SASS EGeog Tourism Gateway 2

Subject: Geography Topic: Global Tourism Gateway 2: Why has tourism become a global phenomenon? _____________________________________________________________________________________ In what ways is tourism changing? Trends in the global tourism industry • New patterns in tourism have developed and will continue to develop in the future - People can and want to travel further to destinations that were once considered unreachable - Nature and purpose of tourist travel have evolved • The trends can be in terms of destination, country of origin or tourist dollars in areas of: – International tourism – Domestic tourism • International tourism International tourist arrivals from 1950 to 2010 Before the 1980s: - Most of the tourist destinations were in developed regions, such as Europe and North America - Developed regions received 96% of all tourist arrivals in 1950 and 81% in 1980 After the 1980s: - Asia Pacific has shown an impressive growth in tourist arrivals - Asia Pacific has overtaken the Americas and Europe and become the second most visited region and the fastest growing region for international tourism Since the 1980s, international tourism has become increasingly diverse in its origins and its destinations with the Asia Pacific region has increased in popularity as a tourist destination • Domestic tourism • Has grown along with international tourism • Continues to be the most popular form of tourism • Worldwide in 2010: - 83% of all tourist arrivals were domestic tourism - 69% of all overnight stays in hotels represented by domestic tourism • Examples of countries where domestic tourism is important: - The Philippines World Europe Asia Pacific The Americas Middle East Africa

o International tourism receipts: US$3.2 billion o Domestic tourism receipts: US$22.9 billion • China o In the Lunar New Year, many employees take a break from work for up to two weeks o The Chinese often visit friends and relatives and go sightseeing • Evolution of mass tourism to niche tourism • Growth of tourism since the 1950s has allowed tourism to evolve into different forms • Transporation systems can now travel much faster while carrying more people, e.g. aeroplanes, buses, ships • The development in transport gave rise to mass tourism and long-haul destinations • Growth in income has led to the demand for niche tourism, which offer special-interest activities rarely offered in mass tourism • Has evolved into different forms: - Mass tourism - Package holidays - Niche tourism • Different forms of tourism classified in terms of distance: - Short-haul destinations - Long-haul destinations 1. Evolution of mass tourism to niche tourism: Mass tourism Mass tourism: Travel that involves numbers of tourists visiting a particular place t _ • Takes the form of a p holiday • Increased a and l time are factors that lead to mass tourism • For example: A group of tourists following a tour guide at the Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. 2. Evolution of mass tourism to niche tourism: Package Holidays Package holidays • Involve a tour usually arranged by travel agent, with transporation, accomodation and most meals included. Have been a major form of tourism since the 1970s • Include the service of guides who speak the local language and have knowledge relevant to tourists, e.g. location and history of sites • Other sightseeing options may be included at an additional costs. 3. Evolution of mass tourism to niche tourism: Niche Tourism Niche tourism: Special-interest tourism based on a particular area, interest or activity • Done by independent travellers or combined with package tours • Appeals to travellers who seek ‘new’ destinations, activities and experiences • For examples: a. Special interests: Whale-watching in Hawaii

b. Adventure holidays: Whitewater rafting and bunjee jumping in New Zealand • These are niche tourism because they are special-interest tourism based on a particular area, interest or activity, in this case whale-watching or whitewater rafting. They appeal to travellers who seek ‘new’ destinations, activities and experiences. As such, these activities are unlikely to appeal to a broad group of travellers, but rather only to those who specifically seek out these activities. • Ecotourism: Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the Environment and improves the well-being of local people. It is a form of niche tourism. • Helps travellers better appreciate natural beauty and biodiversity. • Provides funds for ecological conservation. • Enables tourism to directly benefit local communities involved in tourism • Fosters respect for different cultures and lifestyles • Involves visiting relatively natural areas, e.g. national parks, nature reserves, marine parks • Regulations limit camping, walking, waste disposal and disturbance of vegetation and wildlife • Regulations help conserve natural environments for future generations • Six principles of ecotourism according to TIES: 1. Minimise impact (on environment and local culture) 2. Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect 3. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts 4. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation 5. Provide financial benefits and empowerment of local people 6. Raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental and social climate • For example: Waitomo Caves in New Zealand - Tours managed by New Zealand government and local Maori (indigenous people) - Managers closely monitor conditions to ensure minimal human impact on its environment - Scientific advisory committee helps to monitor cave and recommend best tourism practices - Tour operations closely monitored - Tours halted if carbon dioxide levels reach 2,400 parts per million - Managers control the number of tourists who enter caves - Local Maori benefit from: • A portion of the entrance fees • Income from employment as cave staff Note: 1. Examples of the principle of tourism that is upheld by the following a) Income which Maori people receive for their partnership in running the caves. - ‘Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people’ b) Limit on the number of tourists who enter the caves. - ‘Minimise impact’ - ‘Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect’ - ‘Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts’ c) Use of entrance fees to pay the salaries of people who maintain the caves. - ‘Provide direct financial benefits for conservation’ - ‘Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people’

What influences tourism trends? Tourism trends can be influenced by different factors: - Travel expenses - Travel budget - Travel time - Type of attractions - Cleanliness - Security of the place • Decisions that tourists make can cause tourism in an area to grow, stagnate or decline • The growth in global tourism is caused by - Developments in technology, - Demand factors - Destination factors. Developments in technology • Technology: Application of scientific knowledge to develop machines, equipment, and ways of doing things • Transport and communication-related technology have changed the scale and ease of global tourism • These developments have occurred in the form of: - Better and affordable transport o Great improvements in safety o Shorter travelling Tiger Airways o Cheaper than major commercial airlines (smaller and more fuel-efficient aircraft) o Typically fly to short-haul destinations o Costs further reduced by selling tickets o _ o Has helped increased the number of international travellers by: – Enabling more people to travel internationally and more frequently – Giving travellers opportunity to go on holidays f away from home – Enabling travellers to go to destinations not c by major commercial airlines, e.g. Bhutan, the Pacific islands, Northern Thailand, an