Why do we travel?

Usually a reason why people venture to other locations!! Think of some of the reasons why you may have been a tourist, whether domestic, in-bound or outbound.

LEISURE ! Can incorporate a number of reasons Holidays People need to get away from the stress of everyday life and relax and different people do this in different ways. Education – people visit locations to attend courses, learn a new skill etc. Religion – people visit locations for pilgrimages, religious beliefs e.g. Lourdes or historical knowledge e.g. Cathedrals and Monasteries. People may want to embrace new experiences Rise in popularity of the spa break Activity breaks – centre parks, Bluestone, cycling trips etc. Cultural – people visit new destinations and learn the history, culture, heritage of a chosen place. Sport – whether to participate, or spectate.

V.F.F. To visit family or friends. Many people have family and friends who live either in national or international locations and therefore need to travel to visit.

Business Travel Conferences and training events whether local, National or International. Business meetings Exhibitions and trade fairs – to exhibit or as a visitor. Sabbaticals – where a person may be employed for a period of time in an alternative location to his normal employment. Employment – people may travel and work abroad for a period of month e.g. oil rigs, armed forces.

Others? Death – may have to travel to attend a funeral or memorial service Honeymoon – to celebrate the wedding Celebration – weddings, graduations, anniversaries, birthdays etc. Medical/health – may have to travel within or outside the country to obtain medical treatment – increasingly popular for plastic surgery Romance – long distance relationships Shopping – whether for pleasure or necessity Thana tourism – earthquake sites, Tsunami areas etc.

Market Segmentation ? A method of categorising tourists/consumers into groups in order to ensure that they receive the most appropriate form of marketing. In other words ensuring that the right product is being promoted to a particular group – 4 p’s of marketing. Therefore it would be no good advertising an 18-30 holiday in a Saga magazine or trying to promote a wine tasting tour to school children!!!

ACTIVITY Consider the variety of groups of people who travel for a particular reason. Identify 2 particular groups from different market segments. For your chosen market segments, develop a suitable itinerary giving reasons for your choices. Discuss the factors that would influence your decision making in relation to activities, accommodation, transport and overall customer experience. Present you findings to the rest of the class at the end of the session. Don’t forget to consider wider issues such as health and safety, disposable incomes, PEST, current trends etc.