| Summary: | The primary purpose of this study was to enhance understanding of motives involved in nature-based tourist behaviour. Iso-Ahola's (1989) Escaping and Seeking Dimensions of Leisure Motivation model is employed as the conceptual framework. The research examined two primary forces in tourist motivation: the need to escape personal and/or interpersonal environments and the need to seek personal and/or interpersonal rewards. The literature review focuses firstly on an examination of issues concerning nature-based tourism, the nature-based tourist, and bird-watching as a nature-based tourist activity. Secondly, tourist motivation and the conceptual framework utilized in this study are discussed. The study used a descriptive research design administered to a cross-section of the population. Data collection occurred during the months of May and June, (1997). Bird-watchers as a nature-based tourist segment were a sub-sample of the overall sample determined through stated purpose of trip. Motives for travel as well as demographic characteristics, travel behaviour, and destination choice variables were explored. Mean scores for each motive dimension were used in a repeated measures ANOVA to discern which aspects of the motivational dimensions were most important. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were employed to investigate and build profile information on demographics and destination choice variables. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
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