Study Notes: The Changing Nature of Travel and Tourism (AS Level)

Chapter 1.1: Reasons People Travel

Welcome! This chapter is the foundation of our course. To understand how the travel and tourism industry works, we must first understand the fundamental question: Why do people travel?

Understanding these motivations helps organisations (like hotels, airlines, and tour operators) design and market the perfect products. Think of it like this: if you know why someone wants a cake, you know whether to bake a birthday cake or a wedding cake!

The syllabus breaks down the reasons people travel into four main categories: Leisure, Business/MICE, VFR, and Other Reasons.

1. LEISURE TRAVEL (HOLIDAYS)

Leisure travel involves moving away from the normal place of residence for personal enjoyment, relaxation, or self-development. This is the biggest sector of global tourism.

Key Sub-Categories of Leisure Travel

1. Relaxation and Fun

  • This is the most common reason. Tourists seek a break from their daily routines and stress.
  • Example: Sunbathing on a beach in the Maldives, enjoying amusement parks, or spending a weekend at a quiet cabin.

2. Nature and Adventure

  • Tourists seek excitement, challenge, and unique experiences in natural environments.
  • Nature: Safaris in Kenya or wildlife viewing in the Arctic.
  • Adventure: Bungee jumping, trekking in the Himalayas, or white-water rafting.

3. Sport

  • This involves travel either to watch a sporting event or to participate in one.
  • Example (Watching): Travelling to host cities for the Olympics, FIFA World Cup, or a Formula 1 race.
  • Example (Participating): Cycling tours, ski trips, or running marathons abroad.

4. Health and Wellbeing

  • Travel focused on improving physical or mental health.
  • Example: Visiting spa resorts, wellness retreats (yoga/meditation camps), or thermal baths.

5. Culture

  • Travel motivated by a desire to learn about the history, traditions, art, and lifestyle of a destination.
  • Example: Visiting ancient ruins like Machu Picchu, attending local festivals, or exploring art galleries and museums.

6. Sightseeing

  • Simply travelling to see famous, well-known landmarks or attractions.
  • Analogy: If Culture is reading the book, Sightseeing is just looking at the cover! It involves visiting popular icons, such as the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty.

7. Special Interest

  • Niche tourism where the trip is centred around a specific hobby or interest.
  • Example: Taking a wine-tasting tour in Bordeaux, attending painting workshops, or going on a culinary trip to learn regional cooking techniques.
Quick Review: Leisure Travel

Leisure motivations are highly diverse, ranging from seeking peace (relaxation) to seeking thrills (adventure). Travel providers must offer a range of products to cater to these specialized needs.

2. BUSINESS/MICE TRAVEL

Business travel is fundamentally different from leisure travel because the purpose is work-related, not pleasure-related. It is often funded by the company, meaning the traveller is usually less price-sensitive and demands higher levels of service and efficiency.

MICE Tourism

A major segment of business travel is MICE. This is a crucial term to know for your exam!

MICE stands for:

  • Meetings
  • Incentives
  • Conferences
  • Exhibitions

Mnemonic: Think of a little MICE meeting to plan a big trip!

Explanation of MICE Components:

Meetings: Usually small gatherings of people for business discussions, often requiring efficient transport links and private rooms (boardrooms).

Incentives: Trips offered by companies as a reward for high performance (e.g., a five-star trip to Dubai for top sales staff). These are often high-value, luxury trips.

Conferences: Large formal events where people from the same industry or profession meet to share knowledge, research, or network. These require large venues, accommodation, and high-tech presentation facilities.

Exhibitions: Also known as trade shows. Large events where businesses showcase and demonstrate their latest products or services (e.g., major tourism trade fairs like ITB Berlin or car shows).

Key Takeaway: Business Tourists

Business tourists require excellent accessibility, high-quality accommodation, reliable WiFi/connectivity, and well-equipped MICE facilities (as noted in section 2.2 of the syllabus).

3. VFR (VISITING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES)

VFR stands for Visiting Friends and Relatives. This is one of the most common reasons for international travel.

Characteristics of VFR Tourism

  • Accommodation: VFR tourists often save money by staying with their host family/friends instead of hotels. This means less spending on accommodation, but...
  • Local Spending: They often spend a lot on local activities, food, gifts, and entertainment (taking their relatives out for dinner, buying groceries).
  • Motivation: The primary driver is social connection and maintaining relationships.

Did you know? VFR traffic is incredibly important for many airlines, especially on routes connecting diasporas (communities spread across the world). Flights between countries with strong historical or family ties rely heavily on VFR passengers.

4. OTHER REASONS FOR TRAVEL

Beyond the major categories of leisure and business, people travel for specific personal necessities:

1. Medical Treatment (Medical Tourism)

  • Travel undertaken to receive healthcare, often because the treatment is cheaper, higher quality, or simply unavailable in their home country.
  • Example: A patient from the UK travelling to India or Thailand for dental surgery or elective cosmetic procedures.

2. Religious Travel (Pilgrimage)

  • Travel to sacred or religiously significant sites for spiritual reasons. This travel is deeply motivated and often involves large groups.
  • Example: Muslims undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, or Christians visiting religious sites in Jerusalem or Rome.

Summary and Quick Check

To successfully answer questions on this topic, remember the broad categories and the specific types of activities within them:

LEISURE (7 key types)

Relaxation, Nature/Adventure, Sport, Health, Culture, Sightseeing, Special Interest.

BUSINESS (MICE)

Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions.

VFR

Visiting Friends and Relatives.

OTHER

Medical, Religious (Pilgrimage).

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't confuse Culture (deep historical immersion) with Sightseeing (quick visit to an iconic monument). Both are important, but they attract different types of tourists and require different infrastructure!

You have successfully mastered the primary reasons people travel. Keep practising these definitions and examples!