Key Concepts of Travel & Tourism PDF

KEY CONCEPTS OF TRAVEL & TOURISM 1. Main types of Tourism Tourism is the business of providing services such as transport, places to stay or entertainment for people who temporarily leave the place they normally live, work or study. It includes how they move around and what they do when they get...

KEY CONCEPTS OF TRAVEL & TOURISM 1. Main types of Tourism Tourism is the business of providing services such as transport, places to stay or entertainment for people who temporarily leave the place they normally live, work or study. It includes how they move around and what they do when they get there. Tourism is an industry worth lots of money to many countries around the world. Tourists travel from place to place using the services and facilities provided by the tourism organisations and industry. *Domestic Tourism* This is when a tourist travels within their own country of residence. Domestic tourism has advantages for tourists like: - 1\. Familiarity: Tourists are often familiar with the culture, language, and customs of their own country, making travel more comfortable and less stressful. - 2\. Cost Savings: Domestic travel typically incurs lower transportation and accommodation costs compared to international trips, allowing tourists to save money. - 3\. Accessibility: Domestic destinations are usually easier to reach, with shorter travel times and fewer logistical hurdles such as visas and language barriers. - 4\. Cultural Connection: Traveling domestically allows tourists to explore and appreciate their own country\'s diverse cultures, traditions, and heritage sites. - 5\. Supporting Local Economy: Tourism contributes to the local economy by generating revenue for small businesses, restaurants, hotels, and attractions, thereby fostering community development. - 6\. Environmental Impact: Domestic travel often involves shorter journeys, reducing carbon emissions associated with long-haul flights and promoting sustainable tourism practices. - 7\. Flexibility: Domestic tourists have more flexibility in planning their trips, as they are not bound by international travel restrictions or visa requirements. - 8\. Safety and Security: Traveling within one\'s own country may feel safer and more secure due to familiarity with local laws, emergency services, and healthcare facilities. 2. [Main Reasons why people travel] The reasons why people travel is categorized based on the tourist's main motivation for travel. There are three main reasons why people travel which are leisure, business, and visiting friends & family. *Leisure Travel* This is when tourists travel for the purpose of leisure, enjoyment or recreation which is commonly known as vacation/holiday. These travellers are known as leisure tourists. The most common types of holidays are sun, sea and sand holidays. However, there are a variety of types of holidays like sightseeing, shopping and pilgrimages. Leisure tourists are able to travel on times they are free from other commitments such as work, school or family responsibilities. In this time the main focus is enjoy and leisure travels vary in length from short breaks to even longer periods like 2 weeks. *Business Travel* This is when tourists travel for the purpose of work and they are known as business tourists. Business tourists travel alone or with other colleagues. Business travel is paid for by the company the tourist works for. In most cases the company chooses and organises the transport and accommodation for the business tourist. In other cases, the tourist is just given the budget and they have freedom to choose the transport and where to stay for themselves. Business tourists travel throughout the year with travels not being influenced by factors such as school holidays or weather like Leisure travel. Business tourists travel when their company tell them to and they return as soon as work is completed. Hence this means less time for sightseeing in the destination they be visiting. Different types of business travel are known by the acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions). Advances in technology and also changing global situation like the COVID-19 pandemic along with the increased knowledge and understanding of the environmental impact of travel have changed the way businesses communicate. More meetings are now being held virtually with guests joining a conference remotely or following industry developments online thus resulting in less need for business travel. Draw and Copy *Table 1.1* The Characteristics of different types of business travel on *page 8* *Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR)* VFR is when tourists travel for the primary purpose of visiting other people such as friends or family in-order to spent time with them. They are known as VFR tourists and this includes travelling to weddings and funerals. Most VFR tourists will stay with their friends or family making it cheaper for the tourist. However, this is less beneficial for the Travel & Tourism industry because the tourists are not spending money on hotels or other forms of accommodation which aids the local economy. This is only the setback yet VFR tourists also eats at restaurants and go shopping or spend money on goods and services in the area they visit. *Special Interest Travel* The reasons why people travel varies with some of these reasons being hard to fit into the common categories. Tourists may travel for a special purpose or special interest which is not business or VFR for example medical reasons. This is when a tourist can travel for a medical procedure such as surgery for the surgery might not be available in their own country or being cheaper in the country they visit. Other example include travel for cosmetic or dental procedure. Special interest travel can also include - Religious reasons- travel for religious journeys or pilgrimages to special places for example to Jerusalem or Mecca. - Adventure- travel aimed at having an adventurous activity like trekking, climbing or kayaking. - Cultural reasons- travel to learn or experience other cultures e.g., cultural exchange programme to South Korea. - Sports- travel to watch a sports team or take part in a sport e.g., taking part in a marathon in a different city or country. - Health and well-being- travel to improve happiness, health and wellness. An example of this is spa tourism. 1.3 [Sustainability in Travel and Tourism] Our actions in the present can affect the future for instance travelling to a tourist destination can cause pollution. Aircrafts, buses, cars, trains, boats, ships can cause air pollution. Tourism developments such as built affect the natural environment like how building airports means clearing of forests. Clean sea water can be polluted by waste water from hotels. Animal habitats can be damaged as well. Tourism developments can also affect the people who live in the destinations leading to traditional life being lost. An example is how developing a tourist resort near the sea can stop the local people from fishing hence losing ways of earning a living for some people. *Sustainability* This is about trying to protect the future environment and people's way of life from harm. Sustainable tourism today protects the future environment and people's way of life into the future. Tourists and tourism providers can behave in sustainable ways by reducing, reusing and recycling resources. *Sustainable Travel & Tourism* Sustainable travel and tourism is: travelling to destinations in ways that are sustainable e.g., travelling by train instead of by air; staying in and visiting destinations in ways that are sustainable e.g., staying in eco-friendly accommodation. Eco-friendly describes products and behaviours that do little or no harm to the natural environment. Ecotourism and Responsible tourism These are two types of sustainable tourism. Ecotourism is tourism for visitors who want to visit the natural environment. A tourist staying overnight at an organic farm in France is an example of an Ecotourist. The farm might provide eco-friendly accommodation if for example: - Meals are made from organic food produced on the farm. - Waste is recycled. - Electricity is generated on the farm using wind or solar power Ecotourism is responsible tourism because responsible tourism involves behaving respectfully towards the environment and local people. Tourism to any destination can be responsible if visitors behave respectfully towards the environment and the local people. Tourists to a city destination can be responsible tourists if they do no litter in the streets, do not make too much noise, hire a local tour guide, spent money in locally owned shops and restaurants. 4. [Characteristics of Travel & Tourism] The T&T industry has specific characteristics that make it different from other industries. Understanding these characteristics is essential in understanding T&T. *Products* There are two different types of T&T products which are goods and services. Goods are the physical products, items that are tangible and that you can touch and store e.g., a suitcase or a travel guidebook. A service is intangible, you cannot touch it as it is an action done on your behalf, for example a taxi ride from the airport to a hotel. *Services* Travel & Tourism is a service. It involves people doing things for the tourist. An example is when a tourist buys a ferry ticket, they are paying for the ride on the ferry at the stated time and experience the services provided on that trip. T&T organisations provide a wide variety of services e.g., transport, accommodation, guided tours, entertainment, visitor attractions, food and beverage, and currency exchange. *Intangible* T&T services are intangible. This makes it difficult for organisations to represent their service before the tourist buys it. As an example, a tourist cannot test or sample a ferry journey before purchasing the ticket, all they can do is read information provided about the journey and trust that it will meet their needs and wants as stated in the marketing material. Travel and Tourism services are experiences. The organisations sell a promise, of good customer service, and having all needs and wants met. This is problematic as different tourists can have different wants and needs. *Perishable* T&T products are perishable meaning they cannot be stored for use or sale at another time. If a ferry has a maximum of 200 tickets available for each specific journey and they sell only 150 tickets, it means they can't store the extra 50 tickets and sell them with the next journey. The tickets have perished and can no longer be used. This results in the ferry operator missing out on the sales and money. *Products: goods and services* Although T&T is a service, many organisations will also sell goods e.g., a museum may sell or provide guidebooks to increase tourist's enjoyment and understanding when at the museum, or a visitor attraction may sell souvenirs so tourists can remember their time at the attraction. At times it is difficult to determine if a product is a good or service. For a meal in a restaurant, the food provided is tangible therefore a good yet, the meal has been cooked & prepared by the chef which is an intangible service. Therefore, the meal in a restaurant can be considered both a good and service. All T&T products are provided for the enjoyment of tourists regardless of being a good or service. *Seasonality* Travel & Tourism is seasonal. Seasonality refers to the variations in tourism activity and visitor numbers that occur at different times of the year. This concept is crucial for understanding how travel and tourism industries operate, as it affects many aspects of the industry, including: 1\. Visitor Numbers: Different times of the year may attract varying numbers of tourists. For instance, a beach resort might see peak tourism during summer months and a significant drop in winter. 2\. Pricing and Revenue: Prices for accommodation, flights, and attractions often vary with the season. High season usually involves higher prices due to increased demand, while low season often features discounts and lower prices to attract visitors. 3\. Employment: Seasonality affects employment in the tourism sector. Many jobs may be seasonal, with more staff required during peak seasons and fewer staff needed during off-peak times. 4\. Marketing Strategies: Tourism businesses often tailor their marketing strategies to target different seasons. For example, promoting winter sports during the winter season or advertising summer beach holidays during the warmer months. 5\. Local Economy: The local economy of a tourist destination can be significantly impacted by seasonality. Regions dependent on tourism might experience economic fluctuations based on the time of year. 6\. Infrastructure and Services: Tourist infrastructure and services might be scaled up or down depending on the expected number of visitors. Seasonal closures or reduced services might occur during the off-peak period. Understanding seasonality helps businesses and destinations plan effectively, manage resources, and develop strategies to balance demand throughout the year. There is Peak Season and Off-peak season. Peak season is the time when T&T products have the greatest demand. Off-peak season is when T&T products have the least demand. *Dynamic* T&T products are dynamic. They are always changing and evolving as the industry tries to meet the needs and wants of customers, external influences and developments in technology. Travel and Tourism organisations have to adapt and change their products to meet changing customer demands. Likewise, tourists also want products they can adapt or personalise to their own specific needs and wants. For instance, tourists can book specific aircraft seats, meals and airport lounge experiences on the airline's websites. [1.5 Types of Tourists] In the IGCSE Travel and Tourism curriculum, understanding different types of tourists is important for analyzing travel behaviors and preferences. Here's a breakdown of the various types of tourists commonly studied: *Leisure Tourists* These are Tourists who travel primarily for enjoyment, relaxation, or recreation. They Seek destinations with attractions like beaches, cultural sites, and entertainment. Often travel during holidays, weekends, or vacation periods. Examples: Beachgoers, cultural explorers, adventure seekers. *Business Tourists* These are Tourists who travel for work-related purposes. They attend conferences, meetings, and business events. Travel may be less about leisure and more about professional obligations. Often stay in business-oriented accommodations like hotels with conference facilities. Examples: Conference delegates, corporate executives, sales representatives. *Adventure Tourists* These are Tourists who seek physically challenging and often unconventional experiences. They are Interested in activities like hiking, climbing, scuba diving, or safaris. Often look for destinations that offer unique or extreme sports. Examples: Mountain climbers, divers, trekkers. *Cultural Tourists* They are Tourists who travel to experience and learn about different cultures, traditions, and histories. They visit museums, historical sites, and cultural festivals. Interested in local arts, crafts, and culinary traditions. Examples: Museum visitors, festival-goers, history enthusiasts. *Ecotourists* These are Tourists who focus on visiting natural areas to conserve the environment and educate themselves about local ecosystems. Emphasize sustainability and environmental conservation. Participate in activities like wildlife observation and nature tours. Examples: Wildlife watchers, nature reserves visitors, eco-lodge guests. *Backpackers* Tourists who travel with minimal luggage and usually on a budget. Characteristics \- Often stay in hostels or budget accommodations. \- Seek to explore destinations independently and usually for extended periods. \- Examples: Youth travellers, gap year students, budget travellers. *Health Tourists* Definition: Tourists who travel specifically for medical or wellness-related purposes. Characteristics \- Visit destinations to receive medical treatments, therapies, or wellness services. \- Includes medical tourists, who seek procedures or treatments abroad, and wellness tourists, who focus on relaxation and health improvement. \- Examples: Patients seeking surgery abroad, spa and wellness retreat attendees. *Religious Tourists* Definition: Tourists who travel to participate in religious activities or to visit sacred sites. Characteristics \- Travel to places of religious significance, attend pilgrimages, or participate in spiritual events. \- Examples: Pilgrims to Mecca (Hajj), visitors to Vatican City, attendees of religious festivals. *Educational Tourists* Definition:Tourists who travel to gain educational experiences or participate in learning activities. Characteristics \- Involve study trips, language courses, or educational exchange programs. \- Often include school groups or individuals attending short courses or workshops. \- Examples: Study abroad students, participants in language immersion programs. *Luxury Tourists* Definition: Tourists who seek high-end, exclusive travel experiences and are willing to spend significantly. Characteristics: \- Prefer luxury accommodations, premium services, and exclusive experiences. \- Often travel to high-end destinations and enjoy high-quality amenities. \- Examples: Guests at luxury resorts, first-class travelers, private tour clients. Understanding these types of tourists helps in analyzing travel trends, preferences, and the specific needs of different market segments. It allows travel and tourism businesses to tailor their services and marketing strategies to effectively cater to each group.