"Motivations in Coastal and Marine Tourism in a Sustainable Destination"

Abstract

"Marketing examines visitor behavior in coastal destinations. This research analyzed push and pull motivations together to determine their impact on consumer loyalty. The vibrant coastal city of Salinas, Ecuador, served as the backdrop for this research, and it is known for its landscapes and cultural heritage. For data-driven analysis, factor analysis was used as a data reduction technique, while multiple regression analysis was applied to identify motivational variables that could predict future visitor behavior. The outcomes revealed two push motivation factors: escape and novelty and knowledge and experience. Two pull motivation factors were identified: static marine activities, associated with walking and enjoying the beach, and active marine activities, related to water sports, swimming, and adventure experiences. These findings will assist destination planners in developing marketing strategies tailored to the characteristics of the identified tourist demand. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026."