Motivational Factors for Different Types of Tourists - Essay Example

Tourist Typologies, Motivation & Decision Making INTRODUCTION Tourism industry is often regarded as a rapidly booming and key developmental pillar of modern economy. The significance of this industry has undoubtedly augmented at a substantial extent in the recent decades following an increase in the proportion of contribution made by this industry in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation. This particular industry includes the deliverance of services such as restaurants, theme parks along with cruise line services for the people who are associated with the industry (Akaegbu 2013). Its significance is also depicted from the aspect that it has major contributions to the global economy. Moreover, this particular industry provides a major source of employment for a large volume of labour force all over the world, further contributing towards the reduction of unemployment rate within the global sector. In the contemporary context, the industry has experienced noteworthy changes, which further depicted a major developmental aspect for the sector (Dann 2002). However, it will be crucial to mention that tourism is entirely dependent on the approaches of the people. Notably, people travel from one place to other with various purposes including education, leisure activities and business purposes among others. All these people are collectively termed as tourists. Specially mentioning, decisions of tourists to visit any particular country are directly influenced by certain key factors including hospitality, attractions and costs among others (Chon, Pizam and Yoel 2012; Pearce 2005). Contextually, this discussion will focus upon depicting the factors that motivate tourists to visit any particular place with the support of theoretical knowledge and practical examples. TYPOLOGIES OF TOURISTS As earlier mentioned, there are various purposes owing to which people travel from one place to other. Contextually, based upon those purposes, nature, characteristics and behaviours, tourists are categorised into various forms. According to Cohen, there are four typologies of tourists that include Organised mass tourist, Individual mass tourist, Explorer and Drifter. While, as per the study of Plog, typologies of tourists include allocentric, mid-centric and psychocentric. These have been described in detail hereunder. The Mass Tourists These types of tourists are deemed to be least adventurous owing to the aspect that they prefer to remain in their comfort zone or environment. They are highly driven by what they are being supplied by the tourism industry. They consider various aspects such as location of the sites and environment while choosing their destinations to visit (Ryan, 2002). Individual Mass Tourists There sorts of tourists are quite organised in nature and their preference of choosing any particular destination directly associates with various factors including scheduled flights, centralised bookings and transfers among others. The business group tourists holds relevancy with this particular group (Sharma 2005). Explorer These sorts of tourists travel from one place to other for various purposes but they do not simply choose from brochure with regard to visit their preferred destinations. They are more adventurous and intend to explore new place and destinations. The leisure tourists can be included in this particular group (Williams 2009). Drifter This kind of tourists ensures novelty at all costs despite dangers and risks associated with it. They believe in originality rather than familiarity. The adventurous tourists in the modern day scenario can be related to this group (Sharma 2005). Allocentric This sort of tourists seeks independence, exploration and adventures over other aspects while choosing their preferred destinations. The leisure and adventure tourists are relevant to this particular group of tourists as mentioned by Plog in his studies (Williams 2009). Mid-Centric This sort of people or tourists intends to remain in their comfort zone and tends to visit places that are known to them. In this particular group, the family oriented leisure tourists, the medical tourists and the business tourists can be associated (Williams 2009). Psychocentric As per Plog, this group of people often feel insecure while travelling and prefer to stay in their home environment (Williams 2009). MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOURISTS It will be crucial to mention that all different kinds of tourists as discussed in the previous sections have their own need that motivates or influences their decisions towards visiting any particular country (Page and Connell 2006). These have been described by taking into concern certain theoretical frameworks and practical examples hereunder. The Mass Tourist and their Factors of Decision Making These groups of people make very less decisions with regard to their travel. They adhere to what that is fixed by their travel operators. An example of this sort of tourists might include business group people. It is one of the most expanded sections of tourism industry. Observably, millions of people travel every day from one place to other for the purpose of conducting business related activities. Interestingly, in business tourism, people visit places for business purposes and being paid by their respective employers. This again reduces their role of decision making, as they tend to move wherever they had to for business purposes. As companies are deemed to bear the costs and arrange the entire visit, people hardly have any choice to make. Moreover, some groups of leisure tourists who are highly dependent upon the structure of the travel industry might also be included as mass tourists. Their motivation lies within the familiarity of the destinations along with the price or the costs of the visit. Certain medical tourists who are highly driven by cost of treatment and not the quality can also be included in this particular category. For example, a cardiac bypass surgery in the United States is estimated to be around $ 100,000, while in country like India, the same can be done at the expense of $10,000. This aspect depicts 90% savings of cost which is again a motivational factor for this particular group (Health Base 2006; (International Trade Centre 2001; Altin, Singal and Kara n.d.). The Individual Mass Tourists and Decision Making This group of people is often recognised as adventure or novelty seeker. This means that people in this particular group tend to visit places that are preferred by most of the tourists in the overall tourism industry. In this regard, business tourists, religious tourists and medical tourists are extensively included. For example, according to Marin-Pantelescu (2011), there are certain factors that influence business class tourists to select amid the destinations that they intend to visit. They are fewer prices sensitive as compared to other group of tourists, as their expenses are usually paid by their respective companies. Their decisions are mainly influenced by their respective business purposes. They are inclined to visit places where there lays maximum exposure of ensuring a beneficial deal for their respective companies. Again, medical tourists also prefer to visit places wherein others in the tourism industry mostly visit or known for the deliverance of better and quality treatment. For example, countries such as the UK and the US will be attractive for the medical tourists ((Marin-Pantelescu 2011; Altin, Singal and Kara n.d.). Explorer and Their Decision Making This group of people decides on their own regarding trips rather than moving with the trend of the industry. They seek to obtain creative and adventurous experiences rather than following mass tourism. In this group, business and religious tourists might get included. The business tourists often seek to avail the best deals so that the employers praise them for their work. This encouraged them to visit places that might ensure more profitable deal for the company rather than visiting the usual places where others usually visits. Correspondingly, group of religious tourists visit places that had been created by miracle or other unusual events but not from human actions owing to their devotional shrine (Terzidou 2010). Drifter and Their Decision Making This group of tourists intends to acquire maximum self-fulfilment through drifting from one place to other despite the dangers or the risks that they need to face in this regard. This people might include the adventurous leisure tourists and some group of religious tourists. For example, satisfaction is one of the decisive aspects of the adventurous group of people where intend to attend the same at any cost. This type of people is thrill or action seeker and desire to gain the same in their leisure time. Correspondingly, religious travellers are also motivated to visit the holy places in-spite of various problems they need to face in this regard. For example, the religious travellers who has religious or site shrine will visit places or various destinations of the world that are especially known for religious purposes despite of various problems they face in that regard. This further depicts their religious sentiments (Raj and Morpeth 2007). Allocentric and their Decision Making This group of travellers or tourists are quite adventurous and action seeker similar to that of the explorer typologies as mentioned by Cohen. Notably, this group of people possesses certain quality characteristics such as venturers, independent, exploration and adventure. The most included tourists in this particular group might include the adventurous-leisure tourist groups (Williams 2009). It is believed that the motivational factors of tourists are dependent on what destinations are offering to them. The decisions of people to select tourist destinations for leisure purpose largely depend on the attractiveness of the destinations (Lien 2010). Past experiences of visiting a place is also a factor, which broadly influences decision making of tourists. Furthermore, the decisions of the people belonging to this particular tourist group are also influenced by their family life cycle. For instance, people who are single (not family oriented) prefer a particular destination for travel, but after transforming into a family-oriented person, their choices often tend to get diverted (Beggs 2010; Zhang and Marcussen 2007). Mid-Centric and their Decision Making This group of people travel to known destinations that are preferred by most of the mass tourists. This particular tourist typology selects those places that they feel quite comfort and safe. This group of tourists also prefer safety of the destinations as an important aspect, which people consider while choosing any destination for travel despite of their attraction towards adventure (Williams 2009). For example, countries that are usually associated with various conflicts are deemed to be less safe and thus it negatively influences the decision making of the travellers to visit the places for leisure purpose. In this regard, examples of countries that are preferred by tourists include Dubai and Mauritius among others owing to the attractions and hospitality of the places (Krippendorf, 2013; Mahika 2011). Psychocentric and their Decision Making This group of people often depend upon others for their travel choices. The tourists falling to this group mainly prefer home environment rather than visiting diverse environments or destinations (Williams 2009). In this regard, family life cycle is recognised as a major motivational factor. For instance, people who are single (not family oriented) prefer a particular destination for travel, but after transforming into a family-oriented person, their choices often tend to get diverted. They prefer environment that are safe for their family and also cost effective owing to the aspect of budget associated with any middle income group of people (Health Base 2006; Altin, Singal and Kara n.d.; IMTJ 2014). CONCLUSION From the overall analysis, it can be comprehended that people travel from one place to other for various purposes including business, education, leisure and religious among others. This group of tourists contribute a major portion to the revenue of the tourism sector of the world. Contextually, it has been noted that there are certain factors that influence the decision making of the people towards selecting any particular destination to visit as per their respective purposes. In this regard, the business tourist included in mass tourism prefers to visit places wherein there found flexible in conducting trade policies, proper meeting and conference convenience along with proper transportation facilities. On the other hand, factors such as sacred sites and religious events often attract the religious tourists or the explorers. It has been noted that places that offer high quality and cost efficient hospitality are more preferred by the middle income leisure tourists within the tourism industry. Correspondingly, certain factor such as major attractions also attracts tourists of the leisure group. Hence, it can be concluded that each group of tourists has their own motivational factor and their decisions are largely influenced by the same. REFERENCES Akaegbu, Juliana B. 2013. “An Exploratory Study of Customers’ Perception of Pricing of Hotel Service Offerings in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria.” International Journal of Business and Social Science 4 (13): 234-240. Altin, Mehme., Singal, Manisha, and Kara, Derya. n.d. “Consumer Decision Components for Medical Tourism: A Stakeholder Approach.” Contents. Retrieved February 19, 2014 (http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1286&context=gradconf_hospitality). 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