13 Questions
What is a direct result of tourism development projects?
Improvement of sewage systems and water treatment plants
What is a significant source of revenue for governments due to tourism?
Accommodation and restaurant taxes, airport users' fees, sales taxes, and park entrance fees
What is a positive impact of tourism on local residents?
Improvement in their living conditions
What is a characteristic of the tourism industry?
It is the world's largest growth industry with no signs of slowing down
What is a benefit of working in the tourism industry?
Plenty of opportunities for operating or working in a successful travel consultancy
What is the estimated amount spent by international tourists on local airfares, accommodation, meals, shopping, goods, and attractions every year?
1 trillion US dollars
What percentage of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is generated by international and domestic tourism?
10%
In how many of the 49 poorest countries in the world is tourism the largest foreign exchange earner?
46
How many people are employed worldwide in the Travel and Tourism industry?
200 million
What is the rate at which job creation in tourism is growing compared to other industrial sectors?
One-and-a-half times faster
What is a characteristic of many tourism jobs?
They are predominantly in small or medium-sized, family-owned businesses
What benefits can tourism provide to development?
Creating employment, empowering citizens, and raising living standards
What is a characteristic of travel agents or consultants today?
They work in a variety of industries, including companies, organizations, and educational institutions
Study Notes
Importance of Tourism
- International tourism is the world's largest export earner and a significant factor in the balance of payments of many countries.
- Tourism is an "export" for any country that hosts or receives foreign visitors, generating revenue from foreign visitors' spending on local goods and services.
Economic Impact
- International tourists spend over $1 trillion US dollars on local airfares, accommodation, meals, shopping, goods, and attractions every year.
- Tourism generates up to 10% of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and often a higher percentage in small nations and developing countries.
- In 46 of the 49 poorest countries, tourism is the largest foreign exchange earner, creating employment, empowering citizens, and raising living standards.
Jobs in Tourism
- The travel and tourism industry employs over 200 million people worldwide, with job creation growing one-and-a-half times faster than in any other industrial sector.
- Many tourism jobs are in smaller or medium-sized, family-owned businesses, and often created in underdeveloped regions of a country, balancing economic opportunities.
Infrastructure Development
- The tourism industry stimulates governments and suppliers to invest in new infrastructure, improving living conditions for local residents and tourists.
- Tourism development projects build or improve airports, roads, marinas, sewage systems, water treatment plants, and restore cultural monuments, museums, and nature centers.
Tax Revenues
- Tourism generates hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues each year through accommodation and restaurant taxes, airport users' fees, sales taxes, park entrance fees, and employee income tax.
Key Learning Point
- Tourism is the world's largest growth industry with no signs of slowing down, offering opportunities for operating or working in a successful travel consultancy.
This quiz explores the significance of tourism in a country's economy, highlighting its impact on the balance of payments and its role as an export.
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