Macro Perspective of Tourism and Hospitality
Elements of Travel
There are four basic elements used to define travelers or tourists:
Distance: This differentiates local travel (within a person's home
community) from nonlocal travel (away from home). A trip is defined
as traveling at least 100 miles away from home and returning
Length of Stay: A tourist is someone who stays at least one night in
a destination. An excursionist does not stay overnight in the country
they visit.
Residence of the Traveler: This refers to the origin of the person
traveling/traveler.
Purpose of Travel: Reasons for travel can include visiting friends and
relatives, conventions, business, outdoor recreation, entertainment,
and personal or family matters.
The Nature of a Tour
Tours can be categorized in a few ways:
Domestic vs. International: Domestic tourism is travel within a
person's own country. International tourism involves traveling across
international borders.
Independent vs. Package: An independent tour is when a tourist
purchases transport and accommodation separately. A package tour,
also known as an inclusive tour, is an arrangement where a tourist
buys transportation and accommodation at a single, all-inclusive price.
There has two kinds of purchasing package totoursur: Independent
Inclusive Tour and Group Inclusive Tour.
Tourist Product: This is what a tourist buys. It's a combination of what the
tourist does at a destination and the services they use while there.
o Characteristics: It is a service, its appeal is psychological, its
quality can vary, and its supply is fixed.
Tourist Destination: This is the geographical area a tourist visits and stays
in.
o Success Factors: The success of a destination depends on the
relationship between three factors:
Attractions: These can be natural or man-made. Site
attractions are when the destination itself is appealing,
while event attractions are based on what is happening
there.
Amenities or Facilities: These include things like
lodging, food, local transportation, communication, and
entertainment.
Accessibility: This refers to having convenient and
reasonably priced transportation to the destination from
the traveler's home country.
Tourist Services
The main types of tourist services are:
Passenger transport.
Accommodation, food and beverages, and entertainment.
Services offered by travel agents and tour operators.
Characteristics and Importance of Tourism and Hospitality
Key Characteristics:
o The consumer must travel to the product; it is not brought to
them.
o The industry is labor-intensive, requiring more manpower than
other industries.
o It is a people-oriented, seasonal, and dynamic industry.
Importance:
o It contributes to the balance of payments.
o It helps in the dispersion of development.
o It has an effect on general economic development and provides
employment opportunities.
o It offers social benefits, cultural enrichment, and educational
significance.
o It is considered a vital force for peace.