The Uses Of Gestalt Psychological Theory In Tourism Planning

Gestalt psychology was a prominent school of psychology founded in the beginning of the 20th century. The school's major postulates were that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and that sensory experiences must be viewed in relation to all of an individual's psychological characteristics rather than isolated as a chemical or neural response. Gestalt theory has been applied to various aspects of a wide range of fields, including painting, architecture, and education. The process of designing travel programs is actually the process of designing, organizing and integrating travel resources. The objective of such endeavors is to provide tourists with a perfect sensory experience and completed aesthetic experience. This article will discuss the nexus of Gestalt theory, theories of sensory experience, and theories of aesthetic experience. Special attention will be given to the three major theoretical underpinnings of Gestalt theory, i.e. grouping, isomorphism, and dynamic field. This is done in order to combine various aspects of the practice of travel planning, including developing travel resources, subject control, separation of functions, composition of scenery, and alternation between narrow and wilderness, and to further develop novel ways of thinking about travel program planning and related methodology.