2.1 Trends in tourism Flashcards
How globalisation influences trends in international tourism
- cause growth of international tourism
- generating and destination regions have become more diverse
Globalisation causing continued growth of international tourism
Increasing the ability to travel:
- People now have the ability to search for and buy tourism-related services from anywhere.
- This results in greater competition among businesses, which creates a greater incentive to offer value-for-money travel experiences to attract more people.
- As a result, tourists enjoy more affordable tours, increasing ability to travel.
———
Increasing the motivation to travel:
- People have greater access to new ideas on tourism destinations and experiences from all over the world, especially through online media (e.g. social media and the internet)
- increases tourists’ motivation to travel
- Example: London’s Kings Cross Station has become popular with tourists due to the international airing of the Harry Potter film series.
———
Increasing mobility in travel:
- As places become more connected via different transport modes, travelling has become more convenient, increasing tourists’ mobility in travel.
- Tourists can find more direct flights between cities.
Tourist generating and destination regions have become more diverse
- European countries are still the most popular tourist destination
- However, developing countries, especially in the Asia Pacific region have become increasingly popular among tourists.
- Example: China, Thailand and Malaysia are among the world’s most popular tourist destinations today.
- Most tourists come from the world’s most developed countries in Europe and North America.
- However, increasingly, more international tourists are coming from the rapidly developing countries in the Asia Pacific and South America, such as China, India and Brazil.
How demand for tourism changes
- Increasing popularity of lesser known destinations
- Emergence of new experiences including adventure, heritage, sports and health tourism
Increasing popularity of lesser known destinations
- more tourists seek new destinations to fulfil their need to discover unique travel experiences.
- Globalisation has facilitated a greater flow of information
- tourists can easily share their experiences online, enticing more people with novel travel experiences in remote destinations or ‘second cities’
- These experiences can also be more easily planned and booked
- Advancements in transportation, such as new modes of travel and the expansion of transportation infrastructure, have also resulted in these destinations becoming more accessible.
——
Example:
• Remote destinations, such as Antarctica, have become increasingly popular as people seek to explore one of the world’s last untouched regions. The increased availability of cruise services to Antarctica has also made it more convenient to travel there.
——————
Tourists are also increasingly visiting ‘second cities’ in order to:
1. Fulfil their need for unique travel experiences in less crowded environments.
2. Avoid exceeding the carrying capacity in traditional tourist hotspots and enable these environments to recover.
3. Enjoy lower travelling costs as compared to those at tourist hotspots. - Visiting ‘second cities’ are becoming popular, especially among younger travellers, as new online media increases tourists’ awareness of these places.
——
Example: - Instead of London, tourists are increasingly visiting the city of Manchester, UK, to experience its arts and unique architecture.
- Many fans of the world-famous football clubs, Manchester City and Manchester United, also visit the city to view the home stadiums and watch their favourite teams play.
Emergence of new experiences including adventure, heritage, sports and health tourism
- Tourists are increasingly looking for new experiences to satisfy their curiosity and interests.
- Hence, new forms of tourism based on a specific area, interest or activity have emerged.
- fuelled by globalisation as people share and get more information about these new forms of tourism through online media.
Types of tourism
- Adventure tourism
- Heritage tourism
- Sports tourism
- Health tourism
Adventure tourism
Motivation:
- Tourists travel to natural environments and participate in challenging physical activities such as mountain climbing.
- Adventure tourists seek to achieve personal
growth and self-fulfilment by taking part in these challenging tourist activities.
———
Location:
- Mainly places of natural beauty where tourists can enjoy scenic views and carry out physically challenging activities
———
Example:
- Trekking on Mount Everest has become increasingly popular among adventure tourists who seek to challenge themselves and achieve their full potential.
Heritage tourism
Motivation:
- Tourists participate in activities to experience its culture and learn about its history
- By experiencing the culture and learning about the history of the place, tourists are able to fulfil their need for unique travel experiences and understand the rich and diverse global cultures outside of their home country.
———
Location:
- Places with rich history and cultures, especially those which have been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
———
Example:
- The ancient city of Machu Picchu in Peru attracts more than a million tourists every year.
- Many are attracted to it to learn more about the unique history and culture of the ancient city and its inhabitants.
Sports tourism
Motivation:
- Tourists either observe or participate in sporting
events.
- Sports tourists who participate in the events seek to achieve personal growth and self-fulfilment, while those who observe the events may seek enjoyment and escape the stress of work.
———
Location:
- Places where sporting events are held.
- These places are often equipped with sporting facilities to host the events
———
Example:
- During the English Premier League, thousands of overseas football fans visit the city of Manchester to watch their favourite football teams play.
Health tourism
Motivation:
- Tourists travel to seek medical care or activities to enhance their physical, mental or spiritual wellness.
- Many health tourists seek medical procedures in these destinations to improve their health as they:
1. Are relatively cheaper than those in their home countries.
2. Have a shorter waiting time.
3. May not be available in their home country.
- These medical procedures may contribute to a greater sense of self-fulfilment as they may improve tourists’ well-being and self-esteem.
- Aside from medical procedures, health tourists may participate in activities to relax and enhance their overall health such as yoga retreats and hot spring tours.
———
Location:
- places with renowned medical services or wellness facilities.
———
Example:
- Bali, Indonesia is famous for its numerous yoga and wellness resorts that are surrounded by scenic views.
• South Korea received more than 2 million health tourists in 2018 for cosmetic and non-cosmetic procedures. This is due to South Korea’s renowned and advanced medical technologies and services.
How supply of tourism changes
- Small specialist operators are adding onto the services of mass market tour operators.
- Tourism marketing is changing from traditional print and broadcast media to new online media
Small specialist operators are adding onto the services of mass market tour operators.
- Most tourism experiences and services today are supplied by mass market tour operators in the form of tour packages.
- However, increasingly, small specialist operators are adding onto the services of mass market operators. Often, they supply tours for niche travel.
Mass market tour operators
- People or companies that supply tour packages to cater to large groups of people.
- These tour packages often include other tourism services (e.g. transport and accommodation).
- Tours are attractive to tourists as:
1. They are relatively cheaper as tour operators buy these services in large quantities at low costs.
2. It reduces the hassle of booking the different tourism services individually. - Many trust tour operators’ knowledge of the destinations and their ability to provide help when needed.
——
Example: - Klook is one of Singapore’s largest mass-market tour operators. They offer a large variety of tours to many destinations around the world at relatively affordable prices.
Specialised tour operators
- People or companies that supply tours for niche travel.
- They specialise in specific destinations or tourism experiences that many mass-market tour operators do not usually offer.
- Hence, tours for niche trave are not widely purchased as compared to package holidays.
- These tour operators are experts in these experiences at specific destinations, enabling them to give advice and recommendations to tourists.
- However, niche travel is becoming popular due to increasing use of online media which are creating greater interest in it.
- These tours are often customisable as they cater to small groups of tourists, unlike package tours.
——
Example: - Quark Expeditions specialises in tours to the Arctic and Antarctica, offering experiences ranging from sea kayaking to iceberg cruising.
