Tourism Motivation Assignment: Critiques of Public Articles

Question

Write a tourism motivation assignment critiquing on public articles.

Answer

It is evident in the tourism motivation assignment that travel and tourism sectors have been developed and the demand for exotic services in various beautiful places in the world has been increased due to tourist's motivation of travelling to distant places. Thus, this structured abstract review will critique the research done by different authors on tourist motivation.

Brief Summary of Theory & Progression
The reasons and factors behind the tourist motivation have been researched in the past and ongoing studies are still conducted for gaining deeper insights. The works of Wu & Pearce (2014), discussed recreational vehicles as a major factor for Chinese tourists that have visited Australia. The author conducted netnographic research on 77 blogs and posts of Chinese travelers. Wu & Pearce (2014) considered that relationships, self-development, ego enhancement were some of the push factors while characteristics of destinations were the pull factors behind tourist motivation. Similarly, work by Thaothampitak & Weerakit (2012) discussed the intrinsic and extrinsic factors behind tourist motivation. Hence the author opined that trying new delicacies were essential push factors while physical activeness, reliable weather, and exploring the region of Thailand were some of the push factors that motivated tourists to visit Trang Province (Thailand).

In this view, Botezatu (2014) revealed that approximately less than 10 % of individuals spend their income on rural tourism. Some of the factors like biking, riding, feeling close to nature, gaining insights about the local business were some of the reasons behind the tourist motivation in traveling countryside and villages. However, Pratminingsih et al. (2014) determined that revisiting the tourist spots were determinant factors of tourist motivation due to services, location, and knowledge of the locality. Pratminingsih et al. (2014) also suggested that the low-cost carriers and developed services in the tourism areas have motivated many travellers to visit different places in the world.

Common Themes of Articles
The articles are centred around the tourist motivation factors that are intrinsic like relaxation, gaining knowledge and extrinsic location, ease of travelling, and others. The intrinsic motivations of the travellers seek to attain intangible rewards that include fulfillment of emotional needs, self-expression, creativity while extrinsic factors like money, expenditure, and hospitality motivate the tourists. The articles explored several angles but tourist motivation factors were similar to an extent.

Pratminingsih et al. (2014) discussed that driving force for tourists includes escaping from routine life, isolation, nostalgia, and shopping. The push and pull factors are considered to be the major drivers of tourist motivation building relationships, special interests, market activities of the region, feeling close to nature motivated tourists to travel abroad or in the local regions. Pratminingsih, et al. (2014) depicted that destination image provided an imagination that boosted the instincts of the traveller, many such places are advertised extensively for providing imaginary reviews thus attracting the travellers. Similar views were drafted by Botezatu (2014) that individuals opting for rural tourism had integrated reasons like natural sightseeing, stress escape, and hospitality. Thus, it was identified that traveller’s satisfaction was the major factor for travelling to distant places.

Different Themes of the articles
The four articles used in this tourism motivation assignment have different research approaches and chose varied geographical locations for gaining insights into tourist motivational factors. Wu & Pearce (2014 conducted netnographic methodology thus adapting virtual frameworks like the Internet for gaining insider's perspective online. Thus, the author followed a thematic approach for reviewing the blogs and online messages of Chinese travellers of gaining insights about the recreational vehicle travelling experiences of Australia. In this view, Thaothampitak & Weerakit (2012) conducted an onsite survey with a convenience sampling method. In this article, the author had studied tourist motivation and satisfaction of the travellers who travelled to Trang Service (Thailand) thereby demonstrating implications for destination competitiveness and tourist product development.

Botezatu (2014), conducted primary research on 658 respondents that were interviewed about the motivation in rural tourism. Thereby, a questionnaire survey was selected as a research method after which it was determined that 59% of the tourists spend 10% of their income on countryside travel. Pratminingsih, et al. (2014) conducted a study on 268 visitors for depicting the revisit intention, destination image, and motivation impacting the tourist satisfaction in case of Bandung. The author had formulated a theoretical model for creating hypotheses while multiple regressions and qualitative evaluations were used to determine the research results. After reviewing all the four articles, it can be said that all the authors have worked through research techniques for analysing the results.

Study Limitations
The research studies of all four articles considered in the tourism motivation assignment could be explored from different angles. WU & Pearce (2014) was based recreational vehicle of young Chinese traveller’s experience in Australia. However, the author studied recreational vehicle which was a unique theme as compared to other authors but the research was limited to only social media account and blogs. The sample size was relatively small and thus, a generalized view cannot be obtained. Thaothampitak & Weerakit (2012) work on tourist motivation and satisfaction was conducted on a sample of 400 however reviews of only 20 tourists were considered for an onsite survey. Also, the study was restricted to only Trang province to determine the development of travel products and marketing of the same. In the works of Botezatu (2014) it was demonstrated about motives and satisfaction behind rural tourism, however, which rural areas were studied was disclosed by the authors. Hence the information does not give a clear idea about which rural places were covered and what type of tourist (national, international, and local) were interviewed for conducting the research study. Pratminingsih, et al. (2014) had conducted his research on 268 visitors in the regions of Bandung for determining motivation roles and destination image for predictions of tourist visit intentions. However, the same size was limited to a few individuals only while it covered only one region thus the results were biased as perceptions of the respondent were restricted to geographical locations.

Areas for further Study
The authors of the four articles discussed used qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method analysis for researching different aspects of tourist motivation. However, the study from the articles was restricted from several aspects like small sample size, geographical locations, and others. Hence, further research should be conducted for getting insights. Also, various other factors like marketing, promotions, food, shopping, and other aspects should be researched by the authors for underlying business opportunities. Authors should conduct factors like maintaining status- quo, increasing followers (on social media), enhancing self-ego are some of the intrinsic factors that have not been worked. Rural tourism should be explored aggressively as the majority of the individuals live in busy city lives and a minority of them travel to the countryside.

Hence, the research on rural tourism will help in increasing business opportunities for countryside travel thus also improving the economic condition of the country. The revisiting intentions of the tourist should also be researched for gaining insights about tourist motivation towards revisiting a place twice or thrice in his lifetime. As earlier mentioned, detailed insights about tourist motivation is still awaits exploring. The authors should increase their sample size for gaining knowledge towards perceptions of the general public. The greater evaluation of tourist motivation will help in marketing unexplored tourist spots thus improving the economic conditions of people located in those areas. Also, Wu & Pearce (2014) also recommended further research for gaining insights about the offering of emerging markets for the experiential framework of recreational vehicles.

Critical Evaluation
The four articles used to develop this tourism motivation assignment were less biased as research was restricted to geographical locations. Hence the results were based on tourists’ motivations to researched areas. However, those regions should also be studied where tourist visits are less. It will help in determining the influence of external factors on tourist motivation to the less-visited areas.

All the authors assumed that decisions autonomy is exhibited by the tourists. However, the influence mouth- to mouth promotions or commercial advertisements behind tourist motivations was not considered. Botezatu (2014) explored rural tourism, however, the place from respondents was interviewed was not disclosed, hence the results are incomplete as one cannot ascertain which type of countrysides like seabeaches or small hilly areas are visited by the tourist. The role of government in promoting tourism was also not disclosed. For instance, in many countries travel allowances are given by the governments that motivate the tourists in travelling distant places.

In recent times, the travel and tourism industry is flourishing due to several factors. Four articles were critically evaluated on different aspects of tourist motivation. However, the articles had restrictions and further study is required for gaining deeper insights.

Reference List

Botezatu, A., 2014. Tourist motivation for rural destinations. Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development,14, (1), p. 49-52.

Pratminingsih, S.A., Rudatin, C.L. and Rimenta, T., 2014. Roles of motivation and destination image in predicting tourist revisit intention: A case of Bandung-Indonesia. Tourism motivation assignment International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 5(1), p.19.

Thaothampitak, W. and Weerakit, N., 2012. Tourist motivation and satisfaction: The case study of Trang Province, Thailand. Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand.

Wu, M.Y. and Pearce, P.L., 2014. Chinese recreational vehicle users in Australia: A netnographic study of tourist motivation. Tourism management, 43, pp.22-35.