Cultural and International Tourism for Life's Enrichment - Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies - page 230

E GLOBAL INSIGHT E

Travel Experiences

how the destination in question can benefit most from this
popular form of travel.

The ''Get Away from It All'' Relaxation Experience The

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The ''Return to a Single Destination'' Experience As

typical ''sun, sand, and sea'' or other type of holiday
experience vacation where visitors are seeking a period of rest
and renewal.

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Stanley C. Plog, contributor to the Cornell Hotel and
Restaurant Administration Quarterly, pointed out many years
ago, a certain segment of the travel market eschews all the
glamour of international travel and simply wishes to return to
a ''comfortable'' destination repeatedly. This comfortable
destination may be a privately owned recreation facility, or it
may be a public destination site to which the visitor has
become attached for a whole range of reasons.

The Exploration Experience The experience in which the

visitor is seeking to expand his or her visitation horizons. The
newness of the experience depends on the individual. For
novice travelers, virtually any different locale may be ''new.''
For the experienced traveler, it may be difficult to find new
travel horizons.

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The Special Event Experience Many destinations have come

to appreciate the appeal that a special event may have in
attracting visitors who might otherwise have little or no interest
in visiting the destination. Destinations that host such one-time
mega-events as the Olympic Games or World Cup Finals can
increase visitation both during the event and following it as a
result of their enhanced awareness, reputation, and image.
Alternatively, the successful repeat event, such as the Boston
Marathon, Oberammergau, the Master's Golf Tournament, the
New Orleans Mardi Gras, the Calgary Stampede, and the Super
Bowl, attract what are often one-time visitors. This market,
however, is large, and it can be a major source of reputation
and of visitation as part of total destination marketing strategy.

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The Adventure Experience In these experiences, the visitor

is seeking the so-called adrenaline high that may come from
whitewater rafting, heli-skiing, jungle exploration,
mountaineering, Antarctic expeditions, or even visitation to
insecure, war-torn areas.

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The Social Experience These experiences provide an

opportunity for the visitor either to share the travel experience
with old friends or to make new ones. To some extent, the
actual destination may be unimportant.

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The Family Travel Experience The family travel experience

is a special subset of the social travel experience in which the
social network involved is very special to the visitor—
especially in relation to the stage of the family cycle for the
visitor. Clearly, ''young'' families are seeking quite different
experiences from more mature families. Nevertheless,
underlying the motivation to visit a destination is the desire to
create and retain a very special experience for the given stage
of the family life cycle.

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The Participation Event Experience In contrast to events

that draw visitors to observe the event, other events can draw
visitors who are seeking to participate actively in the event or
who wish to watch a close friend or family member perform in
the event. Examples include amateur sporting events (softball,
hockey, soccer, football, races), music festivals, beauty
festivals, and children's festivals.

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The Educational or Learning Experience This type of

travel experience has grown in significance lately and often
reflects the desire of a more mature, more sophisticated travelers
to enhance their depth of understanding of a destination, its
culture, or some special characteristic it may possess.

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The Nature-Based Experience As the concern for and

interest in the environment has grown, the appeal of
destinations that provide the opportunity for visitors to
''commune with nature'' is also growing in significance.
Destinations that contain areas such as national parks are
often viewed as the epitome of the nature-based experience.
Here the opportunity to explore environmentally sensitive yet
protected regions and to view wildlife in close proximity is
becoming increasingly valued.

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The ''Quick Getaway'' Experience This is again a subset

of a broader type of experience, the ''Get Away from It All''
relaxation experience. In this case, however, the emphasis is
more on the getting away from it all than on total relaxation
and renewal. These experiences are often as short as a
weekend and may not be that distant from the individual's
place of residence.

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The Spiritual Experience Destinations that for historical

reasons have a particular spiritual attraction to individuals
around the world have a special advantage in their ability to
provide a spiritual experience. Cities such as Mecca and
Rome, which are the seats of major religions, as well as those
that are the home to recognized religious structures, can focus
on their ability to provide spiritually related experiences. But

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The VFR (Visit Friends and Relatives) Experience For

many, the VFR experience is by far the most valued, and may
be the only type of experience they seek for most of their
lifetime. For a destination manager, the challenge is to discuss

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