Human behaviour is one of the most interesting topics to be studied, but also one of the most complex. But who would not be relieved if he would know the reason why humans sometimes behave as they do?
Especially in the field of tourism, a domain of intense human interaction, where offering services is the core activity of most businesses, it would be quite favourable to predict how potential customers or business partners do react; or if the extensive marketing spending has the desired impact.
Consequently, this work focuses on the topic of human motivation, particularly on the motivation of travelling behaviour, drawing attention to a field that is as diverse as the ways it can be approached. Tourism researchers usually refer to an established set of theories and models to describe motivated behaviour, of which Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ probably is the most renowned. But considering its year of publication, it is remarkable that there is no established contemporary approach to behavioural research.
Accordingly, the objective of this work is to develop a theoretical model relating the variety of leisure travel elements to as few as possible underlying motivations, being responsible for thriving one of the biggest industrial sectors of the world.
Research was carried out by undertaking in-depth interviews in the context of grounded theory methodologies, investigating the travel behaviour, experiences and motives of a small sample, detecting relations and dependencies, and drawing according conclusions.
Based on the analysed data a theoretical model emerged, defining the motivation for any leisure travel activities as psychological escape, an instinctive reflex to a temporary dissatisfaction caused by a variety of influences.
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Literature Review I: Contextual Grounding
2.1 Leisure Tourism and Tourists
2.1.1 Leisure Tourism
2.1.2 Tourists and Travellers
2.2 Tourist motivation
2.2.1 Motivation
2.2.2 Needs-Based Motivation Theories
2.2.3 Values-Based Motivation Theories
2.2.4 ‘Benefits sought or realized’ Motivation Theories
2.2.5 Expectancy Theories
2.2.6 Overview of Important Tourist Motivation Theories
3.0 Research Method
3.1 Choice of Research Method
3.2 Grounded Theory & Its Application
3.2.1 Data Collection
3.2.2 Data Analysis
3.2.3 Coding and Memos
4.0 Data Collection, Coding & Discussion
4.1 Codebook
4.2 Interviews
4.2.1 General Information
4.2.2 Interview #1
4.2.3 Interview #2
4.2.4 Interview #3
4.2.5 Interview #4
4.2.6 Interview #5
4.2.7 Interview #6
4.3 Summary of Initial Coding
4.4 Axial & Selective Coding
5.0 Literature Review II: Related Theories
5.1 Escapism
5.2 Man for Himself
5.3 Functionalism vs. Phenomenology
5.4 Reference to Literature Review I: Conceptual Grounding
5.5 Simmels’ Autonomy
6.0 The Theoretical Model
7.0 Limitations & Further Research
7.1 Limitations
7.2 Further Research
8.0 Bibliography
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this work is to develop a theoretical model that relates the diversity of leisure travel elements to a minimal set of underlying motivations. The research addresses the overarching question of why humans feel driven to engage in leisure travel, moving beyond superficial reasons like destination choice to explore the psychological mechanisms at play.
- Investigation of human motivation in the context of tourism.
- Distinction between stated travel purposes and deeper psychological motivations.
- Application of grounded theory to analyze travel behavior and decision-making.
- Exploration of the "psychological escape" concept as an instinctive reflex to dissatisfaction.
- Assessment of the role of daily routine and stress in triggering the urge to travel.
Excerpt from the Book
1.0 Introduction
The author of this work has to admit that he always harboured a profound interest in the way humans behave and what their motivations are. Due to the fact that humans are such complex beings, particularly in a psychological sense, they always come up with a variety of interesting reasons to justify their behaviour. But in the authors’ opinion, often times this range of reasons can be simplified and categorized into a limited set of motives driving human behaviour.
Studying in the area of tourism for several years, it therefore seemed quite logically for the author to become engaged with the question of tourist motivation and to discuss it in this work.
Admittedly a wide range of theories and studies on the subject of tourist motivation already exists, or as Kay puts it, “tourist motivation studies embody an amalgam of ideas and approaches” (Kay, 2003, p.600). Cohen (1974, p.528) even criticized it as being a “fuzzy set” of concepts, descriptions and definitions. Nevertheless, the basic question, first formulated by Lundberg (1971), remains: Why do people travel?
Chapter Summaries
1.0 Introduction: Sets the stage for the research by questioning the underlying drivers of human travel behavior and defining the research scope toward leisure travel.
2.0 Literature Review I: Contextual Grounding: Clarifies essential tourism definitions and provides a theoretical overview of existing motivation models.
3.0 Research Method: Details the qualitative, grounded theory approach used to gather and analyze primary data through in-depth interviews.
4.0 Data Collection, Coding & Discussion: Documents the interview process, the coding structure, and the resulting findings from participant data.
5.0 Literature Review II: Related Theories: Discusses supplementary sociological and psychological theories that align with the findings emerged from the primary research.
6.0 The Theoretical Model: Integrates findings into a holistic model that defines the "psychological escape" as the core motivation for leisure travel.
7.0 Limitations & Further Research: Reflects on the scope of the study and suggests avenues for future investigation into the developed theoretical model.
8.0 Bibliography: Lists the academic sources and data references used throughout the study.
Keywords
grounded theory, leisure travel, motivated behaviour, psychological escape, tourism motivation, travel behaviour, travel motivation, destination choice, qualitative research, stress, routine, holiday experience, autonomy, self-actualisation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This work explores the real, underlying motivations for leisure travel. It seeks to understand why people feel the need to travel by looking beyond simple preferences for specific destinations.
What are the central themes of the study?
The central themes include the psychological need for escape, the distinction between travel purpose and travel motivation, and the impact of daily routine on travel decisions.
What is the primary research goal?
The objective is to develop a contemporary theoretical model that identifies a limited, fundamental set of motivations that explain the wide variety of leisure travel behaviors observed globally.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses a qualitative research approach based on grounded theory, utilizing in-depth interviews with a sample group to identify patterns and generate a hypothesis rather than testing a pre-existing one.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers the literature review of existing motivation theories, the methodological framework, an analysis of six in-depth interviews, a review of related sociological theories, and the final presentation of the "Motivation Escape Circle" model.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include "grounded theory," "psychological escape," "leisure travel," "travel motivation," and "daily routine."
How does the author define "psychological escape"?
It is defined as an instinctive, subconscious reflex to a temporary state of dissatisfaction, which is often caused by the pressures, plights, and monotony of daily life.
Is the destination the primary motivator for travel?
No, the research concludes that while destination features are important, they are not the primary motive for travel. The need to escape the daily environment is the underlying driver; the choice of destination is a secondary facilitator.
Does the author believe relaxation is possible at home?
The participants in the study generally suggest that complete psychological disconnection from daily stressors is difficult to achieve in the familiar environment of home; therefore, physical distance is required to facilitate full relaxation.
- Quote paper
- Jens Kaulbars (Author), 2009, Escape - The Real Motivation for Leisure Travel, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/231143
