Question

How useful is Maslow’s model in understanding tourist motivation?

Answer 1

Before we explain the Maslow's model usefulness in tourist motivation, we need to understand the actually Maslow Model is-

Maslow Hierarchy model, was proposed in the 1943 by Abraham Maslow who was born in April 1, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York.

Maslow presented hierarchy of needs. On the bottom of the pyramid are all physiological and safety needs such us food, water, air, rest etc. Higher levels represent higher needs. He also proposed that the lower -level needs must be satisfied before higher-level needs become important.

The Basic Hierarchy of need-

1- Physiological needs:- Which involves basic survival needs such as the needs of air, water, food and shelter. People can’t become concerned with other higher-order needs before they satisfy these needs.

2-Safety needs:- People’s need to be secure and safe in their environment. It includes the need for protection psychological and physical harm.

3-Belongingness and love need:- These needs include dealing with and acceptance by other people, giving and receiving affection and friendship.

4-Esteem needs:- Esteem need divided into two parts ,first the desire for achievement, adequacy, strength, competence and freedom. Second, desire for reputation or prestige, status, recognition importance and dignity.

5-Self actualization needs:- People need for self- actualization represents their desire to fulfill their potential, maximizing the use of their skills and abilities

Maslow theory Importance in tourism-

Maslow’s five-level hierarchy need theory has been broadly accepted and used to explain travel behavior. The satisfaction of people (tourists) needs plays a vital role to develop this sector.

satisfaction of tourist is very important in tourism for three reason:-

a- It creates positive word of mouth

b- Creating repeat customer

c- Dealing with complaints is expensive, time-consuming and bad for the organization’s reputation

Comparing Tourist motivation with Maslow's Theory:-

A- Satisfying Physiological and safety need:- Tourists want assurance that the place can provide a suitable hotel rooms and high quality restaurants, tourists information about the place’s safety can encourage them to visit this place.

B- Satisfying Belonging Need:- To satisfy tourists belonging need, all tourists destination have to provide a social events and activities that allow tourists to deal with indigenous people and with other tourists.

C- Satisfying self esteem:- These needs also can be used to motivate people to visit by sharing the information about the trip with others after returning home.

D- Satisfying Self actualization:- Tourism may provide the chance for tourists to improve their own special skills or interests to a professional level; tourism marketers also must consider hosting special activities for tourists that also have an altruistic purpose.

There is no doubt that , all these needs affect the choice of destination selected by tourists by tourists, an extreme -adventure tourists might forgo all lower needs to satisfy self actualization.