A Study of the Factors Influencing

Cultural Tourists’ Perception and Its

Measurement with Reference to Agra
Amitabh Mishra*

The major growth of the Indian tourism sector is contributed by domestic tourism
which tends to be more focused on cultural destinations. Travel and tourism for fun,
pleasure and recreation is still considered an elite ‘five star’ activity by a majority of
the Indians. At the same time, travel and tourism for cultural purposes forms an integral
part of the Indian population, where people from all ages, religions and income groups
often manage time and resources for cultural tourism. Tourism has a huge potential for
poverty alleviation by increasing job opportunities and spending by tourists. Most
important from India's point of view is the fact that these employment opportunities
are created in the small and medium segments of the economy and disperse throughout
the country. When people of a country visit such sites and experience their culture, they
understand ‘who they are and where they have come from’ (Palmer, 1999). Since viewing
of such sites by domestic tourists offers glimpses of a nation's past, their promotion
becomes vital in the construction of national identity (Johnson, 1995). The
measurement of perception of tourists and thereby identifying gaps in the current
service-good composition and customizing pro-tourist product mix, becomes crucially
important for all the stakeholders of the tourism industry. This paper primarily studies
those crucial factors which have a direct impact on the perception of tourists in the
heritage city of Agra.

Introduction
Tourism is a complex phenomenon which encapsulates a varying number of services and
processes. It is not an industry or a sector in the traditional sense, rather it is an economic
activity that runs through all of the society involving very different and varied sectors
pushed forward by market forces, controlled by regulatory framework and governed by
general economic conditions. In many countries and regions, tourism is significantly
important to the economy because it attracts tourists who bring spending power.
For many regional economies, tourism can bring about an encouraging response to the
regional development considering its positive influence on regional employment and
income. According to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), travel and tourism
is an important economic activity in most countries around the world. It has a direct as
well as a significant indirect and induced economic impact. The UN Statistics Division’s
approved Tourism Satellite Accounting methodology quantifies only the direct

* Assistant Professor, Accurate Institute of Management and Technology, Gr. Noida, Uttar Pradesh,
India. E-mail: mr_amitabh2000@yahoo.com

42
© 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved. The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013
contribution of travel and tourism. But WTTC recognizes that the total contribution
(considering direct, indirect and induced impacts) of travel and tourism to GDP is
three times greater than its direct contribution. According to WTTC’s annual report on
Economic impact of tourism in India in 2006, the direct contribution of travel and
tourism to India’s GDP was 1,236.7 bn. It reached 1,919.7 bn (2% of GDP) in
2012, and it is expected to grow by 7.8% pa to 4,360.6 bn (2.1% of GDP) in 2023.
In 2006, the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP was 4,280.5 bn.
It reached 6,385.1 bn in 2012 (6.6% of GDP) and is forecasted to rise by 7.9% pa to
14,722.3 bn in 2023 (7% of GDP).

Tourism directly generates employment in its own sector as well as via indirect and
induced effects in the connected sectors of the economy. According to WTTC, travel
and tourism generated 24,477,4000 direct jobs in India in 2006, and 25,041,000
direct jobs in 2012 (4.9% of total employment in the country). It is forecasted to account
for 30,631,000 direct jobs by 2023, an increase of 2.1% pa over the next 10 years. The
total contribution of travel and tourism to employment is much more than the direct
contribution. It generates huge employment opportunities in various other sectors and
hence provides a source of income to millions of countrymen every year. The total
contribution of travel and tourism to employment was 43,210,300 jobs in 2006 and
39,512,000 jobs in 2012 (7.7% of total employment in the country), and is expected
to generate 48,592,000 jobs (8% of total employment in the country), an increase of
2.1% per annum over the period in 2023.

Tourism as a post-Second World-War phenomenon has revolutionized the economies

of many countries of the world and India with its large variety of tourist attractions is
yet to make its presence felt on the world tourism map. According to “India Tourism
Statistics at a Glance 2011” (Published by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India),
India has earned foreign exchange of US$2,889 mn ( 10,511 cr) in 1997. Foreign
Exchange Earnings (FEE) reached $16,564 mn ( 77,591 cr) in 2011. Foreign Tourists
Arrival (FTA) in India was 2.37 million in 1997. It rose from 3.46 million in 2004 to
6.29 million in 2011. In the world tourism industry, India’s percentage share and rank
in 2000 were 0.73% and 36th respectively, whereas in Asia and Pacific its percentage
share and rank were 4.06% and 10 th. In 2011, it rose to 1.61% and 17 th in world
tourism and 5.72% and 8th rank in Asia and Pacific. Domestic tourism was also rising in
the country. The number of domestic tourists in India had risen from 159.88 million in
1997 to 366.27 million in 2004 and 850.86 million in 2011. Among tourism niche
markets, cultural tourism ranks first. More and more travelers rank arts, heritage and
other cultural activities as one of the main reasons for traveling.

Tourism in Agra
Agra is the city of the inimitable Taj Mahal. According to the reports of Archeological
Survey of India (ASI), Agra’s Taj Mahal is the most popular destination in the country

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception 43

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra
and Taj Mahal along with Agra Fort are among the top 10 most visited monuments by
domestic as well as foreign tourists in the country. On November 17, 2011, CNBC
Awaj Travel Awards 2011 for Most Famous Weekend Destination in the north was
given to Agra and Best Managed Historical Monument to Taj Mahal.

Literature Review
Tourism has traditionally been defined either in demand side terms or supply side terms,
i.e., either in terms of the activities of tourists/visitors or the activities of businesses supplying
tourists/visitors. The demand side concept was accepted as an appropriate approach at
the World Tourism Organization’s (WTO), “International conference on travel and tourism
statistics” Ottawa (Canada) in 1991 and tourism was defined as: “The activities of a
person travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more
than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes”.

According to Medlik and Middleton (1973), tourism product is a bundle of

activities, services, and benefits that constitute the entire tourism experience. In their
'component model of tourism product', they discussed five components of tourism
product namely: (1) Destination attractions; (2) Destination facilities; (3) Destination
accessibility; (4) Destination images; and (5) Destination price. Later, Jefferson and
Lickorish (1988) stated that tourism product is a collection of physical and service
features together with symbolic associations which are expected to fulfill the wants
and needs to the tourists.

Culture is one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language
(Williams, 1976). Culture is not genetically inherited (Hall, 1976), but is always shared
by members of a society (Hall, 1976; Hofstede, 1980; and Mulholland, 1991). It
distinguishes the members of one group from another and is passed from one generation
to the other. It is dynamic because each generation adds something of its own before
passing it on (Hofstede, 1980). There are hundreds of definitions of 'culture' (Tomlinson,
1991; and Lonner, 1994) but no single definition has achieved a consensus in literature.
According to Mulholland (1991), culture is a set of shared and enduring meaning,
values, and beliefs that characterize national, ethnic, or other groups and orient their
behavior. In the tourism literature, the term ‘culture’ can be identified in two ways-
culture as process; and culture as a product. ‘Culture as the process’ is an approach
through which people make sense of themselves and their lives (Clarke, 1990). It assumes
that boundaries of culture, are variable, and can cover a nation, tribe, corporation, etc.,
pursuing any specific activities. ‘Culture as product’ is an approach where culture is
regarded as the product of individual or group activities to which certain meanings are
attached. Culture as process is the goal of tourists seeking authenticity and meaning
through their touring experiences (MacCannell, 1976; and Cohen, 1979). Culture as
the process is transformed into culture as a product through tourism (Cohen, 1988).

According to WTO (2000), culture and tourism have a symbiotic connection. Arts,
crafts, dances, rituals and legends that are at risk of being forgotten by the younger

44 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

generation may be revitalized when tourists show a keen interest in them. Cultural
tourism is the sub-set of tourism (MacCannell, 1976; and Singh, 2008). The range of
possible uses of the term is so vast, that no single widely accepted definition of cultural
tourism emerged (Richards, 1993; Dolnicar, 2002; and Hughes, 2002). It means different
things to different people (MacCannell, 1976; McIntosh and Goeldner, 1990; Zeppel,
1992; Hughes, 1996; Stebbins, 1996; and McKercher and Du Cros, 2003). Bonink
and Richards (1992) reviewed the existing definitions of cultural tourism and identified
two basic approaches: (1) Sites and monuments approach which is clearly related to a
product-based definition of culture and concentrates on describing the type of
attractions visited by cultural tourists ECTARC (1989); and (2) Conceptual approach
which is clearly related to process-based definitions of culture and attempt to describe
the motive and the meanings attached to cultural tourism activity. For example, cultural
tourism comprises all aspects of travel (McIntosh and Goeldner, 1986 and 1990).
The role of culture as contextual, where it shapes the tourist's experience of a situation
in general, without a particular focus on the uniqueness of a specific cultural identity
(Wood, 1984).

Cultural tourists are not recognized as a homogenous mass but a heterogeneous

market with different characteristics and needs (Hughes, 2002; and McKercher, 2002)
and different types of cultural tourists may seek qualitatively different experiences
(McKercher, 2002; and Dolnicar, 2002). On the basis of degree of motivation for visiting
cultural sites/destinations, Silberberg (1995) identified four different types of cultural
tourists-greatly motivated, in part motivated, adjunct and accidental cultural tourists.
Cultural tourists can also be either specific or general (Foo and Rossetto, 1998).
McKercher (2002) introduced a two-dimensional model on cultural tourism and classified
cultural tourist in five categories-the purposeful, the sightseeing, the casual, the incidental
and the serendipitous cultural tourists.

Perception is a complex process (Kesic, 1999) by which an individual selects, organizes,

and interprets stimuli into a meaningful and coherent picture of the world (Schiffman
and Kanuk, 2004). There are a number of tangible and intangible aspects of tourism
products which influence the perception of tourists. According to Beerli and Martýn
(2003) there are nine dimensions/aspects which determine the perception of tourist-
tourist leisure and recreation, culture, history and art, general infrastructure, tourist
infrastructure, political and economic factors, natural resources, natural environment,
social environment and the atmosphere of the place/destination.

Objectives of the Study

The primary aim of this research is:

• To measure the perception of cultural tourists regarding various factors which

affect the perception of tourists and to know whether the difference between
perception of male and female tourists is significant.

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception 45

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra
 • To find out the demographic profile of cultural tourists and the influence of
demography of cultural tourists on their duration of stay and sources of
knowledge about Agra.

Formulation of Hypotheses
Based on the objectives of the study the following hypotheses were formulated:

Ho: Personal factors of the respondents have no significant influence on (are not associated
with) the sources of knowledge about Agra.

Ho: Personal factors of the respondents have no significant influence on (are not associated
with) the duration of stay at Agra.

Ho: There is no significant difference between the mean perceptions of male and female
tourists regarding various tourism-related variables.

Research Methodology
Data was collected at a few of the most visited tourist attractions in Agra—Taj Mahal,
Red Fort and Sikendra. Agra is on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state
of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is 363 km west of the state capital, Lucknow, and 203 km
south from national capital New Delhi. It is well connected with major cities of the
country by road, rail (Agra Cantt., Agra Fort, Raja-ki-Mandi and Tundla railway stations)
and air routes. Kheria airport is 13 km from the city center.
The primary data pertaining to the perception of tourists was collected through a
structured and non-disguised questionnaire (refer Appendix) from April to May, 2013.
Before executing the questionnaire in full swing, a pilot study was conducted on a small
group of respondents. The questionnaire was divided into three parts. Part one (containing
6 questions), Part two (containing 2 questions) with nominal/ordinal scales mainly
related to the demographic profile of the respondents, and Part 3 contained 28 statements
(5-point Likert scale ranging fromm 1 – strongly disagree to 5 – strongly agree) related to
the perception of the tourists regarding a variety of tourism related variables. Most of
perception measurement statements were adopted from previous studies. The study
also gathered secondary data from extensive literature survey available on the Internet
and libraries. Convenience sampling technique was used to achieve the earlier stated
objectives of research.

Statistical Tools Used

For the purpose of a detailed analysis of the raw data obtained from the questionnaire,
the following statistical techniques were used:

1. Cronbach’s Alfa test of internal consistency was used to check the reliability
of scale used in the survey.

2. Descriptive statistics: Arithmetic mean and standard deviation were used to

uncover the characteristics of the data obtained through survey.

46 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

 3. To measure the influence of the personal factors (like age, gender, marital
status etc.) on the sources of knowledge about Agra and duration of stay at
Agra, a Chi square (2) test of independence was used.

4. A two-tailed test was used to know the difference between the mean values of
two large samples, and a Z-test was used to find the significant difference
between the mean perceptions of male and female tourists.

Test of Reliability: The reliability analysis allows us to study the properties of

measurement scale and the items that make them up. It also provides information about
the relationship between individual items in the scale. Cronbach’s Alfa () is a measure
of internal consistency. The overall value of reliability coefficient for all the four
dimensions of tourism,  = 0.8602. It indicates the high internal reliability of the data
(Table 1).

Table 1: Reliability Statistics

S. No. Dimension Cronbach Alfa 
1. Monuments and Places of Tourists’ Attraction 0.7763

2. Accommodation and Food 0.7583

3. Hygiene and Sanitation 0.7575

4. Attitude of Local People Towards Visitors 0.5576

Overall Reliability Coefficient,  0.8602

Results and Discussion

To study the demographic profile of the tourists at Agra, the data obtained from question
numbers 1-6 are cross-tabulated. The data corresponding to Age, family’s annual
income, education, occupation and marital status are cross-tabulated with the gender
(Table 2).

Influence of Personal Factors of Respondents

The influence of personal factors like gender, age, marital status, income, education and
occupation on: (1) Sources of knowledge about Agra; and (2) Duration of stay at Agra.
For this purpose, a 2 test of independence was used. This test determines whether
two or more attributes are associated or not. The calculated value of 2 was compared
with the table value of 2 for a given degree of freedom at certain specified level of
significance (generally 5% is selected). If at the stated level the calculated value of 2 is
more than the table value, the difference is considered to be significant i.e., the attributes
are associated/ related. On the other hand, if the calculated value is less than the table
value, the difference is not considered as significant and it can be concluded that the
attributes are not related/associated.

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception 47

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra
 Table 2: Demographic Profile of the Tourists at Agra

Age (Years) Gender Total Family’s Annual Gender Total

Male Female Income ( ) Male Female
Below 20 22 6 28 <100,000 31 20 51
Between 21-40 115 47 162 100,000-300,000 94 29 123
Between 41-60 24 9 33 300,000-500,000 37 9 46
Above 60 11 0 11 >500,000 10 4 14
Total 172 62 234 Total 172 62 234
Education Gender Total Occupation Gender Total
Male Female Male Female
School 16 2 18 Service 81 27 108
Undergraduate 68 13 81 Business 32 8 40
Postgraduate 83 42 125 Student 51 16 67
Other 5 5 10 Other 8 11 19
Total 172 62 234 Total 172 62 234
Marital Status Gender Total
Male Female
Married 96 26 122
Unmarried 76 36 112
Total 172 62 234

Personal Factors Vs. Sources of Knowledge About Agra

Ho: Personal factors of respondents have no significant influence on (are not associated
with) the sources of knowledge about Agra.

Table 3 depicts that gender, marital status and occupation of the tourists do not
have any influence on the sources of knowledge about Agra, i.e., gender, marital status
and occupation of the tourists are not related to the sources of knowledge about Agra.
On the other hand age, education and family income of the tourists have an influence
on sources of knowledge about Agra.

Personal Factors Vs. Duration of Stay in Agra

Ho: Personal factors of respondents have no significant influence on (are not associated
with) the duration of stay at Agra.

It is clear from Table 4 that only gender of the tourists’ influences their duration of
stay at Agra. Other personal factors like age, marital status, education, family income
and occupation of the tourists do not influence the duration of stay in Agra.

48 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

 Table 3: Personal Factors vs. Sources of Knowledge About Agra
S. No. Personal Factors Calculated Degree of Table Value 5% Level of
2 Freedom of 2 0.05 Significance Ho is
1. Gender 3.174 3 7.815 Accepted
2. Age 27.451 9 16.91 Rejected
3. Marital Status 2.023 3 7.815 Accepted
4. Education 18.559 9 16.91 Rejected
5. Family Annual Income 17.132 9 16.91 Rejected
6. Occupation 8.322 9 16.91 Accepted

Table 4: Personal Factors vs. Duration of Stay in Agra

S. No. Personal Factors Calculated Degree of Table Value 5% Level of
2 Freedom of 2 0.05 Significance Ho is
1. Gender 16.282 2 5.991 Rejected
2. Age 5.651 6 12.59 Accepted
3. Marital Status 1.422 2 5.991 Accepted
4. Education 7.376 6 12.59 Accepted
5. Family Annual Income 12.388 6 12.59 Accepted
6. Occupation 9.038 6 12.59 Accepted

Perception Measurement Statements (Question Nos. 09-37)

Table 5 provides the list of statements which were used as scales for the measurement of
perception of cultural tourists. Table 5 demonstrates that the tourists generally ‘strongly
agree’ or ‘agree’ with the statements. For the Category No. 1, i.e., ‘monuments and
places of tourist attraction’, the overall perception of tourists is favorable (72.19%
are strongly agree/agree). Most of the tourists strongly agree/agree that monuments are
well preserved, leisure and recreational facility, information boards and tour guides are
easily available, and tour guides are knowledgeable of the tourist places in Agra. Tourists
have given a merely above average score (58.48% strongly agree/agree) to Category No.
2 containing 7 variables related to infrastructure. Most of the tourists showed positive
perception towards fairness of infrastructure in Agra, but a huge number of tourists also
feel that telecommunication facility, medical facility and security inside and outside the
place of accommodation are not sufficient in Agra, and the district administration needs
to improve it. Respondents were highly satisfied with the availability of accommodation
in Agra. 74% respondents strongly agree/agree with the statement—‘Hotel accommodation
is easily available in Agra’. For the remaining variables in the category, ‘accommodation
and food’ respondents exhibited their satisfaction in their responses. Agra is an
international tourist destination. It attracts a huge number of domestic and international
tourists every year. Unlike several tourist places in Uttar Pradesh, the district

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception 49

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra
50
Table 5: Perception of Cultural Tourists

S. No. Statements for Measurement of Tourists’ Perception Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly
Disagree (%) (%) (%) Agree
(%) (%)
1. Historical monuments are well preserved in Agra. 2.6 14.1 13.7 47.0 22.6
2. Leisure and recreational facilities are available at tourist
places in Agra. 00 10.3 24.8 52.6 12.4
3. Information boards mentioning the importance of
monuments are available. 2.6 4.7 14.1 53.4 25.2

Attractions
4. Tour guides are easily available at the monuments in Agra. 2.1 2.6 15.8 40.2 39.3

Monuments and
Places of Tourist
5. Tour guides are knowledgeable and friendly. 00 13.7 18.4 47.9 20.1
Average 1.46 9.08 17.36 48.22 23.92
6. Banks and ATM’s are easily available in Agra. 2.6 9.8 16.7 51.7 19.2
7. There is a good transport facility in Agra. 0 9.0 7.7 55.6 27.8
8. Enough parking space is available at tourist places in Agra. 2.6 16.7 20.1 40.2 20.5
9. Telecommunication facility is good at Agra. 2.1 26.5 17.9 35.9 17.5
10. Medical help can be easily accessed in case of emergency 0 26.9 28.2 28.2 16.7
in Agra.

Infrastructure
11. There is enough security and safety inside the places of 0 21.8 28.2 21.8 28.2
stay in Agra.
12. There is enough security and safety outside the places of 1.3 34.2 18.4 25.2 20.9
stay in Agra.
Average 1.22 20.7 19.6 36.94 21.54
13. Hotel accommodation is easily available in Agra. 0 14.1 12.0 52.6 21.4
14. Room facility and services are excellent in hotels. 0.9 16.2 23.9 46.2 12.8

The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

 Table 5 (Cont.)
Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly
S. No. Statements for Measurement of Tourist’s Perception Disagree (%) (%) (%) Agree
(%) (%)
15. The hotel staff is polite and courteous. 0 8.5 30.8 47.0 13.7
16. Fee of accommodation is fair in Agra. 0 15.8 33.3 37.2 13.7
17. Food and beverages offered in the hotel are of good taste. 0 8.5 30.8 47.0 13.7
18. Food and Beverages offered at the place of stay are hygienic. 0 15.8 33.3 37.2 13.7
19. Food and beverages offered in city’s market are of good 0 10.3 32.5 46.6 10.7

and Food
taste.

Accommodation
20. Food and beverages offered in city’s market are hygienic. 2.6 12.0 33.8 38.9 12.8

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra

21. Price of food outside the place of stay is fair in Agra. 3.0 20.1 23.9 45.7 7.3
Average 0.722 13.48 28.26 44.27 13.31
22. There is good sanitation and cleanliness in the streets 2.1 20.1 34.2 30.8 12.8
of Agra.
23. There is sufficient cleanliness and hygiene at the place 1.7 11.5 28.2 44.0 14.5

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception

of stay.

Sanitation
24. The water is drinkable and hygienic at Agra. 4.7 23.5 19.7 35.0 17.1

Hygiene and
25. Agra is free from mosquitoes. 6.4 30.3 22.6 27.4 13.2
Average 3.725 21.35 26.18 34.3 14.4
26. People of Agra are cultured and civilized. 1.7 7.3 31.2 47.4 12.4
27. Taxi and Auto drivers try to exploit the tourists. 4.3 23.1 16.7 37.2 18.8
28. Shop-owners and vendors try to exploit the tourists. 7.7 18.4 14.5 43.6 15.8
29. Beggars should be removed from areas nearby of the

Visitors
monuments and tourism destinations. 2.1 11.1 23.9 25.6 37.2

People Towards
Attitude of Local
Average 3.95 14.98 21.58 38.45 21.05

51
administration of Agra pays considerable attention for cleaning the city. Yet tourists
were not highly satisfied with the sanitation and hygiene in the city. Tourists have given
only mediocre score to the variables under the category hygiene and sanitation. Local
people engaged in providing an experience to the visitors are also a big cause of tourists’
dissatisfaction and/or satisfaction. In India tourism sector is highly unorganized. A
huge number of actors in the tourism sector are unregulated and scattered. Research
shows that the taxi and auto drivers, shopkeepers and vendors are often involved in the
exploitation of the tourists in tourist places like Agra. Beggary is common to all the
tourist places in India and Agra is not an exception. Men and women of all ages are
engaged in begging in Agra. Many a time, beggars irritate the tourists, and more than
60% of tourists ‘feel/strongly feel’ that beggars create nuisance at the tourist places and
that the district administration must immediately remove them from the tourist places.

Z-Test (Independent Sample)

Ho: There is no significant difference between the mean perceptions of male and female
tourists regarding various tourism related variables.

At 5% level of significance, if the difference is more than ±1.96 SE, the null hypothesis,
Ho is rejected. It indicates that there is a significant difference between the mean
perceptions of male and female tourists. And, if it is less than ±1.96 SE, the null
hypothesis is accepted. It indicates that the difference between mean perceptions of
male and female tourists is not significant. An insignificant difference between mean
perceptions of male and female tourists states that male and female tourists have the
same perception/feeling regarding various tourism-related variables like availability of
accommodation, quality of food, hygiene and cleanliness, transportation, etc.

Tables 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 present statistics pertaining to the perception of male and

female tourists regarding five broad categories affecting the tourists’ perception. The
number of variables in Tables 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are respectively 5, 7, 9, 4 and 4.

Analysis with Z-test reveals that perception of male and female tourists is significantly
different for the variable— availability of tour guides in Agra. And for the remaining variables
the perception of male and female tourist’s is not significantly different (Table 6).

The Z-test indicates that for the variable, ‘availability of Bank’s ATM, medical help,
and safety and security outside place to stay, perception of male and female tourists is
not significantly different. Whereas for the variable—fairness of transport facility,
sufficiency of parking facility, fairness of tele-communication facility, and availability of safety
and security at the place of stay—the perception of male and female tourists is significantly
different (Table 7).

Table 8 contains nine variables under the category, ‘accommodation and food’.
Perception of male and female tourists is significantly different for the variables, ‘room
services’, and ‘humbleness of hotel staff (variable number 2 and 3)’. And for the remaining
variables, ‘availability of hotel accommodation’, ‘fee for accommodation’, ‘taste of food

52 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

 Table 6: Monuments and Places of Tourist Attraction

Gender Mean SD Mean Standard Z-Value 5% Level of

Difference Error (Diff/SE) Significance
Ho is
1. Historical monuments are well preserved Male (172) 3.7849 1.0232 0.204 0.158 +1.29 Accepted
in Agra.
Female (62) 3.5806 1.0947
2. Leisure and recreational facilities are Male (172) 3.6453 0.7850 –0.0966 0.1312 -0.7362 Accepted
available at tourist places in Agra.
Female (62) 3.7419 0.9221
3. Information boards mentioning the Male (172) 3.9128 0.7712 –0.103 0.1624 -0.6342 Accepted
importance of monuments are available.

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra

Female (62) 4.0161 1.1941
4. Tour guides are easily available at the Male (172) 4.2849 0.7985 0.623 0.1008 +6.1805 Rejected
monuments in Agra.
Female (62) 3.6613 1.0549
5. Tour guides are knowledgeable and Male (172) 3.7616 0.8280 0.0681 0.1625 0.4190 Accepted

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception

friendly.
Female (62) 3.6935 1.1817

Table 7: Infrastructure

Gender Mean SD Mean Standard Z-Value 5% Level of

Difference Error (Diff/S.E) Significance
Ho is
1. Banks and ATMs are easily available in Male (172) 3.7384 1.0007 –0.0519 0.1323 -0.3922 Accepted
Agra.
Female (62) 3.7903 0.8519
2. There is a good transport facility in Agra. Male (172) 3.9302 0.8956 –0.344 0.1050 -3.2761 Rejected
Female (62) 4.2742 0.6317

53
54
Table 7: Infrastructure

Gender Mean SD Mean Standard Z-Value 5% Level of

Difference Error (Diff/SE) Significance
Ho is
3. Enough parking space is available at Male (172) 3.5174 1.1212 –0.2891 0.1410 –2.0503 Rejected
tourist places in Agra.
Female (62) 3.8065 0.8841
4. Telecommunication facility is good Male (172) 3.5233 0.9997 0.4588 0.1880 +2.440 Rejected
in Agra.
Female (62) 3.0645 1.3535
5. Medical help can be easily accessed in Male (172) 3.3895 1.0342 0.1637 0.1595 +1.0263 Accepted
Agra in case of emergency.
Female (62) 3.2258 1.0927
6. There is enough security and safety Male (172) 3.4360 1.1605 –0.4834 0.1455 –3.322 Rejected
inside the places of stay in Agra.
Female (62) 3.9194 0.9107
7 There is enough security and safety Male (172) 3.3023 1.1854 –0.0042 0.1749 –0.0240 Accepted
outside the places of stay in Agra.
Female (62) 3.3065 1.1817

Table 8: Accommodation and Food

Gender Mean SD Mean Standard Z-Value 5% Level of

Difference Error (Diff/SE) Significance
Ho is
1. Hotel accommodation is easily available Male (172) 3.8256 0.8404 0.0514 0.1596 +0.3220 Accepted
in Agra.
Female (62) 3.7742 1.1512
2. Room facility and services are excellent Male (172) 3.3605 0.9783 –0.67 0.1063 –6.3029 Rejected
in hotels.
Female (62) 4.0323 0.5997

The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

 Table 8 (Cont.)

Gender Mean SD Mean Standard Z-Value 5% Level of

Difference error (Diff/SE) Significance
Ho is
3. Hotel staff is polite and courteous. Male (172) 3.5698 0.7879 –0.5592 0.1306 –4.2817 Rejected
Female (62) 4.1290 0.9141
4. Accommodation fee is fair in Agra. Male (172) 3.3140 0.9273 –0.2183 0.1148 –1.9015 Accepted
Female (62) 3.5323 0.7179
5. Food and beverages offered in the hotel Male (172) 3.6047 0.7988 –0.2018 0.1256 –1.6066 Accepted
are of good taste.
Female (62) 3.8065 0.8653
6. Food and Beverages offered at the place Male (172) 3.4535 0.8740 –0.1271 0.1470 –0.8646 Accepted

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra

of stay are hygienic.
Female (62) 3.5806 1.0330
7. Food and beverages offered in the city Male (172) 3.5407 0.8608 –0.1367 0.1076 –1.270 Accepted
market are of good taste.
Female (62) 3.6774 0.6720

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception

8. Food and beverages offered in city’s Male (172) 3.4128 1.0078 –0.2324 0.1222 –1.901 Accepted
market are hygienic.
Female (62) 3.6452 0.7487
9. Price of food outside the place of stay Male (172) 3.3023 0.9681 –0.1493 0.1470 –1.0156 Accepted
is fair in Agra.
Female (62) 3.4516 1.0029
the

streets
between

sanitation

‘cleanliness
not significant.

gender in Agra.
mean perception is

55
that the perception
and 4, the null

‘culture of people’,
water’, across the
for the variables,
cleanliness in the
i.e., for variables,

and ‘hygiene of
perception of male

for the variables

tourists is not
On the other hand,
For the variables 1
difference

of male and female

can be concluded
From Table 10, it
‘hygienic food and

to ‘sanitation and
Table 9 contains
perceptions of male
the

hygiene’ at the hotel

and beverages’ and

and
and
and

significantly different
stay and market etc.,
beverages’ in place of

significantly different
significantly different.
hypothesis is rejected,
cleanliness’ in Agra.
four variables related

and female tourists is

and female tourists is

‘exploitation by taxi
mosquitoes, the mean
56
Table 9: Sanitation and Cleanliness

Gender Mean SD Mean Standard Z-Value 5% Level of

Difference Error (Diff/SE) Significance
Ho is
1. There is good sanitation and cleanliness Male (172) 3.2326 0.9694 –0.3319 0.1539 –2.1565 Rejected
in the streets of Agra.
Female (62) 3.5645 1.0654
2. There is sufficient cleanliness and Male (172) 3.5291 0.8814 –0.1967 0.1502 –1.3095 Accepted
hygiene at the place of stay.
Female (62) 3.7258 1.0584
3. Water is drinkable and hygienic in Agra. Male (172) 3.0930 1.1661 –1.0199 0.1257 –0.8113 Accepted
Female (62) 4.1129 0.7037
4. Agra is free from mosquitoes. Male (172) 3.0116 1.1496 –0.3594 0.1730 –2.0774 Rejected
Female (62) 3.3710 1.1767

Table 10: Attitude of Local People Towards Visitors

Gender Mean SD Mean Standard Z-Value 5% Level of

Difference Error (Diff/SE) Significance
Ho is
1. People of Agra are cultured and civilized. Male (172) 3.6279 0.8590 0.047 0.1268 +0.373 Accepted
Female (62) 3.5806 0.8598
2. Taxi and auto drivers try to exploit the Male (172) 3.4244 1.0597 –0.027 0.1962 –0.138 Accepted
tourists. Female (62) 3.4516 1.4105

3. Shop-owners and vendors try to exploit Male (172) 3.3488 1.1319 –0.248 0.1861 –1.332 Accepted
the tourists.
Female (62) 3.5968 1.2989

The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

 drivers’ and ‘exploitation by shop owners’. The difference between
Standard Z-Value 5% Level of
(Diff/SE) Significance the perception of male and female tourists is significant for the

Rejected
Ho is
variable, ‘removal of beggars’.

Conclusion
The only type of tourism that has really been part of India’s life is
–4.544

‘cultural tourism’ since India is a country with a distinct emphasis

on religion and culture. Agra has a rich historical background, which
is amply evident from the numerous historical monuments in and
0.1571
Error

around the city. It has nine centrally protected monuments by ASI:

(1) Taj Mahal; (2) Red Fort; (3) Sikindra; (4) Fatehpur Sikiri;
(5) Akbar’s Tomb; (6) Mariam’s Tomb; (7) Itimad-ud-Daula;
Difference

(8) Ram Bagh; and (9) Mehtab Bagh. Of these, Taj Mahal, Agra
–0.714
Mean

Fort and Fatehpur Sikri are among UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

The National Tourism Policy of India (2002) has taken into

consideration seven key aspects to promote tourism in the country,
1.0672
1.0594

viz., Swagat (welcome), Suchana (information), Suvidha

SD

(facilitation), Suraksha (safety), Sahayoga (co-operation),

Table 10 (Cont.)

Samrachana (infrastructure development) and Safai (cleanliness).

3.6570
4.3710
Mean

The perception measurement statements (Part 3 of questionnaire)

are designed in such a way that it covers nearly all the major
factors which are a big concern for tourists and affect their
Female (62)
Male (172)

perception, including the above seven key aspects. The study

Gender

reveals that the medium or source through which tourists gain

awareness about any tourist destination (i.e., media, friends,
teachers, etc.) is influenced by a few demographical factors. The
study concludes that factors like age, education and family income
of tourists have an influence on the sources of knowledge about
Beggars should be removed from areas
nearby the monuments and tourism

Agra. Whereas, gender, marital status and occupation of the

tourists do not have any influence on the sources of knowledge
about Agra. At the same time, only gender of the tourists influences
the duration of their stay in Agra. The study further analyzes the
difference between the perception of male and female tourists with
Z-test. It recognizes that tourists of different genders may have
different perceptions for the same variable at the same time. The
research concludes that for most of the factors, perceptions of
destinations.

male and female tourists are same, but for the remaining factors,
the perceptions are different. For example, the perception of male
and female tourists are same/not significantly different for variables,
‘availability of bank’s ATM’, ‘medical help’, ‘safety and security
4.

outside the place to stay’, ‘availability of hotel accommodation’,

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception 57

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra
‘taste of food and beverages’, ‘cleanliness and hygiene at the hotel and hygiene of water’,
‘culture of people’, ‘exploitation by taxi drivers’, ‘exploitation by shop owners’, etc.
Whereas perception of male and female tourists are not same or significantly different
for the variables, ‘availability of tour guides’, ‘fairness of transport facility’, ‘sufficiency
of parking facility’, ‘fairness of telecommunication facility’, ‘availability of safety and
security at the place of stay’, ‘room services’, ‘humbleness of hotel staff ’, ‘sanitation and
cleanliness in the streets’, and ‘removal of beggars’.J

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60 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

 Appendix
A Study of Cultural Tourist’s Perception of Agra (UP)
Questionnaire
Part 1: Personal Profile
Please indicate the most appropriate response.

1. What is your gender?

a. Male b. Female
2. What is your age (years)?
a. <20 b. Between 21-40
c. Between 41-60 d. >61
3. What is your marital status?
a. Married b. Unmarried
4. What is your education?
a. School b. Undergraduate
c. Postgraduate d. Others
5. What is your family’s annual income ( )?
a. <100,000 b. 100,000 -300,000
c. 300,000-500,000 d. >500,000
6. What is your occupation?
a. Service b. Business
c. Student d. Others

Part 2: Trip to Agra

7. How did you come to know about Agra/Sources of knowledge about Agra?
a. Media Advertisement/News b. Friends
c. Family/Teachers d. Others
8. What is your duration of stay in Agra?
a. < 1 day/24 hours b. 2-4 days
c. 5-7 days d. > 7 days

Part 3
The following statements relate to your opinions regarding various tourism-related
features which may affect your perception of Agra. Please show the extent to which you
think Agra offers the features given in the statements. If you feel a feature is not at
all present in Agra, tick the number 1. If you feel a feature is absolutely available in
Agra, tick 5. If your feelings are less strong, tick one of the numbers in the middle.

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception 61

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra
 Appendix (Cont.)

Strongly Strongly
Disagree Neutral Agree
Statements Disagree Agree
(2) (3) (4)
(1) (5)

Monuments and Places of

Tourist’s Attraction
9. Historical monuments are well
preserved in Agra.

10. Leisure and recreational

facilities are available at
tourist’s places in Agra

11. Information boards mentioning

the history and importance of
monuments/places are available
at the monuments.

12. Tour guides are easily available

at the monuments of Agra.

13. Tour guides are knowledgeable

and friendly.

Infrastructure

14. ATMs and banks/money

exchangers are easily available
in Agra.

15. Transport facility is good in

Agra.

16. Enough space for parking is

available at the tourist places
in Agra.

17. Telecommunication facility is

good in Agra.

18. Medical help can be easily

accessed in Agra in case of
emergency.

19. There is enough security and

safety at the places of stay in
Agra.

20. There is enough security and

safety outside the places of
stay in Agra.

62 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

 Appendix (Cont.)

Strongly Strongly
Disagree Neutral Agree
Statements Disagree Agree
(2) (3) (4)
(1) (5)
Accommodation and Food
21. Hotel accommodation/place of
stay is easily available in Agra.
22. Room facility and services are
excellent at the place of stay/
hotel.

23. Hotel staff is polite and

courteous.

24. Fee of accommodation is fair at

Agra.

25. Food and beverages offered at

the place of stay/hotel are good
in taste.

26. Food and beverages offered at

the place of stay/hotel are
hygienic.

27. Food and beverages offered

outside the place of stay/city’s
market and restaurants are good
in taste.

28. Food and beverages offered

outside the place of stay/city’s
market and restaurants are
hygienic.

29. Price of food outside the place

of stay is fair in Agra.

Hygiene and Sanitation

30. There is good sanitation and

cleanliness in the streets of
Agra.

31. There is sufficient cleanliness

and hygiene at the place of stay/
hotel.

32. Water is drinkable and hygienic

in Agra.

A Study of the Factors Influencing Cultural Tourists’ Perception 63

and Its Measurement with Reference to Agra
 Appendix (Cont.)

Strongly Strongly
Disagree Neutral Agree
Statements Disagree Agree
(2) (3) (4)
(1) (5)

33. Agra is free from mosquitoes.

34. People of Agra are cultured and

civilized.
35. Taxi and auto drivers try to
exploit the tourists.

36. Shop-owners and vendors try to

exploit the tourists.

37. Beggars should be removed from

areas nearby the monuments
and tourism destinations/beggar
nuisance should be controlled.

Reference # 03J-2013-11-03-01

64 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XII, No. 4, 2013

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