Mixed multinomial logit model for out-of-home leisure activity choice

This paper documents the design and results of a study on the factors influencing the choice of out-of-home leisure activities. Influencing factors seem related to socio-demographic characteristics, personal preferences, characteristics of the built environment and other aspects of the activities themselves such as transport mode and day of the week. The Dutch 2008-2009 Continuous Time Use Research data (CVTO) on leisure activities is used to estimate a mixed multinomial logit model that accounts for heterogeneity in individuals’ preferences. The present model formulation also allows the analysis of substitution and complementary between the different types of activities. Results indicate differences in behavior between people with different socio-demographic characteristics, especially regarding their lifecycle stages, which is a variable composed by age and household composition. The built environment exerts a small influence on leisure activity purpose choice, whereas travel party has a strong influence. In terms of substitution and complementary relationships between activity purposes it was found that while outdoor leisure decreases the propensity to perform sports or hobbies/courses activities, it increases the propensity to perform fun shopping and going out/culture activities. A discussion of limitations of the study completes the papeR.