Tourism GW1

Tourists

They are people who travel and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than 24 hours but not more than one consecutive year.International tourism refers to tourism outside of a tourist's own country while domestic tourism refers to tourism within a tourist's own country.

How do tourist destinations differ?

Places of scenic beauty: Examples include:Wildlife sites in Kenya,Jiuzhaigou in China,Rocky mountains in North America,Himalayas in South Asia ,Phuket in Thailand etc. Attracts tourists with their awe-inspiring scenery Provides opportunities for mountaineering,hiking,cycling and swimming Honeypot tourism:Tourism that attracts large numbers of people due to a site's scenic beauty,hence overcrowded during peak seasons.For example,Grand Canyon in USA.

Places with good facilities(Meetings,Incentives,Conventions and Events(MICE)): Have venues that can host large-scale events such as meetings and conventions. Supporting infrastructure such as hotels and retail shops Attract organisers who organise trade fairs and international conference,which bring in more business travellers More successful in cities located along international air routes For example,Singapore was the leading convention city in Asia Pacific in 2012 due to its reputation as a major aviation hub,the availability of reliable telecommunication networks and a variety of shopping and entertainment options nearby.

Places with good facilities(Educational facilities) Educational Tourism:People travel to a place for educational purposes or to learn something about the place Study tours lasting from a few days to a few weeks in a foreign country/intensive educational programmes For example,ancient structures in Cambodia or Egypt,UK attracts almost 1m people annually from overseas to study

Places with good facilities(Medical and spa facilities) Medical tourism:People travel to a destination to undergo medical procedures that would enhance or restore health. Many tourists from DCs such as USA and UK while some came from LDCs They want to avoid long waiting periods or high costs for medical treatment in their own country For example,South Korea is a popular destination for those seeking cosmetic surgery as it is renowned for their highly-skilled doctors and advanced technology. Health tourism:People travel to a destination to maintain,enhance or restore their minds and bodies(without surgery) Examples include:Spa towns,thermal springs and mud pools For example,Hungary,Japan and Dead Sea.

Places with good facilities(Theme parks) Places with amusement park settings or are attractions that have a central subject or theme,such as movies For example:Walt Disney Company operates Theme Parks in California and Florida,USA,Hong Kong etc.

Places with rich culture(Heritage Tourism) Heritage tourism:People travel to locations to experience different cultures and to understand the history of the places better. Heritage sites help reinforce national identities for domestic tourists and also help to promote a country's identity,culture and history to international tourists Examples include:Museums,traditional festivals For example,London in UK,Beijing in China,Machu Picchu in Peru,Kandy in Sri Lanka Unique places was declared as a World Heritage Sites from The Unites Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO)

Places with rich cultures(Film-Induced tourism) People travel to see locations featured in films Example:3-D film Avatar,featured scenery inspired by Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China

Places with rich culture(Gourmet food and shopping tourism) Tourists may organise their trips to enjoy certain cuisines or to shop For example:Hong Kong and London

Places with rich culture(Pilgrimage tourism) People travel to take part in a religious activity Usually involves a journey to a sacred place such as shrine,mosque,temple,church that is important to a person's beliefs and faith For example:Vatican City(catholic Christianity),Jerusalem in Israel,Varanasi in India,Mecca in Saudi Arabia

Places of conflict(Dark tourism) Involves travelling to sites associated with death and tragedy People taking part usually include survivors,relatives and friends of those affected,as well as people interested to know more about event Examples include:battlefields,fortifications,museums and memorials at locations that are important in modern history For example,Cu Chi and Vinh Moc Tunnels in Vietnam,Ruins of Pompeii in Italy etc.

Space tourism People travel beyond Earth's atmosphere into space For example:Russian Space Agency

Roles of different groups in promoting tourism

Government Plays a crucial role in promoting tourism in their country Influence the number of visitors and their length of stay,authorise air landings and allow the building facilities such as hotels Directly involved in planning,funding and building infrastructure projects linked to tourism,such as airports,roads and ports. Ensure the safety and security of sites that tourists often visit Set up agencies that devise strategies to help promote tourism in their country(tourism marketing campaigns and promotional events) For example,the Singapore Tourism Board promotes Singapore as a tourists destination by encouraging the development of new attractions such as River Safari and the Integrated resorts

Media Media reports about a country could influence the decisions of tourists to visit it Refers to the channels through which news and information are communicated to the public like television,radio,newspapers and the Internet Positive reports encourage tourists to visit where as negative reports can deter visitors Tourists are now more aware of destinations that they have previously not considered

International organisations A group of different countries that work together for a common purpose Examples include:Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD)Tourism Committee,the UNWTO and World Health Organization(WHO) OECD Tourism Committee meets regularly to actively promote the sustainable growth of tourism,produces guidelines on measuring the social and economic impacts of tourism and produce analyses of key challenges that affect tourism UNWTO promotes tourism as a way of spurring economic growth and environmental sustainability and also strives to improve tourism knowledge and tourism policies worldwide UNWTO introduces the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism WHO is the leading authority for health within the United Nations system,capable of influencing global behaviour WHO provided situation updates and health advisories on H5N1 from 2003 to 2013.

Travel writers Appears in travel guidebooks,travelogues and magazines as well as the Internet They visit and write reviews about places Evaluate the destination for their readers May inspire readers to travel to destinations that they may not have thought of before