France has remained the most visited country in recent years. [1][2]
London, the most visited city in the world in 2006 according to Euromonitor. [5]
Tourism is travel for recreational or leisure purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay 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".[citation needed] Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2007, there were over 903 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 6.6% as compared to 2006. International tourist receipts were USD 856 billion in 2007.[3]
Despite the uncertainties in the global economy, international tourist arrivals during the first four months of 2008 followed a similar growth trend than the same period in 2007.[3] However, as a result of the economic crisis of 2008, international travel demand suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008, with growth in international tourism arrivals worldwide falling to 2% during the boreal summer months, while growth from January to April 2008 had reached an average 5.7% compared to its 2007 level. Growth from 2007 to 2008 was only 3.7%, as total international tourism arrivals from January to August were 641 million tourists, up from 618 million in the same period in 2007.[6]
Tourism is vital for many countries such as U.A.E, Egypt, Greece, Thailand and many island nations such as Bahamas, Fiji, Maldives, Seychelles due to the large intake of money for businesses with their goods and services and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism. These service industries include transportation services such as cruise ships and taxis, accommodation such as hotels and entertainment venues, and other hospitality industry services such as resorts.
Definition
Hunziker and Krapf, in 1941, defined tourism as "the sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and stay of non-residents, insofar as they do not lead to permanent residence and are not connected with any earning activity."[7] In 1976, the Tourism Society of England defined it as "Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destination outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all purposes."[citation needed] In 1981, International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism[8] defined Tourism in terms of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home environment.
The United Nations classified three forms of tourism in 1994 in its Recommendations on Tourism Statistics: Domestic tourism, which involves residents of the given country traveling only within this country; Inbound tourism, involving non-residents traveling in the given country; and Outbound tourism, involving residents traveling in another country.[citation needed]
The UN also derived different categories of tourism by combining the 3 basic forms of tourism: Internal tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism; National tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism; and International tourism, which consists of inbound tourism and outbound tourism. Intrabound tourism is a term coined by the Korea Tourism Organization and widely accepted in Korea.[citation needed] Intrabound tourism differs from domestic tourism in that the former encompasses policymaking and implementation of national tourism policies.[citation needed]
Recently, the tourism industry has shifted from the promotion of inbound tourism to the promotion of intrabound tourism because many countries are experiencing tough competition for inbound tourists.[citation needed] Some national policymakers have shifted their priority to the promotion of intrabound tourism to contribute to the local economy. Examples of such campaigns include "See America" in the United States, "Truly Asia" in Malaysia, "Get Going Canada" in Canada, "Wow Philippines" in the Philippines, "Uniquely Singapore" in Singapore, "100% Pure New Zealand" in New Zealand, "Amazing Thailand" in Thailand, "The Hidden Charm" in Vietnam and "Incredible India" in India.[citation needed]
World tourism statistics and rankings
Most visited countries
-
The World Tourism Organization reports the following ten countries as the most visited in 2007 by number of international travelers. When compared to 2006, Ukraine entered the top ten list, surpassing Russia, Austria and Mexico. Most of the top visited countries continue to be on the European continent.
| Rank |
Country |
UNWTO
Regional
Market |
International
tourist
arrivals
(2007)[3] |
International
tourist
arrivals
(2006)[9] |
| 1 |
 France |
Europe |
81.9 million |
79.1 million |
| 2 |
 Spain |
Europe |
59.2 million |
58.5 million |
| 3 |
 United States |
North America |
56.0 million |
51.1 million |
| 4 |
 China |
Asia |
54.7 million |
49.6 million |
| 5 |
 Italy |
Europe |
43.7 million |
41.1 million |
| 6 |
 United Kingdom |
Europe |
30.7 million |
30.7 million |
| 7 |
 Germany |
Europe |
24.4 million |
23.6 million |
| 8 |
 Ukraine |
Europe |
23.1 million |
18.9 million |
| 9 |
 Turkey |
Europe |
22.2 million |
18.9 million |
| 10 |
 Mexico |
North America |
21.4 million |
21.4 million |
International tourism receipts
International tourist receipts were USD 96.7 billion in 2007, up from USD 85.7 billion in 2006. When the export value of international passenger travel receipts is accounted for, total receipts in 2007 reached a record of USD 1.02 trillion or 3 billion a day.[3] The World Tourism Organization reports the following 10 countries as the top ten tourism earners for the year 2007. It is noticeable that most of them are on the European continent, but the United States continues to be the top earner.
| Rank |
Country |
UNWTO
Regional
Market |
International
Tourism
Receipts
(2007)[3] |
International
Tourism
Receipts
(2006)[9] |
| 1 |
United States |
North America |
$96.7 billion |
$85.7 billion |
| 2 |
Spain |
Europe |
$57.8 billion |
$51.1 billion |
| 3 |
France |
Europe |
$54.2 billion |
$46.3 billion |
| 4 |
Italy |
Europe |
$42.7 billion |
$38.1 billion |
| 5 |
China |
Asia |
$41.9 billion |
$33,9 billion |
| 6 |
United Kingdom |
Europe |
$37.6 billion |
$33.7 billion |
| 7 |
Germany |
Europe |
$36.0 billion |
$32.8 billion |
| 8 |
 Australia |
Oceania |
$22.2 billion |
$17.8 billion |
| 9 |
 Austria |
Europe |
$18.9 billion |
$16.6 billion |
| 10 |
Turkey |
Europe |
$18.5 billion |
$16.9 billion |
International tourism top spenders
The World Tourism Organization reports the following 10 countries as the top ten biggest spenders on international tourism for the year 2007. For the fifth year in a row, German tourists continue as the top spenders.[3] A study by Dresdner Bank study[10] forecasts that for 2008 Germans and Europeans in general will continue to be the top spenders because of the strength of the Euro against the US dollar, with strong demand for the US in favor of other destinations.[11]
| Rank |
Country |
UNWTO
Regional
Market |
International
Tourism
Expenditures
(2007)[3] |
International
Tourism
Expenditures
(2006)[9] |
| 1 |
Germany |
Europe |
$82.9 billion |
$73.9 billion |
| 2 |
United States |
North America |
$76.2 billion |
$72.1 billion |
| 3 |
United Kingdom |
Europe |
$72.3 billion |
$63.1 billion |
| 4 |
France |
Europe |
$36.7 billion |
$31.2 billion |
| 5 |
China |
Asia |
$29.8 billion |
$24.3 billion |
| 6 |
Italy |
Europe |
$27.3 billion |
$23.1 billion |
| 7 |
 Japan |
Asia |
$26.5 billion |
$26.9 billion |
| 8 |
 Canada |
North America |
$24.8 billion |
$20.5 billion |
| 9 |
 Russia |
Europa |
$22.3 billion |
$18.2 billion |
| 10 |
 South Korea |
Asia |
$20.9 billion |
$18.9 billion |
Most visited attractions
Forbes Traveller released a ranking of the world's 50 most visited tourist attractions in 2007, including both international and domestic tourists.[12] The following are the Top 10 attractions, followed by some other famous sites included within the list of the 50 most visited:[13] It is noticeable that 4 out of the top 5 are in the North America continent.
Most visited cities
Euromonitor released a ranking of the world's 150 most visited cities by international tourists in 2006.[5] The following are the leading 15 cities according to Euromonitor's ranking:
Cf. Other sources report Paris as the most visited city in the world with 30 million visitors.[14][15][16][17]
History
The Great Bath at the Roman Baths, in Bath, one of the world's first health tourism sites.
Wealthy people have always traveled to distant parts of the world to see great buildings and works of art, to learn new languages, to experience new cultures, and to taste different cuisines. As long ago as the time of the Roman Republic, places such as Baiae were popular coastal resorts for the rich. The word tourism was used by 1811 and tourist by 1840.[18] In 1936 the League of Nations defined foreign tourist as someone travelling abroad for at least twenty-four hours. Its successor, the United Nations amended this definition in 1945 by including a maximum stay of six months.[19]
Pre twentieth century
European tourism can be said to originate with the medieval pilgrimage. Although undertaken primarily for religious reasons, the pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales saw the experience as a holiday (the term itself being derived from the 'holy day' and its associated leisure activities). Pilgrimages created a variety of tourist aspects that still exist - bringing back souvenirs, obtaining credit with foreign banks (in medieval times utilizing international networks established by the Lombards), and making use of space available on existing forms of transport (such as the use of medieval English wine ships bound for Vigo by pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela). Religious and secular pilgrimages are still prevalent in modern tourism - such as to Lourdes or Knock in Ireland, Graceland and the grave of Jim Morrison in Père Lachaise Cemetery.
During the 17th century, it became fashionable in England to undertake a Grand Tour. The sons of the nobility and gentry were sent upon an extended tour of Europe as an educational experience. The 18th century was the golden age of the Grand Tour, and many of the fashionable visitors were painted at Rome by Pompeo Batoni.
Health tourism has long existed, but it was not until the eighteenth century that it became important.[citation needed] In England, it was associated with spas, places with supposedly health-giving mineral waters, treating diseases from gout to liver disorders and bronchitis. The most popular resorts were Bath, Cheltenham, Buxton, Harrogate, and Tunbridge Wells. Visits to take 'the waters' also allowed the visitors to attend balls and other entertainments. Continental Spas such as Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary) attracted many fashionable travellers by the nineteenth century.
Leisure travel
Leisure travel was associated with the industrialisation of United Kingdom – the first European country to promote leisure time to the increasing industrial population.[citation needed] Initially, this applied to the owners of the machinery of production, the economic oligarchy, the factory owners, and the traders. These comprised the new middle class. Cox & Kings were the first official travel company to be formed in 1758.[citation needed] Later, the working class could take advantage of leisure time.[citation needed]
The British origin of this new industry is reflected in many place names. At Nice, France, one of the first and best-established holiday resorts on the French Riviera, the long esplanade along the seafront is known to this day as the Promenade des Anglais; in many other historic resorts in continental Europe, old well-established palace hotels have names like the Hotel Bristol, the Hotel Carlton or the Hotel Majestic - reflecting the dominance of English customers.
Many tourists do leisure tourism in the tropics both in the summer and winter. It is often done in places such as Cuba, The Dominican Republic, Thailand, North Queensland in Australia and Florida in the United States.
Winter tourism
Major ski resorts are located in various mainland European countries, Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Chile and Argentina.
Mass tourism
Mass travel could only develop with improvements in technology allowed the transport of large numbers of people in a short space of time to places of leisure interest, and greater numbers of people began to enjoy the benefits of leisure time.
In the United States, the first great seaside resort, in the European style, was Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Long Island.
In Continental Europe, early resorts included Ostend (for the people of Brussels), and Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais) and Deauville (Calvados) (for Parisians), and Heiligendamm (founded 1797 as the first seaside resort at the Baltic Sea).
Adjectival tourisms
Adjectival tourism refers to the numerous niche or specialty travel forms of tourism that have emerged over the years, each with its own adjective. Many of these have come into common use by the tourism industry and academics. Others are emerging concepts that may or may gain popular useage. Examples of the more common niche tourism markets include:
- Aboriginal tourism (also Tribal tourism and Native American tourism)
- Adventure tourism (or Adventure travel usually outdoors)
- Alternative tourism
- Backpack tourism (or Youth Backpack tourism, see Backpacking (travel))
- Battlefield tourism
- Border tourism (or Cross-Border Tourism)
- Business tourism (or Business travel)
- Celebrity tourism (including Celebrity Cruises)
- Community Based tourism (or Community Supported tourism)
- Cruise tourism (see Cruise ship)
- Culinary tourism
- Disaster tourism
- Dark tourism
- Dive tourism (see SCUBA diving)
- Ecotourism (or Eco-tourism in some countries)
- Educational tourism (or Edutourism, see below)
- Ethnic tourism
- Event tourism (or Special Event tourism, including Festivals)
- Extreme tourism (or Shock tourism)
- FIT - Free Independent Traveler (or Fully Independent Travel)
- Geopark Tourism (geology-based)
- Geotourism (related to Sustainable tourism)
- Girlfriend Getaway (all female trip)
- GIT - Group Inclusive Travel (see Group (travel))
- Golf tourism
- Greif tourism (related to Thanatourism)
- Health tourism (or Wellness Tourism; overlap with Medical Tourism and New Age Tourism)
- Heritage tourism
- Incentive travel (gift vacations for employees)
- Island tourism
- Honeymoon (or Second Honeymoon)
- LGBT tourism
- Mass tourism
- Medical tourism
- MICE - Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (or Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions)
- Mountain tourism
- Nautical tourism
- New Age tourism (see New Age travelers)
- Nightlife tourism (also Entertainment tourism)
- Package tourism (see Package holiday)
- Photography (or Photo) tourism
- Religious tourism (including Pilgrimage)
- Reunion tourism (see Reunion Tour)
- Roots tourism (or Genealogy related tourism)
- Rural tourism
- Second Home tourism (see Vacation property)
- Sex tourism
- Shopping tourism
- Space tourism
- Sports tourism
- SSS - Sun, Sand and Surf (also Sun, Surf and Sex)
- Sustainable tourism
- Thanatourism (meaning death related tourism)
- Urban tourism
- VFR - Visiting Friends and Relatives
- Volunteer tourism (or Volunteer travel)
- War tourism
- Winter (Sports) tourism (see below)
Recent developments
There has been an upmarket trend in the tourism over the last few decades, especially in Europe where international travel for short breaks is common.[citation needed] Tourists have higher levels of disposable income and greater leisure time and they are also better-educated and have more sophisticated tastes.[citation needed] There is now a demand for a better quality products, which has resulted in a fragmenting of the mass market for beach vacations; people want more specialised versions, such as Club 18-30, quieter resorts, family-oriented holidays, or niche market-targeted destination hotels.
The developments in technology and transport infrastructure, such as jumbo jets and low-cost airlines, and more accessible airports have made many types of tourism more affordable. There have also been changes in lifestyle, such as retiree-age people who sustain year round tourism. This is facilitated by internet sales of tourism products. Some sites have now started to offer dynamic packaging, in which an inclusive price is quoted for a tailor-made package requested by the customer upon impulse.
There have been a few setbacks in tourism, such as the September 11, 2001 attacks and terrorist threats to tourist destinations such as Bali and European cities. Some of the tourist destinations, including the beach resorts of Cancún have lost popularity due to shifting tastes.[citation needed] In this context, the excessive building and environmental destruction often associated with traditional "sun and beach" tourism may contribute to a destination's saturation and subsequent decline.[citation needed] Spain's Costa Brava, a popular 1960s and 1970s beach location is now facing a crisis in its tourism industry.[citation needed]
On December 26, 2004 a tsunami, caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake hit Asian countries bordering the Indian Ocean, and also the Maldives. Thousands of lives were lost, and many tourists died. This, together with the vast clean-up operation in place, has stopped or severely hampered tourism to the area.
The terms tourism and travel are sometimes used interchangeably. In this context travel has a similar definition to tourism, but implies a more purposeful journey. The terms tourism and tourist are sometimes used pejoratively, to imply a shallow interest in the cultures or locations visited by tourists.
Eco-tourism
-
Main article: Eco-tourism
Medical tourism
-
When there is a significant price difference between countries for a given medical procedure particularly in South East Asia, India and Eastern Europe or where there are different regulatory regimes between countries in relation to particular medical procedures (eg dentistry) travelling to take advantage of the price or regulatory differences is often referred to as "medical tourism".
Educational tourism
Educational tourism developed because of the growing popularity[citation needed] of teaching and learning of knowledge, and enhancing technical competency outside the classroom environment. In the educational tourism, the main focus of the tour or leisure activity includes visitation of another country to learn about the culture of the visited country (Student Exchange Program and Study Tour) or to work and apply their learning inside the classroom in different environment (International Practicum Training Program).
Other developments
Emerging Adjectival Tourism Terms
- Atrocity tourism (also War, Disaster, etc., above)
- Hot-Spot tourism (places of current armed conflict)
- Staycation (very popular term in summer 2008)
- Babymoon (a pre-birth honeymoon)
- Celebration Vacations (travel to celebrate a special event)
- Creative tourism (tourist participation in destination arts) (see below)
- Graffiti tourism (travel to commit graffiti)
- Libel tourism
- Mancation (an all male trip)
- Momcation (for mothers)
- Purposeful tourism (also Meaningful Tourism, related to Volunteer travel, also known as Voluntourism)
- Tummy Tuck Travel (Medical tourism for plastic surgery)
Creative tourism Creative tourism has existed as a form of cultural tourism since the early beginnings of tourism itself. Its European roots date back to the time of the Grand Tour, which saw the sons of aristocratic families traveling for the purpose of (mostly interactive) educational experiences. More recently, creative tourism has been given its own name by Crispin Raymond and Greg Richards[ |
