Types Of Tourists Around The World- Cohen, Plog + More

Summary

This video explores the 21 different types of tourists, categorizing them based on various theories, including those by Eric Cohen and Stanley Plog. From drifters seeking immersive experiences to mass tourists preferring familiar comforts, the script breaks down tourist behaviors and motivations. It also covers niche categories like adventure, eco, and medical tourists, as well as the rise of sustainable and ethical tourism. Ultimately, the video highlights how understanding these types is essential for the tourism industry, travelers, and destination planners alike.

Takeaways

• 😀 Drifters seek deep, immersive experiences and avoid mass tourism, opting for local stays and self-planned itineraries.
• 😀 Explorers also seek novelty but are more likely to engage with tourism commodities, like staying in hotels, while still valuing authentic experiences.
• 😀 Individual mass tourists prefer familiarity and comfort, traveling solo but still choosing accommodations and activities they recognize.
• 😀 Organized mass tourists travel in groups and follow a set itinerary, preferring the familiar over the unfamiliar, often with tour guides.
• 😀 Allocentric tourists enjoy exploring underdeveloped or unknown destinations, embracing adventure and seeking the unfamiliar.
• 😀 Psychocentric tourists prefer well-developed, tourist-friendly destinations with a high level of security, comfort, and predictability.
• 😀 Mid-centric tourists balance adventure with comfort, sometimes organizing their holidays but also enjoying familiar comforts during their trip.
• 😀 Domestic tourists travel within their own country, with popular destinations like the USA, India, and China offering a variety of experiences.
• 😀 International tourism involves traveling overseas, and factors like cost, culture, and distance play significant roles in determining destinations.
• 😀 Sustainable tourism focuses on minimizing negative impacts while maximizing benefits to the environment, society, and economy, promoting responsible travel.
• 😀 Various specialized types of tourism include adventure tourism (requiring physical exertion), dark tourism (visiting sites of tragedy), cultural tourism (exploring customs and history), and eco-tourism (focused on environmental conservation).

Q & A

What are the four types of tourists identified by Erik Cohen?

Erik Cohen categorized tourists into four types: the Drifter, the Explorer, the Individual Mass Tourist, and the Organized Mass Tourist.

How does a Drifter differ from other types of tourists in Cohen’s typology?

A Drifter seeks authentic and deep cultural experiences, prefers to stay with locals, avoids mass tourism, and chooses novelty over familiarity.

What characterizes an Explorer according to Cohen’s typology?

Explorers seek new experiences and local immersion but maintain some connection with the tourism industry, often staying in hotels and occasionally enjoying familiar comforts.

What is the main difference between Individual Mass Tourists and Organized Mass Tourists?

Individual Mass Tourists prefer familiar experiences but travel independently, while Organized Mass Tourists participate in group tours with fixed itineraries and prefer fully organized trips.

What are the three tourist categories defined by Stanley Plog?

Stanley Plog identified Allocentric, Mid-centric, and Psychocentric tourists, based on their travel preferences and the development level of destinations they choose.

Who are Allocentric tourists, and what type of destinations do they prefer?

Allocentric tourists are adventurous travelers who visit underdeveloped or less-known destinations, seeking novelty and excitement rather than familiarity.

What is the difference between Inbound, Outbound, and Domestic tourism?

Inbound tourism refers to visitors traveling into a country, Outbound tourism refers to residents traveling abroad, and Domestic tourism involves traveling within one’s own country.

What is Sustainable Tourism, and why is it significant?

Sustainable Tourism aims to minimize negative environmental, social, and economic impacts while maximizing positive outcomes. It encourages responsible behavior and supports local communities and ecosystems.

How does Eco-tourism differ from general Sustainable Tourism?

Eco-tourism specifically focuses on preserving fragile environments and ecosystems, emphasizing minimal environmental impact and conservation practices such as solar energy use or compost toilets.

What is the concept of Dark Tourism, and why is it controversial?

Dark Tourism involves visiting sites related to death or tragedy, such as Auschwitz or Chernobyl. It is controversial because some view it as educational or respectful, while others see it as unethical or exploitative.

What motivates Medical Tourists to travel, and what are common destinations?

Medical tourists travel abroad for treatments that are more affordable, higher in quality, or unavailable in their home country. Popular destinations include India, Turkey, and Panama.

What distinguishes a Religious Tourist from other types of tourists?

Religious tourists travel for purposes of pilgrimage, missionary work, or faith-related interest, often visiting sacred destinations like Mecca, Varanasi, or Jerusalem.

What is Experiential Tourism and which travelers are typically drawn to it?

Experiential Tourism focuses on immersive, meaningful cultural engagement where travelers learn through direct experiences. It is popular among backpackers, students, and those seeking authentic connections.

How does the script address the debate between 'tourist' and 'traveller'?

The script argues that all travelers are tourists if they stay overnight and engage with new places, regardless of how they identify themselves, as they still fit within a type of tourism category.

What is Business Tourism, and why is it considered important?

Business Tourism involves travel for work-related activities like meetings, conferences, and exhibitions. It’s significant due to its large contribution to the global tourism industry.