COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will cover the workings, operations, and the integrative activities of major stakeholders in
the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. The student will also gain knowledge on managing and
marketing a service-oriented business organization. Apart from the scope and structure of travel
organizations, it provides an in-depth study of the nature and distinctive characteristics of each sector
of the entire tourism industry, focusing on the management, organization and planning of specific
business strategies for the various entities in the local setting. This will also involve the analysis of the
possible impacts of external factors and trends on the different tourism industry sectors and specific
types of businesses. The course also identifies the employment opportunities available in each sector
and the corresponding qualifications for the jobs.

UNIT I

INTRODUCTION TO TOURISM

LESSON 1

Definition and Perspective of Tourism

Learning Objectives

1. Define tourism and traveler terminology.

2. Describe the classification of travelers.
3. Describe the travel motivators.

Learning Contents

The definition of the word “Tourism” is different source by source, person by person. There is no specific
definition for it. Each institution defines “Tourism” in a varied way. Firstly, tourism is related to several groups which
involving in or are affected by tourism industry. Their perceptions are crucial to the development for the definition of
tourism. Therefore, tourism may be defined as the activities, processes and outcomes by the relationship and interaction
among the tourist, government, suppliers of the tourism, the host communities and the environment that surrounding
the destination which involved in attracting and accommodating of the visitors (Goeldner & Ritchie, 2009).
Generally, tourism means traveling or visiting. The word Tourism was brought into English language from
French word “Tourisme”. The word tourism is related to tour which is derived from Latin word “Tornos”. “Tornos”
means Turner’s wheel, or a tool for describing a circle. It is from this word “Tornos” that the concept of a package
tour or a “round tour” has developed. This is the essence of tourism. The word “Tour” means travelling to some
places to know or find out any new facts about them.

What is Tourism?
When we think of tourism, we think mainly of people who are visiting a specific place for exploration, visiting
friends and relatives, taking a holiday, and having a good time. They might use their leisure time engaging in various
activities such as sports, touring, reading or simply enjoying the environment. We may include in our definition of
tourism people who are participating in a convention, a business conference, or other kind of professional activity
(termed as business tourism), as well as those who are taking a study tour under an expert guide or doing some kind
of scientific research or study. Therefore, tourism may be defined as the activities, processes and outcomes by the
relationship and interaction among the tourist, government, suppliers of the tourism, the host communities and the
environment that surrounding the destination which involved in attracting and accommodating of the visitors (Goeldner
& Ritchie, 2009).

Perspectives of Tourism

1. Tourist. The people who go on tour are looking for emotional and physical experiences through various
activities. The nature of the experience a tourist wants can be found out by the category of destination of the
tour program.
2. Tourism Business Catering Goods and Services. These are the set of businesspeople who establish
themselves for making a profit by providing the various facilities to the tourists and keeps the system running
according to the demand in the industry.
3. Government of Tourism Host Community. Usually, the government look forward tourism industry as a way
of obtaining financial stability for economic development of the region. The amount of income generated from
the region where tourism is promoted and numerous possibilities of reducing unemployment are the main
advantage government will be getting from the tourism initiatives. Apart from these advantages money
coming into the economy in the form of foreign exchange and tax collected from tourist expenditures are
added advantages.
4. Tourism Host Community. The people in and around the tourism destination sees employment
opportunities and the overall cultural enhancement in tourism. The interaction between the local residents
and the people involved in the tourism business with the visitors that is contributing to the overall
development of the area.

So, the success of a tourism spot involves these four factors and the interaction between tourists, government, people
involved in the tourism business and the people in and around the tourism destination.

Comprehensive Classification of Travelers

Figure 1.1 Classification of Travelers

 Of those travelers directly within the scope of travel and tourism, basic distinction is made among those whose
trips are completed within one day. The same-day visitors are also called day trippers and excursionist because they
stay less than 24 hours.

An additional meaningful division can also be made between those international travelers whose travel is
between continents and those whose international travel is confined to countries within the same continent. In the
case of the Philippines, the distinction is between (1) trips to or from the neighboring countries like Singapore and
Thailand or elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region and (2) trips made to or from countries in Europe, America or on other
continents.

The purpose of travel identified in Figure 1.1 go beyond those traditionally accepted because of the growing
evidence that “visits to friends and relatives. VFR is a basic travel motivation and a distinctive factor in marketing,
accounting for a major proportion of travel.

Motivational Factors for Travel

Traveling is the human instinct. That is why people have been travelling time and again since their nomadic
life to the present time. Motivation is dependent on a tourist’s way of living which is established by the tourist’s
cultural tradition. It is rare to find tourists select a destination that practices the same culture as his/her own.
Tourism is basically pleasure or holiday travel. People like to spend their personal disposable income in leisure
activities. It has been mentioned in some literature the two main and distinct motivations that create desire in people
to travel. They are wonder lust and sun lust.

a. Wonder lust. The desire to exchange the known for the unknown, to discover new places, people, and
cultures. The strong force to travel of this category is curiosity.
b. Sun lust. This denotes the kind of travel to enjoy more facilities or attractions not present in one’s own
country. Sun lust lovers generally prefer adventure activities.

Four Basic Travel Motivators

Below are the basic travel motivators as identified by R.W Macintosh.

1. Physical motivators. This travel is made for physical relaxation and rest, sports and special medical treatment
or health care etc. All of these motives are connected with their bodily health and well-being.
2. Cultural motivators. Increasing numbers of people are visiting different land having cultural importance and
curiosity have been major reasons for people to travel. Man is always curios to learn about foreign lands,
people and their culture.
3. Interpersonal motivators. Under this, people travel with the purpose of meeting relatives or friends, or to
escape from one’s family, workmates or neighbors for some time or to meet new people and make new friends
or simply to escape from the monotonous everyday life.
4. Status and prestige motivators. In this, travel is made for personal development, upgrading social status,
earning respect and honor etc.

Above mention four types of motivators can further be sub divided into the following subheadings.

a. Pleasure. People go out to travel for pleasure, getting free from regular work o daily life, to pass time
cheerfully, to enjoy and pass their time with romantic experience.
b. Relaxation, rest and recreation. Industrialization and urbanization have created great pressures on modern
living. Therefore, people go to travel to get away from crowded city life, polluted environment, mental and
physical tension and enjoy fresh environment of peaceful places even for some time.
c. Health. Many people travel for health purpose. The benefits gained from frsh air and sunshine has long been
recognized. The development of health resorts, and spas have known the growing importance of travel for
health purpose in recent days.
d. Participation in sports. There has been an increasing participation in a wide variety of sporting activities such
as mountaineering, hiking, sailing, fishing, etc. Some people travel to play games and many of them travel to
watch games.
e. Curiosity and culture. These are connected with the people’s desire to travel in order to learn about other
countries and their people, cultural heritage, art, etc.
f. Ethnic and family. Many people travel with purpose of meeting their family member’s friends and seeking
new friendship.
g. 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.
h. Status and prestige. People travel to achieve social respect, honor and prestige.
i. Professional or business. People engaged in different professions travel different foreign countries with the
purpose of business, or take part in international meetings, conventions, conferences and seminars.