Gateway 1

Gateway 1

1. Who are tourist?

   • definition of tourist: persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for more than 24 hours but not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes.
   • definition of international tourism: Refers to tourism outside of a tourist (travel which involves movement of tourists from their own countries )
   • definition of domestic tourism: refers to tourism within a tourist's own country.(when residents travel within their own country

2. How do tourists destinations differ from one another?

   • place of scenic beauty
     • Scenic beauty: mountains,valleys,rivers,deserts,waterfalls, coral reef and rainforests. reason:1. these places attract tourists with their awe-inspiring scenery, which differ from the built environment of towns and cities where many tourists come from. 2. these places can also provide opportunities for mountaineering, hiking, cycling and swimming.
       • example 1:wildlife sites such as the plains of Kenya give visitors a chance to watch lions,elephants and giraffes closely in their natural habitat.
       • example 2; mountainous area such as the Rocky Mountains in North America and the Himalayas in South Asia, have unique combinations of vegetation,wildlife,weather and high altitude that draw mountaineers.
       • example 3: tropical areas are popular among tourists who want to escape the cold winters of Europe and North America. Such as coastal resorts include Phuket in Thailand and Cannun in Mexico.
       • Honeypot tourism: refers to tourism that attracts large numbers of people due to a site's scenic beauty.
         • These places are overcrowded during peak periods and have development of tourists facilities.
           • example 1: Grand Canyon, a national park in the USA and the small limestone islands at Halong Bay in Vietnam.
           • example 2: One of the earth's most spectacular scenic beauties, Victoria Falls is located on the Zambezi River,on the boundary of Zimbabwe and Zambia in Africa. Between April and June when the flow of water in the Zambezi river is the greatest, the falls are 1.7 km wide and spill into a plunge pool that is more than 100 meters deep. attracting 300.000 visitors a year.
   • places of good facilities
     • MICE (meetings,incentives,conventions and events facilities.
       • MICE locations have venues that host large-scale events: 1.presence/construction of supporting infrastructure and services; 2.cater to business travellers; 3.popular in those cities that are located along international air routes; 4.promotes development of other attractions such as entertainment centers.(e.g casino),retail,resorts
         • example 1: Singapore, Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, Marina Bay Expo and Convenion Centre.
         • example 2: Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in 2006, the Youth Olympic Games in 2010 and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Global Aviation Human Capital Summit in 2011.
         • key factors that contribute to Singapore's success are its reputation as a major aviation hub, the availability of reliable relecommunication networks and a variety of shopping and entertainment options nearby.
     • Educational facilties
       • Education tourism is when people travel to a for educational purposes or to learn something about the place, such as its language or heritage.
         • 1st form: study tours. Example: in Cambodia or Egypt, such as the Angkor Wat or the Great Sphix of Giza.
         • 2nd form: intensive overseas educational programmes including going to universities with reputations for educational excellence. Example: the UK attracts almost one million people annually from overseas to study. Educational programmes may last from a few days several years. However, programmes which take a few years to complete fall outside the strict definition of tourism. Education fees, accommodation and recreational spending are estimated to earn the country over US$4 billion annually.
     • Medical and spa facilities
       • medical tourism is when people travel to a destination to undergo medical procedures that would enhance or restore health. They often travel to countries with excellent reputations for medical procedures.(attracted by the state-of-art medical facilities and treatment.)
         • example 2: They may want to seek better quality medical procedures that mat not be readily available in their own countries. South Korea ---cosmetic surgery---renowned for its highly skilled doctors and advanced technology
         • example 1: ACLDT ( Asian Centre for Liver Diseases and Transplantation) these tourists may want to avoid long waiting periods or high costs for medical treatment in their home countries (from DCs). tourism receipts from medical travellers in 2010 hit an estimated S$ 940 million.
       • health tourism: people travel to destination to maitain, enhance or restore their minds and bodies.
         • example: mud baths to gain therapeutic value from the mineral. The Dead Sea-high level of mud & salt contents.
     • theme parks
       • theme parks: places with amusement park settings or are attractions that have a central subject or theme. A theme park is often a large-scale enterprise that is part of an international chain.
         • example the Walt Disney Company operates theme in California and Florida, USA; Tokyo, Japan; Hong Kong,China; and Paris, France. The Walt Disney World in Florida,in the southeastern part of the USA, occupies an area about one-fifth the size of Singapore. It consists of six theme parks and water parks,five golf courses,dozens of recreational venues and 23 on-site themed hotels. The theme park attracted around 17 million in 2011,making it the most visited tourist site in the world.
   • places with rich cultures
     • Heritage tourism
       • Heritage tourism: when people travel to locations to experience different cultures and to understand the history of places better. This also helps promote a country's identity, culture and history to international tourists.
         • example 1: in Beijing, China, the city's historic centres includes the 600-year-old Forbidden City (also known as the Imperial Palace) and the Tiananmen Square.
         • example 2: Machu Picchu,Peru. this 'Lost City of the Incas' is located 2350 metres above sea level in the Andes Mountains of South America. As the last stronghold of Incas civilisation,its attractions include 500-year-old stone architecture, walls, ramps and terraces. The site also has spectacular views of the Peruvian Andes.
     • Film-induced tourism
       • film-induced tourism: when people travel to see locations featured in films. This is despite the fact that specific names of locations are not always used in films. Films can influence the destination choices of tourists. By visiting these places, tourists can understand how certain scenes of the film were filmed as well as understand how these places inspired parts of the film.
         • example: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China where 3-D film Avatar is featured scenery. In an attempt to attract more international tourists and ride on the film's success, local officials renamed one of the park's rock columns as the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain
     • Gourmet food and shopping tourism
       • tourists may want to organise their trips to enjoy certain cuisines or to shop.
         • example 1: Gourmet food uses a variety of ingredients with emphasis on freshness and light seasoning. Hong Kong is a popular city for gourmet food tourism. Good quality food at a range of prices can be found easily in Hong Kong.
         • example 2: London, UK, is a popular site for shopping tourism. of the 15 million international tourists who visit the city each year, many include shopping in their itineraries. The street markets of Portobello Road are visited by tourists looking for collectables. The fashion houses and department stores of the West End are visited by people looking for the latest fashion. As a world fashion centre, London offers a range of prices and styles from custom-made to 'off-the-rack' items.
     • Pilgrimate tourism
       • pilgrimage tourism: when people travel to take apart in a religious activity. This usually involves a journey to a sacred place, such as a shrine, a mosque, a temple or a church, that is important to a person's beliefs and faith. Major religous events ot holidays also play a big role in drawing large crowds to these sites.
         • example: 1 key religious sites attract an estimated 300 million pilgrims a year, according to the UNWTO. These key pilgrim destinations include Jerusalem,Israel for Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
         • example 2: the annual Hajj to Mecca,Saudi Arabia, is the world's largest pilgrimates. It attracts three million pilgrimas that include 1.8 million from other countries. A prilgrimate to Mecca is a religious futy for every physcally able Muslim.
   • places of conflict
     • dark tourism: is tourism that involves travelling to sites associated with death and tragedy. People who take part in dark tourism usually include survivors, relatives and friends of those affected, as well as people interested to know more about an event.
       • Human atrocity: Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, Nanjing, China. Built to commemorate the mass murder and rape that occurred in Nanjing after the city fell to the Janpanese in December 1937.
   • space tourism
     • space tourism: when people travel beyond the earth's atmosphere into space. These trips can be short, suborbital flights or longer trips to a space station.
       • example 2: Virgin Galactic pre-sold over 500 seats at around US$200,000 each in 2012. The six passengers on earth flight would reach 100 km above the earth's surface and be allowed to float within the cabin for several minutes.
       • example 1: the Russian Space Agency organises trips to the International Space Station. These trips are exclusive and very costly. Each tourist pays US$ 20 million to US$ 35 million to be in space for 8 to 15 days. As of 2012, only seven people have participated in such trips.

3. what factors affect the nature of tourism?(the role of different groups in promoting tourism

   • Government
     • Government plays a crucial role in promoting tourism in their country. Governments are often directly involved in planning, funding and building infrastructure projects linked to tourism, such as airports, roads and ports. They also play a big role in ensuring the safety and security of the sites that tourists frequently visit. Therefore, they can influence the number of visitors and their length of stay, authorise air landings and allow the building of facilities such as hotels.
       • example: The Singapore Tourism Board(STB) is a government agency that promotes Singapore as a tourist destination. The STB develops tourism as an industry, facilitating tourism-related businesses to invest in SIngapiore. such as hotels, resorts, cruises and airlines. It encourages the development of new attractions, such as River Safaris and the Integrated Resorts. It also creates new business opportunities for the tourism industry in Singapore. The STB aims to develop Singapore as a leading tourist destination for leisure and business in the region.
   • Media
     • Media reports about a country or an area could influence the decision of tourists to visit. Media refers to the channels through which news and information are communicated to the public. It includes television, radio, newspaper and the Internet. As a result of the media, tourists are more aware of destinations that they have previously not considered.
       • example 1: positive reports, such as the friendliness of the local population, an interesting culture, good shopping opportunities and attractive scenery, can encourage tourists to visit. visit to Antarctica, treks in Himalayas Mountains, homestays with indigenous groups and long-distance cruises are growing in popularity because of favourable media reports.
       • example 2: negative reports, such as those of incidents of violence, disease outbreaks and natural disasters, can deter visitors both immediately and for many years to come.
   • International organisations
     • international organisation is a group of different countries that work togethr fro a common purpose. Reportd produced by international organisations can encourage ot discourage tourists in visiting a place.
       • example: as the World Health Organisations(WHO) is the leading authority for health within the United Nations system, it is capable of influencing global behaviours. For example, the WHO has provided situation updates and health advisories on avian influenza (H5N1) from 2003 to 2013. Such information discourages tourists from visiting at-risk countries.
   • Travel writers
     • travel writers visit and write reviews about places as their work would appear in travel guidebook, travelogues and magazines as well as on the Internet. Travel writers visit and write reviews about places. Travel writers evaluate the destination for their readers. The evaluation may be about the type of acommodation, transport and food available. It may also involve advice on the best and the cheapest places to visit and even a few'dos and don'ts' on tourist behaviour. therefore, they can inspire or discourage readers to travel to destinations that they may not have thouht of before.
       • example: "Fiji has a range of activities to suit everyone and they can be relaxing around the pool and your nights dining in style or strolling along the beach."