TRAVEL MOTIVATIONS AND BEHAVIOUR OF TOURISTS TO A SOUTH AFRICAN RESORT

Abstract

Travel behaviour refers to the way in which tourists behave according to their attitudes before, during and after travelling. Knowledge regarding travel behaviour can assist in marketing and product planning and development which can increase the number of visitors to tourism products such as resorts. However it was found that very little research has been conducted regarding the travel behaviour of tourists visiting South African resorts. The purpose of this study was to determine the travel behaviour and more specifically the travel motivations of tourists visiting resorts. Research was conducted by means of the distribution of questionnaires. The results indicated that the main travel motivations are resting and relaxation, enriching and learning experiences, participation in recreational activities, personal values and social experiences. These results indicated similarities with the findings of previous research studies.