and then moves into describing the factors affecting tourists’ decision making and choice. To do that, firstly classical decision making approaches are reviewed, and subsequently descriptive (modern) consumer decision making approaches are described with cross-references to the classical models. Tourists’ destination decision making and choice are elaborated in a structural order. What we gather is that tourists’ decision making is a continuous process and is influenced by factors which are both external and internal to tourists themselves. Marketers of tourist destinations are recommended to develop marketing strategies both to influence independent and organizational tourist markets. This chapter is expected to improve the understanding of those who are interested in tourist behavior, decision making and destination selection process from a wider angle.
