Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 8.1 Reasons for taking a holiday in America, 2003
Reason
%
Reason
%
Get rid of stress
70
Have time for friends
23
Time with spouse
60
Learn history/culture
23
Enjoy no schedules
59
Important part of life
21
See/do new things
56
Romantic time
21
I feel alive/energetic
33
Like solitude/isolation
16
Gain perspective
31
Enjoy being outdoors
14
Like being waited on
24
Enjoy physical tests
10
Source : Plog (2005)
and culture, being outdoors, romantic time and enjoying physical tests were
least common (Table 8.1).
The aim of the present research was broadly to explore whether taking
a holiday assists in reducing stress or adds to it for a family. This study
also aimed to ascertain whether families would report similar reasons for
holidaying as Plog (2005) found.
An online survey was selected for undertaking the research. The survey
was designed to take about 10 minutes to complete. Primary schools in
the regional Victorian city of Ballarat (about 100 kilometres from the state
capital, Melbourne, Australia) were contacted and asked if they would be
prepared to circulate the web address and an invitation to participate in
this research via the school newsletter and/or notice board. The URL was
also circulated through major employers, media and through the snowball
technique. It was determined that access through the school system was
the best way to contact a broad range of families, in common with previous
studies (e.g. Carr, 2006; Schänzel, 2010).
The most common stated reason for taking a holiday has been found
to be 'to reduce stress', with 70% of people identifying this reason (Plog,
2005). However, anecdotal evidence indicates that for families, particularly
larger families with young children, holidays may create rather than reduce
stress. Thus, the aim of the research was to find out whether taking a
family holiday confirms or disconfirms the primary stated reason for taking
holidays, that is, to relieve stress.
Research on family tourism is a marginalised area. Despite the size of
the market the research on family tourism has struggled to take account of
 
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