Factors motivating working holiday travel: The case of Latin American visitors to New Zealand

Abstract

Working holidays have emerged as an alternative form of travel that provides the opportunity to work to subsidise a holiday. Existing studies are limited, particularly those focused on working holidaymakers from Latin America. Utilising the push-pull framework, this study explores the motivations of Latin Americans undertaking working holidays and the reasons for selecting New Zealand as a working holiday destination. Thematic analysis of the data collected from sixteen Latin American working holidaymakers revealed six push factors for undertaking a working holiday and five pull factors for selecting New Zealand as their destination. The findings from this study contribute to current understandings of working holidaymakers, particularly from Latin America. While the results support earlier studies of working holidays, Latin American working holidaymakers’ interest in exploring business opportunities in destinations is a novel study finding.