Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Know the types of holidays of ered
within long-haul destinations that meet
dif erent visitor motivation
s
SECTION 2
We saw in the last section that there are many different
types of long-haul destinations across the world - cities,
coastal/beach, purpose-built, natural and historical/
cultural. This section investigates the types of holidays
available in these destinations to meet different visito
r
motivations.
DESTINATION FOCUS
COASTAL/BEACH DESTINATION - BARBADOS
Barbados is the most easterly of the Caribbean
Islands and is part of the Windward Islands chain.
It is a predominantly fl at island with fertile plains
supporting a variety of crops, including sugar cane.
The British established the fi rst settlements on the
island in 1627 and declared Barbados a British colony
in 1663. African slaves were brought to the island to
work on the sugar plantations until the abolition of
slavery in the mid-19th century. Today, the island has a
very laid-back feel with pristine beaches, clear waters
and vibrant fl ora and fauna. Tourists are also attracted
by its distinctive music, spicy food and a strong sense
of history and culture. The east coast of the island
is less developed for tourism, while the Caribbean
west coast has more hotel development around its
sheltered, coral beaches of fi ne, white sand. Tourists
can take part in a wide range of sports and activities,
including scuba diving, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing,
cricket, golf and tennis. The island is equally popular
with staying tourists and cruise visitors
Holiday types
Holidays to long-haul travel de
s
tinations come in a
variety of different types, in
c
lu
d
ing:
1.
Short breaks - this may seem diffi cult to understand,
but long-haul s
h
ort breaks are one of the fastest
growing trav
el
products. People are choosing to
visit dest
i
na
t
ions such as New York, Cape Town and
even Ho
ng
Kong for long weekends;
2.
Single-centre - these are holidays where visitors
stay in the same destination throughout their stay,
e.g. a 5-night holiday in New York;
3.
Twin or multi-centre - choosing to stay in more
than one destination is a popular option for long-
haul travellers, giving them the chance to explore
more of a country and its attractions;
4.
Cruising - the top long-haul cruising destinations
with the British include the Caribbean, Hawaii,
Alaska, South America and the Far East;
Weblink
Check out this website for more
information on Barbados.
www.visitbarbados.org
5.
Touring - is particularly popular with older couples
whose children have left home and who fi nd that
they have the time and inclination to explore a
variety of long-haul destinations, e.g. Australia,
New Zealand and Canada.
is immense. Why, for example, will one person choose
to visit Australia to visit the outback while another will
be attracted to the bright lights of New York or Tokyo?
Some of the most important motivations for UK people
travelling to long-haul destinations include:
Visitor motivation (from the UK)
•
Relaxation - according to research from ABTA
Motivation in travel and tourism is all about why people
choose to visit one destination rather than another. The
variety of infl uences on each person's reasons for travel
relaxation is the number one reason why British
people visit long-haul destinations. Long hours
