Impact of Gender on Tourists Motivation at Rann Mahotsav Kutch (Gujarat)

INTRODUCTION

Travel and tourism is recreational activity; tourist visits a destination for many objectives like relaxation, learning new things, cultural activities, health and meditation etc. Tourist motivations developed through perception of individual tourist; the individual may be male and female. Gender plays an important role in an individual‘s life. It shapes the entirety of the experience at all levels. It is the key descriptor of every person (Woolfolk, 2014). In other words gender perception refers to the preference of men and women that are inherent and developed through cultures and our society. The concept of gender also includes the expectations held about the characteristics, aptitudes and likely behaviors of both women and men (femininity and masculinity). Motivations are the fundamental reasons for a particular traveling behavior and play a vital role in understanding the decision making process of tourists, as well as assessing the subsequent satisfaction of tourist‘s expectation (Snepenger, King, Marshall & Uysal, 2006). Sigala & Leslie, 2005 stated that motivation is simply the processes that answer the question about why and how people‘s behavior is activated and directed. Therefore, motivation is considered as the internal factors that raise and control human behavior. To understand motivation in tourism is to understand what motivates tourists to choose a certain destination. Pearce, Morrison and Rutledge (1998) defined tourist motivation ―as the global integrating network of biological and cultural forces which gives value and direction to travel choices, behavior and experience‖. John and Susan (1999) describe six main factors that motivate people to travel to a certain destination: physical, emotional, personal, personal development; status and cultural. Specifically, individuals who have either one or some or all of those six motives would choose a destination where can satisfy their motivations. Waters (1988) concluded from a US study that even though men still dominated the business travel market, the same was not true for the leisure market, with women taking as many and sometimes even more holidays than men. Rann Mahotsav is celebrated annually from November to February in Kutch region of Gujarat. the Mahotsav is based on handicrafts and culture of Kutch region, which attracts both men and women, men are motivated for scenic beauty, white desert, adventure activities and tent and bhunga stay, whereas women visits for Rann for shopping, cultural activities, photography, food etc.

Chang and Yuan (2016) conducted a study to investigate the element and motivations of the tourists in attending the events as well as the festivals. The study was undertaken with the 134 participants of a two-day Old Town Spring Festival in Texas foods, wines and arts. The study emphasized on the need to execute suitable strategies for promoting regional festivals and local savories to promote the wellness and sustainability among the localities. The study contended that many motivations such as external socialization, known-group socialization, lovingness for wine, escape from work, novelty, fun or adventure as well as love to be in open air steer the prefer ability of respondents for the festivals. The female participants preferred food as the imperative factor in comparison to their male counterparts.

Turkey. The festival events play an important role in the communities as they improve the image of the local communities. The data was collected from 473 visitors to the festivals. It was found that the cultural exploration as well as togetherness with family acts as the major factors that motivate the visitors to the festivals. In furtherance, the female visitors were likely to visit the festival events with the concern to explore the traditions, values and customs of other destinations; whereas for male visitors escape from the work, excitements for the adventure as well as event attraction act as the crucial motivations. Hence, marketing managers should keep track of the various developments. Hu (2010) explored the relationships between the motivations, festival expenditures and food engrossment among visitors of food festival. The food festivals and the leisure events are mustering popularity and acknowledgement at the global level. The study was undertaken with 694 young visitors with more proportion if female participants of 9th China Crawfish Festival at Heping Park, Hefei, China. It was found that different food experiences, socialization, family union, relaxation, enjoyment of physical environment as the major motivations that drive the visitors‘ urge for more food festivals. Moreover, the visitors of the food festivals were more keen in taste judging and cooking in comparison to the general food consumers. The time spent by the visitors at the food festivals was more than three hours at the festival. It was suggested by the study that the food festivals are supposed to be more holistic with regard to the culinary tourism and community festival. Swanson et al., (2003) conducted a study to identify the potential event visitors‘ motivations towards the sporting events. The events and festivals are attended by most of the individuals to reveal their pride in their own community. The study was conducted with the potential attendees instead of the actual on-site attendees comprising both males as well as the females. The study revealed that the identification of the team, eustress, enhancement of self-esteem, affiliation with the group and belongingness as the crucial motivations that significantly influence the intent of potential attendees to be the part of any sporting event at international scale. In furtherance, the study also revealed the psychological attachment with the particular sporting event in the distinctive nations. Andreu, Kozac, Avci, & Cifter (2005) found that females were more motivated to travel than males. They also found significant gender differences regarding travel motivations where male tourists preferred more recreational activities on the destination, and female tourists had a stronger relaxation and escape-based motivations. Baloglu, tourist destinations.

1. To identify various attributes of motivation that attracts tourist to visit Rann Mahotsav 2. To compare motivation level of tourist on the basis of gender in Rann Mahotsav For this study the researcher collected data from secondary and primary method. Secondary data were collected from various sources like Journals, magazines, Newspapers, articles; thesis/dissertation etc. primary data were collected through five point likert scale structured questionnaire. Chi-square was conducted to examine the impact of gender on tourists‘ motivation.

motivation level these are, relaxation at spiritually sites of kutch, increase social status through visiting Rann Mahotsav, experience local cuisines of Gujarat, enjoy cultural and musical activities, explore natural resources, exotic weather and climate, visit historical places, visit kala dungar highest point in Kutch area and experience moon light. Rest of the variables has nominal impact of gender on tourist motivation at Rann Mahotsav.

significant impact on 4 degree of freedom at 5% confidence level (counted 9.488). In the first variable, visited not before this place have value of 23.464, second variable accommodation at tent city and home stay have value of 31.109. Third variable enjoy cultural and musical activities have 30.030 value. Forth variable experience moon light have 57.023 at 3 degree of freedom @ 5% (counted 68.256). Fifth variable enjoy leisure and recreation have value of 27.345. Sixth and the last variable have value of 80.449 on attribute visit friends and relatives at Rann Mahotsav. Impact of gender on six variables on tourist motivation has high degree of positive and significant association (Linear by Linear Association. 000) of above all variables.

In this study researcher assessed the impact of gender on tourist motivation. Motivation is the main factor for any person to make decision of travel to a particular destination. Tourists select destinations according to their like/dislike behavior and the choice are affected by gender. Male have different destination/ activity choice in comparison to female. The study reveals that gender impact on tourists‘ motivation is nominal. Almost male and female have same motivators at Rann Mahotsav. According to Chi-square test male and female have strong motivation on six attributes these are tent stay, newer destination, cultural events, experience moon light white desert, recreation and VFR. Rann Mahotsav event have activities for everyone and attracts both male and female.

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Research Scholar, Institute of Hotel & Tourism Management, M.D. University, Rohtak monujaihind@gmail.com