Travel Needs Revisted
Abstract
The reasons for human desire to wander away from the normal environment for pleasure purposes have long been the focus of academic attention. Empirical studies revealed many scales for assessing needs in different contexts and for different groups of travelers. The objective of the current study is to develop and validate a comprehensive yet concise Travel Needs Scale (TNS) with a general applicability in different types of travels. The initial pool of items is developed from the literature, followed by a survey design applied on an online research platform. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis support the psychometric property of the scale. The resultant TNS, comprised of self-actualization, social affiliation, arousal, and escape, reflects the fundamental needs of various types of travelers and provides a framework to guide future research. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.