Tourism
From ArticleWorld
Tourism is defined as the act of travel with the intentions of recreational pleasure.
The World Tourism Organization defines a tourist is someone who travels at least 50 miles or 80 kilometers away from their home, for the purpose of entertainment and pleasure. There are a variety of ways that a traveler can get to their intended destinations. Shorter distances may be reached by automobile or bus, where longer distances can be reaches by airplane, train or boat. A newer form of travel that has recently become available involves having outer space as an option.
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Travel elements
When traveling, tourists must keep in mind and plan for:
- Accomodation: a place to stay while traveling, whether it is a hotel, motel, apartment, resort, inn, hostel or guest house.
- Foods and beverages.
- Tours: getting to know the surrounding area that has been visited. This can be achieved through a walking tour, bus tour, coach tour, boat tour, even by helicopter.
- Souvenirs: bringing home a memory from the trip, such as a postcard, shot glass, keychain or snow globe.
Other elements of tourism might involve insurance, safety, security, culture, language and currency exchange. Many tourists travel for a number of reasons, including relaxation, escape, adventure, as well as experiencing new and different cultures.
Required factors
In order to travel, a person must possess four essentials:
- Disposable Income: money that can be spent on pleasure items.
- Time.
- Means of transport.
- Accommodation arrangements.
History
The history behind tourism and travel first referred to wealthy people who were interested in visiting distant parts of the world in order to view historic buildings or other works of art, as well as to learn a new language or sample foreign foods. The terms tourist and tourism were first recognized in 1937 by the League of Nations, whose definition involved a person who traveled abroad for more than 24 hours.
Types of tourism
There are different types of tourism that can be enjoyed. Some are listed below:
- Adventure tourism: involves travel to rugged regions so that tourists can participate in adventure sports such as hiking or climbing mountains.
- Cultural Tourism: involves visiting historical or intersting cities, such as Paris, Shanghai, Beijing or Warsaw. This is when tourists engage in cultural experiences, like visiting an art museum, theater or opera.
- Ecotourism: involves traveling that does not pose a threat to the environment, such as safariing in Kenya.
- Gambling Tourism: visiting destinations for the purpose of gambling, to places such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City or Monte Carlo/
- Sport Tourism: involves travel with the thought of a particular sport in mind, such as a ski trip during the winter season.