Tourist and Tourism

Define Travel?

  • The word travel is derived from the French word “Travail” which means hardship. In the past, transportation was far more primitive than today and travelling was difficult, far from being a pleasure, travel involved great hardship and risk.

Who is Tourist?

  • According to the WTO “ tourist are people who travel to stay in places 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.
  • That means “tourism invites visits to places other than one’s domicile for pleasure and from where one does not receive a salary”.
  • “Tourist is any person visiting a place for a period of at least 24 hours.
  • Persons travelling on holiday for a period of less than 24 hours are to be treated as “Excursionists”.

THE FOLLOWING ARE TO BE CONSIDERED TOURISTS:

  • Persons travelling for pleasure, for health etc.
  • Persons travelling in a representative capacity of any kind,
  • Persons travelling for business reasons,
  • Persons arriving in the course of a sea cruise, even when they stay for less than 24 hours.

THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT TO BE CONSIDERED TOURISTS:

  • Persons arriving to take up an accommodation or engage in any business activity in the country.
  • Persons coming to establish a residence in the country.
  • Students and young persons in schools
  • Any person domiciled in one country and working in an adjoining country.
  • Travelers passing through a country without stopping, even if the journey takes more than 24 hours.

WHAT IS TOURISM?

  • Tourism is the act of travel away from home, mostly for the purpose of recreation or leisure.
  • According to UNWTO ;

    “Tourism comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes.”

CATEGORIES OF TOURISM:

The United Nations  in 1994 classified tourism in three categories:

  • Domestic tourism
  • Inbound tourism
  • Outbound tourism

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) also identifies different categories of tourism:

Internal tourism: domestic tourism and inbound tourism
National tourism: domestic tourism and outbound tourism
 International tourism: inbound tourism and outbound tourism

DOMESTIC TOURISM?

  • The tourism activity of the people within their own country is known as domestic tourism.
  • This involves residents of the given country travelling within the country only.
  • In domestic tourism, people travel outside their normal domicile to other area within the countries. They do not cross national boundaries. In this case there are no language or currency or document barriers.
  • Traveling within the same country is easier because it does not require formal travel documents and tedious formalities like compulsory health checks and foreign exchange. In domestic tourism, a traveler generally does not face many language problems or currency exchange issues.

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM?

  • When people visit a foreign country, it is referred to as International Tourism. In order to travel to a foreign country, one needs a valid passport, visa, health documents, foreign exchange, etc.

FURTHER DIVIDED INTO TWO 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.
  • This involves foreigners (Non-residents), travelling into a given country.
  • When people travel to other sovereign countries, they are involved in international tourism. In this case there are different languages, different currencies, and documentation in the form of passport and visa which stand in the way of free movement of people.
  • OUTBOUND TOURISM: This refers to tourists traveling from the country of their origin to another country. When tourists travel a foreign region than 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. This involves residents travelling to another country.

  • Outbound tourism involves two additional conditions:

    • Health conditions as many countries are wary of importing diseases by ‘foreign carriers’
    • Legal restrictions on travel as some countries ban their residents to visit certain countries for political or safety reasons.

RECREATIONAL TOURISM:

Recreational or leisure tourism takes a person away from the humdrum of everyday life. In this case, people spend their leisure time at the hills, sea beaches, etc.

CULTURAL TOURISM:

Cultural tourism satisfies cultural and intellectual curiosity and involves visits to ancient monuments, places of historical or religious importance, etc.

SPORTS/ADVENTURE TOURISM:

Trips have taken by people with a view to playing golf, skiing and hiking, fall within this category.

HEALTH TOURISM:

Under this category, people travel for medical, treatment or visit places where there are curative possibilities, for example, hot springs, spa yoga, etc.

CONVENTIONAL TOURISM:

It is becoming an increasingly important component of travel. People travel within a country or overseas to attend conventions relating to their business, profession or interest.

INCREMENTAL TOURISM:

Holiday trips are offered as incentives by major companies to dealers and salesmen who achieve high targets in sales. This is a new and expanding phenomenon in tourism, These are in lieu of cash incentives or gifts, Today incentive tourism is a 3 billion dollar business in the USA alone.

The tourism types can further be categorized on different basis like distance, direction, number etc. as follows:

  • On the basis of distance
  • On the basis of direction of travel
  • On the basis of travel pattern
  • On the basis of number
  • On the basis of budget
  • On the basis of impact
  • On the basis of planning
  • On the basis of location
  • On the basis of time of year

or

TYPES OF TOURISM:

Tourism typologies reflect the variety of options that tourists can avail. In other words, it can be said that tourists get a wide range of opportunities to participate in tourism activities. These forms which range from pilgrimage, leisure and adventure to space tourism also reflect the styles, interests, values, preferences and motivations. Tourism can be classified into various categories:

On the basis of Motivation behind travel: Recreational Tourism, Pleasure Tourism, Business Tourism, Educational Tourism, Health Tourism, Religion/Pilgrimage Tourism, VFR-Visiting Friend and Relatives, Cultural Tourism.

On the basis of the motives of tourists: Common-Interest Tourism, Holiday-Tourism and Business-Tourism.

Based on the different activities of tourists are categorized as Nature Based Tourism, Culture and Heritage Based Tourism, Leisure and Recreation Based Tourism and Adventure Based Tourism.

There are various other ways of classifying tourism on the different purpose of travel, number of tourists, geographical area of the visits. Some of the important types of tourism are as follows:

Accessible Tourism: Accessible tourism is form of tourism that is meant for support the different-abled segment of tourists. It is also known as barrier-free tourism. It enables tourists those are physically handicapped, blind or physically challenged or any manner to visit destination and enjoy the facts of tourism. By facilitating and providing all essential services and accessible travel centric products to tourism destination. This is made possible due to disabled-friendly infrastructure, which comprises hand driven pull car, Braille signages, separate pathways, ramps, cable cars, etc.

Archaeological Tourism: This is also known as “archaeotourism, and it revolves around places, articles, and activities of archaeological value. It is an alternative form of cultural tourism with intention to promote and conservation of historical-archaeology sites. An interpretive center and museums are built nearby with recovered objects from or excavated archaeological sites. These objects are frequently exhibited in international, national, or local museums where tourist visits. It is a great way to learning about the past while in vacation. Some important places of archaeological importance of:

  • Stone Age. Famous archaeological sites are Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh, Kuliana in Odisha and Didwana in Rajasthan and others.
  • Chalcolithic Age: The sites of are Brahmagiri, Pandu-Rajar-Dhibi, Ahar and others
  • Indus Valley Civilization. Famous sites of are Kalibangan, Lothal, Dholavira, and others.
  • Buddhist Phase. The well-known sites of are Sanchi, Saranath, Ajanta, Amravati and others.

Adventure Tourism: The term “adventure” has different meaning for every other individual. For some, it is white water rafting and for some mountain climbing. It naturally depends upon an individual’s physical endurance and desires. It is more of passive activities, like Mountaineering expeditions, trekking, rock climbing, bungee jumping, Para gliding, white water rafting, scuba diving and others. Adventure travel is a type of passive leisure activity most of the time outdoors placed in an unusual or wilderness destination that engages tourist in natural or physical excursions that bring visitor outside his home comfort zone involving exploration or travel open-air to remote areas, where the traveler expect the unexpected for personal challenge and self-perception. It is generally categorized as a hard adventure and soft adventure.

  • Hard adventure tourism – involves an element of physical risk and mental strength.
  • Soft adventure tourism – seeks to explore areas by visiting undeveloped destinations.

Agri-Tourism. It can be described as spending vacation in agricultural farms to know, relax and relish, and get involved in activities of farm or any agricultural, horticultural operation. Tourists can cultivate vegetables, pick fruits, taste honey, learn about local and regional farm products and operation and much more in any farm partly or fully opened for public for at least a year. Beach Tourism. It can be defined as visit to coastal areas or shore of the water body with abundant of sand mounted by tide or waves of ocean for leisure purpose. India surrounded by water with vast peninsular coastline offers an incredible array of beaches like the world famous beaches of Goa, Kerala and Chennai. The other popular are beaches of Mahabalipuram and Digha in West Bengal and Gopalpur beach in Odisha. The activities includes array of:

  • Sports – beach volleyball, surfing, kayaking.
  • Wellness stays -spa and wellness resorts, beach walking.
  • Nature based and wildlife viewing – seabirds, turtles etc.

Business Tourism. The Trips and visits made by business men or corporate executive people, employees and others are to attend conferences, meetings or similar functions in destination or visiting area. The activity of business tourist includes attending conference, convention, or to meet with suppliers or buyers or participation in entertainment programmes or sports events.

Cultural Tourism refers to trips or visits with the purpose of seeing or learning about traditions and custom of the host countries or way of life of other nations or destination in the form of cuisine, music, dance, fairs, festivals, rituals, as well as lifestyles of communities etc. in museums and art galleries, traditional artistic performances and local fairs and festivals and other cultural tourism attractions. The places of cultural importance are Khajuraho festival, Konark festival and Goa Carnival Festival and others.

Culinary Tourism: Culinary tourism is also known as food tourism. Eating food is a physiological need, fulfilled at home or during travel. Travelling for the pursuit of unique and traditional food and drinking experiences of a place, region, or country. The destination choice is significantly affected by the culinary richness and zings offerings at destination that impact overall satisfaction levels of tourist. It involves tasting and experiencing food of unique flavours and spices. There are various festivals related to it like Sea Food Festival in West Bengal and International Mango Festival in Delhi or for particular food like Italy for the pasta, Napa for the wine, Hyderabad for the Hyderabad shahi biriyani etc.

Dark Tourism. “Dark tourism” often referred as “thana tourism,” is concerned with tourist encounters of spaces of death, horror, atrocity, human suffering, genocide, calamity, and warfare, that have disturbed the public consciousness are consumed through experiences. These sites also include burial grounds and memorials of the dead whether ancient or modern, turning suffering of people into a leisure experience for tourists.

Disaster Tourism refers to the act of travelling to places affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes in Nepal, hurricanes, tsunamis in Orissa, as a matter of curiosity. This type tourist never causes hinders or becomes hurdles in rescue, and relief operations.

Ecotourism also known as Ecological Tourism. Ecotourism is a natural resource[1]based tourism, where tourist visits to enjoy and appreciate nature with prime focus on experiencing, learning and conservation of species and habitats. As it usually occurs in natural areas, should be low-impact non-consumptive on area. It should be locally oriented in control and benefits through providing revenue to the local community to conserve or preserve value of such areas. This form of tourism attracts ecologically and socially conscious tourists who are responsible and supportive in sustaining the local environment and show respects to the traditional culture and lifestyle of the local people. It generates and maintains the local traditional economy, by involving of local populations in small-scale activities having low visitor impact, in well-defined areas in some form of protection.

Ethnic Tourism The act of travelling to area inhabited by indigenous people for the purpose of observing the culture and lifestyles of truly exotic people. The destination activities include visits to native homes staying and participating in traditional ceremonies and dances, and witnessing in religious rituals. In India to observe indigenous people tourists visit to the isolated hill tribes of Assam.

Health Tourism Any leisure or pleasure-oriented tourism with leisure, recreation, relaxation and educational activities for the improvement of physical, psychological and social well-being of tourist utilizing the natural resources and climate or any activities of visiting place that have a positive impact on health of tourist. It is travel with the prime purpose of treatment in pursuit of improving or maintaining health with pleasure-seeking indulgences of spas or alternative therapies. It encompasses diverse variety of treatments and services away from professional medical care to self-fitness training.

Grey Tourism Simply Grey tourism is a type of niche tourism for older travelers including senior citizens, old people, mature, and prime lifers with more than 55 years age. Despite this they are heterogeneous in term of demographic, psychographic, or behavioral. These types of tourists have plenty of time for leisure and spend extra time on experiencing travelling, participating in activities that increases life satisfaction and wellbeing and have low impact on the destination and on community. Most of grey tourists have high level of income, stability in their career and want to travel to spend quality time with their siblings and friends, in places that have always been in their sub conscious for visit. They require personalized services with basic facilities and services. Once they are satisfied, they demonstrate brand loyalty, with tour guides and travel agents.

Leisure Tourism A Tourist who is going on holiday and visiting new places with intention of spending leisure time and is not travelling for any work or activities. Generally leisure or free time is considered to be the time period remaining after work and essential personal and household activity i.e., recreational and discretionary time, that can be used for relaxing and rejuvenating or other activities including travel and tourism.

Mass Tourism refers to the travelling of a large number of organized tourists with varied interests irrespective of their income, caste and creed, community and region to popular tourist places for mainly recreational purposes. This tourism phenomenon is characterized by the rising disposable income, discretionary time, and development of faster mode of transportation and communication. It is a general tourism characteristic of developed countries and gradually picking up in developing countries.

Medical Tourism Tourists visit to other destination to receive treatment for disease, enhancing self’s health condition or to undergo a cosmetic procedure or to get medical and surgical treatment. It is an act of traveling to different nations for surgery including cosmetic, therapeutic treatments in low cost of care or state of art medical technology or alternative/ indigenous medical treatment that tourist/ patient received at their place of residence and is treated in specialized clinics or hotels.

Pilgrimage tourism A travel undertaken for a spiritual or religious motive by an individual, believers or group to a particular location, holy place or area to seek intercession of God or the saints or visit to specific place having association with God or his holy messenger or personage. Although some pilgrims have wandered continuously with no fixed destination, pilgrims more commonly seek a specific place that has been sanctified by association with a divinity or other holy personage. The institution of pilgrimage is palpable in all religions. For example Hindus travel to Char-dham. Muslims travel to Mecca, Catholics travel to Vatican City, Jews travel to Israel and others which are important to their cult, caste and faith.

Pleasure Tourism Pleasure generally means good feelings. It is as a sense of happiness and satisfaction that an individual gets from eating, beach walking, enjoying natural scenic beauty or pursuit of such emotional or psychological feelings through travel. Pleasure tourism is travel for a change of climate, seeing and experiencing something new by spending their leisure time and performing activities that are free from work or daily family obligations.

Responsible Tourism Responsible Tourism is a tourism that makes “better places for people to live, and better places for people to visit”. It focuses on developing the sense of responsibility towards the visited place among the tourist. It recognizes the impacts of tourism on a destination and minimizes the negative impacts on the environment and maximizes the economic and socio-cultural benefits of tourism. It also promotes recycling, and conservation of water, use energy efficiency equipment and creation of local economic opportunities for communities. The responsible tourist travels with motive to enjoy the culture and tradition of the local communities in a respectful way and endeavor to contribute to the economic and cultural integrity of local community.

Rural Tourism Rural tourism is a form of tourism that is based on the rural environments showcasing the rural life and their art forms, culture and heritage. It enables interaction among the locals and visiting people for experiencing socio-cultural tourism and benefiting the local community economically by providing employment and livelihood to local population. This type of tourism is taking place in rural settlements that provides special emotions for the tourist and offer individualized holiday and helps in preserving local values and culture of inhabitants.

Slum Tourism In this form of travel, tourists are allowed to visit poverty-blighted places or destination and acquire a sense of inhumane condition under which poor live. It is now endorsed as an opportunity for travelling people to see and feel the local culture of shantytown. This niche tourism is growing fast in the poor and developing countries where tourists visit nearby poor neighborhoods or locality. Slum tourism unlocks opportunities for economic development by encouraging them to actively join in economic activities and which eventually leads to improved personal income for sustaining their families. For example, slums of Manhattan and London. Dharavi in Mumbai and slums in Kolkata come under this category.

Sport Tourism Generally, it refers to the experience of tourists to participates in or view sport-related activities in destination. Sports Tourism is defined as a specific travel to different places in order to actively participate in a sport, or passively watching numerous sports, such as football, cricket, hockey, etc. Sport is the prime motivational factor for visit to sport event happening destination. The tourists are passionate and high[1]spending that directly benefits to the destination and follow-on tourists that flux have their indirect benefit to place in years to come. There are two types of sport tourism: Sport Event Tourism, and Nostalgia Sport Tourism.

  • Sports Event Tourism includes sports events such as the Olympic games, ICC Cricket World Cup and World Cup soccer championships
  • Nostalgia Sport Tourism involves traveling to renowned sport-related attractions. Like Eden Gardens in Kolkata

Spiritual Tourism Visiting to a place with the intention of spiritual growth regardless of the main reason for travelling. A secular travel which intentionally or unintentionally includes an experience those impacts individual’s belief system and individual sanctification of weary souls with fond memories. In this type of tourism the focus is on the journey that is inner directed, self-reliant, and sometime active meditation, it has nothing to do with destination. Many people living under stress conditions turn to spirituality from the travails of time driven life and much-needed break for soul from modern individualistic lives. It embroils tangible and intangible products and services.

  • Tangible Products and Services include temples, shrines, mosques, and other religious centers with a spiritual focus.
  • Intangible Products and Services include organized spiritual events, spiritual discourses and gatherings with spiritual motives.

Wellness Tourism A form of tourism based on special interest of tourists pursued specially by healthy people, with motive of preserving or enhancing tourist mind, body, and soul.. It involves people who travel to pursue activities that preserve or enhance their health, quality of life and well-being. It encompasses physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual wellbeing of tourist travelling to destination. Wellness tourist destination offer numerous facilities and services for according to tourist’s preferences such as massages, body treatments, beauty treatments, weight loss programs, yoga, and meditation and so on. Here the tourist/patient is more focused on preventive rather than curative form of medicine for health.