What are we looking for in a vacation? Luxury hotels and delicious food? Great customer service or fun activities? It turns out that globally, travelers are motivated by the opportunity to enhance their perspectives on the world, researchers say. Different nations have different reasons to travel and for Middle Eastern holidaymakers, it is the chance to immerse themselves into the local life and culture.
The insights to travelers’ motivation to explore new places come from a survey among over 53,000 people around the world, published recently by TripAdvisor. Called the TripBarometer, the poll focused not on the top travel destinations or best hotels, but rather on the psychology of travel. It found that enhancing the perspective is the top motivator, driving 71% of the global travelers to go on vacation, followed by “seeking liberation”, immersion and relationships. But there are some interesting differences between nations and regions of the world. For example, Russians seek luxury travel, Americans want their vacation to provide unique experiences, while the Swiss and the Germans want to restore order and balance in life. The desire for “liberation” is popular among travelers from Thailand, China and Brazil – this means they want to enjoy life to the fullest, let go and feel completely carefree. Travelers from the Middle East say they want to experience local life and culture when going on vacation and of course, to meet new people and create memories.
The worldwide desire for unique experiences may be an expected result, but interestingly, what travelers crave for isn’t pampered, but interesting ones. Another finding from the survey is that overall, travel leads to cultural enrichment. After a vacation, 45% of the respondents say they are more tolerant to others, 37% learn a new language, and 34% of them admit they start exploring their own city more. Most people decide to plan a new trip right after returning home – this is the usual practice for 85% of Brazilians, 84% of Australians and 79% of the Brits. The researchers even have advice for hoteliers – your guests are more likely to return to your hotel if it manages to provide exceptional service, stick to the booking plan, and contribute to building a lasting relationship.
