The Psychology of Tourism

CHAPTER 1.
MICRO PERSPECTIVE OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY
 LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of this chapter, you should be able to;
• discuss the factors that motivate people to travel;
• elucidate the relationship of needs, wants and motivates to tourist motivation;
• describe the push/pull model;
• explain the relation between Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the travel
motivations listed in travel literature;
• describe the characteristics of psychocentrics and allocentrics;
• identify the characteristics of travelers based on purpose of travel; and
• analyze the travel constraints
Here are some travel motivations indentified by some studies:
• escape • convincing oneself of one’s achievements
• relaxation • show one’ important others
• relief of tension • status and prestige
• sunlust • self-discovery
• physical • cultural
• health • education
• family togetherness
• professional/business
• interpersonal relations
• wanderlust
• roots or ethnics
• interest in foreign areas

•
• scenery
maintaining social contacts
Travel Motivators:
Physical Motivators - include physical rest, sports, participation, beach recreation,
relaxing entertainment, and other motivations directly connected with health.
Cultural Motivators - include the desire to know about other countries, music, art,
folklore, dances, paintings, and region.
Interpersonal Motivators - pertain to the desire to meet other people, visit friends
or relatives, escape from rouitne, from family, and neighbors.
Status and Prestige Motivators - concern ego needs and personal development
 The key to understanding tourist motivation is
to view vacation travel as a vehicle to satisfy one’s
needs and wants. The difference between the
need and a want is awareness. This awareness
must be accompained by motivation. To enable a
person to be motivated to satisfy a need, an
objective or goal must be present. Thus, it is
marketing’s role to suggest objectives such as
vacations, cruises, or flights to satisfy needs, an
awareness of which has already been created. The
figure below shows the relationship between
needs, wants, motives.
 Maslow’s Needs and Motivations
Listed in Travel Literature
Need Motive Tourism Literature References
Physiological Relaxation Escape
Relaxation
Relief of tension
Sunlust
Physical
Mental relaxation of tension

Safety Security Health

Recreation
Keep oneself active and healthy
for the future
 Need Motive Tourism Literature References
Social Love and Attraction Family togetherness
Enhancement of kinship relationships
Companionship
Facilitation of social interaction
Maintenance of personalities
Interpersonal relations
Ethnic roots
Show one’s affection for family members
Maintain social contacts

Self-esteem Achievement Status Convince oneself of one’s achievement

Show one’s importance to others
Prestige
Social recognition
Ego enhancement
Professional/business

Self-actualization Personal Fulfillment

 Tourist Motivations
a. The need to escape or change
b. Travel for health
c. Sports
d. Social Contact
e. Status and Prestige
f. Travel for Education
g. Personal Values
h. Cultural Experience
i. Shopping and Bargain Hunting
j. Professional and Business
Motives
k. Search for Natural Beauty
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

Reporters:
Jerrame Baluran
Charlotte Abalo