ITM 1201 Introduction to Tourism and Hotel Industry

ITM 1201 : Introduction to Tourism and Hotel Industry

CHAPTER 2 Reasons Why People Travel

Reasons why people travel • Every decision to travel is response to one two questions. Where do I want to do? , or, where do I have to be? Leisure travelers ask the first question. Business travelers and those who plan to visit friends or relatives ask the second question. In both cases, the destination is a location that travelers choose to visit and where they spend time.

What attracts travelers to different locations. • People choose a particular destination or their motivation for travel. We can identify nine main motivators for travel that can influence a traveler’s choice of destination. • Recreation - people who travel for recreation are attracted to a destination because of wanting a change of climate, recreational facilities, for shopping, gambling, or socializing. They often just wish to relax, enjoy themselves, and take it easy. Resorts are very popular destination for people traveling for recreation.

What attracts travelers to different locations. • Culture - historical sites, museums, and traditional theater are examples of cultural attractions. People may want to visit to experience an earlier life style, to learn about art and culture. The common reason is that people travel in order to understand either their own or other peoples’ culture. • Nature - many people travel to experience the great outdoors. The desire to ‘get back to nature’ often encourages people to sacrifice the conveniences of hotel accommodation and other facilities. Accommodation is often basic and in the from of tents or bungalows. Nature is found in areas that have not been developed and are usually far away from cities or large towns.

What attracts travelers to different locations. • Education - some travelers choose a destination for it educational value. This may be to stay with a family to become fluent in another language, or, go on a study tour with an expert guide. Almost all people learn when they travel, when people travel for nature, culture or religion it also is a learning experience. • Events - some people plan a around a special event. It can be a sporting event, a celebration , a concert, a family occasion, or a cultural event. The event itself is the main attraction rather than where it is being held.

What attracts travelers to different locations. • Health - many people are motivated by a desire to improve their mental or physical fitness. Spa resorts and cruise ships are prime sites for people traveling for health. • Religion - religion has been a prime motivator for travel for many thousands of years. Pilgrims from many different religions travel to many religious sites worldwide. • Visiting friends and relatives )V. F. R. ) - many people travel to a destination because they have friends or relatives who live there.

What attracts travelers to different locations. • Business - business people go to a destination simply because it is where they have to be. Business travel includes meetings. exhibitions, conferences, conventions, seminars. training courses etc. • Often a traveler may not visit a destination for only one reason. There is often a combination of reasons for choosing a destination. • Consider the following question; Which group would often not require accommodation? Which group would require access to fax machines and computers? Which group would often request detailed information on the places they have visited?

Reasons foreign choosing a country to visit • A foreign tourist generally takes into account the following factors before choosing a country to visit. The percentage shows the number of people who think the following are most important when choosing an overseas destination.

Reasons foreign choosing a country to visit • • • Personal security and safety 73. 7% Clean and comfortable accommodation 63. 6% Ability to communicate 62. 0% Shopping facilities 61. 1% Tourist attractions 59. 0% Friendly and interesting people 53. 1% Culture and history 40. 8% Variety of food 35. 6% Local transport facilities 35. 6% Cleanliness 23. 9%

Reasons foreign choosing a country to visit • This survey clearly shows that safety, good accommodation, and ability to communicate are extremely important for countries which encourage foreign tourists to visit. While cultural attractions, food, and transport are important, they are not most peoples main concern. • It is important to understand people’s motivation for travel, as they will have different needs, wants, and expectations.

Review-Reasons Why People Travel What is the reason or reasons for travel? 1. Mr. Komez went to Africa, he wanted to know about how the people lived, he also went on a safari to a wildlife park. 2. Miss Mai went to stay with her in Sukhothai during the Loi Krathong festival. 3. Miss Sommat decided to go to Pattaya after she finished her exams. She wanted to “wind-down” and relax after all that study. 4. Mr. Wandanu and Mr. Santiphap went to Tarutao National Park. They stayed on many of the beautiful islands, they went diving to see the coral and the different types of fish.

Review-Reasons Why People Travel 5. Mr. Watcahrin went to Macau for a conference, he had plenty of free time to visit the casino and on the way home he had a half-day for shopping in Hong Kong. 6. Miss Ketsarin went on a summer course in New Zealand. In addition to learning English she went to a Mauri village and learnt about the history of the Mauri people. 7. Miss Dock-Au went to Phuket to participate in the vegetarian festival.

Review-Reasons Why People Travel 8. Miss Wisuda went to her sister’s wedding in Chiang Rai. 9. Mr. Somsak went to Wat Buppharam in Trat to pay respect to the Buddha image there. 10. Miss Sirima went to the straw bird fair at Chai Nat. (page 98) 11. Ms. Trong went home to Mukdahan for Songkran.

Barriers to travel or reasons why people do not travel • There are number of reasons why people do not travel much or do not travel at all. • Barriers to travel fall into broad categories. • Cost - some people do not have money to travel. Other people may have money but travel must compete with other ways people want to spend their money. Costs are a reason for staying home. • Lack of time - many people cannot leave their businesses, jobs, or professions for travel. They simply do not have enough free time to travel.

Barriers to travel or reasons why people do not travel • Health limitation - poor health or physical limitations keep many people at home. They do not have the desire or ability to travel. • Family stage - parents of young children often do not travel because of the inconveniences of traveling with children. Single people sometimes do not travel with, especially females. Some people may not be able to travel because they have family members that they must look after. • Lack of interest - not knowing about, or, caring about travel destinations that would bring pleasure is a barrier to travel. Some people simply are not interested in, or just too lazy to travel.

Barriers to travel or reasons why people do not travel • Fear and safety - wars, unrest, and negative publicity about an area or country will create doubt and fear in the mind of a prospective traveler. People will only travel to a destination where they feel very safe. • By understanding the reasons people do not want to travel, we can perhaps overcome that barrier by suggesting alternative plans that minimize or exclude that barrier. For example, if a person is afraid of flying, we can suggest travel by group or sea. For a family with small children, a destination that is close with family facilities should be suggested.

Review-Barriers to travel What is barrier to travel? 1. Mr. Surasak went to go to Sydney but after he read about the plane crash he decided to go to Malaysia by train instead. 2. Miss Sutida went to go to Japan with her parents but she has exams soon. She decided to stay home and study instead. 3. Miss Daranee’s friends wanted her to go to Pattaya with them but she doesn’t want to. She would rather stay home and watch T. V.

Review-Barriers to travel 4. Ajarn peter organized a trip to Iraq and Bosnai but none of the class wanted to go. 5. Miss Chutima wanted to visit her friends in America but she had to cancel when her sister arrived from Germany. 6. Miss Autchariya had a car accident and canceled her trip to Laos. 7. Mr. Supapong works very hard, he rarely has days off. When he does get a day off he usually stays home as it takes too long of Bangkok.

Review-Barriers to travel 8. Mr. Wichit wanted to go to Lop Buri, but didn’t have enough money for the train fare. 9. Miss Amara lives with her parents and grandparents. She doesn’t want to go America for a summer course as she wants to after her grandmother and grandfather. 10. Mr. Peema wants to travel around the world but he doesn’t have a job yet and his parents will not give any more money. 11. Mr. Siripong caught chicken pox and couldn’t go to Phuket with his friends.

THE END