Why do People Travel?

Travel Motivators and Barriers

Factors Affecting Travel and Tourism

Travel Motivators

• A travel motivator is a reason for prompting a person to travel

• Some travel motivators are:– Relaxation and Recreation– Social and Family– Specialty Travel “once-in-a-lifetime” travel– Business and Work– Cultural– Adventure– Environment

Travel Barriers

• A travel barrier is a factor that prevents or hinders people from travelling

• Some important travel barriers include:– Cost– Time– Health– Weather– Family Stage– Lack of Interest– Fear

Economic Factors

• Cost of vacations can act as a travel barrier

• Economic times are good, people travel more for business

• More discretionary income means more people can travel for pleasure

Technological Factors

• Generally, the more tourism facilities (tourism infrastructure) a country has, the greater a success it achieves as a tourist destination

• Ex: France has been world’s #1 tourist destination for a while– Large cities– First class airports– High speed rail lines connecting most cities

• Developments in information technology also had an impact

Political Factors

• Political stability of a geographic region can influence the number of travellers visiting that location.

• Incidents of terrorism, civil war, or high crime rates keeps tourists away

Demographic Factors

• Demography, or the characteristics and background of a country’s population can also influence travel patterns

• Example: high percentage of baby-boomers (people aged 45 – 65) in Canada and U.S. These people most likely to take trips

Cultural Factors

• The specific culture or cultures in a country can draw many tourists into an area

• Example: Tourist destinations such as Greece, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Mexico, China and Russia all offer a unique cultural experience, either through the country’s ancient history, civilizations, and cultural experiences