Abstract
The purpose of this study was to delineate the structure of sightseeing motives of Japanese overseas tourists, and to investigate them as a function of destination, travel style and age. One thousand and fourteen Japanese tourists (371 males, and 643 females) were asked to complete a questionnaire in order to measure their motives for sightseeing. The main results were as follows: (1) Seven motives for sightseeing were extracted, including "stimulation," "cross-cultural experience," "interaction with people of visiting countries," "health restoration," "experiencing nature," "unexpectedness," and "personal growth;" (2) Motives for sightseeing evolved from novelty-seeking to authenticity-seeking as age increases; (3) Those visiting Asian or African countries were motivated by the opportunity of gaining new and different experience and understanding the cultures while those visiting European or North American countries were motivated by the opportunity to enjoy natural attractions; (4) Those engaging in independent tours were motivated by the opportunity of experiencing the excitement of uncertainty, and interactions with the local people, whereas those on package tours were motivated by the enjoyment of foreign culture and natural attractions. From these results, the psychological functions of tourist behaviors were discussed.
