1.2 Reasons that led to the growth of tourism Flashcards
1
Q
Factors for growth of toursim
A
- Motivation to travel
- need for relaxation
- need to achieve personal growth and self-fulfilment
- need to discover unique travel experiences
——— - Ability to travel
- increase in disposable incomes
- increase in leisure time
- business innovations in the tourism-related industry
- lower transport costs
- lower accommodation costs
——— - Mobility in travel
- expansion of public transport and services and infrastructure
- introduction of new modes of travel
- increase private car ownership
2
Q
Motivation of travel
A
- motivation to travel refers to a set of needs that can be satisfied by travelling
- these needs are created by a combination of push and pull factors at tourists generating and destination regions
- increased due to globalisation
- due to greater access to media sources
- people are therefore becoming more aware of different travel opportunities
3
Q
The need for relaxation
A
- The increasing pressures of work and hectic lifestyles have increased people’s motivation to travel to relieve stress.
- Increasingly, many see travel as a way to rest and rejuvenate.
- People travel to different destinations and engage in different tourist activities to relax
—— - Some seek nature to escape their urban environment, rest and enjoy scenic views.
Example: - A survey found that one of the main reasons British tourists visit Phuket, Thailand, an island famous for its scenic beaches, is to rest and relax.
—— - Others prefer recreational activities like visiting theme parks which provide them with a different routine from their daily lives, and enable them to escape from their stress and worries.
Example: - Universal Studios Singapore is a theme park that features rides, shows, and attractions, immersing visitors in a completely different setting from their usual lives. In 2019, the theme park welcomed more than 18 million visitors.
4
Q
The need to achieve personal growth and fulfilment
A
- People increasingly consider travelling as a way for self-growth and to achieve their fullest potential.
- Travelling allows them to develop themselves further by learning something new or improving their existing knowledge and skills.
——— - Hence, they may choose a travel destination where they can pick up a new skill such as cooking local cuisines or farming by learning methods from the locals.
- Example: Many cooking schools have sprung up in Bali to cater to tourists’ desire to learn more about Balinese cuisine.
——— - Some also participate in activities that are challenging or adventurous such as mountain climbing or skydiving to fulfil their potential.
- By participating in these activities, they feel that they are being stretched physically and emotionally, and therefore achieve personal growth.
Example: - In the last few decades, the number of tourists climbing Mount Everest has increased steadily, as they are motivated to challenge themselves and achieve their fullest potential.
5
Q
The need to discover unique travel experiences
A
- Some people travel to gain unique travel experiences in order to satisfy their curiosity about the world.
- Travelling allows them to explore different environments and cultures that are not widely known.
- They often seek places that are less travelled to.
- They may also participate in special or uncommon tourism activities such as trekking along the slopes of a volcano.
- Social media has raised interest in unique destinations and activities, especially among younger travellers.
- With globalisation, vast transport networks are connecting remote places to major cities, making them more accessible.
- Hence, remote and unique places around the world are experiencing a rise in tourism numbers.
———
Example: - Tourism numbers in Antarctica have increased significantly in the last two decades. Many of these tourists seek to satisfy their curiosily about one of the world’s last uninhabited regions.
6
Q
Does everyone have the same motivation to travel?
A
- Individuals have varying needs and hence, the motivation to travel is unique.
- Some travel for relaxation and others travel to fulfil their curiosity about places that are less commonly visited.
- In addition, tourists are often motivated to travel to fulfil not just one need, but a mix of needs.
- Often, when tourists visit a destination, they aim to fulfil different needs, rather than just one need.
- Tourists will therefore participate in different activities in one destination to cater to their different travel motivations.
———
Example: - Scuba diving in Bali Indonesia can fulfil a tourist’s need for relaxation as well as the need to discover unique travel experiences.
——— - Different tourist activities can fulfil the needs of tourists differently.
Example: - Whale watching might be a way for some tourists to relax, while for others, it is about seeking self-fulfilment by getting to experience the sightings of these majestic animals first-hand.
7
Q
Ability to travel
A
- The ability to travel refers to the conditions that allow an individual to make trips. These include:
1. Increase in disposable incomes.
2. Increase in leisure time.
3. Business innovations in the tourism-related industry.
4. Lower transport costs.
5. Lower accomodation costs.
8
Q
Increase in disposable incomes
A
- After World War Il, economic development led to an increase in disposable incomes in North America, Western Europe and Japan.
- This resulted in greater spending on travel, fuelling tourism growth.
- Today, in rapidly developing countries like China and India, a fast-growing middle class with increased disposable incomes is causing a large demand for tourism.
———
Example: - In China, as GDP quadrupled, international tourism grew from about 9 million departures in 1999, to 154 million departures in 2019.
9
Q
Increase in leisure time
A
- Leisure time refers to the time when people are free from work responsibilities.
- Since the 1950s, in both developed and less developed countries, govemments and businesses have given people more leisure time.
- This comes in the form of increased paid leave, more public holidays and shorter working weeks, which gives people more time to travel.
- The increase in paid leave also increases the ability of workers to finance their travel.
———
Example: - In 2015, the Chinese government encouraged employers to give workers half a day of paid leave on Fridays during the summer months to help boost domestic tourism.
10
Q
Business innovations in the tourism related industry
A
- The ability to travel is made possible by business innovations that provide value-for-money experiences.
- With businesses offering more affordable travel options, demand for tourism has increased.
———
Example: - Thomas Cook invented tour packages during the Industrial Revolution and was credited with bringing tourism to the masses.
- Such tour packages made travel affordable for many people in the United Kingdom. This is because tour companies purchase transport and accommodation in bulk, often at discounted prices, and then sell them off through tour packages at competitive prices.
- Today, tour operators are increasingly replaced by a variety of websites and applications that provide more personalised and value-for-money travel experiences
———
Example: - Websites such as Expedia and Trivago have search engines specifically for travellers to compare trip reviews and prices, and book their trips directly on the website. Often, these websites offer promotional prices for transport and accommodation.
11
Q
Lower transport costs
A
International tourism relies heavily on air transport, which has become increasingly affordable.
• Over the years, air fares have significantly dropped, especially with the emergence of budget airlines.
- Budget airlines offer air tickets at significantly lower prices, lowering transport costs, especially for international travel.
- They do this by using fuel-efficient planes, which reduce fuel costs, and by flying to airports with cheaper fees.
———
Example:
- Budget airlines such as AirAsia, which offer significantly lower prices, have become increasingly popular for travel within Southeast Asia.
12
Q
Lower accommodation costs
A
- Over the years, the variety of accommodation types has increased, from rented properties to hotels and bed and breakfast stays.
- Business innovations such as AirBnB has made it possible for property owners to rent their properties out to tourists, at different prices,
- This wide variety caters to a range of different budgets, making tourism with lower accommodation costs possible.
- This has enabled travelling to be more affordable.
———
Example: - AirBnB is a business innovation that offers options for accommodation, often at competitive prices. It connects people who want to rent their homes out to tourists, increasing the variety of accommodation that tourists can stay in. In 2019, it was estimated that more than 2 million people stayed in an Airbnb property every day.
13
Q
Mobility in travel
A
- Refers to the ability to move around easily and conveniently to tourist destinations.
- In many countries, mobility in travel has increased due to:
1. Expansion of public transport services and infrastructure.
2. Introduction of new modes of travel.
3. Increase in private car ownership.
14
Q
Expansion of public transport services and infrastructure
A
- In recent years, more countries are constructing transport infrastructure such as roads, railways and airports.
- Connectivity within different parts of a country, as well as between countries has increased
- Tourists can travel to more places in much shorter times.
——
Example: - The opening of Changi Airport’s Terminal 4 means that there can be more flights from other parts of Asia to Singapore, making travel within the region more convenient.
—— - Many countries have also expanded their network of public transport services by increasing the number of public bus and train routes.
- Travelling within the destination region has become more convenient for tourists, leading to tourism growth.
———
Example: - Public transport services and infrastructure in Singapore have greatly expanded in recent decades.
- For instance, the Downtown MRT line was developed to increase the accessibility of some tourist attractions such as Gardens by the Bay.
- There are also clear maps and signages available in multiple languages at MRT stations, which help tourists navigate.
15
Q
Introduction of new models of travel
A
- The rapid development of transportation technology has resulted in new modes of travel.
- Tourists can now travel faster and further via land, sea and air transport.
———
Example: - In 1965, a conventional train would take 6 hours and 40 minutes to travel from Tokyo to Osaka. With the introduction of the Shinkansen or bullet train, the trip has been shortened to 3 hours and 10 minutes.
- This has significantly increased tourism in cities that are served by the Shinkansen network.
——— - Commercial air travel has greatly boosted tourism.
- Since the 1950s, technological developments enabled the production of aircraft that can travel faster and further and are more fuel-efficient.
- This has resulted in:
1. Reduced travelling time.
2. Increased convenience of travelling long distances.
3. Lower travelling costs.
———
Example: - In the early 1950s, a commercial flight from Singapore to London would take 2 to 4 days, with many stopovers in between.
- Today, air travel would take 14 hours without any stopover.
