International Pleasure Travel Motivations and Post-Vacation Cultural Attitude Change

Abstract

Tourism, as a significant form of interaction between nations and cultures, has the potential to improve intercultural relations. This paper develops and tests a model of the relationship between international tourism and visitors' post-vacation attitudes toward the host or destination culture. Path analysis is used to examine the linkages between pleasure travel motivations, level of intercultural interaction, vacation satisfaction, and visitors' post-vacation attitudes. The results have important implications for understanding the role of tourism in changing visitors' attitudes and perceptions of host cultures.