Travel motivation, benefits and constraints to destinations

Abstract

[Extract] Airports are a good location for observing others. Questions about the motivations of other travellers are common in such contexts. Why is that older couple going to Florida? What about that pretty girl travelling alone to Paris? The family with all the kids and toys – why do they seem to be travelling to Hawaii during school time? For the casual observer speculating about people's motives is a good way to pass time, while for destination managers it involves challenges of matching the tourism experiences available at their locations to people's needs. Additionally, for tourism academic researchers, it is a topic rich in history, methodological challenges and opportunities for refining our understanding.