THE CONCEPT OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Definition of Tourism
1. What Is Tourism Development
1. Understanding the Types of Tourism for Development Purpose
1. Understanding the Forms of Tourism for Development Purpose
1. International Scope of Tourism Development
1. DEFINITION OF TOURISM

The word ‘tour’ is derived from the Latin word tornus, meaning ‘a tool for making a circle’. It is from this base word that the word tourism was formed. Tourism has so many definitions according to different authors and/or institutions. Tourism is normally defined by reducing it to a simple range of activities or transactions rather than focussing on the framework needed to give a wider perspective or overview of tourism as a dynamic and important subject. These problems often compound the way people view tourism as a subject, emphasizing the holiday or enjoyment aspects of travelling (either in spare time or on business) as the defining feature of tourism. To the general public tourism is something many have engaged in. Thus, have an opinion regarding what it is, its effects and widespread development.

Briefly, in defining tourism there are key parameters worth noting. These include the movement, that is, the tourist has to cover a considerable distance and be in a place different from usual place of residence. The purpose and duration of the travel is also worth noting in order to qualify a travel as tourism. Below are some definitions of the concept of Tourism.

Tourism may be defined as ‘the movement of the people from their normal place of residence to another place (with the intention to return) for a minimum period of twenty-four hours to the maximum of six months for the sole purpose of leisure and pleasure.’

Tourism is defined as ‘a visit to a country other than one’s own or where one usually resides and works’ (The Rome conference on tourism, 1963). This definition, however, did not take into account domestic tourism, which has become an important money-spinner and job generator for the hospitality industry.

The UNWTO defines tourists as ‘ people who travel to and stay in place outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited’.

Tourism encompasses the activities of persons traveling and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other purposes’ (WTO 1993).

‘Tourism is the temporary short-period movement of people to destination outside the places where they normally live, work; and activities during their stay at these destinations’ (Tourism Society of Britain). This definition includes the movement of people for all purposes.

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon that entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which imply tourism expenditure (United Nations World Tourism Organization, 2008).

Hunziker and Krapf (1942) ‘Tourism is the temporary short-term movement of people to destinations outside the places where they normally live and work, together with their activities and experiences during these journeys’. Journeys are for pleasure, entertainment, culture, business, conferences, visiting friends and relatives, adventure, shopping, dining, challenge and self-development, or for a combination of these reasons.

Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. This is because of several factors, such as rising levels of income, improvements in transportation and the introduction of low-cost airline services, easier access to destinations by tourists and the diversification of the industry with new market niches, such as cultural tourism, ecotourism and adventure tourism.

Other academicians do not often perceive tourism as a serious subject, as they consider it not to be addressing societal problems. In reality, these prejudices and attitudes are fundamentally flawed. Admittedly, tourism is about pleasure and enjoyment, but its global growth and expansion are now creating serious societal problems and issues that require a fundamental understanding of tourism so that the impacts and problems it can cause can be managed and controlled. One way of beginning to understand that tourism is more than holidays and enjoyment is to consider why tourism is so important in modern society (i.e. its social, cultural and economic significance) by looking at an important process that has led to the demand for it – the rise of the leisure society.

WHAT IS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Hayley (2019) stated that ‘Tourism development refers to the growth and maintenance of the tourism industry in a given locality. And, of course, tourism planning is a very important part of this.’ She continues to put that tourism development can be defined on a basic level as ‘creating strategies and plans to increase/develop/encourage tourism for a destination and that the fundamental reason behind planning and implementing strategies for developing the tourism sector is primarily to make money and to subsequently increase the GDP of a country.’

Tourism development comprises many elements such as developing and managing private-public partnerships, assessing the competitors to gain competitive advantage, ensuring responsible and sustainable development, viewing tourism as an interconnected system and a demand-driven sector, assessing private sector investment and international cooperation, and tourism clustering and involvements by the government.

STAGES IN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

Pearce (1989) highlighted the stages in tourism development planning to be:

Analysis of previous tourism development
Evaluation of position of tourism
Formulation of tourism policy
Definition of development strategy
Elaboration of action programme

RULES GUIDING THE FORMULATION OF AN APPROACH TO TOURISM POLICY AND PLANNING

Inskeep (1991) put forward six rules for formulating an approach to tourism policy and planning. These stages are:

Goal oriented
Integrative
Market driven
Resource driven
Consultative
systematic

GOAL ORIENTED

This simply means that in formulating policy for tourism development, the policy must be based on specific goals recognizing the role of tourism in achieving national or community development.

INTEGRATIVE

This policy should have a broader scope and involve the planning into the mainstream of planning for the economy, land use and infrastructure, conservation and environment.

MARKET DRIVEN

Planning for tourism development that trades successfully in a competitive goal marketplace. This simply means policy formulations based on market availability.

RESOURCE DRIVEN

Developing tourism that build on the destination’s inherent strengths whilst protecting and enhancing the attributes and experiences of current tourism assets.

CONSULTATIVE

Incorporating the wider tourism community attitudes, needs and wants to determine what is acceptable to the population

SYSTEMATIC

Drawing on primary or secondary research to provide conceptual or predictive support for planners including the experiences of other tourism destination.

UNDERSTANDING THE TYPES OF TOURISM FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSE

It is eminent to know the types of tourism as a destination manager or rebranding officer. Knowing the types and their unique characteristics helps in the development of the resources that expected tourists would need. It also help in forecasting both the benefits and vices that may come with these visitors. For example, if a country want to boost its foreign exchange, then such nation should attract international tourists but if the main aim is peace and national unity, then domestic tourism is to be activated which will stir up cultural understanding and oneness. Thus, the two broad typology of tourismare international tourism and domestic tourism.

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM

International Tourism is simply the visit to a foreign country. In order to travel to a foreign country, one need a valid passport, visa, health documents, foreign exchange, etc. It is further divided into Inbound Tourism and Outbound Tourism.

INBOUND TOURISM

This refers to tourists of outside origin entering a particular country. When people travel outside their host/native country to another country, then it is called inbound tourism for that country where he/she is traveling. For example, when a tourist from Indian origin travels to Japan then it is inbound tourism for Japan because foreign tourist comes to Japan.

OUTBOUND TOURISM

This refers to tourists traveling from the country of their origin to another country. When tourists travel a foreign region then it is outbound tourism for his own country because he/she is going outside their country. For example when a tourist from India travel to Japan then it is outbound tourism for India and Inbound tourism for Japan.

DOMESTIC TOURISM

The tourism activity of the people within their own country is known as domestic tourism. Traveling within the same country is easier because it does not require formal travel documents and tedious formalities like compulsory health check and foreign exchange. In domestic tourism, a traveller generally does not face much language problems or currency exchange issues. Though it is important to have a tour guide that understands the language of the place visited.

1.4 UNDERSTANDING THE FORMS OF TOURISM FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSE

Most nations miss out in tourism as most a time more focus is place in the travel for leisure, this does not attract much tourists’ receipt as compared to other forms such as medical tourism, education tourism, cultural tourism etc. which most countries are realising an appreciable tourists’ receipt. Tourism has various forms based on purpose of visit and alternative forms. These are further divided into many types according to their nature. Some most important forms of tourism are following as:

PILGRIMAGE/RELIGIOUS TOURISM

Pilgrimages have created a variety of tourist opportunities in medieval period and even in today’s modern tourism, they stand as an important stream of tourism.

MEDICAL/HEALTH TOURISM

Even though health tourism existed long before, it gained importance during eighteenth century. This tourism is associated with spas, places with health giving mineral waters, treating diseases from gout to liver disorders and bronchitis. A number of doctors have highlighted the benefits of sea bathing, which has become a part of health tourism. This has also been modified today into medical tourism. Where persons leave own country to other country for the purpose of medical treatment. It is a form of tourism worth investing on especially in this part of the globe as most people visit the west world in search of good hospitals with outstanding doctors.

SPORT TOURISM

Sport has become a global economic activity that motivates people to travel from one country to another. This form of tourism is a typical example of Mass Tourism. There are international sport meets such as world cup, nation’s cup, national tournaments, champion’s league, laliga and others that arose the spirit of the people to travel as either spectators, officials or participants (sportmen). This form of tourism helps in bringing people together and it is a tool being used by international peacekeeping institutions to reduce racism. It is also good in improving the infrastructural status of the host country as facilities such as hotels, stadiums, electricity, water supply, security and others need to be in good order to accommodate the visitors.

WINTER TOURISM

Winter sports contribute to winter tourism. Many water sports holiday packages are available at places in many countries apart from Ski and Snow festival tours organized annually. Skiing is extremely popular in the mountainous areas. Ski festivals have variety of events like ski and sled competitions, ski and snowboard lessons, performances and recreational activities. Majority of the event participants are from countries with a warm climate. This form of tourism is not for Sierra Leone, as we do not have winter season and hence no snow.

MASS TOURISM

Mass travel is possible with improvements in technology allowing the transport of large numbers of people in a short period of time to places of leisure interest. Through this, greater numbers of people enjoy the benefits of leisure time. The increase in the speed of Railways, the better Sea travel options, and the increase in the number of improved Air travel services, the mass travel has grown and developed internationally. This form of tourism is considered to have the greatest vices due to the visit of large number of people to a particular destination at a particular time.

SEX TOURISM

Though frown at by international tourism stakeholders, this form of tourism is still prevailing in some countries such as Thailand, where tourists visits for satisfying their sexual need. In order countries, this form of tourism is prohibited and it is considered to demoralise the people of the visited place.

INDUSTRIAL TOURISM

The industrial revolution has left the world with so many industries that produce eventually everything we use. Most a time people want to know how the things they use are been made, hence, the need to visit industries. This can also be linked to education tourism where the purpose of the visit is to gather knowledge on how a certain industry is operating. For example, students of the department wanting to know how Radisson Blu Hotel is operating or students of geology wanting to know how London mining is operating, have a real life experience with the machines and having some experience that could have not been taught in classroom.

RURAL TOURISM

This is otherwise known as pro poor tourism. In this form of tourism, tourists are encouraged to visit remote sites in rural settings and interact with the poor. They may develop interest in observing or participating in some local activities. The tourists will also buy local goods from locals. There will be the possibility of starting friendship or adopting families that may last forever. This will help in changing the way people behave. For example, the wearing of trousers by women is not our culture. Someone might have visited and bring such change in our culture. Therefore, care should be taken in rural tourism to prevent adulterating our culture.

DARK TOURISM

Travel to sites associated with death and suffering, such as the scene of the Hindenburg airship disaster, or to the sites of disasters (Disaster tourism). The Pop-culture tourism is the tourism by those that visit a particular location after reading about it or seeing it used as a location in a film.

SPACE TOURISM

Traveling in outer space or on spaceships, whilst the forecasts of future tourism arrivals illustrate the importance of looking ahead in trying to anticipate changes, one new trend that is likely to emerge in the next 50 years and is therefore worthy of discussion is space tourism.

NICHE TOURISM (ADVENTURE TOURISM, CULTURAL TOURISM, BICYCLE TOURS, EDUCATION TOURISM, HOBBY TOURISM, ECOTOURISM, BEACH TOURISM)

Physical activity or sports-oriented niche tourism includes adventure tourism such as the mountaineering and hiking (tramping), the sport travel for golf and scuba diving or extreme tourism for people interested in risky activities. There are many types of niche tourism. The creative tourism includes attending cultural festivals, events, and workshops. The educational tourism is to attend classes and learn certain faculties. The hobby tourism is to gather more information about hobbies and this involves garden tours, amateur radio, or square dance cruises. The music and dance tourism involves focusing on cultural and arts activities with more emphasis on music and dance. The heritage tourism involves visiting places to know about the heritage and culture of those places. There are many sub-types in nature and environment oriented tourism, such as coastal tourism, ecotourism, garden tourism, rural tourism or the Agrotourism.

The mystical tourism involving meditation, yoga, and rituals.

Other forms of tourism include Geotourism, Atomic Tourism, Sustainable Tourism, Virtual Tourism and Wildlife Tourism.

INTERNATIONAL SCOPE OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

One could not deal with the concept of tourism development without understanding the global trends in the industry at a given time of interest.

Usually, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and institutions do monitor the progress in international tourism development. In its 2019 International Tourism Highlights, it maintained that:

There is a growing middle class in emerging economies as observed in 2018 and this has a greater tendency to catalyse tourism development. The Ministry of Tourism and Sport Thailand also published a paper in 2017 and further expatiated that the middle class population is projected to grow by 5% p.a. and per capital disposable income is to grow by 2% p.a. through 2030. This is expected to lead to an increase in tourist arrivals and travel spending going forward. The paper maintained that the growth is mainly concentrated in APAC countries especially in China and India.
- Technology advances and digitization is also highlighted as an international tourism growth driver. There is high adoption of travel technology during travel and online channel has become a key platform during travel. Currently, 75% of international travelers are using online information as part of the trip planning, compared to about one-third using travel agencies and one-fourth using information from friends.
There has also been an improvement in visa facilitation. More countries have introduced visa on arrival, e-visa and some countries even waive visa for citizens of certain nations. These has helped in boosting International tourism development.
A sign of continues global development in tourism is also seen in the 5% growth in international tourist arrivals in 2018, reaching the 1.4 billion mark as envisioned. This growth in international tourist arrivals and as well as receipts is reported to continue to outpace the economy. Which implies the development in global tourism. Both emerging and developed economies are said to be enjoying the benefit from rising tourism income.
There is a growth of USD 1.7 trillion earnings in tourism exports globally. It also highlighted that for seven years to the time of the report that is 2018 inclusive, tourism export outgrew merchandise export. This growth in tourism export reduced trade deficits in many countries.
The sector is a true global force for economic growth and development. Many Sovereign nations embraced tourism for economic diversification and achievement of the sustainable development goals. This is seen in the creation of more and better jobs, and serving as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship which has resulted in building millions of individuals and transforming communities

In addition:

Low-cost carriers are on the rise. They will continue to play a pivotal role in developing the tourism industry, as they can cater to the middle class needs and provide access to domestic locations.
Ageing population with high willingness to spend. The global population is ageing with more than 17% of the population in 2030 aged over 60 as compared to 12% in 2015. The silver segment budget increase up to approximately 3 times of the young generation per year and spend up to approximately 1.5 times more per trip. New silver generation tourists have longer life expectancy and are more adventurous than the past.
Experiential travelers with more sophisticated expectations: Travelers are demanding a deeper connection with the destination they visit and the local people they meet. Sharing economy is one example which shows how traveling is not only about relaxing sightseeing, but it has been turning into an opportunity to become a part of a new culture at a personalized level. Globally, tour operators are reacting to this trend by offering more customized itineraries and personal guides to cater to different aspiration of individual tourist.

CLUSTERING OF GROWTH FACTORS (DRIVERS) IN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

FAVOURABLE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

2018 global GDP +3.6% growth
Exchange rate movements generally moderate
Low interest rates

AIR TRAVEL DEMAND

There is a growth of +6% in international passenger traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) according to IATA.
Stable fuel prices and lower fares (fares at -60% compared to 1998)
The number of unique city pairs connected by air transport has more than doubled over the past two decades. There more 20, cities connected by air at lower cost compared to what it used to be.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES ARE SHAPING TRAVELLERS’ EXPERIENCE

Artificial intelligence is transforming tourism, from virtual assistants to companies been able to offer hyperpersonalised customer experience and improve business performance.
An increasing number of destinations are measuring tourism in real time for a better management of visitor flow.

ENHANCE VISA FACILITATION

E-visas and visas on arrival on the rise while traditional visas are decreasing
The share of the world population requiring a traditional visa declined from 75% in 1980 to 53% in 2018.
Half of the world population still needed a traditional visa in 2018

SOCIETAL CHANGES

Sustainability and competitiveness go hand in hand as destinations and businesses can become more competitive through the efficient use of resources, the promotion of biodiversity conservation and actions to tackle climate change.

CLUSTERING OF BEHAVIOURAL (CONSUMER TRAVEL) MEGATRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

TRAVEL TO CHANGE

Live like a local
Guests for authenticity
Guests for transformation

TRAVEL TO SHOW

Has to do with photo shooting
Filming
Live sessions on social media (Instagram, Facebook etc.)
Destination experience

PURSUIT OF A HEALTHY LIFE

Walking
Trekking
Hiking
Mountaineering
Wellness
Sport tourism

SOLO TRAVELS AND MULTIGENERATIONAL TRAVELS

Aging population
Single households
Creative writers

RISING AWARENESS ON SUSTAINABILITY

Zero plastic
Climate change

Table 1. Regional Percentage Growth in International Tourist Arrivals

Region	Asia & the Pacific	Africa	Middle East	Europe	Americas
% growth	+7	+7	+5	+5	+2