Tourism - Nature and Spatial Patterns
Tourism includes the activities of people traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for less than one year. This includes for the purposes of leisure, business, family reunion, etc.
The tourism industry is a collection of diverse service industries, supplying the services demanded by the consumers (the tourists). Included in the industry are: travel agents, banking services, insurance services, luggage suppliers, taxi/bus/car hire, tour guides, accommodation, shops, laundry/dry cleaning.
Factors influencing tourism since in the past couple of decades:
SARS/Bird Flu epidemic
More GAP Year experiences
Bali/London, Madrid bombings
Decreased travel times
Technology advances – communication, transport, etc
September 11, 2001 attacks
An increasing aging population
Global Financial Crisis
Volcanoes – Hawaii, Iceland, Indonesia, etc
Higher incomes
People receiving more holidays
Tourists: temporary visitors staying over 24hrs in the country visited, whose journey falls into one of the following categories: leisure, recreation, holiday, sport, health, study, religion, business, family or friends. The type of tourism a person undertakes depends on interest, budget and the duration of the visit.
Domestic tourism: travel within the country in which the tourist lives
International tourism: travel to a country outside of which the tourist lives.
Ecotourism: tourism in remote or natural areas that aims to enhance knowledge and appreciation of the natural environment and cultural heritage without damaging the environment or the experience for others.
The tourism industry is a collection of diverse service industries, supplying the services demanded by the consumers (the tourists). Included in the industry are: travel agents, banking services, insurance services, luggage suppliers, taxi/bus/car hire, tour guides, accommodation, shops, laundry/dry cleaning.
Factors influencing tourism since in the past couple of decades:
SARS/Bird Flu epidemic
More GAP Year experiences
Bali/London, Madrid bombings
Decreased travel times
Technology advances – communication, transport, etc
September 11, 2001 attacks
An increasing aging population
Global Financial Crisis
Volcanoes – Hawaii, Iceland, Indonesia, etc
Higher incomes
People receiving more holidays
Tourists: temporary visitors staying over 24hrs in the country visited, whose journey falls into one of the following categories: leisure, recreation, holiday, sport, health, study, religion, business, family or friends. The type of tourism a person undertakes depends on interest, budget and the duration of the visit.
Domestic tourism: travel within the country in which the tourist lives
International tourism: travel to a country outside of which the tourist lives.
Ecotourism: tourism in remote or natural areas that aims to enhance knowledge and appreciation of the natural environment and cultural heritage without damaging the environment or the experience for others.
Nature of Tourism
The tourism industry is a collection of diverse service industries, supplying the services demanded by the consumers (the tourists). Included in the industry are: travel agents, banking services, insurance services, luggage suppliers, taxi/bus/car hire, tour guides, accommodation, shops, laundry/dry cleaning.
Tourism is “travel away from your normal place of work and residence, including travel undertaken for business and pleasure”
Tourism is “the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes.
Types of Tourism:
Tourism market trends UNWTO
Tourism development
Read about Cosmetic surgery: "Extreme makeover" death sparks coroner's warning to medical tourists
Photos of dark tourism sites from around the world
Countries by number of ski resorts.
Tourism is “travel away from your normal place of work and residence, including travel undertaken for business and pleasure”
Tourism is “the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes.
Types of Tourism:
- Group/Package tours
- Adventure Tourism
- Medical Tourism
- Sports Tourism
- Agricultural
- Educational Tourism
- Ecotourism
- Sex Tourism
- Cultural Tourism
- Extreme Sports
- Religious Tourism
- Dark Tourism
Tourism market trends UNWTO
Tourism development
Read about Cosmetic surgery: "Extreme makeover" death sparks coroner's warning to medical tourists
Photos of dark tourism sites from around the world
Countries by number of ski resorts.
Spatial Patterns of Tourism
Destination Countries:
Most popular destinations include Western Europe and North America. Visitors have been increasing to China and some other Asia-Pacific destinations, Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
Euromonitor International's top ten cities visited by tourists in 2017 included Hong Kong, Bangkok, London, Singapore, Dubai, Macau, Paris, New York, Shenzen, Kuala Lumpur. Read more Asia: Top Ten City Destinations
Predicted popular destinations for 2018 include Petra, Mauritius, Shanghai, Lisbon, Hamburg, the American Southwest, Budapest, Toronto, Kyoto, Oahu, Alaska, Mexico City, Turks and Caicos, Antarctica, Aukland, Greenland, Brussels, Miami Beach, Matera, Buenos Aires, Napa, Philadelphia. To learn more, read 22 of 2018's Hottest Destinations According to Trend Reports.
Intrepid identified the Middle East as a key travel destination for 2018, with 57.8% growth in travel to Palestinian territories, and new tours operating in Iran and Jordan. Less visited sites in Europe are thought to be more popular in 2018 including Belarus, Cyprus and Moldova. Canada is experiencing large growth in visitors. Some more remote areas will gain popularity including Ethiopia, Bhutan and Kazakhstan. Learn more by reading 10 Travel Trends for 2018.
According to a 2013 study, the most welcoming countries for tourists were Iceland, New Zealand, Morocco, Ireland, Canada, Austria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and some parts of West Africa. Countries considered least welcoming to tourists were Bolivia, Venezuela, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, Korea and parts of Eastern Europe. To read more, click A surprising map of the countries that are most and least welcoming to foreigners.
Travel warnings and reports of attacks on tourist can discourage people from visiting particular locations. Click The most dangerous countries for tourists in maps to read about some countries that tourists are discouraged from visiting.
Tourism in Australia
Explore statistics of tourists to Australia by clicking Tourism Australia - Statistics
Examine the interactive graph on Visitor arrivals by clicking Interactive Arrivals Dashboard.
Tourism in Australia - DFAT infographic
Areas which were formerly "off limits" are now opening up to tourism.
In 2011 the heavily contaminated area around Chernobyl opened to tourists, with tours running within the 30-mile exclusion zone. In 1986 a nuclear reactor exploded killing many people and exposing those in the surrounding area with nuclear fallout. Trips enable tourists to see the reactor site, abandoned homes and buildings. Read more...Chernobyl: now open to tourists.
Iran has become a popular tourist site since it became more open to visitors a few years ago. British Airways and Luftansa have resumed direct flights into Iran, and international hotel chains are opening new accommodation for visitors. Iran attracts young backpackers drawn to the culture and history and seeking cheap accommodation. Read more...
Iran tourism industry is booming
Iran opens doors to tourists as Rouhani fosters thaw in relations with the west
Attempts to diversify North Korea's economy have include development of tourist activities. Read Tourism in North Korea - The Secret State is opening up.
Libya is trying to open its doors to tourism to take advantage of its natural sites and culture. Despite Roman and Greek ruins and pristine beaches, there are a number of barriers to tourism in Libya such as heavily armed militias and terrorism threats. Read Libya begins tentative voyage towards becoming tourist hotspot of the future
Is Jordan safe to visit? Peaceful kingdom's tourism boom: Top five things to do.
Countries of Origin
Main sources of tourists include Western Europe, North America, Japan and Newly Industrialised Countries (NICs). Most Tourists come from the developed industrialised countries of the world and have relatively high disposable incomes. Tourism could be considered a “first-world” luxury.
Countries which are most reliant on tourism (more than 7% of GPD) include Mexico, Malta, Croatia, Panama, Jamaica, Thailand, Morocco, Greece, Iceland, Hong Kong, and Lebanon. Countries with the largest tourism industries include the United States, China and Germany. For further details read Mapped: The world's dependency on the Travel Industry
In 2016, Chinese tourist spent more than $US261 billion on international travel. This figure will continue to grow as more Chinese begin to travel. Chinese traveller spend more than a fifth of money spent on tourism according to the UNWTO. Read more...
Top countries for Chinese tourists: The impact of Chinese tourism on the globe
Chinese tourists: "Finally we are seeing the world"
In Australia, Chinese tourists are known to engage in packaged tours and travel en masse, but more recently Chinese tourists to Australia have begun breaking away from this pattern and doing self-drive tours and caravanning. Read Chinese tourists look beyond the package tour and hit the road.
IN NSW, the fastest growing tourism markets include India, China, Taiwan, USA and Hong Kong. Read more...Tourism boosted by Indian visitor boom
Most popular destinations include Western Europe and North America. Visitors have been increasing to China and some other Asia-Pacific destinations, Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
Euromonitor International's top ten cities visited by tourists in 2017 included Hong Kong, Bangkok, London, Singapore, Dubai, Macau, Paris, New York, Shenzen, Kuala Lumpur. Read more Asia: Top Ten City Destinations
Predicted popular destinations for 2018 include Petra, Mauritius, Shanghai, Lisbon, Hamburg, the American Southwest, Budapest, Toronto, Kyoto, Oahu, Alaska, Mexico City, Turks and Caicos, Antarctica, Aukland, Greenland, Brussels, Miami Beach, Matera, Buenos Aires, Napa, Philadelphia. To learn more, read 22 of 2018's Hottest Destinations According to Trend Reports.
Intrepid identified the Middle East as a key travel destination for 2018, with 57.8% growth in travel to Palestinian territories, and new tours operating in Iran and Jordan. Less visited sites in Europe are thought to be more popular in 2018 including Belarus, Cyprus and Moldova. Canada is experiencing large growth in visitors. Some more remote areas will gain popularity including Ethiopia, Bhutan and Kazakhstan. Learn more by reading 10 Travel Trends for 2018.
According to a 2013 study, the most welcoming countries for tourists were Iceland, New Zealand, Morocco, Ireland, Canada, Austria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and some parts of West Africa. Countries considered least welcoming to tourists were Bolivia, Venezuela, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, Korea and parts of Eastern Europe. To read more, click A surprising map of the countries that are most and least welcoming to foreigners.
Travel warnings and reports of attacks on tourist can discourage people from visiting particular locations. Click The most dangerous countries for tourists in maps to read about some countries that tourists are discouraged from visiting.
Tourism in Australia
Explore statistics of tourists to Australia by clicking Tourism Australia - Statistics
Examine the interactive graph on Visitor arrivals by clicking Interactive Arrivals Dashboard.
Tourism in Australia - DFAT infographic
Areas which were formerly "off limits" are now opening up to tourism.
In 2011 the heavily contaminated area around Chernobyl opened to tourists, with tours running within the 30-mile exclusion zone. In 1986 a nuclear reactor exploded killing many people and exposing those in the surrounding area with nuclear fallout. Trips enable tourists to see the reactor site, abandoned homes and buildings. Read more...Chernobyl: now open to tourists.
Iran has become a popular tourist site since it became more open to visitors a few years ago. British Airways and Luftansa have resumed direct flights into Iran, and international hotel chains are opening new accommodation for visitors. Iran attracts young backpackers drawn to the culture and history and seeking cheap accommodation. Read more...
Iran tourism industry is booming
Iran opens doors to tourists as Rouhani fosters thaw in relations with the west
Attempts to diversify North Korea's economy have include development of tourist activities. Read Tourism in North Korea - The Secret State is opening up.
Libya is trying to open its doors to tourism to take advantage of its natural sites and culture. Despite Roman and Greek ruins and pristine beaches, there are a number of barriers to tourism in Libya such as heavily armed militias and terrorism threats. Read Libya begins tentative voyage towards becoming tourist hotspot of the future
Is Jordan safe to visit? Peaceful kingdom's tourism boom: Top five things to do.
Countries of Origin
Main sources of tourists include Western Europe, North America, Japan and Newly Industrialised Countries (NICs). Most Tourists come from the developed industrialised countries of the world and have relatively high disposable incomes. Tourism could be considered a “first-world” luxury.
Countries which are most reliant on tourism (more than 7% of GPD) include Mexico, Malta, Croatia, Panama, Jamaica, Thailand, Morocco, Greece, Iceland, Hong Kong, and Lebanon. Countries with the largest tourism industries include the United States, China and Germany. For further details read Mapped: The world's dependency on the Travel Industry
In 2016, Chinese tourist spent more than $US261 billion on international travel. This figure will continue to grow as more Chinese begin to travel. Chinese traveller spend more than a fifth of money spent on tourism according to the UNWTO. Read more...
Top countries for Chinese tourists: The impact of Chinese tourism on the globe
Chinese tourists: "Finally we are seeing the world"
In Australia, Chinese tourists are known to engage in packaged tours and travel en masse, but more recently Chinese tourists to Australia have begun breaking away from this pattern and doing self-drive tours and caravanning. Read Chinese tourists look beyond the package tour and hit the road.
IN NSW, the fastest growing tourism markets include India, China, Taiwan, USA and Hong Kong. Read more...Tourism boosted by Indian visitor boom
