Penang often referred to as Pearl of the Orient is one of Malaysia’s most visited tourist destinations. The rich heritage and culture of Penang is very much reflected within its beautiful buildings and landmarks.
Backpacker travel has become a favorite travel pattern for those who are capable of travelling independently. However, little has done so far in the backpacking ground. The motivation factors for travel will then be explored in two specific approaches. First, motivation is examined more closely with reference to the needs and wants to travel (the push factors) and second, in terms of the appealing attributes of Penang (the pull factors). Goossens (2000) stated that push motives have been useful for explaining the desire to go on a vacation, while pull motives have usefully explained the choice of destination. The formations of backpacker motivation leads to a better understanding of how push and pull factors influence Penang growth as an international tourism destination.
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Problem statement
According to Sorensen (2003), South East Asia is the most popular region for international backpacker and that backpackers are (future) pillars of society. Even so, few figures document the growth of backpacker tourism, although it is estimated that backpackers account for 8% of international tourists to Australia categories of conventional tourism statistics (Loker-Murphy and Pearce 1995 in Sorensen, 2003). Nonetheless, in lieu of quantitative confirmation, backpacker development can be seen growing with a number of backpacker guidebooks such as Lonely Planet and service infrastructure such as budget accommodation.
Despite the fact that backpackers market in Penang can be developed into becoming an international backpacker tourism destination, little is known about the factors that influence tourist’s visitations, more specifically, backpackers decision to visit Penang. Almost wherever it is viable, government are actively pursuing tourism growth in their countries (Scheyvens, 2002). Governments are particularly interested in international tourism, believing that international tourism brings their countries numerous economic benefits including employment opportunities, business development and foreign exchange earnings. In terms of developing new markets in Malaysia, the focus has been on international mass tourists. Musa and Lee (2008) suggested that tourism authorities in Malaysia should find ways to segment its market and identify new niche market segments so that the needs of tourists can be better satisfied. Herein, a segment that has been largely discouraged by tourism planners, not only in Malaysia, but also in a number of South-east Asian countries is the backpacker segment. This is supported by Ateljevic and Boorne (2004), stating that governments were often negative or neutral as far as encouraging backpacker tourism was concerned.
It has also been difficult to extract “backpackers” from arrival statistics in order to estimate accurately the size and importance of this market. This investigation seeks to highlight the need for national and international research on backpackers by providing some historical understanding of this form of budget tourism and some core data on what motivates a backpacker to travel.
Furthermore, an examination of the current literature on backpacker stresses that studies tend to focus on the economic significance and impacts of backpacker tourism. Little systematic empirical research has been conducted to contribute to an understanding of the characteristics, motivations and behaviours of backpackers. According to Richards and Wilson (2004) relatively little empirical research was done on the young independent traveler or the backpacker market. Besides, studies have tended to relate to destinations such as Australia and South Africa.
To target Penang as an international backpacker tourism destination, it is therefore vital to understand the motivation of backpackers, specifically on what are the factors that pushed them to travel and simultaneously, what factors pushed them that create their intentions in choosing Penang as their favorable backpacking destination. The fundamental of their motivations which draw their perception of Penang as their destination lead to their travel decision making. And this in return contributes to the country’s development. Traditionally, push motives have been usefully explained the desire to go on a vacation, while pull motives have usefully explained the choice of destination (Cook, Yale & Marqua, 2006:43). Studying the push and pull factors promises a better understanding for tourism players to promote and market Penang as an international backpacking tourism destination. The push and pull factors provide a useful approach for examining the motivational factors underlying tourist and visitation behaviour (Kim, Lee & Kleosky, 2003) and hence, resulted in their travel destination choice.
Research objectives
To determine the push factor that motivated a backpacker to travel.
To determine the pull factors that Penang has that motivated backpacker to travel.
To identify the relationship between destination choice and decision making.
Research questions
What are the push factors that influenced backpackers’ decision to choose a destination as their travel choice?
What are the pull factors of Penang that influenced backpackers’ decision in choosing Penang as their destination?
What are the relationship between destination choice and decision making?
1.3 Variables and suggested relationship among variables
Independent Variable
Determinants of travel
(Push factor)
Destination attribute
(Pull factor)
Destination-choice
Dependent Variables
Decision-making
Made by backpackers whether to choose Penang as their backpacking destination
Figure 1: Variables used in this study
Definitions of terms
Backpacking tourism – Defined as an extended, multi-destination travel, lasting several months or years, and is typically undertaken by Western youths (Noy, 2004).
Backpacker – Tourism Research Australia defines a backpacker as “a visitor who stayed at least one night in backpacker/hostel accommodation during travel in Australia”. Backpacker is characterized by budget-conciousness and a flexible tourism style, with most participants travelling alone or in small groups (Scheyvens, 2003).
Motivation – Can be described as the driving force within individuals that impels them to action. This driving force is produced as a result of an unfulfilled need (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2000).
Push factors – These factors describe how individuals are pushed by motivations variables. In other words, push motivations are related to the tourist’s desire, internal or emotional aspects (Yoon & Uysal, 2005).
Pull factors – Pull factors refer to those forces that influence a person’s decision about of which specific destination is selected. Pull factors may be highly personal as well as more generalized (Kim Lee & Klenosky, 2003).
Destination attributes – A uniquely complex product of the tourism industry, comprising among other factors, an area’s climate, infrastructure and superstructure, services and natural attractions (Kim, 1998).
Decision making – Leads to the final choice of a travel destination which is influenced by a number of psychological (internal) and non-psychological (external) variables (Dellaert, Etterma & Lindh, 1998).
Destination choice – Tourist’s selection of a destination from a set of alternatives which is determined by various motivational factors (Hsu, Tsai and Wu, 2009).
Delimitations
Small sample size due to lack of manpower and limited fund
This limitation occurred when samples are targeted solely at backpackers at Penang and therefore, the studies represent only the motivations of a small group of backpackers particularly in Penang only. Data collection could not done with a big sample size as lack of manpower to collect data and to distribute questionnaires could not be done. As a result, generalization could not be made and holistic result could not be achieved since the sample size is not diversified. In future, a study maybe conducted in a larger population.
Very few information on backpackers arrival in Penang as well as in Malaysia
Tourist arrivals numbers usually do not include backpacker arrivals. In a statistic from the hotel occupancy rate, data were only gathered from hotel rating of one to five stars which excluded budget accommodations such as backpacker inn and guesthouse. As a result of this, the exact figures of backpacker arrival in Penang could not be retrieved.
Cooperation from budget accommodation owner seems to be difficult
Guesthouse owner sometimes do not give cooperation and they do not permit research to be done with their guests in respect of their guest privacy. Cooperation from guesthouse owner is seriously needed as targeted respondents would be backpackers and that research is conducted in the guesthouse if permissible.
1.6 Significance of study
The finding of this study is essential because:
It provides a means for government to promote Penang as an international backpacker tourism destination. It is important to study the push and pull motivation factors in order to understand the needs and wants and hence, promoting Penang accordingly.
Determine the best attribute of Penang that can attract backpackers.
Recognize the factors that contribute to backpacker decision in choosing Penang as their backpacking destination.
Identify the contributions of backpackers to Penang’s local development.
This study is an exploration that will help academicians, practitioner, as well as decision makers to plan effective and efficient practice to provide practical service quality solution toward meeting customer’s satisfaction, needs and wants.
2.0 Review of related literature
This chapter reviews the literature in the context of this study. It presents the literature and information about travel motivations specifically in this study, push and pull factors which motivated backpackers to take up backpacking trip. These relationships are further explored into how the factors influence their decision making. The relationships between destination-choice and decision making are further explained below and finally with a conclusion.
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2.1 Motivation
Motivation has been referred to as psychological or biological needs and wants, including integral forces that arouse, direct, and integrate a person’s behavior and activity. This is strongly supported by Lee, Chen and Hua (2005), stating that there must be a motivation for each travelling pattern since it guides the activities of an individual since motivation maintain the activity moving toward a certain achievement to precede inner heart tracking. Different type of travelers exhibit significant differences. Various people embark on journey for different reasons, and these experiences mean different things for them (Uriely, Yonay & Simchai, 2002) Therefore, motivation is considered to be the driving force that dominate the travelling pattern in order to satisfy one’s desire and to increase self value. People travel with different purposes according to their needs and wants, and these needs and wants affect their motivation to travel. Correia et al. (2007) agreed to this point and further elaborate that people decide to travel for different reasons and motives which is perceived as forces to reduce a state of tensions.
Determining the factors that influence people’s choice of destination derived from the motivation that one has. According to Hsu et al. (2009), travel motivation has been an important area of study in the tourism literature. The study in this paper is based on the motivation concept of push and pulls factors.
As motivation is a dynamic concept it may vary from one person to another, from one destination to another and from one decision-making process to the next. The push and pull factors provide a useful approach for examining the motivations underlying tourist motivation and how it influences the decision making process as to whether choose a particular destination as their backpacking destination choice. Lam & Hsu (2006) identifies that the underlying idea of the push and pull model is the decomposition of an individual’s choice of a travel destination into two forces. The first force pushes a tourist way from home that derived from the general desire to go and be somewhere else, without specifying where that may be. The second force is of a region specific lure that pulls a tourist towards a destination and are primarily related to the perceived attractiveness of a destination (Bansal & Eiselt, 2004). These forces describe how individuals are pushed by internal variables and how they are pulled by travel destination attributes. Lam and Hsu (2005) illustrated that the respective push and pull factors of travel are due to the internal motives of an individual and the external forces of a destination. These factors guide people’s attitudes and these attitudes then lead to behavioural intentions of choosing a travel destination. The push motivations have then been useful for explaining the desire for travel, while the pull motivations were used to illustrate the actual attribute of a particular destination choice.
2.1.1 Determinants of travel as push factors
Push factors have been conceptualized as motivational factors or needs that arise due to a disequilibrium or tension in the motivational system (Kim, Lee & Klenosky, 2003) and they had since became the determinants of travel. Push factors are internally generated drives causing tourist to search for signs in objects, situations and events that contain the promise of reducing prevalent drives (Gnoth, 1997). Yoon and Uysal (2005) confirmed the previous statement, elaborating that push motivations are related to tourists’ desire either internally or emotionally. The force of push factor pushes an individual away from home and attempts to develop a general desire to travel without specifying where that may be. The basic push motivations for travel among tourists are a mixture of exploration, excitement and relaxation. Richards and Wilson (2004), however, argued that backpackers are motivated by experiential factor, unlike tourists who are more likely to be in search of relaxations. Backpackers in particular tend to emphasise on items related to experience seeking and are less concerned about relaxation.
Push motivations can be seen as the desire for escape, rest and relaxation, novelty seeking and excitement. As Yoon and Uysal (2005) stated, tourists may travel to escape routine and search for authentic experiences. The idea that tourists may travel to escape routine of everyday life may assume their trip as a reason to escape from personal or interpersonal environment (Kim, Lee and Klenosky, 2003). Backpackers often report feelings of dissaisfaaction with their home societies and the pressures of everyday life (Maoz, 2007) and they generally see travel as a form of escape and as a chance for personal growth and a search of meaning. By escaping their everyday environment, a person can leave behind the personal and/or interpersonal world with various reasons, such as personal problems, troubles, difficulties and failures or the daily interpersonal world (Ross and Iso-Ahola, 1991).
Mansfeld (2002) explained the causal relationship between stimuli, in this case, push factor and decision on where to go based on an analysis of the motivational stage which reveals the way in which people set goals for their destination choice and how these goals are then reflected in their destination choice. In a study of motivation of backpackers in South Africa, Niggel and Benson (2008) confirmed that push factor of escape was highly significant in which it ranked the third most important push. According to Maoz (2007), backpackers also attempt to escape from a very materialistic, stressed and harsh society to find refuge in an authentic, pure, relaxed and primordial destination.
Complexity, novelty and diversity are as well important motivating factors in the choice of activities and destinations (Atljenic & Doorne, 2004). For instance, the utility acquired by a decision as a result of its ability to arouse curiosity, provide novelty and/or to satisfy a desire of knowledge can be seen reflected in a sustained culture of North American students desire to explore Europe in a backpack travel mode during summer holidays (Bansalt & Eiselt, 2004). Benson (2008) stated that the need to explore and learn as curiosity and the search for the meaning of the world as innate and central drives proved to be most significant to backpackers. Lepp & Gibson (2004) clarified that visiting a novel destination may be one way of restoring psychological balance. Novelty seeking might be associated with an individual’s lifestyle or environment characteristics.
Besides novelty seeking, backpackers’ primary motivation for travel may as well be to seek experiences of adventure and authenticity. The search is construed not as a matter of leisure, but as a meaningful, existential desire that may endow the individual’s identity with a richer and fuller experience. As Noy (2004) discussed in his studies, backpacker is also be viewed as an authenticist tourist as they insist on seeking untouched and unspoiled destination.
2.1.2 Destination attributes as pull factors
Kim, Lee & Klenosky (2003) conceptualised the facts of pull factors as relating to the features, attractions, or attributes of the destination itself. The pull factors force an individual towards a destination due to specific lure (tangible and intangible cues) that attract people to realize the needs of a particular travel experiences (Lam & Hsu, 2006) in which it measures the destination’s ability to draw attractions.
Each destination has its own attributes to offer from a wide range of products and services that acts as a lure. Emotions and feelings about destination attributes probably motivate tourists to plan a trip (Goossens, 2000). Destination attributes may stimulate and reinforce push motivations because people are pushed by motivation variables into making travel decisions. According to Gnoth (1997), pull factors are generated by the knowledge about goal attributes which an individual holds. The use of the listing of destination attributes according to Bansalt and Eiselt (2004) from which travel motives are inferred act as an external force to an individual and it influences where people travel, given the initial desire to travel. Destination attributes could be many and differ from one destination to another and tourists were granted the opportunity to choose from the set of destinations.
The relative importance of destination attributes varies accordingly to the initial motivational factors, in terms of their travel purpose (Kim, Lee & Klenosky, 2003). Preference sets and destination attributes according to Kozak (2002) can be matched to specific psychographic profiles of tourists. For example, the escape relaxation backpackers may match their destination choice with preference for destination with nightlife and entertainment. Mansfeld (2002) noted that it is well documented in studies that on the travel motivation of tourists that random and irrational motivation can change the entire way of evaluating attributes that finally leads to destination selection. The image of a place is an holistic construct which derived from attitudes towards the destinations perceived tourism attributes. Backpackers do not choose, but rather, the attributes are possessed and backpackers use perception of attributes as input factors to assess utility (Um & Crompton, 1990). Practical concerns such as increased media exposure and safer, speedier and more comfortable travel may be the factors influencing the appeal of destinations. Advertisements are directed towards potential tourists attempting to pry and lure these tourists out of their homes at the same time, promoting a specific destination. The usefulness of this concept is to model the intangible intrinsic desires of a tourist to go on vacation (Kozak, 2002) and to stimulate and reinforce inherent push motivations.
2.2 Relationship between destination-choice and decision-making
Most studies of tourists’ travel choice address tourists’ destination choices as the key element in decision-making (Dellaert, Ettemas & Lindh, 1998). Richards and Wilson (2004) emphasised that decision-making process of backpackers is significance for tourism market as a whole. According to Gnoth (1997), consumers based their decisions about destinations on the attributes, facilities and experiences that they anticipate. At the very root of every destination choice is the assignments of utility values to various parts of the destination alternative and these parts are then referred to as destination attribute. The image and attitude dimensions of a place as a travel destination are likely to be critical elements in the destination choice process, irrespective of whether or not they are the representations of what that place has to offer (Um & Crompton, 1990).
As a key element in the travel decision-making process, tourists’ decisions are complex multi-faceted decisions in which the choices for different elements are interrelated. Various patterns of tourist flows yield results from a differential choice-process that derives from a variety of tourist needs, expectations and background (Mansfeld, 1992). The determinants of whether to choose depend on their perception that in the end, influence their choice. According to Hsu, Tsai & Wu (2009), destination choice can be conceptualised as a tourist’s selection of a destination form a set of alternatives and that selection is determined by various motivational factors. Thus, destination choice is the culmination of a combination of the drive and expectancy factors.
Goossens (2000) pointed out that push and pull factors have to be incorporated in the motivational mechanism that triggers the destination choice process. In addition to motivation, causal factors such as the availability of time, economic resources and previous experiences may as well influence the process of destination choice. This reflects the need to optimize benefits within the constraints of disposable time and money. The destination-choice of tourists as with many other kinds of choices involves a degree of uncertainty. One can impart a more realistic importance of both rational and irrational elements that influence the decision process and its consequences.
Mansfeld (1992) explained the “vacation sequence” which is very much controlled by both push and pull factors, where tourist is first motivated by given push factors to take a vacation. Having been so motivated, the individual has to make a decision whether to go on excursion or to stay at home. This decision is based on an assessment of individual constraints as well the prevailing economic situation. If the decision is to undertake a trip, the rest of the decision process is channeled through the stages of information gathering, elimination of alternatives and finally, the actual destination choice. An analysis of motivational stage can reveal the way people set goals for their destination choice.
Destination management could either promote attributes that best match tourist motivations or concentrate on a different market where tourist motivations and destination resources match each other. Thus, the determinants of tourism info search process comprise the degree of various push and pull factors associated with the destination during the decision-making process. The relative importance of motivational factors resulted from various patterns of tourist yielded results from a differential choice process that derived from a variety of tourist needs, expectation and backgrounds (Mansfeld, 2002).
2.3 Conclusion
Push and pull factors should not be viewed as being entirely independent of each other, but rather as being fundamentally related. In particular, internal factors drive travel while external factors attract backpackers. In deciding where to go, backpackers should take in to consideration various pull factors which correspond adequately to their push motivations. Therefore, identifying influential factors is essential in deciding where the destination of one’s travel will be. The destination choice process is therefore related to tourists’ assessments of destination attributes and their perceived utility (Kozak, 2002).
3.0 The analysis of data
The purpose of this chapter is to provide an understanding of the method of collection and the relevant analytical issues to be addressed. It presents data needed and data collection technique, questionnaire design, sampling technique and data analysis.
3.1 Data needed and the means to obtain data
Data needed in this study was far reaching whereby it needs to match several objectives. Firstly, it must be able to provide insights into understanding of travel motivation (push and pull factors) on tourists. Secondly, it must be able to test the relationships between variables using the statistical means. Finally, the chosen research design must meet cost and time considerations in view of types of information required and the availability of resources. For the purpose of this study, different methods of data collection have been utilized such as the gathering of secondary data and primary data through questionnaires survey.
3.1.1 Secondary Data Collection
The collection of secondary data for the study was mainly from published articles, reports, journals or books relevant to the field of study. The data include annual reports, known published documents from earlier studies and relevant government documents. Huge and reliable amount of electronic data through had been easily retrieved from the internet. These data were downloaded from reputable and reliable resources to assist researcher in the preparation of this study.
3.1.2 Primary Data Collection
The collection of primary data for this study involves an on-site self-administered questionnaire at three different localities. The questionnaire consists of three sections, namely section A, B and C. Section A covered demographic questions of backpackers visiting Penang. Close-ended questions are used to obtain background information such as age, gender, monthly income, educational qualifications, marital status and occupation status. Section B covered questions on push factors while Section C covered questions pull factors that influenced backpackers visitation to Penang with a five- point likert scale.
3.2 Sampling Technique
3.2.1 Study population and sample size
This study will be conducted at Batu Ferringhi, and in between the district of Chulia Street and Love Lane. These localities are chosen because they are located in the town area and can be accessed easily. The targeted population of the survey is guests staying in budget accommodation, including international and domestic backpackers, who stayed in guesthouse, backpackers lodge and inn during the data collection period. The targeted population of this study involves solely backpackers visiting Penang and the study will be conducted within a month. The population chosen will be randomly selected from guests staying at any budget accommodation within the mentioned area. A total of 900 questionnaires will be distributed and 300 questionnaires are to be distributed in the mentioned three localities which are (i) Batu Feringghi, (ii) district of Chulia Street and (iii) Love Lane. 300 questionnaires will be distributed randomly at each area, making a total of 900 questionnaires at the three cumulative areas. Out of the 300 questionnaires given at a particular locality, only 169 will be used as sample as for some questionnaires may be incomplete and hence, those questionnaires will then be excluded.
3.2.2 Sampling technique
The sampling method that will be used in this research is convenience sampling selection (unrestricted probability sampling). The selection of participants for a study is based on their proximity to the researcher and the ease with which researcher can access the participants. Questionnaires were distributed at random at the three localities. The first ten days, questionnaire a number of 225 questionnaires are to be distributed in within the locality of Chulia Street. The following ten days a number of 225 questionnaires will be distributed in the locality of Love Lane whereas the remaining 225 questionnaires will be distributed during the last ten days at Batu Feringghi.
Data Analysis
To identify both push and pull factors that influence decision-making as stated in sub-problem one and two, data will be analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as simple frequencies and mean ratings will be computed on travel motivations amongst backpackers travelling to Penang. To examine the overall differences between levels of socio-demographic variables in push and pull factors, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) procedure will be conducted. Is statistical analysis is found, a follow-up one way ANOVA test will Bonferroni multiple comparisons correction or t-tests will be subsequently undertaken to examine the significant differences between social-demographic subgroups (representing different levels of age, occupation, education, gender and income) on the push and pull factors. However, if significant differences in one-way tests occur, Duncan’s multiple range test will be used to examine the source of differences across the respondent subgroups.
Finally, to examine the third sub problem which is identifying the relationship between destination choice and decision making, Pearson’s correlation coefficients will be computed to identify the degree of interrelations among the two dimensions.
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