Motivation of voluntourists to Juara Turtle Project, Tioman Island

Abstract

This research explains deeper on the concept of voluntourism and voluntourists motivation. Voluntourism is categorized as alternative tourism. Voluntourism is a tourism whereby the voluntourists search for experiences, contributing and complementing themselves and community at a destination. Voluntourism is an example of appropriate tourism in giving the voluntourists meaningful experiences, contributing and making impact to the place visited. The main motivation for voluntourists participation is the altruism, hedonism, location and finance. Previous experiences and time changes become the factors that influence voluntourists motivation. The research method used is qualitative method, involving 4 members of JTP, 12 voluntourists and 2 visitors that live nearby JTP were being interviewed. The interview was face-to-face that partially structured. The data collected were analysed using theme categorization. The result from this research is used when considering the voluntourists product marketing which is based on voluntourists motivation who gained the experience from this program. The result shows that motivations include push and pull factors whereby the voluntourists and the destination itself guide them to the motivation to participate in voluntourism. The finding on the financial motivation constructs the understanding of role of prices in attracting the voluntourists involvement. Recommendations were suggested to the destination because the destination is a pull motivation that portrays its image to the voluntourists that visit the place. The recommendations include systematic management, refined programs and activities, facilities and prices offered improvement and marketing strategy improvement.