The nature and characteristics of travel and tourism and the travel and tourism industry
Understanding Travel and Tourism
- Travel and tourism can be defined as the activities of persons travelling to and staying 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.
- The travel and tourism sector is comprised of different industries and sub-industries, including hospitality, transportation, food and beverage, parks and recreation, entertainment and events.
Purpose and Motivation of Travel
- The demand for travel and tourism arises due to different motivations and purposes of travel, such as leisure, business, visiting friends and relatives (VFR), health and religion.
- Travel for leisure, recreation and holidays: This is a type of non-business travel, initiated by individuals for relaxation, amusement and personal interest. It includes recreational activities, attractions and special events.
- Travel for business: This travel involves people who are travelling for work-related reasons, not including daily commuting. It can be further split into corporate travel and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) travel.
- VFR travel: Individuals who travel specifically to visit friends or family.
- Travel for health: Health tourism involves travel for the purpose of receiving treatment or improving health and wellbeing. It includes medical tourism and wellness tourism.
- Travel for religious purposes: This travel involves people who travel to participate in activities of significant religious meaning.
Characteristics of the Travel and Tourism Industry
- The travel and tourism sector is characterised by being labour-intensive, it employs a significantly high number of people compared to other sectors.
- Seasonality: The industry is significantly impacted by the changes in the seasons which influence demand. Certain locations are popular during specific times of the year.
- Perishability: Travel and tourism products and services cannot be stored for future use. If a hotel room is not sold for a night, or an airline seat is not sold for a flight, revenue cannot be generated from it later.
- Inconsistency: It is difficult to maintain uniform quality and standards because the product is delivered by people.
- Intangibility: Travel and tourism services cannot be evaluated before purchase and consumption. Consumers depend on images and promises in marketing communications.
- Dependability on various factors: The industry is heavily dependent on economic and socio-cultural factors, such as disposable income and changes in lifestyle, as well as political and environmental factors.
Key Players in the Travel and Tourism Industry
- Tour operators: These are companies that combine different travel services like flight and hotel booking into one travel package.
- Travel agencies: These are intermediaries that sell travel services to the public. They can be classified as retail or online agencies.
- Accommodation providers: These include different types of establishments that provide accommodation for tourists, such as hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast places.
- Transportation providers: This includes all forms of transportation services used by travellers, including airline companies, rail companies, car rental companies and cruise lines.
- Destination management organisations (DMOs): These are organisations that promote and manage tourism in a specific destination. They are often government-led or public-private partnerships.
The Role of Government in Travel and Tourism
- Policy-making: Governments play a role in developing policies and regulations that guide the operation of the sector, such as licensing, zoning and safety regulations.
- Promotion of tourism: Governments often establish bodies to promote their countries as tourism destinations.
- Providing infrastructure: Government is often responsible for providing the necessary tourism infrastructure like roads, airports, utilities and public facilities.
- Conservation: Governments also play a critical role in conserving and preserving natural and cultural heritage sites.
- Economic development: Tourism can be used by governments as a tool for economic development and job creation.