TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENT

MODULE 1

VARIOUS DEFINITIONS OF TOURISM

VARIOUS DEFINITIONS OF TOURISM

The sum total of operators, mainly of an economic nature, which directly
relate to the entry, stay and movement of foreigners inside and outside a
certain country, city or a region.
- One of the earliest definitions as provided by an Austrian economist, 1910
The sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and
stay of non-residents, insofar as they do not lead to permanent residence
and are not connected with any earning activity.
- Hunziker and Krapf, 1941
The League of Nations in 1936, defined a foreign tourist as "someone
traveling abroad for at least twenty-four hours".
Its successor, the United Nations in 1945, amended this definition, by
including a maximum stay of six months.

VARIOUS DEFINITIONS OF TOURISM

Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destination
outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities
during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all
purposes."
- Tourism Society of England, 1976

Particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home

environment.
- International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism, 1981

WHAT IS TOURISM?
World Tourism Organisation affiliated to United Nations and recognised as
the leading international body on global tourism, defines Tourism as:
the 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.
Tourists are people who are:
- Away from their normal place of residence for a period of up to one year,
- Taking part in activities that would normally be associated with leisure or
business,
- On a visit that is temporary and short term.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOURISM?

Mainly three types:
Domestic tourism- this is when people take holidays, short breaks and day
trips in their own country.
Inbound/Incoming tourism- this describes people entering the country in
question from their home country, so it is a type of international tourism.
Eg: teams from different countries entering a country for an international
event such as Olympic Games.
Outbound tourism- this term applies when people travel from their home
country to visit other international countries for leisure or business.
Eg: business people from UK travelling to America to visit a major exhibition.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR TRAVEL?

1.
2.
3.

Leisure travel- holidays, health and fitness, sport, education, cultural and
religion, social and spiritual.
Visiting friends and relatives (VFR)- visiting elderly relatives, social visits
to friends and relatives, wedding celebrations.
Business travel- Business meetings, exhibitions and trade fairs,
conferences and conventions, incentive travel (given as rewards for sales
or achievement in business).

TOURISM AS AN INDUSTRY

TOURISM AS AN INDUSTRY

Tourism has developed into a truly worldwide activity that knows no

political, geographical, ideological or cultural boundaries.
Tourism has developed into an important part of the economic
foundation of many countries.
Tourism includes a wide array of people, activities and facilities. Although
it is not a distinctly identified industry, it is a unique grouping of
industries that are tied together by a common denominator- the
travelling public.
Tourism industry is both dynamic and diverse.
The dynamic and inter related nature of tourism activities can be
demonstrated through an integrated model of tourism. The model
highlights the important participants and forces that shape the tourism
industry.

TOURISM AS AN INDUSTRY

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

The model has an

open nature.
Travelers (tourists)
serve as the focal
point for all tourism
activities and forms
the center of the
model.
Radiating from this
focal point are three
bands
containing
several
interdependent
groups of tourism
participants
and
organisations.

TOURISM SERVICE SUPPLIERS

SOCIETY /
CULTURE

DESTINATIONS

TOURISM PROMOTERS
TOURIST
BOARDS

TRAVELERS

TRAVEL
AGENTS

ACCOMODATION
TECHNOLOGY

ECONOMY

FOOD &
BEVERAGES

DIRECT
MARKETING

TOUR
OPERATORS

INCENTIVE / MEETING
PLANNERS

ATTRACTIONS
&
ENTERTAINMENT

TRANSPORTATION
POLITICS

ENVIRONMENT

An Integrated Model of Tourism

TOURISM AS AN INDUSTRY

Individual tourists may deal directly with any of the tourism service
suppliers, but they often rely on the professional services provided by
tourism promoters as shown in the first band of the model.
Tourism promoters such as travel agencies and tourist boards provide
information and other marketing services.
Tourism suppliers provide accomodations, transportation and other
services required by travelers.
The tourism industry doesnot operate in vacuum. All the participants
either individually or as a group are constantly responding to a variety
of social/cultural, political, environmental, economic and
technological forces. These forces may range from subtle changes to
more dramatic changes.

TOURISM AS AN INDUSTRY

Gradual changes may be noticed in destinations that were once

fashionable but eventually faded in popularity or in transportation
were Steamship passage was eclipsed by faster and efficient airplane.
Immediate impacts can be seen in sudden shifts brought about by
currency devaluations, wars, fuel shortages and natural disasters.
Rapid adoption of new technologies such as the internet can have
immediate and far reaching impacts on tourism activities.
A country that was once avoided may suddenly become a popular
tourism destination because it is more affordable, or accessible.
Conversely a once popular destination may be avoided because of a
recent disaster or political upheaval.
Number of travelers from nations also varies dramatically due to
political and economic changes.

TOURISM PRODUCTS

TOURISM PRODUCTS

Services- the fastest growing industry in the world.

Tourism- the fastest growing segment in the Service industry.

Tourism industry mainly deals with services and not goods.

Services are different from goods as they are actions performed by
one person on behalf of another.
Services are often accompanied by what are called as Facilitating
goods. Facilitating goods are tangible items that support or accompany
the service being provided.

A TOURISM PRODUCT is mainly SERVICE plus FACILITATING

GOODS/PRODUCTS.

TOURISM PRODUCTS

HIGH

Some Tourism organisations are involved primarily in the delivery of

services while others deliver both services and goods as seen in the
Services/Goods continuum shown below.

AMOUNT OF SERVICE

TRAVEL AGENCY
RESTAURANTS
CRUISE SHIP
RETAIL SHOP
SOUVENIR SHOP

LOW

LOW

PURE
SERVICE

AMOUNT OF FACILITATING GOODS

SERVICE WITH
FACILITATING
GOODS

HIGH

GOODS WITH
LITTLE
SERVICE

TOURISM PRODUCTS
Mainly three types:

Package product
Independent product
All- inclusive product

Package product
A package product is one made up of various components, such as
travel, accommodation and attractions.
All the various providers combine their products to form a complete
package, put together by the tour operator and marketed through
travel agencies or direct to the customer.

TOURISM PRODUCTS

Independent product
The independent product is one purchased by an individual, which may
be an air or rail ticket to a particular destination, or the reservation of
hotel accommodation for a specific period of time.
The transaction here is made between the independent traveler or
tourist and the product provider- there is no intermediary such as the
travel agent or tour operator involved.

TOURISM PRODUCTS

All- inclusive product

The All-inclusive product is where the transport, accommodation, food
and the use of all facilities are included in the price of the holiday.
The tourist therefore only has to purchase additional excursions taken
outside the holiday complex and any souvenirs or other products
purchased either in shops at the complex or off-site.
Eg: Cruise holidays, as they include food, accommodation and services
of staff but do not include items purchased in on board shops or
excursions.

TOURISM PRODUCTS- CHARACTERISTICS

INTANGIBLE
Tourism products and services are usually intangible.
Eg: when you buy a holiday package you cannot physically hold it, hence
referred as intangible.

INSEPARABLE
Products may be inseparable as all the components form part of the
whole product.
Eg: when you buy a holiday package, included in that product is the flight,
accommodation and excursions. Each component forms part of the
whole product purchased and cannot be separated.

TOURISM PRODUCTS- CHARACTERISTICS

HETEROGENEOUS
Most tourism products are heterogeneous as product consistency is
not the same when circumstances changes.
Eg: influences such as weather, attitude of staff, time of year and quality of
food can alter the same product purchased at different times or by
different customers.

PERISHABLE / INCAPABLE OF BEING STORED

Tourism products perish or lose their value with the passage of time.
Tangible products can be stored but tourism products are incapable of
being stored.
Eg: If an airline seat is not sold it cannot be stockpiled and resold at a later
date.