UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP SYSTEM LAGUNA
College of International Hospitality Management Sto. Niño, Biñan, Laguna

Theories on Tourism Development

Catherine Evangelista
H3A
Ms. Gladys Joy Sabater - Tallorin

Cohen’s Classification

Cohen’s classification of tourist is based on the theory that tourism combines the curiosity to seek out new experiences with the need for the security of familiar reminders of home. Most tourists prefer to explore the destinations from a familiar base. The degree of familiarity of this base underlies Cohen’s typology in which he identifies four tourist roles:

Cohen in 1972 developed a theory which is related to the behavior of tourists. He classified the typology of tourists based on their behavior into four namely;

Organized mass tourists- these tourists travel in groups. They buy a packaged tour which is arranged in advance by a travel agent or a tour operator.

Individual mass tourists- each member of the group has a certain degree of control over his time and itinerary and is not bound to a group. He makes his individual decision about his activities.

Explorers- such tourists arrange their own trip. They associate with the local residents and try to speak the local language. However, they do not adopt completely the lifestyle of the host country.

Drifters- these tourists avoid contact with other tourists. They stay with the locals and share their food, shelter, and habits. They are almost totally immersed in the host culture. They retain only the most basic of their native customs. They do not consider themselves as tourists.

Plog’ s Classification

In 1973, Stanley Plog, an American researcher, develop a theory that the popularity of a destination is related to the inherent personalities of travelers. He hypothesized that travelers can be classified based on their different personalities, as