Tourism Products and Characteristics

Bleisure Travel

• Combination of business and leisure travel activities
• Believed to be the future of travel

Automation and Mobile Bookings

• Advertising became cheaper for travel companies due to automation
• 2 in 5 online bookings are made through mobile devices

Personalization

• Almost 60% of travelers believe travel companies should be more personalized
• Personalization based on behavior, preferences, and past choices

Sustainable Tourism

• Focus on making sustainable travel choices to save the planet
• Preserving the environment for future generations

Tech-Empowered Travel

• Use of mobile apps, self-service check-ins, contactless mobile payments, and automated cancellation policies
• Mobile boarding passes for a seamless travel experience

Active Ecotourism

• Increased interest in outdoor activities like biking, hiking, kayaking, and mountain climbing
• Exploring the countryside and promoting eco-friendly tourism

Transformative Travel

• Traveling not just for leisure but to make a difference
• Examples include retreats, apprenticeship classes, and learning new skills

Experience Travel

• Immersing oneself in local culture and experiencing the local way of life
• Examples include food tourism and cultural immersion

Wellness Travel

• Developing and promoting communities that benefit both tourists and locals
• Focusing on well-being and health tourism

Longer Trips

• Average trip length is expected to increase to 5-7 nights

Staycation

• Holiday spent in one's own country rather than abroad
• Supporting local markets and economies

Political Factor

• Government policies, leadership, and change affecting tourism

Demographic Factor

• Age, gender, marital status, family size, and income influencing tourism

Influencing Tourism Products

• Localization: targeting local audiences and understanding their needs
• Globalization: spreading products across borders and nations
• Socio-environmental awareness: understanding social, cultural, and environmental surroundings

Tourism Product Development

• Bringing new and innovative products, services, and experiences to the market

Characteristics of Tourism Products

• Intangibility: products cannot be directly seen or tasted
• Inseparability: products cannot be separated from their provider
• Perishability: products cannot be stored for sale in the future
• Heterogeneity: products are not always the same
• Absence of ownership: products cannot be owned
• Manufactured by many producers: joint effort of many producers
• Seasonal product: products have peak, off-peak, and shoulder seasons
• Immovability: tourist attractions cannot be moved

Economic Factor

• Improved tax revenue and personal income
• Increased standards of living and employment opportunities

Technological Factor

• Reshaping travel and tourism through technology

Authorities in Tourism Product Development

• NEDA: National Economic and Development Authority
• DOT: Department of Tourism
• DBM: Department of Budget and Management
• LGUs: Local Government Units
• TIEZA: Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority
• TPB: Tourism Promotions Board

Principles and Procedures of Tourism Product Development

• Market research: gathering and analyzing data about the target market
• Market-product matching: finding equivalent products online
• Stakeholder consultation and collaboration: working together to create solutions
• Tourism development areas: establishing and maintaining the tourism industry
• Flagship: attracting a large number of visitors to a specific attraction
• Hub: intermediary between the source market and destination
• Tourist circuits: routes with at least three major destinations
• Tourist clusters: tourism development including tourist spots and service facilities
• Product portfolio: complete list of tourism products offered in a destination
• Investment plan: financial planning for tourism development
• Human resource development: workforce development in terms of skills, abilities, and knowledge
• Market and promotion: making tourism products visible in the marketplace