The importance of the social environment on leisure destination choice: A mixed multinomial analysis of homophilic preferences

Individuals are fond of belonging to a social environment with a similar social background, which can impact the individual’s decision to visit specific venues for leisure activities. Using data from Zurich, we have measured the preference for a social environment in four categories of leisure venues: restaurants, cafes, bars, and nightclubs; the estimation was performed using a mixed multinomial logit model to see how homophily for socioeconomic characteristics can impact the decisions of choosing a leisure venue. The models included three homophilic preferences: age, income, and cultural origin as variables of interest. The results show a positive impact of the three variables in different degrees: age is the most relevant in the two venue categories, income only impacts when individuals choose restaurants or cafes, and cultural background is more relevant for nightlife venues. These results show that the sociodemographic characteristics of the social environment are relevant for the choice of leisure destinations. These findings can contribute to the formulation of policies to create more diverse leisure environments and socially cohesive communities.