Master's thesis tourism and Local Food and Beverages

2.3.5 Food as a motivating factor 
Usually, needs considered as a tool for human motivation and desire to satisfying needs help 
to generate the individual's motivations (Martin & Del Bosque, 2008). People travel for many 
reasons. Motivation typology for traveling divided in to four categories. 
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Chapter 2. Literature Review 
(1) Physical motivators 
(2) Cultural motivators 
(3) Interpersonal motivators 
(4) Status and prestige motivators. 
Firstly, physical motivators consist of refreshment of a person's body and mind, physical rest, 
desire for recreation and participation in sports .These motivators are related to decrease 
physical anxiety. Moreover, tourists might have the opportunity to taste new and exotic foods 
and food in a destination can be a physical experience through people's perceptions such as 
sight, taste and smell (Field, 2002). Also, health reasons might be motivation for traveling 
such as visiting countries that offer healthy diet like food of Greece and Italy or 
"Mediterranean Diet". This cuisine emphasizes healthy eating that might attract those who 
want to lose weight (Ab Karim, 2006). 
Second, cultural motivators are very important because there is a strong relationship between 
food and culture (Ab Karim, 2006). Cultural motivators refer to experience different cultures 
such as lifestyle, music, food and dance as well as gaining knowledge about other countries 
in terms of cultural activities (Kim et al., 2009). 
Third, interpersonal motivators refer to meeting new people, spending time with family and 
friends or getting away from routine relationships (Kim et al., 2009). Similarly, one of the 
important parts of overall dining experience is surrounding atmosphere and socializing with 
group members (Hjalager, 2002). Having a meal during a holiday can be regarded as a means 
of reproducing social relations (Fields, 2002). 
The last one is status and prestige motivators which are related to self esteem, recognition and 
desire to attract attention from others (Kim et al., 2009). So eating nice food in a nice place 
can be realized as a means to be distinguished from others in terms of social status (Field, 
2002).