CULTURAL MOTIVATION OF TOURISM
CULTURAL TOURISM
Cultural tourism is the subset of tourism concerned with a country or region's culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those geographical areas, the history of those people, their art, architecture, religion, and other elements that helped shape their way of life. Cultural tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities, and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres. It can also include tourism in rural areas showcasing the traditions of indigenous cultural communities, and their values and lifestyle. It is generally agreed that cultural tourists spend substantially more than standard tourists do. This form of tourism is also becoming generally more popular throughout the world, and a recent OECD report has highlighted the role that cultural tourism can play in regional development in different world regions. Cultural tourism has been defined as 'the movement of persons to cultural attractions away from their normal place of residence, to gather new information and experiences to satisfy their cultural needs'. These cultural needs can include the solidification of one's own cultural identity, by observing the exotic "other".
DEFINITIONS OF CULTURAL TOURISM
This is the oldest international definition of cultural tourism. “Cultural tourism is a form of tourism whose object is, among other purposes, the discovery of monuments and sites. It exerts on these last and very positive effects, as it contributes - to its own ends - to their maintenance and protection. This form of tourism justifies, in fact, the efforts that have been made to maintain and protect the human community because of the socio-cultural and economic benefits. To clearly define the concept of cultural tourism, it is first necessary to have a basic understanding of the two Complex definitions of culture and tourism. However, it should be noted that recognizing the two concepts of culture and tourism separately is considered as a prerequisite for defining cultural tourism.
The motivation of the tourists stems from the domain of human psychology. It is the satisfaction-forming factor. The factors of motivation can be categorized into two types −
Internal Factors of Motivation
Internal factors arouse, direct, and integrate a person’s behavior and influence his decisions for traveling.
⦁ Intrinsic Motivation − For many people, tourism is a way of satisfying their psychological needs such as traveling, performing leisure activities, exploring novelty and capabilities, self-expression and self-assurance, creativity, competition, need for relaxation, and belongingness. The intrinsic motivations pertain to assuring one’s capabilities on different emotional fronts. Intrinsic motivation drives the tourists to opt for tourism for intangible rewards such as fun, assurance, and other emotional needs. The other intrinsic factors of motivation are
⦁ Attitudes of Tourist − Knowledge of a person, place, or object + Positive or negative feelings about the same.
⦁ Tourist’s Perception − By observing, listening, or getting knowledge, a tourist forms the perception about a place, person, or object.
⦁ Values or Beliefs − A tourist believes or values a specific mode of conduct that is acceptable personally or socially.
⦁ The personality of the Tourist − The nature and physique of a tourist play an important role towards motivation in tourism.
External Factors of Motivation
There are external motives in tourism that can influence tourists and pull them towards a certain motivation and subsequent decision.
⦁ Extrinsic Motivation − Here, a tourist gets motivated by external factors such as money and the need to feel competent on the scale of expenditure and performance.
⦁ Place of Origin − The grooming of the tourist depends upon the place of its origin. For example, for the Indian married women, tourism might come last in the list of preferential things they wish to do whereas, for American ladies, tourism would acquire a much higher rank.
⦁ Family and Age − The family matters when it comes to structure and income. Today, families with nuclear structure and double income tend to opt for long distance, extravagant tourism more than joint families or families with a single earning member who is interested in visiting domestic places. The tourists also have different preferences of places according to their age. For example, tourists in the age group of 5 to 45 years might enjoy visiting destinations in the USA such as Disneyland more than the senior citizens.
⦁ Culture or Social Class − Tourists of different cultures prefer different places, events, and different types of tourism. Also, if friends and families who have visited a place earlier spread the first-hand information that motivates the others to visit the place too.
⦁ Market − Ever-changing market variables alter tourism. Changes in the value of the currency, political situations, and economic well-being of the country influence the decisions of a tourist.
Comments