Tourism

Tourism is one of the world’s fastest growing industries and a major foreign
exchange and employment generation for many countries. It is one of the most
remarkable economic and social phenomena.
The world ‘tour’ is derived from the Latin word tornus, meaning ‘a tool for making
a circle’. Tourism may be defined as the movement of the people from their
normal place of residence to another place ( with the intention to return) for a
minimum period of twenty-four hours to the maximum of six months for the sole
purpose of leisure and pleasure.
According to WTO (1993) ” Tourism encompasses the activities of persons
traveling and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than
one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other purposes.”
The Rome conference on tourism in 1963 defined tourism as ‘ a visit to a
country other than one’s own or where one usually resides and works’. This
definition, however, did not take into account domestic tourism, which has
become an important money-spinner and job generator for the hospitality
industry.
The UNWTO defines tourists as ‘ people who travel to and stay in place outside
their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure,
business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity
remunerated from within the place visited’.
According to the Tourism Society of Britain,” tourism is the temporary short-
period movement of people to destination outside the places where they
normally live, work; and activities during their stay at these destinations.” This
definition includes the movement of people for all purposes.
The development of technology and transportation infrastructure, such as
jumbos jets, low-cost airlines, and more accessible airports have made tourism
affordable and convenient. There have been changes in lifestyle – for example,
now retiree-age people sustain tourism around the year. The sale of tourism
products on the internet, besides the aggressive marketing of the tour
operators and travel agencies, has also contributed to the growth of tourism.
Types of Tourism
Tourism has two types and many forms on the bases of the purpose of visit and
alternative forms of tourism. Tourism can be categorized
as international and domestic tourism.

Tourism has two types and various forms. On the basis of the movement of
people tourism categorized into two types. These are following as:

International Tourism
When people visit a foreign country, it is referred to as International Tourism. In
order to travel to a foreign country, one need a valid passport, visa, health
documents, foreign exchange, etc.
International tourism further divides into two types; Inbound Tourism &
Outbound Tourism.

Inbound Tourism
This refers to tourists of outside origin entering a particular country. When
people travel outside their host/native country to another country, then it is
called inbound tourism for that country where he/she is traveling. For example
when a tourist from Indian origin travels to Japan then it is  Inbound tourism for
Japan because foreign tourist comes to Japan.

Outbound Tourism
This refers to tourists traveling from the country of their origin to another
country. When tourists travel a foreign region than it is outbound tourism for his
own country because he/she is going outside their country. For example when a
tourist from India travel to Japan then it is outbound tourism for India and
Inbound tourism for Japan.

Domestic Tourism
The tourism activity of the people within their own country is known as domestic
tourism. Traveling within the same country is easier because it does not require
formal travel documents and tedious formalities like compulsory health check
and foreign exchange. In domestic tourism, a traveler generally does not face
much language problems or currency exchange issues.
Forms of Tourism
Tourism has various forms on the basis of purpose of visit and alternative forms.
These are further divided into many types according to their nature. Forms of
tourism are following as :
Some most important forms of tourism are following as:

1. Adventure Tourism
2. Atomic Tourism
3. Bicycle Tours
4. Beach Tourism
5. Cultural Tourism
6. Ecotourism
7. Geotourism
8. Industrial Tourism
9. Medical Tourism
10. Religious Tourism
11. Rural Tourism
12. Sex Tourism
13. Space Tourism
14. Sports Tourism
15. Sustainable Tourism
16. Virtual Tourism
17. War Tourism
18. Wildlife Tourism
Classification of Tourism
Tourism can be classified into six distinct categories according to the purpose
of travel. These are following as:
1) Recreational: Recreational or leisure tourism takes a person away from the
humdrum of everyday life. In this case, people spend their leisure time at the hills,
sea beaches etc.
2) Cultural: Cultural tourism satisfies the cultural and intellectual curiosity and
involves visits to ancient monuments, places of historical or religious importance,
etc.
3) Sports/Adventure: Trips have taken by people with a view to playing golf,
skiing and hiking, fall within this category.
4) Health: Under this category, people travel for medical, treatment or visit places
where there are curative possibilities, for example, hot springs, spa yoga, etc.
5) Convention Tourism: It is becoming an increasingly important component of
travel. People travel within a country or overseas to attend conventions relating
to their business, profession or interest.
6) Incentive Tourism: Holiday trips are offered as incentives by major companies
to dealers and salesmen who achieve high targets in sales. This is a new and
expanding phenomenon in tourism, These are in lieu of cash incentives or gifts,
Today incentive tourism is a 3 billion dollar business in the USA alone.
Impacts of Tourism
Establishing or developing a tourism industry involves expenditure as well as
gains, costs, and benefits. If these impacts are taken into consideration from the
outset of planning, strengths and opportunities can be maximized while
weaknesses and threats can be minimized.Each destination will be different in
terms of tourism characteristics. The cost and benefits of tourism will vary in each
destination and can change over time, depending on tourism and other activities
in a destination’s local and regional context.

Economic Impacts
Tourism activities impact the economy of the country as well as the local
economy of the destination.

Economics Benefits
 Tourism generates local employment, directly in the tourism sector and in
support and resource management sectors.
 Tourism stimulates profitable domestic industries, hotels and other lodging
facilities, restaurants and food services, transportation systems, handicrafts,
and guide services.
 Tourism generates foreign exchange for the country and injects capital and
new money into the local economy.
 Tourism helps to diversify the local economy.
 Improved tourism infrastructure.
 Increase tax revenues from tourism.

Economic Costs
 Higher demand created by tourism activity may increase the price of land,
housing and a range of commodities necessary for daily life.
 Demands on health services provision and police service increase during
the tourist seasons at the expense of the local tax base.
Social Impacts
Tourism also affects the society of the destination in good as well as bad ways. It
benefits and costs the local communities.

Social Benefits
 The quality of a community can be enhanced by economic diversification
through tourism.
 Recreational and cultural facilities created for tourism can be used by local
communities as well as domestic/international visitors.
 Public spaced may be developed and enhanced through tourism activity.
 Tourism Enhances local community’s esteem and provides an opportunity
for greater understanding and communication among people of diverse
background.
Social Costs
 Rapid tourism growth can result in the inability of local amenities and
institutions to meet service demands.
 Without proper planning and management, litter, vandalism, and crime
often accompany tourism development.
 Tourism can bring overcrowding and traffic congestion.
 Visitors bring with them material wealth and apparent freedom. The youths
of the host community are particularly susceptible to the economic
expectations these tourists bring and can result in complete disruption of
traditional community ways of life.
 The community structure may change, e.g. community bonds,
demographics, and institutions.
 The authenticity of the social and cultural environment can be changed to
meet tourism demands.

Cultural Impacts
Tourism activities also affect the culture of the host country. There are many
positive and negative cultural impact of tourism.
Cultural Benefits
 Tourism can enhance local cultural awareness.
 Tourism can generate revenue to help pay for the preservation of
archaeological sites, historic buildings, and districts.
 Despite criticism about the alteration of cultures to unacceptable levels, the
sharing of cultural knowledge and experience can be beneficial for hosts and
guests of tourism destinations and can result in the revival of local traditions
and crafts.
Cultural Costs
 Youth in the community begin to emulate the speech and attire of tourists.
 Historic sites can be damaged through tourism development and
pressures.
 There can be long-term damage to cultural traditions and the erosion of
cultural values, resulting in cultural change beyond a level acceptable to the
host destination.

Environmental Impact
Tourism impacts on the environment in positive as well as negative way. These
impacts are following below.

Environmental Benefits
 Parks and nature preserves may be created and ecological preservation
supported as a necessity for nature-based tourism.
 Improved waste management can be achieved.
 Increased awareness and concern for the environment can result from
nature-based tourism activities and development.
Environmental Costs
 A negative change in the physical integrity of the area.
 Rapid development, over-development, and overcrowding can forever
change the physical environment and ecosystems of an area.
 Degradation of parks and preserves.