Plog\'s Psychocentric & Allocentric Scale AND Travel Motives PDF

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Dr. Jasmine Goodnow
Plog’s Psychocentric and Allocentric Scale, Types of Travelers, and Travel Motives...

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RECR 279: Introduction to Tourism The Trouble with Tourism Dr. Jasmine Goodnow May 15, 2018 Plog’s Psychocentric and Allocentric Scale Psychocentric/allocentric scale ● Travel personalities predicts travel style based on desires for levels of: ○ Novelty ○ Risk ○ Comfort ○ Activity level ○ Type of accomodation ○ Length of trip

Allocentric (venturers) ● 4% of the population ○ Seek out new and exotic places ○ Want to be the first travelers to experience a destination or culture ○ Revel in rustic conditions, hardships, and being on the edge

○ Antarctica is a leading allocentric destination due to: ■ Lack of tourist accommodations ■ Remoteness ■ Uniqueness ■ Novelty ■ Risk ■ Uncomfortability ■ Bragging rights ○ Allocentrics are also characterized by: ■ High activity level, such as trekking in Nepal ■ Desire for authentic and novel ways of traveling: ● Elephant safari ● River travel ● Biking, etc. Near Allocentric (near venturer) ● 22% of the population ○ Follow the recommendations and are reassured by allocentrics ○ Create slow and steady tourism growth ■ Start-up businesses such as hotels, restaurants, guide services, nightlife, etc. ○ Famous people are drawn to these destinations due to bragging rights ○ Near allocentrics talk to all of their friends back home with word of mouth advertising Midcentrics ● 48% of the population-- mass tourists ○ destinations now have airports, taxis, and extensive tourism development and infrastructure ○ Authentic appeal that attracted allocentrics and near-allocentrics is now lost and replaced with inauthenticity

■ Cultural activities are scheduled around tourism commodification of traditions and cultures (sold) ■ Local accommodations are replaced with standard hotels and tourist chains Near-psychocentrics ● Prefer to travel to: ○ Familiar destinations close to home by car ○ English language ○ Little tolerance for novel, exotic, or unfamiliar places, people, or activities ○ Generally low activity levels ○ Prefer comfortable and easy lodging, activities, and flow of vacation Psychocentrics ● Have high generalized anxiety ● Territory-boundness ● Prefer not to travel at all ○ Stay close to home/within driving distance ○ Visit familiar areas or return vacations ○ Little tolerance for novel, exotic, or unfamiliar places, people, or activities ○ Spend less on travel than any other segment Travel personality & travel style ● Travel personality influences: ○ Destination choice/preference ○ Travel style ■ Package tour vs. independent travel ■ Lodging ■ Activity ■ Food ■ Activity level Cohen’s Typology of a Tourist

● Cohen (1972) suggested that there are four tourist roles across a continuum of novelty and familiarity 1. Organized mass tourist 2. Individual mass tourist 3. Explorer 4. Drifter Organized mass tourist ● Travels in an “environmental bubble”, full package tour ○ All transportation, guided tours, hotel accommodations, and food are all arranged and lead by someone else ○ Requires minimal novelty and high familiarity ○ Least adventurous Individual mass tourist ● Similar to the organized mass tourist ● Tour arrangements are not as heavily planned ● Prefers more freedom and control over the itineraries ● Prefers high level of familiarity, but tolerates more novelty than the organized mass tourist Explorer ● Arranges most components of the trip ○ Not dependent upon a guide; travels independently ● Delves more into local cultures, seeking authentic environments and cultures ○ Attempts to speak the language when traveling ● Seeks to travel a little bit off of the beaten path Drifter ● Highly adventurous ● Desires high levels of novelty ● Immerses deeply into local culture ● Prefers to stay clear of all tourist establishments

● Seeks authentic experience and cultures ● Travels far off the beaten path ● Independent traveler

Travel Motives Push ● Motivation to escape negative associations with home or work ○ Negative feelings push people to travel ○ Unfulfilled needs push people to travel Pull ● Destination specific, positive-associations that pull the traveler to that specific place Tourism industry ● Driven by demand ○ The industry supplies what is demanded: ■ Transportation ■ Lodging ■ Food ■ Attractions/experience Tourism experience (4 stages) 1. Planning the trip (anticipation & planning) 2. Travel to the place 3. The “stay” or destination experience 4. Travel home ● Reminisce afterwords Microadventure ● Sustainable and accessible alternatives to long-term adventure travel that provide opportunities for liminality and insight...