Tourism Concepts and Evolution

Definitions

• Tourism is a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing social, cultural, and economic aspects of people traveling outside their usual environment.
• Tourist Demand refers to the total number of people traveling or wanting to travel, utilizing facilities away from their typical work and residence.
• Real Tourists are those who desire and can travel, whilst Potential Tourists have a desire but lack the ability to travel.
• Deferred Demand describes individuals capable but unwilling to travel.
• Online Travel Agency (OTA) is a platform facilitating travel bookings.
• Destination Management Company (DMC) is a company handling various aspects of destination management.
• Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) is a category of tourism focusing on those activities.

Evolution of Tourism

• Classical and Medieval Times: Travel primarily for religious, military, commercial, adventurous, or explorative purposes.
• 14th-16th Century: Commercial routes and infrastructure led to improved transportation and rising incomes, boosting mass tourism.
• 17th-19th Century: The Grand Tour emerged as a traditional educational journey for young European aristocrats.
• 18th-19th Century: Industrial revolution and technology advancements shaped the sector.
• 1841: Thomas Cook established the first travel agency, pioneering organized tours.
• 1919: First commercial flight from London to Paris.
• 1996: Expedia Foundation as a Microsoft division arose.
• 1997: Air transport liberalization in Europe.
• 2007: Airbnb was founded.
• 2020: COVID-19 pandemic impacted travel significantly.

Key Points Enabling Tourism

• Trains, planes, and improved roads and cars facilitated broader travel access.

Tourism Impacts

Economic Impacts

• Positive: Job creation, income generation, and positive balance of payment contributions.
• Negative: Price inflation, an insecure job market, infrastructure costs, and overdependence on tourism.

Social Impacts

• Positive: Intercultural contact, revitalization of identity symbols, preservation of traditional lifestyles.
• Negative: Crowded spaces, erosion of relationships, and an increase in crime rates.

Cultural Impacts

• Positive: Intercultural contact, preservation of traditional lifestyles, and revitalization of identity symbols, and raising awareness of various cultures.
• Negative: Crowded spaces and erosion in social relationships.

Environmental Impacts

• Positive: Conservation and restoration of natural and cultural environments, and financial support, and tourism encourages the preservation of heritage.
• Negative: Pollution, waste generation, habitat destruction, water consumption, and impacts on landscapes, contributing to increased emissions.

Elements to Analyze Tourist Demand

• Tourist profile (generation, nationality), income and spending patterns, type of stay, motivations, and satisfaction.

DMO (Destination Management Organization)

• National, regional, or local organizations responsible for managing and marketing destinations.
• Functions include strategic planning, market intelligence, destination policy formulation, product and tourism business development, digitalization, crisis management, training, promotion, marketing, brand creation, investment financing, and promotion activities.

Companies in the Tourism Sector

• Includes transportation, food and beverage, leisure, guiding, and intermediaries.

TTOO (Tour Operators) vs. Retailers

• TTOO create and distribute tourist products, generally not selling directly but working through retailers.
• Retailers distribute products created by TTOOs and can also create their own for direct sale.

Importance of Transportation

• Connects tourism activity with destinations, and its availability plays a substantial role in how far a tourist can travel. This significantly impacts the experience provided.

Elements of Tourism Promotion

• Essential tool for promoting services/products to attract tourists, aims to increase awareness of destination services, products, or attractions, thereby influencing tourist behavior.

Tourist Information Services and Promotion

• Facilitate informative support to travelers, before, during, and after their trips.

Explore the fundamental concepts and historical evolution of tourism, including definitions of key terms such as tourist demand and real tourists. Understand the various aspects of tourism from classical times to modern-day practices, including the roles of OTAs and DMCs. This quiz covers the essential elements of the tourism industry.