Going on vacation: Benefits sought from pleasure travel

Several decades of tourism research generally conclude that the benefits people expect to derive from their travel experience are better predictors of their travel behaviour than their income or other socio-demographic characteristics. Using the 2006 Travel and Activity Motivation Survey, this article uses an eight-point index to quantify the value of the three most popular benefits of vacation or pleasure travel: rest and relaxation; nurturing family and friendship ties; and learning and discovery. We compare the value of a given benefit for different kinds of travellers, and compare the value of one benefit relative to another.