Top 10 Psychology Facts That Motivate People to Travel
(a) The Escape Motivation:
This is essentially a wish to get away from a perceived mundane environment.
(b) Relaxation:
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This is a wish for recuperation.
(c) Play:
This is a wish to indulge in activities associated with childhood. Play on holiday is culturally approved. Adults indulge in games not otherwise permitted. There is a regression into the carefree state of childhood.
(d) Strengthening Family Bond:
In the common situation where both partners work full time, the holiday represents a time when both can renew their relationship.
(e) Prestige:
Status and social enhancement can be temporarily gained on the basis of the destination chosen for the holiday. Certain destinations are fashionable and prestigious, such as, for an Indian a visit to Kashmir or Goa is considered prestigious.
(f) Social Interaction:
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The holiday provides an opportunity for social interaction with the people of the host society. In many cases the rationale for the holiday is simply an opportunity for sexual activity which we find in the sex tourism of the Far East in Thailand or the Philippines.
(g) Educational Opportunity:
Tourism provides a chance to see new and strange sights, to learn about other places of the world and talk with people of other cultures. Also there is a chance to see the sites of history and the original great works of art.
Level of educational attainment is an important determinant of travel properly as education laroadens horizons and stimulates the desire to travel.
(h) Self-Fulfillment:
The voyage of discovery may not be simply a discovery of new places and people but also an opportunity for self-discovery. The search for self- discovery might change life or perspective.
(i) Wish Fulfillment:
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For some the holiday is an answer to a dream. The popularity of theme parks is an escape into a fantasy.
(j) Shopping:
Shopping is not only one of the most common tourist activities but it can also be the motivating factor for travel away from home and indeed for international travel.
Tourist environment are extremely dynamic. They are influenced by the changing tastes of holiday makers. The notion of life cycle change in tourist destination is helpful in explaining changes in tourist’s environments.
Butler popularised the idea of a resort life cycle to explain the growth and decline of resorts. He suggested a six-stage cycle of the evolution of tourist destination areas expressed in terms of changes in the numbers of visitors over time.