Title: Analysis of Destination Preferences in Maharashtra
Author: Abhinav Bhosale – 01
Introduction:
This study explores the travel preferences of tourists across four of Maharashtra’s most popular getaways: Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Alibaug, and Matheran. By collecting direct ratings from a diverse group of visitors, the research aims to identify which of these distinct landscapes—from coastal towns to hill stations—is most favoured by the public. The findings provide a clear snapshot of current tourism trends and help determine if one destination truly stands out as the top choice for travellers in the region.
Objective: determine if there is a difference in travellers’ preferences among four major tourist destinations in Maharashtra.
Literature review:
Tourism Diversity in Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a top Indian tourism hub where diverse geography—from the Sahyadri mountains to the Konkan coast—offers a mix of hill stations, beaches, and heritage sites. According to Patil and Kumar (2023), these unique landscapes create distinct travel experiences that cater to varied needs, including serenity, adventure, and cultural immersion.
The Role of Tourist Satisfaction and Variance
Gadekar (2024) highlights that infrastructure, cleanliness, and safety are the primary drivers of high tourist satisfaction. Research also identifies an “Expectation-Perception Gap,” where factors like overcrowding lead to high rating variance; experienced travellers often penalize “over-tourism,” while first-time visitors favor the same locations for their accessibility.
Data collection:
Data was collected through an online Google Form where 30 participants were asked to rate their experiences at Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Alibaug, and Matheran. Each respondent provided a numerical score from 1 to 10 for all four locations, ensuring a consistent and comparable dataset for analysis. This structured approach allowed for a direct comparison of traveller’s satisfaction levels across the different geographical regions of Maharashtra.
Data analysis:
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Anova: Single Factor |
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SUMMARY |
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Groups |
Count |
Sum |
Average |
Variance |
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Lonavala |
30 |
198 |
6.6 |
6.662069 |
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Mahabaleshwar |
30 |
211 |
7.033333 |
6.309195 |
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Alibaug |
30 |
198 |
6.6 |
5.144828 |
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Matheran |
30 |
212 |
7.066667 |
3.512644 |
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ANOVA |
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Source of Variation |
SS |
df |
MS |
F |
P-value |
F crit |
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Between Groups |
6.09 |
3.00 |
2.03 |
0.38 |
0.77 |
2.68 |
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Within Groups |
627.23 |
116.00 |
5.41 |
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Total |
633.33 |
119.00 |
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Data Interpretation:
The calculated F value (0.38) is less than the F critical value (2.68). The P-value (0.77) is greater than 0.05, which means the result is not statistically significant.
Conclusion:
The travel preferences of tourists across four of Maharashtra’s most popular getaways: Lonavala, Mahabaleshwar, Alibaug, and Matheran is equal as there is no significant difference in their preference ratings.
References:
Patil, S., & Kumar, R. (2023). Evaluation of Tourist Preferences for Mumbai as a Tourist Destination: Using a Conjoint Analysis Approach. Journal of Management Information and Decision Sciences, 26(1).
Gadekar, D. J. (2024). A Study of Tourist Satisfaction Index (TSI) of Heritage Tourist Place of Ajanta Cave in Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar District of Maharashtra State in India. Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology, 11(2), 1195-1199.