WHERE WE ARE CELEBRATING WORLD TOURISM DAY TODAY,
HOW ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF TOURISM A LITLLE CLOSER?
World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on September 27. Tourism is much more than traveling for me and many professionals who have spent many years in this sector.
So, in short, what is Tourism beyond the perception of traveling or vacationing? What is a tourist? How and when did tourism begin in the world and our country? What are the essentials of tourism? Have you ever wondered?
We have examined these concepts for you on this special day that is very meaningful for us.
Here is everything you want to know about Tourism
HAPPY WORLD TOURISM DAY!
Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as an international observance on September 27. This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted. The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism.
The first step to understanding the meaning of tourism is to equip yourself with a clear tourism definition. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines tourism as people “traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment” for leisure, business, or other purposes. For travel to qualify as tourism under this definition, it must last more than 24 hours and not last more than one year.
Moreover, tourism can be divided into domestic tourism, which occurs within one country, or international tourism, where a person travels outside their country.
People have always had a need to travel, be it to explore and discover new lands or for our own enjoyment. Tourism covers precisely the latter.
A Brief History of Tourism
We can trace the origin of the modern concept of tourism back to the 17th century when young nobles from Western and northern European countries made what was called the Grand Tour: a trip around Europe (usually covering France, Germany, Italy, and Greece) with the main purpose of soaking up the history, art and cultural heritage. It was considered a perfect way to be educated.
By the 18th century, this custom was widespread among wealthier classes and it spread to other parts of the world, such as America. Similarly, religious pilgrimages that were already popular during the Middle Ages continued during this period.
The Industrial Revolution, which began in the second half of the 18th century, produced a major economic, social, and technological transformation that would spread to the rest of the world. As a result of these changes, there was an exodus from rural regions to growing big cities, which needed labor for the new industry.
Therefore, new social classes appeared. Developments in transport were also key. The improvements in freight and passenger transport contributed to the birth of leisure, and new forms of entertainment and travel. People traveled mainly by train, taking advantage of the fact that railway networks connected the destinations in Europe and other parts of the world.
The 19th century saw the creation of the first travel agencies. One of the pioneers was Thomas Cook & Son, who was the first to offer excursions and holidays for groups, which included transport, accommodation, and food tickets, thus making costs cheaper. This would be the origin of what we now know as package holidays.
In the first half of the 20th century, the tourism industry continued to grow thanks to the mass production of buses and cars. Coastal tourism began to gain importance and, after World War II, the Mediterranean coast quickly grew in popularity. Also, improvements in air transport (charter flights) as well as progress in labour legislation and a growth in social welfare led to a boom in tourism.
The tourism sector suffered a recession during the 1970s, mainly due to the energy crisis, leading to lower costs and prices. That’s when mass tourism emerged. Traveling went from being something only for an exclusive group to becoming a leisure activity within the reach of many.
In the following decades, there was a progressive internationalization of hotel companies, travel agencies and airlines. New products and new leisure activities were also offered, revolving around sports and health, among others.
Today, the tourism sector has become one of the great economic engines in many countries, forming part of the international political agenda. In recent years, with low-cost flights and the existence of alternative accommodations, managed by online companies, it is much easier for tourists to afford to travel and they can design their itinerary and experiences to their liking.
Tourism is a major contributor to many countries’ economies, and popular tourist destinations will often include a wide range of businesses specifically designed to cater to travelers from other locations.
The Components of Tourism
Tourist – people who visit a certain place or event
Natural Resources/Environment – nature or appearance of its landscape
Build Environment – infrastructure, culture, superstructure, technology and governance
Operating Sectors of the Tourism Industry – transportation, accommodation, food services, attraction, adventure/outdoor recreation, entertainment
The nine pillars of tourism are the nine key elements without which organized travel wouldn’t exist as we know it. They are the foundation of tourism and key sectors that support the industry. These are the 9 pillars of tourism:
Accommodation
Adventure and recreation
Attractions
Catering facilities
Entertainment
Events
Transportation
Travel Agencies & Tourism Services
Tourism planning and development
Benefits of Tourism
As a concept, tourism has the potential to deliver significant benefits. In this section, we discuss the positive tourism meaning. These positive consequences of tourist activity can be broadly divided into two main categories, as outlined below:
Economic and Infrastructural Benefits
First, it is crucial to understand that tourism can deliver significant economic and infrastructural benefits for the country receiving guests. Tourists will likely spend money in the local area, including shopping, paying for accommodation, visiting bars and restaurants, attending visitor attractions, and buying souvenirs.
The presence of tourists, meanwhile, can also produce benefits in terms of local infrastructure. Transport links are likely to improve to accommodate these visitors, new hotels are likely to be built, road systems may be improved to deal with the additional traffic, and all of this can provide jobs for residents.
Social and Cultural Benefits
Aside from the economic and infrastructural benefits associated with tourism, it is also worth highlighting that tourism can deliver social and cultural positives. For instance, bringing people from different cultures into contact with one another can help to expand cultural awareness and improve social cohesion.
The influx of tourists to a location can help to provide clear reasoning for investing in the upkeep of sites of cultural value. Moreover, this investment in the local area can potentially help to preserve historic buildings, maintain areas of natural beauty, and lead to the general upkeep of urban and rural environments.
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