Between pets and suitcases: The relationship between dogs, family attachment, and accommodation choice in tourism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53596/bzq6d859Abstract
Pets are increasingly being positioned as an essential element in our lives, so much so that they are part of the family unit. This study investigated the relationship between motivations and obstacles for traveling with pets, the degree of family attachment to them, and the choice of tourist accommodation. The methodology focused on a survey of dog owners who travel with them regularly, including a survey design based on previous literature, a pilot study, and data collection through a questionnaire. Statistical analyses and structural equation models were applied to this database to draw some conclusions. The results highlight the importance of family attachment to pets in the choice of tourist accommodation and suggest the need to adapt destinations and establishments to the needs of this new market segment. It is concluded that understanding the motivations and obstacles for traveling with pets is crucial for designing appropriate tourism policies.
References
Buhalis, D. y Chan, J. (2023). Traveling with pets: designing hospitality services for pet owners/parents and hotel guests. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 35 (12), 4217-4237. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-10-2022-1192
Carr, N. (2009). Animals in the tourism and leisure experience. Current Issues in Tourism, 12(5/6), 409-411. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500903132575
Carr, N. y Cohen, S. (2009). Holidaying with the family pet: No dogs allowed. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 9(4), 290-304. https://doi.org/10.1057/thr.2009.10
Cavanaugh, L. A., Leonard, H. A. y Scammond, D. L. (2008). A tail of two personalities: how canine companions shape relationships and well-being. Journal of Business Research, 61, 469-479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.busres.2007.07.024
Chan, V. H. T. y Tung, V. W. S. (2023). Traveling with pets: Investigating the urban, staycation tourism experience. Journal of China Tourism Research, 19(4), 725-741. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388160.2022.2125469
Chen, A.-H., Hung, K. P. y Peng, H. (2011). Planned leisure behavior and pet attachment. Annals of Tourism Research, 38(4), 1657-1662. https://doi.org/1016/j.annals.2011.04.001
Chen, A. H., Peng, N. y Hung, K.-P. (2013). Taking dogs to tourism activities: Testing a pet-related constraint-negotiation model. Tourism Analysis, 18, 207-214. https://doi.org/10.3727/108354213X13645733247855
Chen, A. H., Peng, N. y Hung, K.-P. (2014). Developing a pet owers´ tourism constraints scale- The constraints to take dogs to tourist activities. International Journal of Tourism Research, 16, 315-324. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.1959
Choi, H., Jo, Y., Joo, Y., Jo, H. y Yoon, Y. (2025). The impact of pet attachment, perceived value, and travel motivation on loyalty and intention to support in pet tourism: a multi-method approach. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2025.2454232
Dashper, K. (2020). Holidays with my horse: Human-horse relationships and multispecies tourism experiences. Tourism Management Perspectives, 34, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100678
Dilek, S. E., Dilek, N. K. y Fennell, D. A. (2020). Travelling companions: A constraint analysis of pet owners in Turkey. Journal of Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality, 21(1), 4-13
Dotson, M. J. y Hyatt, E. M. (2008). Understanding dog-human companionship. Journal of Business Research, 61, 457-466. https://doi.org/10.1016/jbusres.2007.07.019
Dotson, M. J., Hyatt, E. M. y Clark, J. D. (2011). Traveling with the family dog: Targeting an emerging segment. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 20, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2011.530175
Evans, J. R. y Mathur, A. (2005). The value of online surveys. Internet Research, 15(2), 195-219. https://doi.org/10.1108/10662240510590360
FEDIAF. European Pet Food Industry Federation. (2023). European pet ownership fueling €29.1 billion pet food industry. Pet Food Processing. https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/17432-fediaf-european-pet-ownership-fueling-291-billion-pet-food-industry
Gong, X., Qi, H., Xie, J. y Qi, N. (2020). From livestock to families: taking pets to Tourism activities in China. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 18(6), 728-742. https://doi.org/10.1080/14766825.2020.1797061
Greenebaum, J. (2004). It´s a dog life: Elevating status from pet to “Far Baby” at happy hour. Society and Animals, 12(2), 177-135
Guinness, S. J., Maguire, G. S., Miller, K. K. y Weston, M. A. (2020). My dog, my beach! Attitudes towards dog management on Victorian beaches. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 27(3), 329-342. https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2020.1760950
Hoy, L. S., Stangle, B. y Morgan, N. (2023). The social behavior of traveling with dog: Drivers, behavioral tendencies and experiences. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 13(2), 366-385. https://doi.org/10.1177/13567667231202798
Huang, R., Krier, L., Josiam, B. y Kim, K. (2021). Understanding consumer – pet relationship during travel: A model of empathetic self-regulation in canine companionship. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 23(4), 1088-1105. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2021.1955236
Hung, K.-P., Chen, A. y Peng, N. (2012). The constraints for taking pets to leisure activities. Annals of Tourism Research, 39, 480-502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2011.09.004
Hung, K. – P., Chen, A. y Peng, N. (2016). Taking dogs to tourism activities: attachment into a pet-related constraint-negotiation model. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 40(3), 364-395. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348013503992
Ivanov, S. (2018). Tourism beyond humans –robots, pets and teddy bears. Paper presented at the International Scientific Conference “Tourism and Innovations”, 14-15th September 2018, College of Tourism – Varna, Varna, Bulgaria.
Jibin, Y. y Hanliang, L. (2023). Negotiating the constraints in traveling with companion animals in China. Tourism Analysis, 28, 143-146. https://doi.org/10.3727/108354222X1671080233501
Joo, Y., Jo, Y., Jo, H., Choi, H. y Yoon, Y. (2023). How much are you willing to pay when you travel with a pet? Evidence from a choice experiment. Current Issues in Tourism, 27(13), 2118–2133. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2023.2223912
Kim, J. J., Baah, N. G., Kim, S., Han, H., Meng, B. y Chi, X. (2025). Pet-friendly hotels: distinctive attributes and their influence on customer behavior. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 8(6), 2359-2380. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-08-2024-0791
Koufodontis, N. I. y Melissourgou, P. (2024). Improving travel experience for hotel guests: Policy recommendations for pet-friendly hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 122, 103828. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103838
Kirillova, K., Lee, S. y Lehto, X. (2015). Willingness to travel with pets: A U.S. consumer perspective. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 16, 24-44. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2015.966296
Lelo de Larrea, G. y Smith, S. J. (2024). Bear E. Drooley: Achieving business growth with the help of pets-in-residence and resort mascots. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases, 13(1), 3-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/21649987231221484
Meng, B., Chi, X., Kim, J. J., Kim. G., Quan, W. y Han, H. (2024). Traveling with pets and staying at a pet-friendly hotel: A combination effect of the BRT, TPB and NAM on consumer behaviors. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 120, 103771. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103771
Nunnally, J. C. y Bernstein, I. H. (1994). The assessment of reliability. Psychometric Theory, 3, 248-292.
Otoo, F. E., Kim, S. y Choi. Y. (2020). Understanding senior tourists´ preferences and characteristics based on their overseas travel motivation clusters. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 37(2), 246-257. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2020.1740136
Pérez-García, A., Caamaño Franco, I. y Lezcano González, M. E. (2023). Conceptual approach to experimental tourism: presence, use and scope of a new tourism model. Journal of Tourism Analysis, 30(2), 86-119. https://doi.org/10.53596/f1c23s34
Peng, N., Chen, A. y Hung, K.-P. (2014). Including pets when undertaking tourism activities: Incorporating pet attachment into the TPB model. Tourism Analysis, 19, 69-84. https://doi.org/10.3727/108354214X13927625340235
Quan, W., Kim, S., Banah, N. G., Kim, H y Han, H. (2024). Perceptions of pet-accompanying tourism: Pet owners vs. Nonpet owners. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/13567667241286225
Ramos-Ruiz, J. E., Aguilar-Rivero, M., Aja-Valle, J. y Castaño-Prieto, L. (2024). An analysis of the demand of tourist accommodation to travel with dogs in Spain. Societies, 14(2), 18. https://doi.org/103390/soc14020018
Rickly, J. M. (2018). Considering service animals in tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 71, 57-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2017.12.012
Taillon, J., MacLaurin, T. y Yun, D. (2015). Hotel pet policies: an assessment of willingness to pay for travelling with a pet. Anatolia. An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research, 26(1), 89-91. https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2014.942327
Tang, J., Ying, T. y Ye, S. (2022). Chinese pet owners traveling with pets: Motivation-based segmentation. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 50(3), 31-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.12.006
Tkaczynski, A. y Rundle-Thiele, S. (2024). Dogfest: An event targeting the “ultimutt” dog lover. Event Management, 28 (7), 1005-1025. https://doi.org/10.3727/152599524X17114977927364
Tseng, T. A., Chien, H.-W. y Shen, C.-C. (2023). Exploring family travel motivation, preference, and decision -making with children of different ages. Tourism & Management Studies, 19(4), 35-45. https://doi.org/10.18089/tms.2023.190403
Wei, Z. W., Leung, X. Y. y Xu, H. (2024). Examine pet travel experiences from human-pet interaction. The moderating role of pet attachment. Tourism Review, 79 (4), 812-824. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-01-2023-002
Wu, H-C y Cheng, C-C (2020). Relationships between experiential risk, experiential benefits, experiential evaluation, experiential co-creation, experiential relationship quality, and future experiential intentions to travel with pets. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 26(1), 108-129. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356766719867371
Ying, T., Tang, J., Wen, J., Ye, S., Zhou, Y. y Li, F. (2021). Traveling with pets: Constraints, negotiation, and learned helplessness. Tourism Management, 82, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2020.104183
Zhang, L., McGinley, S., Mao, Z. y Liu, X. (2024). Attributes of pet-friendly hotels: What matters to consumers? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 123, 103944. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103944
Zhang, Y. (2012). People’s attitudes towards dogs in hotel setting. Thesis. Purdue University: West Lafayette, Indiana.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Lucía Castaño-Prieto, Minerva Aguilar-Rivero, José E. Ramos-Ruiz, Tomás López-Guzmán
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Los autores que publican en esta revista están de acuerdo con los siguientes términos:- Los autores conservan los derechos de autor y garantizan a la revista el derecho de ser la primera publicación del trabajo al igual que licenciado bajo una Creative Commons Attribution License que permite a otros compartir el trabajo con un reconocimiento de la autoría del trabajo y la publicación inicial en esta revista.
- Los autores pueden establecer por separado acuerdos adicionales para la distribución no exclusiva de la versión de la obra publicada en la revista (por ejemplo, situarlo en un repositorio institucional o publicarlo en un libro), con un reconocimiento de su publicación inicial en esta revista.
- Se permite y se anima a los autores a difundir sus trabajos electrónicamente (por ejemplo, en repositorios institucionales o en su propio sitio web) antes y durante el proceso de envío, ya que puede dar lugar a intercambios productivos, así como a una citación más temprana y mayor de los trabajos publicados (Véase The Effect of Open Access) (en inglés).
