Tourist Motivations
Tourist motivations explain the factors in which influence a tourist to travel. Crompton (1979) explains that motivation is only one of many contributing factors in which assist with explaining tourist behavior although it is considered a critical factor as it is the "impelling & compelling force behind all behaviour" (Berkman & Gilson, 1978 as cited in Crompton 1979, pg.409).
Hill (1965) concludes the motive of many vacation makers is in a response to psychological depletion and is an opportunity to allow the tourist to replenish and restore, if the traveler finds what they want they will come back enriched, regenerated & recharge. Crompton (1979) states that the essence of a vacation was the individual having a break from their typical routine and within most theories of motivation the concept of a stable equilibrium is either stated or implied (NcNeal, 1973). Equilibrium would be resorted at the conclusion of the vacation after the needs of the tourist had been meet in order to relieve the tension in the motivational system (Howard and Sheth 1968).
However Dann (1977) argues that the element of travel provides the opportunity for ego-enhancement and self-recognition allowing man to reach the fulfillment in which they require to be recognized. In his study "What makes Tourist Travel" Dann was able to conclude that the answer lied within the socio-phsychological concepts of 'anomie,' " the need that man has for love and affection and the desire to communicate with his fellow man" (Dann, 1997) and 'ego-enhancement.' Dann (1977) also suggested that by going away on vacation an individual is able to escape the suppressing feeling of isolation in everyday life and obtain social interaction by getting away from the norms of everyday living.
Hill (1965) concludes the motive of many vacation makers is in a response to psychological depletion and is an opportunity to allow the tourist to replenish and restore, if the traveler finds what they want they will come back enriched, regenerated & recharge. Crompton (1979) states that the essence of a vacation was the individual having a break from their typical routine and within most theories of motivation the concept of a stable equilibrium is either stated or implied (NcNeal, 1973). Equilibrium would be resorted at the conclusion of the vacation after the needs of the tourist had been meet in order to relieve the tension in the motivational system (Howard and Sheth 1968).
However Dann (1977) argues that the element of travel provides the opportunity for ego-enhancement and self-recognition allowing man to reach the fulfillment in which they require to be recognized. In his study "What makes Tourist Travel" Dann was able to conclude that the answer lied within the socio-phsychological concepts of 'anomie,' " the need that man has for love and affection and the desire to communicate with his fellow man" (Dann, 1997) and 'ego-enhancement.' Dann (1977) also suggested that by going away on vacation an individual is able to escape the suppressing feeling of isolation in everyday life and obtain social interaction by getting away from the norms of everyday living.
Push & Pull Motives
"Push & Pull factors have been widely accepted to explain tourist behaviour and travel motivations" (Crompton, 1979; Uysal & Hagen, 1993; as cited in Chan & Baum, 2007, pg.359). Dann (1997) simply explains push factors as the motive that drives a tourist away from home and pull factors as the motives in which drive a tourist towards a destination. However with more complexity the push factors encouraging a person to travel are the socio-psychological needs of a person (Yoon & Uysal, 2005) and the pull factors are the motivations arousing a person to visit a particular destination (Buhalis, 2003; Flucker & Turner; as cited in Chan & Baum, 2007). Crompton (1979) distinguishes 7 socio-psychological motives: escape from a perceived mundane environment, exploration and evaluation of self, relaxation, prestige, regression, enhancement of kinship relationships and facilitation of social interaction; and 2 cultural motives: novelty and education.
Gray (1970) however defines the same push and pull motives as 'sunlust' and 'wanderlust'. Sunlust describes those "vacations in which are motivated by the desire to experience different or better amenities for a specific purpose than are available in the environment in which one normally lives" (Crompton, 1977, p. 410). And alternative wanderlust is described as the "basic trait in human nature that causes some individuals to want to leave things with which they are familiar and to go and see at first hand different existing cultures and places" (Crompton, 1977, p. 410).
Gray (1970) however defines the same push and pull motives as 'sunlust' and 'wanderlust'. Sunlust describes those "vacations in which are motivated by the desire to experience different or better amenities for a specific purpose than are available in the environment in which one normally lives" (Crompton, 1977, p. 410). And alternative wanderlust is described as the "basic trait in human nature that causes some individuals to want to leave things with which they are familiar and to go and see at first hand different existing cultures and places" (Crompton, 1977, p. 410).
Tourist Career Ladder
The tourist career ladder was identified by Pearce (1988) and explained that the more experience a tourists gained their motives were more likely to change as compared to a tourist with little experience. However the theory was largely criticized as it was not evident that tourists indeed climbed a ladder. Later Pearce & Lee (2005) developed a pattern rather than a ladder in which identified the core tourist motivations.
The Decision Making Process
Whist many required to visit a new unexplored destination at the same time there are those that visited the same destination each year (Crompton, 1979). While it could not be specifically identified why Crompton (1979) speculated that vacationers may have been primarily motivated by socio-psychological motives rather than cultural, have a restricted knowledge of the want satisfying attributes of other places or returning to a proven destination reduces risking an alternative unfamiliar place that may not produce the same satisfactory response.
When making a decision over the travel destination, to identify location the tourist will go through steps as outlined by Woodside & Sherrell (1997) from their constructed framework , using the travel destination sets mode to narrow down their choices. The framework consists of the following 6 steps:
When making a decision over the travel destination, to identify location the tourist will go through steps as outlined by Woodside & Sherrell (1997) from their constructed framework , using the travel destination sets mode to narrow down their choices. The framework consists of the following 6 steps:
References
Chan, J. & Baum, T. (2007) Motivation Factors of Ecotourists in Ecolodge Accommodation: The Push and Pull Factors, Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 12:4, 349-364, DOI: 10.1080/10941660701761027
Clawson, M. and J. Knetsch. (1966). Economics of Outdoor Recreation. Baltimore: John Hopkins Press
Crompton, J. L. (1979) Motivations for Pleasure Vacation. Annals of Tourism Research. 6(4): 408-424. DOI: 10.1016/0160-7383(79)90004-5
Dann, M. S. (1977) Anomie, Ego-Enhancement and Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research IV(4): 184-194.
Gray, J. P. 1970 International Travel - International Trade. Lexington Heath: Lexington Books.
Hills, J. M. M. 1965 The Holiday: A Study of Social and Psychological Aspects with Special Reference to Ireland. London: The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations.
Howard, J. and J. N. Sheth 1968 The Theory of Buyer Behavior. New York: John Wiley.
McNeal, J. U. 1973 An Introduction to Consumer Behavior. New York: John Wiley.
Pearce, Philip L., and Lee, Uk-Il (2005) Developing the travel career approach to tourist motivation. Journal of Travel Research, 43 (3). pp. 226-237.
Plog, S. 1976 Increasing your sales to new and existing markets. Paper presented at The Travel Research Association Conference.
Smith, M. A. and L. Turner 1973 Some Aspects of the Sociology of Tourism. Society and Leisure 355-71.
Uysal, M. & Hagan, L. A. R. (1993). Motivation of pleasure travel and tourism. In M. Khan, M. Olsen & T. Var (eds), Encyclopedia of Hospitality and Tourism, 798–810. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Woodside, A. G., & Sherrell, D. (1977). Traveler evoked, inept, and inert sets of vacation destinations. Journal of Travel Research, 16(1), 14-18.
DOI: 10.1177/004728757701600105
Yoon, Y. & Uysal, M. (2005). An examination of the effects of motivation and satisfaction on destination loyalty: a structural model. Tourism Management, 26(1), 45–56.
Clawson, M. and J. Knetsch. (1966). Economics of Outdoor Recreation. Baltimore: John Hopkins Press
Crompton, J. L. (1979) Motivations for Pleasure Vacation. Annals of Tourism Research. 6(4): 408-424. DOI: 10.1016/0160-7383(79)90004-5
Dann, M. S. (1977) Anomie, Ego-Enhancement and Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research IV(4): 184-194.
Gray, J. P. 1970 International Travel - International Trade. Lexington Heath: Lexington Books.
Hills, J. M. M. 1965 The Holiday: A Study of Social and Psychological Aspects with Special Reference to Ireland. London: The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations.
Howard, J. and J. N. Sheth 1968 The Theory of Buyer Behavior. New York: John Wiley.
McNeal, J. U. 1973 An Introduction to Consumer Behavior. New York: John Wiley.
Pearce, Philip L., and Lee, Uk-Il (2005) Developing the travel career approach to tourist motivation. Journal of Travel Research, 43 (3). pp. 226-237.
Plog, S. 1976 Increasing your sales to new and existing markets. Paper presented at The Travel Research Association Conference.
Smith, M. A. and L. Turner 1973 Some Aspects of the Sociology of Tourism. Society and Leisure 355-71.
Uysal, M. & Hagan, L. A. R. (1993). Motivation of pleasure travel and tourism. In M. Khan, M. Olsen & T. Var (eds), Encyclopedia of Hospitality and Tourism, 798–810. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Woodside, A. G., & Sherrell, D. (1977). Traveler evoked, inept, and inert sets of vacation destinations. Journal of Travel Research, 16(1), 14-18.
DOI: 10.1177/004728757701600105
Yoon, Y. & Uysal, M. (2005). An examination of the effects of motivation and satisfaction on destination loyalty: a structural model. Tourism Management, 26(1), 45–56.
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