Transportation and Travel Evolution

• Transportation and technology innovations have made it easier for tourists to reach many destinations
• Transportation has become an integral part of the tourism and hospitality industry

Transportation and Travel Evolution

• Transportation and travel have evolved through different eras

Pre-Industrial Travel System Era

• This era occurred before widespread industrialization in Europe and North America
• There were few common carriers and almost no regularly scheduled transportation services
• Travelers coordinated with various suppliers, and only a limited number of people had the means and reasons to travel

Early-Industrial Travel System Era

• Road improvements, such as railways, canals, and steamship services resulted from innovation and transportation advancements
• Increased travel led to the emergence of common carriers that offered scheduled transportation services

Mature-Railway System Era

• Thomas Cook started his company in the United Kingdom in 1840
• The railway companies aggressively marketed their services and travel agencies and tour companies formed
• The railways expanded operations by running hotels and providing other travel-related services

Express-Travel System Era

• Trains and other transportation started stopping at major stations or terminals only
• This increased the speed of travel and encouraged more travel

Automobile-Based Travel System Era

• Privately owned automobiles became more influential in North America and Europe from the 1920s onward
• Motorways, interstate highways, and other trunk highways were developed
• Automobiles were the predominant mode of travel from 1920 to 1945

Modern-Tourism Travel System Era

• The period from 1945 to 1974
• Car ownership increased as long-distance rail travel declined
• Mass air travel emerged after World War II
• The introduction of wide-bodied jets in 1970 greatly increased air travel
• Mass tourism philosophy and marketing approaches arose in the 1950s and 1960s

Post-Mobility Adjustment Era

• Began in 1973 to 1974 because of the oil embargo by OPEC that raised fuel prices
• The energy crisis changed travel patterns
• Travelers continue to seek alternative, group-oriented modes of transportation

Selection of Transportation Mode

• Transportation enriches the travel experience of tourists depending on the mode of transport and frequency of use
• Transportation can turn into separate tourist attraction elements like cruising, orient express trains, and boat trips

Air Transportation

• Air travel is one of the most important modes of transportation in tourism
• Air travel has changed people's perceptions of time and distance
• Airlines spend billions on technological innovations to meet air transport demand
• Air travel has rapidly developed and plays an unparalleled role in long-distance travel
• Examples of air transport include airplanes, helicopters, hot air balloons, and gliders

Automobile Transportation

• Automobile transport is important for short distances, with private cars, vans, and buses being the main options
• It provides great flexibility and lets tourists see local cultures and nations
• Tourists use this mode as it offers low prices

Railway Transportation

• Railways were frequently used in the 19th century
• Railways are used more to transport loads, while tourists prefer air or automobile transport
• Technology has given birth to fast trains that compete with air and automobile modes
• Examples of railway transport are high-speed, regional, rapid transit, and freight trains

Sea Transportation

• Includes cruise travel, boat travel, yachting, and ferry travel
• Cruise ships can be described as sailing hotels
• Tourists can see several countries at a time while traveling on a cruise ship
• Other sea transportations are maritime vessels and cargo such as ro-ro and container vessels, crude, and bulk carriers

Meaning of Recreation and Leisure

• Recreation is an activity that relaxes or diverts from normal routines, such as visiting parks, museums, historic sites, and theaters
• Also defined as leisure activities during one's spare time
• Leisure: defined as the productive, creative, or contemplative use of free time

Varied Views of Recreation and Leisure

• Recreation can mean a network of public agencies that provide public spaces
• Recreation may be found in a senior center or rehabilitation environment
• Environmentalists focus on the impact of outdoor forms of recreation on natural surroundings

Recreational Participation

• Includes a broad range of leisure activities, including travel and tourism, cultural entertainment, participation in the arts, hobbies, and membership in social clubs or interest groups
• Recreation can be enjoyed with thousands of participants or as a solitary experience
• It may act as a lifetime of interest and involvement or consist of a single, isolated experience

Attractions

• Can be classified in several ways:

Natural Attractions

• Natural Attractions drive many people to travel
• Examples: national parks, forests, botanical parks, and zoological parks

Purpose-Built Attractions

• Attractions developed for tourism
• Theme Park
• Zoo
• Art Gallery

Heritage Attractions

• Designed to inspire people to learn about contemporary and long vanished civilization
• Examples: Great Wall of China and Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras

Recreational Attractions

• Maintain and provide access to indoor and outdoor facilities for sports and other recreational activities
• Bowling
• Camping
• Fishing
• Golfing

Commercial Attractions

• These are retail operations that deal in gifts, handcrafted goods, arts, and souvenirs that attract tourists
• Shopping centers and boutiques

Industrial Attractions

• Factory tours are growing, and manufacturers have developed elaborate facilities to handle tourists
• Wineries and breweries

Challenges Faced by the Recreation and Leisure Service Field in the 21st Century

• Recreational professionals must be able to deal creatively with certain challenges

Gaming Entertainment Definitions

• The gaming industry includes casinos, card games, charitable games, lottery-operated games, and betting on greyhound and horse races
• Gaming entertainment is a subset of the gaming industry as it refers to the casino gaming business and all its aspects: hotel operations, entertainment offerings, retail shopping, recreational activities, and other types of operation in addition to betting on the gaming floor
• It serves "social gamblers" or customers who combine gambling with many other activities during their stay

Games and Facilities Found Inside the Casino

• These involve wagering or betting between the casino and customers

Table Games

• These include dice/craps games, roulette, the Big 6 wheel, pai-gow, and any other type of gaming where wages are placed on a table or table layout as an integral part of the game

Card Games

• The casino does not wager against the player but offers games in which players can gamble against each other, with the casino providing or dealing with the games
• Blackjack
• Baccarat
• Poker

Slot Machine/Video Games

• Feature simulated or actual spinning reels activated by a handle or button
• Pay-offs are based on a computerized random number generator program or the alignment of the same graphics or symbols on each reel
• Video games include video poker, keno, bingo, or lottery terminals

Keno and Bingo

• Both are based on a random number

Race and Sports Books

• Involve wagering on horse track betting, while sportsbooks feature wagering on professional and collegiate sporting events

Casino Cage

• Financial transactions and accounting for monies handled on the casino floor

Surveillance

• Maintains a careful watch on all gaming activities through the use of high-tech cameras and video recording devices

Ancillary Department

• Support departments that include restaurant operations, bars, and entertainment centers such as lounges or showrooms and lodging facilities.

Reasons for Visiting Casinos

The Lure of Gambling

• Many people enjoy gambling, wagering, or entering games of chance or skill

Recreation and Entertainment

• A casino environment is an exciting form of entertainment, and for many it is a mental escape from the stressful pressures of work

Social

• Senior citizens and retirees are drawn to casinos for social interaction

Economic

• Some casinos operate and offer low room rates attracting gamblers

Curiosity

• Today's mega resorts having must-see facilities motivate curiosity seekers to visit them

Amenity Offerings

• Hotels/casinos draw people to their health spas, hair salons, beauty parlors, barbershops, amusement centers, and theme parks