Geography of Tourism S. Brown

What is Tourism? Tourist - someone undertaking a tour – a circular trip that is usually made for business, pleasure or education, and that ends at the starting point, usually home A tourist is someone who travels away from home for at least 24 hours but not for more than 1 year for leisure, business or other purposes (WTO, 1994) On the study of tourism –“The tourist and styles of tourist consumption are not only emblematic of many features of contemporary life, such as mobility, restlessness, the search for authenticity and escape, but they are central to economic restructuring, globalization, the consumption of place and the aestheticization of everyday life” (Franklin and Craig, 2001: 19) Travel and Leisure – relaxation and rejuvenation -freedom from obligation and necessity -a “state of mind” Leisure Travel vs. Business Travel

Tourism as an Industry 1.Geography – Most important form of data for visitor market segmentation 2.Motivation – 2 nd most important form of data Industry = set of business that share in the production of a common product –manufacture (production), sell (marketing), and service (services) –3 criteria of an industry: 1.Produce the same product 2.Use the same technology 3.Product is large enough to warrant data collection and reporting  One of the largest service industries in the world is TOURISM –International tourism expenditures and receipt – 30% of all global trade in the services sector (UNWTO 2002) United Nations World Tourism Organization

Tourism & Geography Relative Location – a place’s “situation” Accessibility –Ex. The Caribbean vs. Africa Globalization –Transportation & communications –Marketing & consumers –Local identity “sense of place” versus “placelessness” Tourist generating regions –Europe, North America, East Asia Tourist receiving regions –Europe #1 –Asia, Pacific, North America, Caribbean Push factors & Pull factors

Tourism and Geography Human Geography –Place – point of presence, a location –Space – 3-dimensional space that encompasses the livable surface of the earth Geography = a spatial science Spatial relationships between places –Region – area of land having similar places with 1 or more traits in common Geographic regions – political, economic, cultural, physical

Tourism and Geography Globalization & Sense of Place –Yi Fu Tuan – humans give meaning to places –Places as attractions or having attractions –Sense of Place versus Placelessness McDisneyfication –Efficiency, Predictability, Calculability, Control –Authentic vs. mass-produced –Globalization versus Localization –Environmental and Social Impacts –Sustainable Tourism Sustainable Development Low Impact tourism

World Top 10 Tourism Destinations Information from UNWTO

International Tourist Arrivals by Region

World Top Tourism Spenders Information from UNWTO

World Top Tourism Spenders

Concepts in Tourism Inbound Tourism Outbound Tourism Domestic Tourism International Tourism – Short haul vs. – Long-haul tourism Supply & Demand

Concepts in Tourism – Demand Tourists –Who is the client, or the “market” for a place? –Why do people travel and what do they seek? –Tourist Motivation Physical motivators – rest & relaxation, recreation, health Cultural motivators – seeking knowledge –Mass Tourist Individual vs. Organized Mass tourist vs. independent traveler –Push and Pull factors –Tourist inversions

Concepts in Tourism – Demand Tourists Travelers Drifters Explorers Backpackers –Wilderness backpacking vs. –Travel backpacking

Adventure, Backpacker & Budget Tourism Backpack Travel –Budget Travel –Seeking of “authenticity” –“Hippie Trail” – Overland travel from Europe to South and Southeast Asia (1960s – 1970s) –“Gringo Trail” – Travel through Mexico, Central America, and South America –“Banana Pancake Trail” – Travel through South and Southeast Asia Popular websites for Budget travelers: – – – –

Barriers and constraints to travel –Lack of time –Institutional, or legal Visas Travel restrictions on U.S. citizens to Cuba –Health impediments –Crime –Political unrest, war & terrorism –Disease epidemics or pandemics SARS – impact on travel to and within Asia ( ) H1N1 – impact on travel between the Americas and Asia (2009) –Phobias –Natural disasters The impact of earthquakes on Haitian tourism Concepts in Tourism – Demand

Barriers and constraints to travel cont’d. –Negative attitudes toward tourists and other outsiders Especially towards Americans and other Westerners –Financial $$$ - affordability –Lack of information or misinformation ignorance from stereotypes and the mass media –Potential environmental constraints OIL and fossil fuels “Peak oil” & Global warming –Potential economic constraints Failure of global markets – global recession or depression Travel Advisories –U.S. State Department -

–Mass Tourism –Tourism attraction = a pull factor –What “attracts” the tourists? –Supply can create demand –No tourists/no site = no tourist attraction –Major types of attractions: 1.Environmental, or Nature-based attractions 2.Cultural, or Human-based attractions (Not originally intended for tourism) 3.Cultural, or Human-based attractions (Originally intended for tourism) 4.Special events Concepts in Tourism – Supply

Supply – The Tourist Attraction What is an “attraction”? –An exploitable resource –A marketable product and image –A place attribute or feature The sites in a non-home place of interest to tourists (3 elements): 1.A tourist 2.A sight or site in a non-home place 3.An interest or reason for the tourist to view the sight or experience the site Visiting the sites vs. going sightseeing Examples of attractions: –Historic sites, amusement parks, scenery/landscapes, etc. –Food – restaurants, festivals –Accommodations – resorts, historic hotels –Transportation – trains, cruise ships –Events – sports (Olympics, World Cup), festivals, concerts –Other tourists – spring break parties, backpackers, etc.

Beach (3S) Tourism – sun, sand & sea, or sun, sand & surf Sex tourism Business tourism Health/Medical tourism Sustainable tourism, Ecotourism Nature tourism Adventure tourism, Backpacker tourism Recreational (Sport) tourism Budget tourism Agritourism, Rural tourism Urban tourism Cultural tourism Historical (Heritage) tourism Event tourism Service (Volunteer) tourism Educational tourism Family and friends Religious/Faith tourism – the pilgrimage Tourism Products

Adventure Tourism Leaving the “comfort zone” Trekking, mountain biking, paragliding, hang gliding, parachuting, zip lining, rock climbing, rafting, bungee jumping, mountaineering, diving, snorkeling

Historical/Heritage Tourism UNESCO World Heritage List -

Major Heritage Sites or “Wonders” of the World  Cultural Wonders  Stonehenge  Roman Coliseum  Great Pyramid of Giza  Karnak  Petra  Hagia Sophia  Jerusalem  Taj Mahal  Bagan  Angkor Wat  Great Wall of China  Forbidden City  Potala Palace  Chichen Itza  Teotihuacan  Machu Picchu  Christ the Redeemer  Natural Wonders  Grand Canyon  Great Barrier Reef  Victoria Falls  Iguazu Falls  Galapagos Islands  Antarctica

Wonders of the World Grand Canyon Chichen Itza Teotihuacan Galapagos Islands Machu Picchu Christ the Redeemer Iguazu Falls Great Barrier Reef Angkor Wat Bagan Victoria Falls Temple of Karnak Pyramids of Giza Petra Jerusalem Hagia Sohpia Stonehenge Great Wall of China Forbidden City Potala Palace Taj Mahal Roman Coliseum