Introduction to Geography

• Geography stems from the Greek words "geo" meaning "earth," and "graphy" meaning "to write."
• Geography is now viewed as a science rather than just writing.
• It literally means "description of the Earth."
• The Royal Geographical Society defines geography as "the study of Earth's landscape, people, places, and environment."

Elements of Geography

• The National Geographic Society identifies six essential elements, showing its breadth:
  • World in Spatial Terms: Studies people, places, and environments via mapping.
  • Places and Regions: Focuses on identities and lives rooted in places and human constructs called regions.
  • Physical Systems: Examines processes that shape Earth and interact with life.
  • Human Systems: Centers on human activities shaping Earth and competition for its control.
  • Environment and Society: Explores how human society values and uses physical features and processes.
  • Uses of Geography: Enables understanding relationships between people, places, and environments over time.

Roles of Geography in Tourism

• UNWTO defines tourism: activities of people traveling and staying outside their usual environment for less than a year for leisure, business, etc.
• Tourism's geographical characteristics cover people, activities, places, destinations, and environment.

Product of Tourism and Travel Motivator

• Attractions are vital for tourism, serving as a pull factor for tourists.
• Destinations motivate travel and understanding reasons for travel is key for tourism businesses.
• The Physical and cultural features, such as landforms, water bodies, climate, people, and culture, often attract travelers.

Climate’s Role

• Climate is an attraction which makes travelers want to experience different weather conditions, like winter, spring, or autumn.

Bodies of Water

• This includes rivers, waterfalls, seas, lakes, lagoons, and oceans.
• Rivers: Cruise on rivers is a popular tourist activity
  • Examples include the Nile, Amazon, Mississippi, and Danube.
• Waterfalls
  • These draw tourists due to their beauty. Famous examples include Niagara, Iguazu, and Angel Falls.
• Seas: Offer charm and diverse activities.
• Lakes: Large inland bodies of water.
• Lagoons: Shallow sea waters ideal for snorkeling.
• Oceans: Earth's major bodies of water; Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, and Arctic.

Landforms

• This consists of mountains, valleys, and plateaus.
• Mountains attract hikers and climbers: Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Everest, and the Andes.
• Valleys feature scenic beauty: Valley of Geysers, Napa Valley, Logar Valley, and Haa Valley.
• Plateaus are elevated, flat areas: Kukenan Tepui and the Tibetan Plateau ("roof top of the world").
• Other landforms include continents, islands, cays, peninsulas, and panhandles.

Culture in Tourism

• Travelers are motivated by a destination's cultural attributes.
• Lifestyle factors such as food, politics, language, religion, and economic activities entice tourists.
• These experiences deepen understanding and appreciation of local people.
• A country's physical features and culture are linked.
  • Climate influences architectural design (e.g., Bahay Kubo) and clothing.
  • Water impacts livelihood/traditions (e.g., Ivatan fishing) and cuisine (Maldivian cuisine).
  • Landforms shape cultural activities like agriculture.

Travel or Itinerary Planning

• Geography is crucial for travel/itinerary planning, maximizing limited travel time.
• Geography is a locating tool and professionals apply it beyond just location and distance.
• The travel experience hinges on the beauty and uniqueness of the destination
• A map is a helpful tool for identifying locations of interest.

Types of Maps

• A map is a flat representation of the world, containing pertinent information.
• Types include road, political, physical, climate, and economic maps.
• Mental Maps: Geographic information and facts about a location.
• Tourist Maps
• These show points of interest and attractions in a city or town.
• They use symbols and legends for easier understanding.

World's Continents

• Earth has attractions across its seven continents and 197 countries.
• The seven continents are: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica.

Hemispheres

• Half of Earth’s sphere is a hemisphere
• Equator: Splits the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at zero degrees latitude.
• Prime Meridian: Splits the Eastern and Western Hemispheres at zero degrees longitude and references time.
• Longitude
  • Longitude is important for time calculation
  • 360 degrees of longitude equals 24 hours.
• International Date Line (IDL): Lies at about 180 degrees of Prime Meridian.
• Greenwich Meridian ID: Used to measure the distance on Earth from east to west.

International Tourism

• UNWTO defines tourism as activities of people traveling to and staying outside their usual environment for up to one year, for leisure, business, etc.
• A visitor is classified as an excursionist (less than 24 hours) or a tourist (at least 24 hours, but less than a year).
• International tourists require a passport and sometimes a visa.
  • Passports are official legal documents issued by a government
  • Types in the Philippines: regular and diplomatic.

Securing a Philippine Passport

• To secure a Philippine passport you must:
  • Appear in person at the Department of Foreign Affairs or a satellite office after securing an appointment
  • Apply through their website and accomplish a printed application form.
  • Submit a birth certificate and valid ID pictures.
• Entry to other countries may require a visa for endorsement, visa requirements vary.

Travel Tips

• Keep a copy of your passport.
• Pack a set of clothing in your carry-on because there could be delays with your luggage.
• Ensure your passport is valid.
• Know your hotel or address.

IATA - International Air Transport Association

• IATA supports aviation by promoting global standards in airline safety, security, efficiency, and sustainability.
• IATA makes moving people, freight, and mail globally easier.
• IATA is a global trade association for airlines.

IATA Airline and Location Codes

• They are crucial for identifying airlines, destinations, and traffic documents and for smooth electronic applications.
• There are different IATA codes: Airline Designator, Accounting/Prefix, Baggage Tag Issuer, and Location Identifiers.
• Companies use IATA Airline Designator Codes for reservations, schedules, telecommunications, ticketing, and cargo.
• Airline accounting codes/prefixes identify traffic documents and transactions.
• Baggage Tag Issuer Codes (BTIC) are used with the tag serial number to identify each piece of luggage.
• Airlines can request a unique three-letter Location Identifier Code, that includes airport travel

Country Codes & ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Codes

• A country code represents an alphanumeric system used to identify countries.
• ISO 3166 includes a two-letter, a three-letter, and a three-number representation.
• Country codes starting with "X" are for private custom use only.
• ISO country codes are internationally recognized alpha combinations designating countries.
• ISO 3166 has codes for countries, subdivisions, and codes that were once used to describe countries but are no longer in use.
• The country codes can be represented as two-letter code (alpha-2), three-letter code (alpha-3), and a three-digit numeric code (numeric-3).

World Time Zone Map

• Time zones standardize the time across countries and regions for legal, social, or economic reasons.
• Time zone boundaries often align with countries.
• Time is defined relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).