Introduction to Tourism

Tourism is a major global Industry.Its contribution to economic development has encouraged countries to

pursue this highly dynamic sector.

Its growth has been fueled by several factors such as development in transportation and communication, opening up of barriers and growing

demand of people to travel.

According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), the number of international tourists has greatly increased from a mere 25 million in

1950 to 842 million in 2006.

It is not surprisingly then for tourism to be described as one of the most remarkable economic and social phenomena of the past century. However, tourism remains to be a complex phenomenon that has

been perceived at different perspectives by different sectors of society.

UN WTO

From 25 M in 1950 to 806 M in 2005, averaging 6.5% annual growth rate.

What is Tourism?Tourism has no universal definition until 1993 when the WTO came up with the Recommendations on Tourism

Statistics.

These recommendations included a definition of tourism, the forms of tourism, and tourists among other tourism statistics that could be used for statistical comparisons

among countries.

It should be noted, however, that these were merely suggestions and the WTO could not impose on every

country to adopt these definitions.

What is Tourism?

WTO defines tourism as:

“comprised of activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual

environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes.”

What is Tourism?

Travel is one word that is used interchangeably with tourism. However, not all travels are tourism. Thus, there is

a need to differentiate travelers from visitors.

Travelers are people on a trip between two or more places, while visitors are people who engage in tourism.

What is Tourism?

Visitors are different from other travelers because of the following three criteria:

1.The trip should be a place other than that of the usual environment.

2.The stay in the place visited should not last more than 12 consecutive months.

3.The main purpose of the trip should be other than the exercise of activity remunerated from within the place visited.

Relationship Between Visitors and other Travelers

TRAVELERS

Included in tourism statistics

Not included in tourism statistics

VISITORS

TOURISTS(1) EXCURSIONISTS (3)

- Holidays- Culture- Active sports- Relativesand friends- Others

PLEASURE

-Meetings-Missions-Convention

Professional

-Studies-Health-Transit-Others

OTHER TOURIST MOTIVES

Purpose of visit

Non-nationals(Foreigners

Nationals, residents abroad

Crew members (non-residents) (2)

Cruise passengers (4)

Day Visitor (5)

Crews (6)

Border workers

Nomads Transit passengersRefugees Members of the

armed forces (7)Represent-atives of

consulates(7)

Diplomats (7)Temporary immigrants

Permanent VisitorsSource: World Tourism Organization concepts, definitions, and classifications for tourism statistics

1. Visitors who spend at least one night in the country visited.

2. Foreign air or ship crews docked or in layover or who use the accommodation establishments of the country visited.

3. Visitors who do not spend the night in the country visited, although they may visit the country during one day or more and return to their ship or train to sleep.

4. Normally included in the excursionists. Separate classification of these visitors is nevertheless recommended.

5. Visitors who come and leave on the same day.

6. Crews who are not residents of the country visited and who stay in the country for the day.

7. When they travel from their country of origin to the duty station or vice versa (including household servants and dependents accompanying or joining them)

8. Those who do not leave the transit area of the airport or the port. They should be included in the visitors statistics. In certain countries, transit may involve a stay of one day or more.

Types of Visitors:

1. Overnight visitor (tourist)

2. Same-day visitor

Types of Visitors:

1. Overnight visitor (tourist) –refers to a visitor who spends his/her night away from home.

2. Same-day visitor – refers to a visitor who does not spend the night in a collective or private accommodation in the place visited.

Visitors are further classified into:

1. International visitor

2. Domestic visitor

Visitors are further classified into:

International visitor

Refers to any person who travels to a country outside his/her usual environment and other than the one in

which he/she his/her usual residence, but for less than 12 consecutive months and whose main purpose is other

than the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited.

Visitors are further classified into:

Domestic visitor

Refers to any person who travels to a place other than of his/her usual environment but still within his/her country of

residence for less than 12 consecutive months and whose main purpose of trip is other than the exercise of

an activity remunerated from within the place visited.

The Tourism System

The tourism system is a group of interrelated, interdependent and interacting elements that

together form a single structure.

Traveler Generating

Regions

transit

routes

Tourist Destination Regions

The Geographical Elements of Tourism

Source; Weaver and Opperman (2000)

transit

routes

TravelerGeneratingRegions

DepartingTravelers

DepartingTravelers

TouristDestinationRegions

Tourists ArrivingAndStaying

The broader environments: physical, cultural, social,Economic, political, technological

The Tourism System

Elements of Tourism

Tourist

The tourist is the actor in this system. Tourism is a very human experience enjoyed, anticipated and remembered by many as one of the most important times of their lives.

Elements of Tourism

Traveler-generating region

It is the generating market for tourism

It provides the “push” to stimulate and motivate travel. This is where the tourist searches for information, books

a trip and departs.

Elements of Tourism

Tourist destination region

It is the “sharp end” of tourism.

This is where the full impact of tourism is felt, and planning and management strategies are implemented.

It is considered the “pull” to visit destinations, energizing the whole tourism system and creating demand for travel

in the generating region.

Elements of Tourism

Transit route region

Represents the short period of travel to reach the destination and also the intermediate places visited en

route.

Elements of Tourism

Tourism Industry

Described as the range of business and organization involved in delivering the tourism product.

Forms of Tourism

Tourism has three forms in relation to a given area (like region, country, group of countries), namely:

1.Domestic Tourism

2.Inbound Tourism

3.Outbound Tourism

Forms of Tourism

Domestic Tourism

Tourism involving residents of the given area travelling (as visitors) only within that area

Forms of Tourism

Inbound Tourism

Tourism involving non-residents travelling (as visitors) in the given area.

Forms of Tourism

Outbound Tourism

Tourism involving residents travelling (as visitors) in an area other than the given area.

In the case where the area is a country, there are three more forms of tourism:

1. Internal Tourism

2. National Tourism

3. International Tourism

Internal Tourism

Comprises domestic and inbound tourism

National Tourism

Comprises domestic and inbound and outbound tourism

International Tourism

Consists of inbound and outbound tourism

National tourism of Country A

Domestictourism

Outbound tourism

Inbound tourism

Internal tourism of Country B

Share of Country A in international tourism departures

(outbound) and Arrivals (inbound)

Destination of Visitors

Country A

Country A

Other Countries

Origin of Visitors

OtherCountries

• Can be developed with local products and resources

• Diversifies the economy

• Tends to be compatible with other economic activities

• Spreads development

• High multiplier impact

• Increases governmental revenues

Benefits of Tourism- Economic

• Provides employment opportunities

• Generates foreign exchange

• Increases Incomes

• Increases GNP

• Can be built on existing infrastructure

• Develops an infrastructure that will also help stimulate local commerce and industry

• Broadens educational and cultural horizons

• Improves quality of life - higher incomes and improved standards of living

• Justifies environmental protection and improvement

• Provides tourist andrecreational facilitiesthat may be used bya local population

Benefits of Tourism- Social

• Reinforces preservation of heritage and tradition

• Visitor interest in local culture provides employment for artists, musicians and other performing artists enhancing cultural heritage

• Breaks down language barriers, sociocultural barriers, class barriers, racial barriers, political barriers, and religious barriers

• Creates a favorable worldwide image for a destination• Promotes a global community• Promotes international understanding and peace

Benefits of Tourism- Cultural

• Develops excess demand

• Results in high leakage

• Creates difficulties of seasonality

• Causes inflation

• Can result in unbalanced economic development

• Increases vulnerability to economic and political changes

Disadvantages of Tourism- Economic

• Creates social problems

• Degrades the natural physical environment and creates pollution

• Degrades the cultural environment

• Threatens family structure

• Commercializes culture, religion, and the arts

• Creates misunderstanding

• Creates conflicts in the host society

• Contributes to disease, economic fluctuation, and transportation problems

Disadvantages of Tourism- Social

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2009

The End