W1-16 Van Vliet Centre, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H9, Canada, Tel: +1 (780) 492 3615; Email: tom.hinch@ualberta.ca

Revised 26 July 2005.

Abstract

This paper compares the socio-demographic characteristics and motivations of tourists from Alberta who visit casinos while travelling, with Albertans who patronise local casinos; and tourists from Alberta for whom a casino visit was a major trip activity versus those for whom it was a minor activity. Data were collected from 900 residents of Alberta's two major metropolitan areas who had visited a casino in the previous 12 months. Findings demonstrate that tourist patrons are more likely to be female, to have a university education and to have management or professional occupations. They are also more likely to be motivated by social or communal goals and less likely to be motivated by risk seeking than local patrons. Those tourists for whom casino gaming is a major trip activity are more strongly motivated by risk-taking and the wish to escape their regular lives than are tourists for whom gaming is a minor trip activity. Differences also exist in terms of several key travel profile dimensions.