2. The Social Nature of Travel
• Travel is brought about by the social nature of
man.
• In some subcultures, travel is the accepted way
of spending one’s vacation.
• Tourism evolves a mutual trust and respect for
one another and the dignity of life on earth.
3. The Social Effect of Tourism
1. Social relations between people who would not
normally meet.
2. The confrontation of different cultures, ethnic
group, lifestyles, language, levels of prosperity
and the like.
3. The behaviour of people released from many of
the social and economic constraints of
everyday life.
4. The behaviour of the host population, which
has to reconcile economic gain and benefits
with the costs of living with strangers.
4. Socioeconomic Variables and their
Effect on Travel
1. Age
– Younger people tend to select more active
recreational activities.
– The elderly prefer more passive forms of
recreation. E.g. visiting friends & relatives,
fishing, sight-seeing and playing golf.
– Older tourists tend to travel to farther
destinations prefer ship travel and travel
more in spring.
– Young tourists spend less.
– Middle age tourists are more than the young
and elderly.
5. Socioeconomic Variables and their
Effect on Travel
2. Income and Social Status
– Rich people as well as persons with higher
social status travel more than those with lower
income and social class status.
– Higher income tourists stay longer and spend
more per day than those with lower income.
3. Education
– The better educated members of the population
have a great desire to travel.
4. Life stages of the Family
– The presence of children in the family limits
travel.
6. The Rise of New Travel Pattern
A. Travel Clubs
– A club member enjoys travel opportunities and
vacation destinations facilities at a much cheaper
price than that paid by a non-member.
B. Airline Group and Arrangements
– Types of tour fares
• Groups of 15 or more are given reduced
fares.
• Charter service is given by some airlines to
affinity group tours.
• Public service – entire airplane is made
available to a group of persons who travel to
the same destination.
• Incentive tours
7. The Rise of New Travel Pattern
C. Special Interest Tours
– These are tours arranged for those who are
interested in a particular activity. E.g. bird
watching, fishing, hunting, scuba diving,
photography, golf, skiing, mountain climbing,
etc.
Preferences of the International
Tourist
1. Complete relaxation to constant activity;
2. Traveling near one’s home environment to a totally
strange environment;
3. Complete dependence on group travel to traveling
alone; and
4. Order to disorder.
8. Preferences of the International
Tourist
A. Relaxation vs Activity
– Before, the workweek for most people was long
and exhausted and they demand holidays that
offered relaxation and rest.
– At present, workweek has been shortened and
the annual holiday leave has been lengthened
and relaxation has become possible throughout
the year.
– The demand for activity-oriented travel has
greatly increased. E.g. sailing, climbing, horse
riding and sports.
B. Familiarity vs Novelty
– Most tourist on their first trip abroad tend to seek
familiarity rather than novelty.
9. Preferences of the International
Tourist
– They search for something that will remind them
of home (food, living quarters, person).
– Not until they have gained more experience in
traveling will they want to go to a new
environment.
– At present, there is an increasing positive
attitude for novelty, for change. People accept
innovations in industry, education, family life, the
arts and social relationships.
– Tourists move away from traditional resorts to
new tourist destinations.
10. Preferences of the International
Tourist
C. Dependence vs Autonomy
– In the past, tourists joined package tours fixed in
advance by the tour agency.
– At present, there is the emergence of a group of
tourists who would like to acquire a sense of
personal autonomy regarding their leisure time.
D. Order vs Disorder
– In the past, the tourists sought holidays which
enforced the traditional concept of conformity –
set meals at fixed times, guide books and
resorts where the tourists were tidy, well-
behaved and dressed properly.
11. Preferences of the International
Tourist
– Now, the new generation of tourists are not very
much concerned about what to wear and how to
behave when on holiday.
– Because of social and economic changes in
modern society, the demand for travel will be
based less on familiarity, relaxation, dependence
and novelty, activity, autonomy and informality.
12. Four Types of Tourist Roles
3. The Explorer
4. The Drifter
1. Organized Mass Tourist
2. Individual Mass Tourist
Institutionalized Tourist
Roles – dealt within a
routine way by the tourist
establishment.
E.g. Travel agencies,
Hotel Chains
Non-institutionalized
Tourist Roles – are loosely
attached to the tourist
establishment.
13. 1. Organized Mass Tourist
– Adventurous type of tourist.
– Buys a package tour and the itinerary of his trip is
fixed in advance and his stops are well-prepared
and guided.
– Prefers a familiar environment.
2. Individual Mass Tourist
– Has a control over his time and itinerary and is
not bound to a group.
– All arrangements for his tour is done my a travel
agency.
– The desire for novelty is greater.
14. 3. The Explorer
– Arranges his trip by himself and looks for
comfortable accommodations and reliable means
of transportation.
– Tries to associate with the people he visits and to
speak their language.
– Dares to leave his country but goes back to it
when the experience becomes too rough.
– Novelty dominates but the explorer does not
adopt completely the lifestyle of the host country.
15. 4. The Drifter
– Goes farthest away from the accustomed ways of
life of his own country.
– Tries to live the way the people he visits live and
to share their shelter, food and habits.
– He retains only the most basic of this native
customs.
– Arranges his own trip and does not seek the help
of a tour agency and does not have a fixed
itinerary.
– Novelty is the highest and familiarity disappears
almost completely.
16. Social Tourism
• Is a subsidized system of travel through the
intervention of the government, employer, or labour
union to achieve social goals.
• The International Bureau of Social Tourism (BITS)
was organized in 1963 to encourage the
development of social tourism on an international
scale.
• It promotes social tourism by building and financing
tourist facilities and preserving local culture and
environment.
