Tourism
1.1 Introduction
Tourism is related to travelling and travelling is naturally a human character. Man needs change and travel provides the change. The great American writer Mark Twain has aptly said that even heaven can be boring after a while. Travel has had a fascination for man. He has been travelling throughout the ages. During that time travel was there but ‘tourism’ was not there. Because travel was not undertaken for the purpose of pleasure at that time and their motive was not to seek holiday from the routine work. The primary motive of their travel was trade and commerce or pilgrimage or to explore. The basic concept of tourism ‘ pleasure at leisure’ was not there. When people learned to travel for pleasure, the concept of tourism started. Learning to differentiated between work and leisure creates tourism. So tourism is related to the movement of people from one place to another in leisure time for the purpose of getting pleasure.
The word ‘ Tourism’ did not appear in English language until the early nineteenth century. The word was derived from French language ‘ tourisme’. The literal meaning is ‘ the practice of touring or travelling’. It is a new concept and its significance phenomena of modern times.
It is difficult to describe tourism, as it is an experience rather than a tangible object. It is related to service. The Oxford Dictionary defines the word ‘tourism’ as organizing touring or services for tourists. So the word tourism involves three basic elements: tour, tourist and to organize a business to provide the travel related services. Tourism in this sense is a service industry operated to facilitate the tour for the tourists.
At the same time traditional authorities are not confirmed whether tourism is to be considered as industry or not. They prefer to call it ‘activity’ rather than ‘industry’. They say that it is an activity that takes place when people move to some other place for leisure or business and stay at least for 24 hours. In this modern world tourism has been well accepted as service industry, although, it encompasses a wide variety of products and individual industries.
Before defining the subject confusion may rise between Tourism and Travel and Tourism. Travel and Tourism is the term most often used in North America. For the sake of convenience and easy to understand the term tourism is used in this book, which is the word used in Nepal for Travel and Tourism industry. Student should be aware that no conceptual difference is implied between the two expressions in this book.
Some authors describe tourism as a system, Tourism as a system concepts of four interrelated parts: Market, Travel, Destination and Marketing. Market is the customer or potential customer as tourist. The second segment of tourism is travel, which includes mode of transport. Third segment consist of destination. The destination includes attractions, accommodation and facilities. The business organizations involved in this process jointly or individually encourage people to travel through the process of marketing and different organizations are involved in providing services. So in this sense tourism involves different aspects.
Tourism is a compound of different elements. It does not exist in isolation. To understand tourism it is necessary to know about the various components, which together make tourism. Tourism is made of 4A’s as follows
1. Attraction – Local
2. Accessibility that is transportation
3. Accommodation
4. Amenities – Facilities/ Services
Movement of the people is the most important elements of tourism which asks for transport. Transport is so much associated with travel and tourism that many use them synonymously. The mode of transport may be motor car, a coach, an aeroplane, ship or a train, which enables a traveler to reach his/her predetermined destination. The attractions are the holiday destinations, which attracts tourists. The attractions are either man-made or natural. The man-made attraction includes various things such as city, historical places, museums, zoo, etc and natural attractions are like sunshine, scenic beauty. Accommodation is another basic component of tourism. Tourist need accommodation and food at their destination. Amenities are necessary aid to become tourism. In tourism the facilities or services are added to transport, accommodation or to the attraction. By adding the concept of service a transport becomes tourist transport, accommodation centre becomes tourist hotels and attraction becomes tourist destination.
Ramesh Raj Kunwar defines tourism in his book Tourism and Development as:
“ Tourism is the result of temporary movement of people to destinations outside their normal places of work and residence, the activities undertaken during their stay in those destinations, and the facilities created to cater to their needs.”
Austrian economist Hermann Van Scheullard gave the first destination of tourism in 1910. He defines tourism as:
“The sum total of operations mainly of economic nature, which directly related to the entry, stay and movement of foreigners inside and out side a certain country, city or region.”
In the above definition, Mr. Hermann has tried to clarify a few points. The tourism is the result of total operation. It is the sum of the operations. It is the total of the different activities related to the entry, stay and movement of the foreigners and the operations must the able to generate economy. The definition is not universally acceptable as it ignores the local or domestic tourists.
In 1942, two Swiss professors Walter Hunziker and Kurt Krapf defines tourism as:
“ Tourism is the sum of the phenomena and relationship arising from the travel and stay of non resident, in so far as they do not lead to permanent resident and are not connected with any earning activity.”
The international conference on leisure, recreation and tourism held by ALEST ( Association of International Scientific Expert in Tourism 1981) define tourism as:
“Tourism may be define in term of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home environment. Tourism may or may not involve overnight stay away from home”.
In 1976 Tourism Society of England defines tourism as:
“Tourism is the temporary short-term movement of people to destination, outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at these destination. It includes movement for all purpose, as well as day visits or excursions”.
Tourism is a subject to be defined by those who practice it. According to the World Tourism Organization the people travelling for business or professional purpose can also be considered as tourists. According to this definition tourism is about the people being away from their own homes on short term, temporary visits, for particular tourism purpose, that is leisure and business.
Leisure Tourism::
1. Holiday
2. Sports
3. Study
4. Religion
5. Health
6. Visiting Friends and Relatives
Business Tourism::
1. Business meetings
2. Exhibitions and Trade fairs
3. Conferences
In 1993 the World Tourism Organization suggested official and technical definition to UN for the statistical purpose as:
“Tourism is an activity of a person travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or any other purpose”.
In tourism money earned in one’s normal domicile is spent in the places visited.
Tourism is treated and studied from different angles in different faculties. Such as:
1. Tourism as a human experience.
2. Tourism as a social behavior.
3. Tourism as geographic phenomena.
4. Tourism as resource.
5. Tourism as business.
6. Tourism as an industry.
All the above definitions and discussions bring out the two main aspects the first is the purpose of travel and their second is the time limit. In this sense we may include following points while discussing tourism.
· Tourism arises from a movement of people to various destinations. All tourism includes an element of travel but all travel is not tourism. Routine and local travel is not included within tourism.
· Tourism is an economic activity. The movement and the activities of the non-resident need to generate economy at the destination they visit.
· Tourism involves two basic activities: The journey to the destination and activities at the destination.
· Tourism involves three basic elements: Tourist, Travel and Activities. The journey and the stay take place outside the normal place or residence and work, tourism gives rise to activities, which are distinct from those of the resident and working populations of the places, where they travel and stay.
· The movement to destinations is of a temporary, short term character, with intention to return within a few days, few weeks or months.
· Destinations are visited for purpose other than taking up permanent residence or employment. They do not want to be member of the host society.
· Tourism is the creation of leisure for the purpose of pleasure.
· Tourism includes many recreational activities, and also includes business travel but tourism is not synonymous with any of them.
· Tourism involves the element of trust.
· Tourism has the element here and there.
The concept of work, leisure and money are interrelated so far as tourism is concerned. A man needs both leisure and money to travel. A consumer has both a time budget and a money budget and he has to take a rational decision between the two.
Introduction of mass transport and mass media has changed the concept of modern tourism and developed the idea of mass tourism. At one time it was concerned with tourist and travel related jobs only and it was concerned with tourist and travel related jobs only and it was managed by private business organizations. But at present tourism management is more concerned with sophisticated marketing, developing new ideas and destinations, exploring virgin landscape, providing best quality services and accommodation at best prices. Nowadays government and governmental agencies are also involved in this sector. The technique of managing all these aspects of travel related job is known as “Tourism”.
1.2 Nature of Tourism
Tourism is a service industry having certain peculiar character because tangible goods are produced but service is performed.
Some of the special characters of tourism are discussed below:
1. Tourism being a service concept it is non-material. It may be defend that mountains, rivers are visible, a hotel and its beds can be seen, an airplane is flying above us, a tourist is trekking, etc. some tourism products have more tangible elements than intangible elements. Tourism is created over the tangible materials. A meal, for example, in a restaurant has more tangible elements but image, friendliness, perception, helpfulness, courtesy, security, trust, etc. on the basis of which imagination, hopes, expectations, wants and needs are aroused.
2. Tourism is the combination of economic (measurable) and non-economic. Visitor arrivals, air space, rail tickets, hotel beds, etc. can be measured but pleasure, leisure, comfort, relaxation, recreation they acquired cannot be measured. Foreign tourists are measurable but domestic to measure. We can count foreign income but we can not count the cost of negative impacts created by tourism.
3. Tourism is made of several industries. Each of the components of tourism is highly specialized and together make the final tourism. Tourism is not airlines, a hotel and hotel industry, or a visit to the historical sites but rather an amalgam of many industries, which together makes tourism industry.
4. Tourism is related with fantasies of self-realization, personal transformation, exotic escape, romantic sublimation and other transcendental yearnings
5. Tourism products does not move to the customer but the customer needs to move to the product. Export of the tourism product means arrival of tourist or tourism products used by tourists.
6. The demand of the tourism product is very unstable and susceptible to external forces. As tourists are outsiders any event at their origin, on the way or the destination will affect their desire to travel. So tourism is adjustment and acceptance of the reality.
7. Tourism is the most luxurious concept as it is related with rich people. So in tourism our customers are from the influential society, advanced, rich and intellectual.
8. Tourism business has unlimited possibilities as it is related with idea.
9. Every citizen of a country is directly or indirectly related with tourism. Their response and behavior towards tourist reflects the image of the country.
10. Tourism has a special character of ‘Parasite’. Its survival. Prosperity is based on other’s economy, rules and regulations, political situations, etc.
Tourism is a service industry and is directly related to satisfaction and human behavior and it is the most complicated subject to deal with. A person may or may not choose a tangible product, solely depends on his ability to afford and on his like and dislikes. But the choice of tourism product is based on ‘push and pull’ factors or here and there. Its production, sales process is different and delivery mechanism is also different so after-sale services are also different.
1.3 Why People Travel
Travelling is a human instinct. That is why they have been travelling time and again since their nomadic life to the present time. Hence, their motive of travel and motivational factor were different. The Industrial Revolution led to development of trade and commerce. So the main factor for travel at that time was trade and commerce. The industrial development led to urbanization, changed the working environment, increased their income and living standard. And they realized the need for leisure and pleasure. To feel the need of change from the routine work, their income made it possible to travel.
Every individual has his own motive to travel. There are different factors that create the desire to travel and make them tourists. Different factors motivation to engage in travelling is to be elsewhere and escape, however, temporarily from the chores of life. There are two distinct factors of motivation that create the desire in people to travel. They are:
1. Wanderlust
2. Sunlust
Wanderlust is described as the desire to exchange the known for the unknown. People’s motive to travel is to go from familiar environment to unfamiliar. To leave things, places to go and see different places, people and cultures or architecture of the past. This also involves seeing current fashions, music, attending seminars, etc. Their leading force to travel is curiosity. This type of tour is related to cultural tour and is of the short term.
Sunlust lovers are the adventure travelers. Their activities are conducted out-door. They are mostly young tourists who prefer to take part in sport, trekking, rafting, mountaineering, etc. Most popularity they are the people who enjoy sea beaches and spas. The duration of their travel is of long term compared to wanderlust tourists.
The motivation factors may be further elaborated as:
1. Physical Motives: Many people travel due to physical consciousness. Their motivation factors is connected with their bodily health and well-being. Their travel is related to physical relaxation and rest or to participate in sporting activities or it may be related to medical treatment.
2. Pleasure: Getting away from all the routine of every day life is the most important motive of travel in recent times. The individual’s desire and need for pure pleasure is a very important factor. An individual like to have fun, excitement and good time in life.
3. Relaxation, Rest and Recreation: Industrialization and urbanization have created great pressures on modern living. The stress and strain of modern city life has made it more necessary to travel than ever before. Relaxation is essential to keep the body and mind healthy.
4. Health: Many people travel for health purpose. The benefits gained from fresh air and sunshine have long been recognized. The development of spas during the Roman Empire was the result of people’s desire to seek good health. The subsequent establishment of many Santeria in Switzerland was the result of people’s awareness to the various benefits of good health. In the Soviet Union along the Black Sea coast and in the foothills of the Caucasus, there are numerous world-famous Santeria where every year millions of tourists come and take advantage of these facilities.
5. Participation in Sports: There has been an increasing participation in a wide variety of sporting activities such as mountaineering, hiking, trekking, sailing, fishing, etc. In recent years many people are travelling to take part in holidays involving physical activities. Some people travel to play games and many of them travel to watch game.
6. Curiosity and Culture: Increasing numbers of people are visiting different lands having historical or cultural importance. Special arts, festivals, music and other cultural events of importance and curiosity have been major reason for people to travel. Man is always curious to know about foreign lands, people and their culture.
7. Ethnicity and Family: A large number of people travel to visit their friends/family members. This motive includes visiting one’s relatives and friends, meeting new people and seeking for new friendships. A large number of Americans and Europeans travel in order to visit their families and relatives.
8. Spiritual and Religious: Visiting religious places has been one of the earliest motives for travel. A large number of people have been making pilgrimages to religious places or holy places. In the Christian world a visit to the Vatican, in the Moslem world the pilgrimage to Mecca, among Hindus a visit to Pashupatinath, among Tibetan Buddhists visit to Bouddhanath have been considered to be very auspicious. In the same way Tirupati Balaji in Central India and many religious places all over India are drawing the attention of a large number of people. A large number of people are travelling to these places as pilgrimages.
9. Status and Prestige: This is related to the ego-needs and personal development. Many people travel with a view to talk about it to their relatives and friends. They like to impress their friends by relating their experiences. Many people travel because they think it is fashionable to do so. They want to show that they can afford such extravagance. People always like to mention the experience of the foreign tour to their friends and to their relatives.
10. Profession or Business: Attending convention and conferences is one of the motivating factors. The convention travel has made great strides in recent times. To attract more convention tourists there should be grand convention complexes for business meetings and business seminars. Large hotels also provide facilities for conventions.
11. Participation in Events/Festivals: Many people travel to take part in meetings and conventions. Their motivating factors is to watch the local festivals and ceremonies.
12. Business/ Professional Meetings or Conventions: Some people travel for business purpose or to take part in the conventions and meetings.
As travel is related to human beings, its nature and character is also changing with the change in society, economic conditions, education, etc. Every individual man has his own interest and choice of interest of travel.
1.4 Determining Factors of Tourism
Travel always has been a human phenomena . They have been travelling all the time, but their desire is affected or determined by different factors as follows:
1. Industrial Development: It has been noticed that more people travel from highly industrially developed society and lesser number of people travel from agricultural society. The industrial development increases the per capita income and provides leisure time as paid holiday. This is not possible for the agricultural and economically backward group.
2. Wealth of the society: Money is the pre condition for travel. Travelling is possible to the rich. So it has been noticed that more people are travel from rich and wealthy societies.
3. Development of Holidays or Leisure Concept: It has been remarked that more people are travelling from Europe because their society has accepted the need and importance of travel.
4. Geographical Situation: A country or tourist place surrounded by rich countries receives more tourists than a country situated in a remote area. For example, a large number of tourists go out to European countries and less number of tourist visit Nepal. More people visit Phewa lake than Rara. Where Rara is much more beautiful than Phewa. It is noticed that Chitwan is visited more frequently than Bardia National Park or Koshi Wild Life Reserve.
5. Environment of the Place they Visit: It is a well known fact that tourists prefer to visit environmentally clean and nice place. They do not like to go to polluted and dirty places.
6. High Purchasing Capacity: If the purchasing power of their currency is higher the trip will be cheaper and more people can afford to travel. If their currency devaluates in comparison to the country they are visiting the tours will be costly and less people will travel the higher purchasing capacity will determine the travelling pattern of the people.
7. Economic Stability: The economic stability is one of the determining factors of travelling. They prefer economic stability in their own country and in the country they are visiting.
8. Transportation Facility: Transport is the precondition of travel. If the tourist place is connected with transport system it will receive higher number of tourists. For example Rara Lake of Far West Nepal receives less tourists than the Phewa Lake of Pokhara.
9. Accessibility: A country or region having less or easy formalities receives higher number of tourists. Bhutan is not accessible for many people, for example. In European countries they need not to go through border formalities, which makes it easy for the tourists to travel.
10. Political Stability: No tourist like to get involved in political problems of the country they are visiting. The political instability leads to demonstrations, strikes, bandhs, change of rules, etc. They prefer travel during the political stability in their homeland too.
11. Organization and service of Travel Agencies and their Efficiency: The efficiency and marketing policy of the travel agency or the organizations involved in this industry also increases the number of tourist arrivals.
12. Marketing and promotional Program: The marketing and promotional programs also increase the number of tourists. The foreigners will not know less promoted and marketed places. Visit Year increased the number of tourists in Nepal in 1998.
13. Willingness/ Cooperation of the Sale Agencies: In many countries or regions tourist arrival depends upon the salesmanship of the sales agent. Their marketing effort, willingness for sale and efficiency to organize a tour will motivate the people to visit the destination. Their desire for sale depends upon the relationship, payment policy, money transfer system, government relation and policy, relationship between agents, etc.
14. Natural Beauty: Number of tourist arrivals and tourism is based on the natural beauty of a country, which is known as National assets. For example more tourists like to visit Pokhara, Nagarkot but no tourist would like to visit Baneshwor.
15. Man Made Environment: Man-made attractions draw the attention of a large number of tourists such as tourists visiting old cities, historical monuments, appreciate the art and craftsmanship.
16. Peace: No tourist like to travel in war time, but they like to travel during peaceful time.
17. Hospitality Culture, Religion, Friendliness of the People: Many people/regions or countries have earned reputation of hospitality. Tourists like to travel to those places where they find friendly people.
18. Religious Places: Many people like to travel to the religious places as pilgrims as people travel to Mecca or to Pashupatinath or to Bouddha.
19. Recreational Centers: Many countries have developed recreational centers to increase tourist arrivals, such as club of las Vagas, Casino, etc. Some countries or region have invested money to increase and develop tourist attraction such as sea centers, water games, fun park, etc.
20. Special Events: By organizing special events like sport, special program, visit year, etc. also increased the number of tourists.
21. Government Policy: If the government rules and regulations visa formalities are easily available the country will receive more tourists than those countries where visa formalities are difficult. For example Nepal Government has imposed restriction policy in certain parts of Nepal which receives less number of tourists. In the same way Bhutan has visa restriction and visa to Tibet is controlled. Some countries have imposed restriction to their nationals to travel aboard.
22. Weather/ Season: Certain time of the year is more favourable to visit a place or region than other times. No doubt we receive more tourists in better seasons.
23. Accommodation and Better Facilities: Better accommodation facilities also increase the number of tourists. People want to stay in a reputed hotel as they like to stay at Tiger Top or spend a night at Everest View Hotel in Nepal.
1.5 Types of Tourism
One of the most spectacular growths the world economy attained in the 20th Century was travel and tourism industry. During this period there developed different types of tourism . Some important types of tourism can be classified as follows:
1. Mass Tourism: This is the most recent phenomenon of modern tourism. The concept of mass tourism emerged along with the introduction of paid holidays. Instead of selective or elite tourist it focuses on the more number of tourists. Change in transport technology by air as well as by land and sea reduced the costs which helped more people to afford to travel. The mass participation again decreased the travelling cost. Now travel agencies have been able to sell package tours because of vicious circle of falling real costs. The growth of hotel chain, car rental system also helped the mass tourism. The most remarkable concept is the globalization of tourism industry. More and more countries and their travel agencies are inter-linked and are increasing the tourist movement.
2. Village and Urban Tourism: In village tourism all the activities are concerned with villages. A village is selected as a model village. A few guest rooms and kitchen are developed without distributing the village environment. Villages continue their daily normal works and guest enjoy participating in the village activities.
Urban tourism is concerned with the city areas. Big hotels and restaurants are developed to cater to the needs of the luxury tourists. Mostly business people participate in this type of tourism. Tourism in Hong Kong, Singapore, etc are example of urban tourism.
3. Domestic and International Tourism:
1.1 Introduction
Tourism is related to travelling and travelling is naturally a human character. Man needs change and travel provides the change. The great American writer Mark Twain has aptly said that even heaven can be boring after a while. Travel has had a fascination for man. He has been travelling throughout the ages. During that time travel was there but ‘tourism’ was not there. Because travel was not undertaken for the purpose of pleasure at that time and their motive was not to seek holiday from the routine work. The primary motive of their travel was trade and commerce or pilgrimage or to explore. The basic concept of tourism ‘ pleasure at leisure’ was not there. When people learned to travel for pleasure, the concept of tourism started. Learning to differentiated between work and leisure creates tourism. So tourism is related to the movement of people from one place to another in leisure time for the purpose of getting pleasure.
The word ‘ Tourism’ did not appear in English language until the early nineteenth century. The word was derived from French language ‘ tourisme’. The literal meaning is ‘ the practice of touring or travelling’. It is a new concept and its significance phenomena of modern times.
It is difficult to describe tourism, as it is an experience rather than a tangible object. It is related to service. The Oxford Dictionary defines the word ‘tourism’ as organizing touring or services for tourists. So the word tourism involves three basic elements: tour, tourist and to organize a business to provide the travel related services. Tourism in this sense is a service industry operated to facilitate the tour for the tourists.
At the same time traditional authorities are not confirmed whether tourism is to be considered as industry or not. They prefer to call it ‘activity’ rather than ‘industry’. They say that it is an activity that takes place when people move to some other place for leisure or business and stay at least for 24 hours. In this modern world tourism has been well accepted as service industry, although, it encompasses a wide variety of products and individual industries.
Before defining the subject confusion may rise between Tourism and Travel and Tourism. Travel and Tourism is the term most often used in North America. For the sake of convenience and easy to understand the term tourism is used in this book, which is the word used in Nepal for Travel and Tourism industry. Student should be aware that no conceptual difference is implied between the two expressions in this book.
Some authors describe tourism as a system, Tourism as a system concepts of four interrelated parts: Market, Travel, Destination and Marketing. Market is the customer or potential customer as tourist. The second segment of tourism is travel, which includes mode of transport. Third segment consist of destination. The destination includes attractions, accommodation and facilities. The business organizations involved in this process jointly or individually encourage people to travel through the process of marketing and different organizations are involved in providing services. So in this sense tourism involves different aspects.
Tourism is a compound of different elements. It does not exist in isolation. To understand tourism it is necessary to know about the various components, which together make tourism. Tourism is made of 4A’s as follows
1. Attraction – Local
2. Accessibility that is transportation
3. Accommodation
4. Amenities – Facilities/ Services
Movement of the people is the most important elements of tourism which asks for transport. Transport is so much associated with travel and tourism that many use them synonymously. The mode of transport may be motor car, a coach, an aeroplane, ship or a train, which enables a traveler to reach his/her predetermined destination. The attractions are the holiday destinations, which attracts tourists. The attractions are either man-made or natural. The man-made attraction includes various things such as city, historical places, museums, zoo, etc and natural attractions are like sunshine, scenic beauty. Accommodation is another basic component of tourism. Tourist need accommodation and food at their destination. Amenities are necessary aid to become tourism. In tourism the facilities or services are added to transport, accommodation or to the attraction. By adding the concept of service a transport becomes tourist transport, accommodation centre becomes tourist hotels and attraction becomes tourist destination.
Ramesh Raj Kunwar defines tourism in his book Tourism and Development as:
“ Tourism is the result of temporary movement of people to destinations outside their normal places of work and residence, the activities undertaken during their stay in those destinations, and the facilities created to cater to their needs.”
Austrian economist Hermann Van Scheullard gave the first destination of tourism in 1910. He defines tourism as:
“The sum total of operations mainly of economic nature, which directly related to the entry, stay and movement of foreigners inside and out side a certain country, city or region.”
In the above definition, Mr. Hermann has tried to clarify a few points. The tourism is the result of total operation. It is the sum of the operations. It is the total of the different activities related to the entry, stay and movement of the foreigners and the operations must the able to generate economy. The definition is not universally acceptable as it ignores the local or domestic tourists.
In 1942, two Swiss professors Walter Hunziker and Kurt Krapf defines tourism as:
“ Tourism is the sum of the phenomena and relationship arising from the travel and stay of non resident, in so far as they do not lead to permanent resident and are not connected with any earning activity.”
The international conference on leisure, recreation and tourism held by ALEST ( Association of International Scientific Expert in Tourism 1981) define tourism as:
“Tourism may be define in term of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home environment. Tourism may or may not involve overnight stay away from home”.
In 1976 Tourism Society of England defines tourism as:
“Tourism is the temporary short-term movement of people to destination, outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at these destination. It includes movement for all purpose, as well as day visits or excursions”.
Tourism is a subject to be defined by those who practice it. According to the World Tourism Organization the people travelling for business or professional purpose can also be considered as tourists. According to this definition tourism is about the people being away from their own homes on short term, temporary visits, for particular tourism purpose, that is leisure and business.
Leisure Tourism::
1. Holiday
2. Sports
3. Study
4. Religion
5. Health
6. Visiting Friends and Relatives
Business Tourism::
1. Business meetings
2. Exhibitions and Trade fairs
3. Conferences
In 1993 the World Tourism Organization suggested official and technical definition to UN for the statistical purpose as:
“Tourism is an activity of a person travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or any other purpose”.
In tourism money earned in one’s normal domicile is spent in the places visited.
Tourism is treated and studied from different angles in different faculties. Such as:
1. Tourism as a human experience.
2. Tourism as a social behavior.
3. Tourism as geographic phenomena.
4. Tourism as resource.
5. Tourism as business.
6. Tourism as an industry.
All the above definitions and discussions bring out the two main aspects the first is the purpose of travel and their second is the time limit. In this sense we may include following points while discussing tourism.
· Tourism arises from a movement of people to various destinations. All tourism includes an element of travel but all travel is not tourism. Routine and local travel is not included within tourism.
· Tourism is an economic activity. The movement and the activities of the non-resident need to generate economy at the destination they visit.
· Tourism involves two basic activities: The journey to the destination and activities at the destination.
· Tourism involves three basic elements: Tourist, Travel and Activities. The journey and the stay take place outside the normal place or residence and work, tourism gives rise to activities, which are distinct from those of the resident and working populations of the places, where they travel and stay.
· The movement to destinations is of a temporary, short term character, with intention to return within a few days, few weeks or months.
· Destinations are visited for purpose other than taking up permanent residence or employment. They do not want to be member of the host society.
· Tourism is the creation of leisure for the purpose of pleasure.
· Tourism includes many recreational activities, and also includes business travel but tourism is not synonymous with any of them.
· Tourism involves the element of trust.
· Tourism has the element here and there.
The concept of work, leisure and money are interrelated so far as tourism is concerned. A man needs both leisure and money to travel. A consumer has both a time budget and a money budget and he has to take a rational decision between the two.
Introduction of mass transport and mass media has changed the concept of modern tourism and developed the idea of mass tourism. At one time it was concerned with tourist and travel related jobs only and it was concerned with tourist and travel related jobs only and it was managed by private business organizations. But at present tourism management is more concerned with sophisticated marketing, developing new ideas and destinations, exploring virgin landscape, providing best quality services and accommodation at best prices. Nowadays government and governmental agencies are also involved in this sector. The technique of managing all these aspects of travel related job is known as “Tourism”.
1.2 Nature of Tourism
Tourism is a service industry having certain peculiar character because tangible goods are produced but service is performed.
Some of the special characters of tourism are discussed below:
1. Tourism being a service concept it is non-material. It may be defend that mountains, rivers are visible, a hotel and its beds can be seen, an airplane is flying above us, a tourist is trekking, etc. some tourism products have more tangible elements than intangible elements. Tourism is created over the tangible materials. A meal, for example, in a restaurant has more tangible elements but image, friendliness, perception, helpfulness, courtesy, security, trust, etc. on the basis of which imagination, hopes, expectations, wants and needs are aroused.
2. Tourism is the combination of economic (measurable) and non-economic. Visitor arrivals, air space, rail tickets, hotel beds, etc. can be measured but pleasure, leisure, comfort, relaxation, recreation they acquired cannot be measured. Foreign tourists are measurable but domestic to measure. We can count foreign income but we can not count the cost of negative impacts created by tourism.
3. Tourism is made of several industries. Each of the components of tourism is highly specialized and together make the final tourism. Tourism is not airlines, a hotel and hotel industry, or a visit to the historical sites but rather an amalgam of many industries, which together makes tourism industry.
4. Tourism is related with fantasies of self-realization, personal transformation, exotic escape, romantic sublimation and other transcendental yearnings
5. Tourism products does not move to the customer but the customer needs to move to the product. Export of the tourism product means arrival of tourist or tourism products used by tourists.
6. The demand of the tourism product is very unstable and susceptible to external forces. As tourists are outsiders any event at their origin, on the way or the destination will affect their desire to travel. So tourism is adjustment and acceptance of the reality.
7. Tourism is the most luxurious concept as it is related with rich people. So in tourism our customers are from the influential society, advanced, rich and intellectual.
8. Tourism business has unlimited possibilities as it is related with idea.
9. Every citizen of a country is directly or indirectly related with tourism. Their response and behavior towards tourist reflects the image of the country.
10. Tourism has a special character of ‘Parasite’. Its survival. Prosperity is based on other’s economy, rules and regulations, political situations, etc.
Tourism is a service industry and is directly related to satisfaction and human behavior and it is the most complicated subject to deal with. A person may or may not choose a tangible product, solely depends on his ability to afford and on his like and dislikes. But the choice of tourism product is based on ‘push and pull’ factors or here and there. Its production, sales process is different and delivery mechanism is also different so after-sale services are also different.
1.3 Why People Travel
Travelling is a human instinct. That is why they have been travelling time and again since their nomadic life to the present time. Hence, their motive of travel and motivational factor were different. The Industrial Revolution led to development of trade and commerce. So the main factor for travel at that time was trade and commerce. The industrial development led to urbanization, changed the working environment, increased their income and living standard. And they realized the need for leisure and pleasure. To feel the need of change from the routine work, their income made it possible to travel.
Every individual has his own motive to travel. There are different factors that create the desire to travel and make them tourists. Different factors motivation to engage in travelling is to be elsewhere and escape, however, temporarily from the chores of life. There are two distinct factors of motivation that create the desire in people to travel. They are:
1. Wanderlust
2. Sunlust
Wanderlust is described as the desire to exchange the known for the unknown. People’s motive to travel is to go from familiar environment to unfamiliar. To leave things, places to go and see different places, people and cultures or architecture of the past. This also involves seeing current fashions, music, attending seminars, etc. Their leading force to travel is curiosity. This type of tour is related to cultural tour and is of the short term.
Sunlust lovers are the adventure travelers. Their activities are conducted out-door. They are mostly young tourists who prefer to take part in sport, trekking, rafting, mountaineering, etc. Most popularity they are the people who enjoy sea beaches and spas. The duration of their travel is of long term compared to wanderlust tourists.
The motivation factors may be further elaborated as:
1. Physical Motives: Many people travel due to physical consciousness. Their motivation factors is connected with their bodily health and well-being. Their travel is related to physical relaxation and rest or to participate in sporting activities or it may be related to medical treatment.
2. Pleasure: Getting away from all the routine of every day life is the most important motive of travel in recent times. The individual’s desire and need for pure pleasure is a very important factor. An individual like to have fun, excitement and good time in life.
3. Relaxation, Rest and Recreation: Industrialization and urbanization have created great pressures on modern living. The stress and strain of modern city life has made it more necessary to travel than ever before. Relaxation is essential to keep the body and mind healthy.
4. Health: Many people travel for health purpose. The benefits gained from fresh air and sunshine have long been recognized. The development of spas during the Roman Empire was the result of people’s desire to seek good health. The subsequent establishment of many Santeria in Switzerland was the result of people’s awareness to the various benefits of good health. In the Soviet Union along the Black Sea coast and in the foothills of the Caucasus, there are numerous world-famous Santeria where every year millions of tourists come and take advantage of these facilities.
5. Participation in Sports: There has been an increasing participation in a wide variety of sporting activities such as mountaineering, hiking, trekking, sailing, fishing, etc. In recent years many people are travelling to take part in holidays involving physical activities. Some people travel to play games and many of them travel to watch game.
6. Curiosity and Culture: Increasing numbers of people are visiting different lands having historical or cultural importance. Special arts, festivals, music and other cultural events of importance and curiosity have been major reason for people to travel. Man is always curious to know about foreign lands, people and their culture.
7. Ethnicity and Family: A large number of people travel to visit their friends/family members. This motive includes visiting one’s relatives and friends, meeting new people and seeking for new friendships. A large number of Americans and Europeans travel in order to visit their families and relatives.
8. Spiritual and Religious: Visiting religious places has been one of the earliest motives for travel. A large number of people have been making pilgrimages to religious places or holy places. In the Christian world a visit to the Vatican, in the Moslem world the pilgrimage to Mecca, among Hindus a visit to Pashupatinath, among Tibetan Buddhists visit to Bouddhanath have been considered to be very auspicious. In the same way Tirupati Balaji in Central India and many religious places all over India are drawing the attention of a large number of people. A large number of people are travelling to these places as pilgrimages.
9. Status and Prestige: This is related to the ego-needs and personal development. Many people travel with a view to talk about it to their relatives and friends. They like to impress their friends by relating their experiences. Many people travel because they think it is fashionable to do so. They want to show that they can afford such extravagance. People always like to mention the experience of the foreign tour to their friends and to their relatives.
10. Profession or Business: Attending convention and conferences is one of the motivating factors. The convention travel has made great strides in recent times. To attract more convention tourists there should be grand convention complexes for business meetings and business seminars. Large hotels also provide facilities for conventions.
11. Participation in Events/Festivals: Many people travel to take part in meetings and conventions. Their motivating factors is to watch the local festivals and ceremonies.
12. Business/ Professional Meetings or Conventions: Some people travel for business purpose or to take part in the conventions and meetings.
As travel is related to human beings, its nature and character is also changing with the change in society, economic conditions, education, etc. Every individual man has his own interest and choice of interest of travel.
1.4 Determining Factors of Tourism
Travel always has been a human phenomena . They have been travelling all the time, but their desire is affected or determined by different factors as follows:
1. Industrial Development: It has been noticed that more people travel from highly industrially developed society and lesser number of people travel from agricultural society. The industrial development increases the per capita income and provides leisure time as paid holiday. This is not possible for the agricultural and economically backward group.
2. Wealth of the society: Money is the pre condition for travel. Travelling is possible to the rich. So it has been noticed that more people are travel from rich and wealthy societies.
3. Development of Holidays or Leisure Concept: It has been remarked that more people are travelling from Europe because their society has accepted the need and importance of travel.
4. Geographical Situation: A country or tourist place surrounded by rich countries receives more tourists than a country situated in a remote area. For example, a large number of tourists go out to European countries and less number of tourist visit Nepal. More people visit Phewa lake than Rara. Where Rara is much more beautiful than Phewa. It is noticed that Chitwan is visited more frequently than Bardia National Park or Koshi Wild Life Reserve.
5. Environment of the Place they Visit: It is a well known fact that tourists prefer to visit environmentally clean and nice place. They do not like to go to polluted and dirty places.
6. High Purchasing Capacity: If the purchasing power of their currency is higher the trip will be cheaper and more people can afford to travel. If their currency devaluates in comparison to the country they are visiting the tours will be costly and less people will travel the higher purchasing capacity will determine the travelling pattern of the people.
7. Economic Stability: The economic stability is one of the determining factors of travelling. They prefer economic stability in their own country and in the country they are visiting.
8. Transportation Facility: Transport is the precondition of travel. If the tourist place is connected with transport system it will receive higher number of tourists. For example Rara Lake of Far West Nepal receives less tourists than the Phewa Lake of Pokhara.
9. Accessibility: A country or region having less or easy formalities receives higher number of tourists. Bhutan is not accessible for many people, for example. In European countries they need not to go through border formalities, which makes it easy for the tourists to travel.
10. Political Stability: No tourist like to get involved in political problems of the country they are visiting. The political instability leads to demonstrations, strikes, bandhs, change of rules, etc. They prefer travel during the political stability in their homeland too.
11. Organization and service of Travel Agencies and their Efficiency: The efficiency and marketing policy of the travel agency or the organizations involved in this industry also increases the number of tourist arrivals.
12. Marketing and promotional Program: The marketing and promotional programs also increase the number of tourists. The foreigners will not know less promoted and marketed places. Visit Year increased the number of tourists in Nepal in 1998.
13. Willingness/ Cooperation of the Sale Agencies: In many countries or regions tourist arrival depends upon the salesmanship of the sales agent. Their marketing effort, willingness for sale and efficiency to organize a tour will motivate the people to visit the destination. Their desire for sale depends upon the relationship, payment policy, money transfer system, government relation and policy, relationship between agents, etc.
14. Natural Beauty: Number of tourist arrivals and tourism is based on the natural beauty of a country, which is known as National assets. For example more tourists like to visit Pokhara, Nagarkot but no tourist would like to visit Baneshwor.
15. Man Made Environment: Man-made attractions draw the attention of a large number of tourists such as tourists visiting old cities, historical monuments, appreciate the art and craftsmanship.
16. Peace: No tourist like to travel in war time, but they like to travel during peaceful time.
17. Hospitality Culture, Religion, Friendliness of the People: Many people/regions or countries have earned reputation of hospitality. Tourists like to travel to those places where they find friendly people.
18. Religious Places: Many people like to travel to the religious places as pilgrims as people travel to Mecca or to Pashupatinath or to Bouddha.
19. Recreational Centers: Many countries have developed recreational centers to increase tourist arrivals, such as club of las Vagas, Casino, etc. Some countries or region have invested money to increase and develop tourist attraction such as sea centers, water games, fun park, etc.
20. Special Events: By organizing special events like sport, special program, visit year, etc. also increased the number of tourists.
21. Government Policy: If the government rules and regulations visa formalities are easily available the country will receive more tourists than those countries where visa formalities are difficult. For example Nepal Government has imposed restriction policy in certain parts of Nepal which receives less number of tourists. In the same way Bhutan has visa restriction and visa to Tibet is controlled. Some countries have imposed restriction to their nationals to travel aboard.
22. Weather/ Season: Certain time of the year is more favourable to visit a place or region than other times. No doubt we receive more tourists in better seasons.
23. Accommodation and Better Facilities: Better accommodation facilities also increase the number of tourists. People want to stay in a reputed hotel as they like to stay at Tiger Top or spend a night at Everest View Hotel in Nepal.
1.5 Types of Tourism
One of the most spectacular growths the world economy attained in the 20th Century was travel and tourism industry. During this period there developed different types of tourism . Some important types of tourism can be classified as follows:
1. Mass Tourism: This is the most recent phenomenon of modern tourism. The concept of mass tourism emerged along with the introduction of paid holidays. Instead of selective or elite tourist it focuses on the more number of tourists. Change in transport technology by air as well as by land and sea reduced the costs which helped more people to afford to travel. The mass participation again decreased the travelling cost. Now travel agencies have been able to sell package tours because of vicious circle of falling real costs. The growth of hotel chain, car rental system also helped the mass tourism. The most remarkable concept is the globalization of tourism industry. More and more countries and their travel agencies are inter-linked and are increasing the tourist movement.
2. Village and Urban Tourism: In village tourism all the activities are concerned with villages. A village is selected as a model village. A few guest rooms and kitchen are developed without distributing the village environment. Villages continue their daily normal works and guest enjoy participating in the village activities.
Urban tourism is concerned with the city areas. Big hotels and restaurants are developed to cater to the needs of the luxury tourists. Mostly business people participate in this type of tourism. Tourism in Hong Kong, Singapore, etc are example of urban tourism.
3. Domestic and International Tourism:
