Topic 1 Tourism Activity

1. What is a tourism system?

1. Components of the tourism system

a) key components include tourist generating regions, tourist destination regions and transit routes

b) volume and direction of travel between regions are influenced by transit routes

2. Relationship between tourist generating and destination regions

a) push factors at tourist generating regions and pull factors at tourist destination regions

b) interdependence of tourists, businesses and organisations at tourist generating and destination regions

3. Interactions between tourism and the environment

a) tourism activity interacts with nature, communities and economies in their local environment and beyond

b) changes to one part of the tourism system affects the local and wider environment, and vice versa

2. What led to the growth of tourism?

1. Motivation to travel

a) individuals seeking relaxation, self-fulfilment and unique travel experiences

b) made possible by growth in individuals’ incomes

2. Ability to travel

a) growth in disposable incomes and increased leisure time due to paid vacation.

b) facilitated by business innovations, lower transport costs and accommodation costs

3. Mobility in travel

a) expansion of public transport services and infrastructure, and new modes of air, land and sea travel

b) increased private car ownership improving travel convenience to nearby locations

3. How do tourist destination regions develop over time?

1. Exploration and involvement stages

a) small number of tourists undertaking individual and irregular travel to visit the destination’s primary attractions

b) locals offer tourist services, advertising the destination, requesting for more public tourist amenities and facilities

2. Development and consolidation stages

a) increase in tourist numbers with destinations having more man-made attractions, advertisements and foreign labour

b) growth in tourist numbers slow and tourists outnumber locals resulting in a tourism dependent economy

3. Stagnation and decline or rejuvenation stages

a) tourist numbers peak as a destination’s carrying capacity is reached, resulting in negative impacts

b) tourist numbers decline as a destination loses its tourist appeal or is rejuvenated with new cultural or man-made attractions

4. How do different personality characteristics of tourists affect tourist destination regions?

1. Spectrum of personality characteristics

a) Dependables and Venturers, with a small proportion of tourists on both extreme ends

b) majority of tourists in the middle of the spectrum with a mixture of both extremes

2. Features of personality characteristics

a) Dependables spend cautiously, guided by authoritative figures, prefer structures in daily living and the company of friends and family

b) Venturers spend readily, guided by personal judgement, prefer different activities and being alone

3. Personality characteristics influence travel patterns

a) different types of tourist destination regions appeal to tourists with different personality characteristics

b) tourists who are more Venturer types influence travel decisions of those who are more Dependable types

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