The Tourism Industry and Its Sectors

What this unit covers

This unit looks at how the travel and tourism industry is organised. The biggest group of resources is mind maps on the inbound tourism industry. They break it into retailing, accommodation, transport and food and beverage, with examples such as hotels, hostels, ferries, cruises, coaches and taxis. Others sort the industry by who runs it: the private, public and voluntary sectors.

Where to start

Begin with the flashcard deck Travel and Tourism Section 3 Key Words. It covers terms such as all-inclusive, bed and breakfast, full board, half board, hostels and home exchanges, plus inbound and domestic tour operators. Knowing the vocabulary makes the maps easier to read.

Next, open the mind maps Agents of Travel and Tourism and Agents of Tourism (UK). They define public sector bodies, private companies and registered charities. The lecture-style maps on the private sector and on public sector involvement go further. They cover PLCs and limited companies, natural and man-made resources, and why governments spend on tourism.

Using quizzes and maps together

1. Read a map and cover the branches you can recall.
2. Take the quiz Travel and Tourism Industries. It asks about natural and man-made visitor attractions in the UK.
3. Go back to the map for any answer you missed.
4. Finish with the quiz Agents of Tourism or the one on examples of agents.

Change and pressure on the industry

The flashcards External Pressures cover legislation such as the Development of Tourism Act 1969 and the Package Travel Regulations 1992, alongside climate and terrorism. A second deck looks at factors causing change and vulnerability, including new technology and currency fluctuations. These suit GCSE and BTEC Travel and Tourism revision.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the Foundations of Tourism strand in Tourism and hospitality. It gives the structure that later topics build on.

Choose one map today, test yourself with a quiz, and then make a few flashcards of your own.