A Field Study Towards Determining the Factors That Affect Preferences for Travel Mode Between City Pairs in Turkey

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the common criteria that influence individual’s preferences to use air travel between city pairs, for which there are no non-stop flights. For this purpose, a survey study was conducted in Kayseri and Bursa, which are Turkey's important trade, industry, and tourism cities, on the 3-month period between January and March 2018. Chi-square tests, t-tests and one-way anova tests were used for the analysis of the data collected from the questionnaires. According to the empirical findings obtained as a result of the analysis of the data set, the most preferred mode of transportation between Bursa and Kayseri provinces was the private vehicle/individual's own vehicle. The most important criteria in the choice of transportation mode were found to be non-stop transportation and affordable prices for the travel/tickets. Results of the study concluded that in the future, if a non-stop flight is placed between the two cities, the majority of the participants, 72.3%, will prefer the air travel. Non-stop flights to the city pair in question will contribute to the development of trade and economy in both cities.