Uraputkessa? Matkailu-uran operationalisointi ja vaikutus matkailumotiiveihin nuorten vaasalaisopiskelijoiden keskuudessa
Keywords:
travel career, tourists, motives, studentsAbstract
The operationalization of the travel career concepts
The travel career concept is explaining the effects of tourism experience on motivations. It is based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. People’s motivation changes within their travel experience. People start out by trying to satisfy lower level needs and they move upwards on the ladder as travel experiences accumulate. Travel experience is not the only affecting factor but also a life course is included in the travel career concept. However, the concept has been operationalized in a number of ways. Probably for this reason, a social mechanism behind it is unclear. The purpose of the study was to clarify the indicators of travel experience in the travel career concept. The indicators were domestic and international trips and the number of countries visited. The life course was similar to all responders who were students of higher education institution in Vaasa, Finland. According to results, domestic and international travel experience do not effect on the same motivations. Domestic travel experience has the least influence. International travel experience and the number of countries visited have almost identical effects. In general, effects were weak. The hierarchy of needs does not explain the mechanism of the travel career but self-development is more common among experienced international tourists than domestic ones.
