Tourism Industry – Geography – UGC NET – Notes

Introduction

• First, it is important to define what is meant by the ‘tourism industry’. Essentially, it refers to all activity related to the short-term movement of people to locations away from where they usually reside. It is one of the world’s largest industries and the economies of many nations are driven, to a large extent, by their tourist trade.
• It is also a wide-ranging industry, which includes the hotel industry, the transport industry and a number of additional industries or sectors. It is vital to understand that the tourist industry is linked to movement to different locations, based not only on leisure, but also business and some additional travel motivators.
• With that being said, according to the most common definitions, the tourism industry does not cover activities related to travel where the person intends to stay in their destination for longer than one year. As an example, this means that expatriates and long-term international students are not technically classed as tourists.
• As the primary engine of growth for the nation’s economy, the tourism industry is a vital, dynamic and evolving industry. With a mature tourism infrastructure supporting approximately 1.5 million stopover visitors and 3.5 million cruise visitors per annum, and a progressive service industry, tourism has become the largest driver of the economic activity in The Bahamas.
• Moreover, with recent investments the Atlantis Phase III, the Baha Mar Development Company in the Cable Beach strip, and any number of projects planned for the Family Islands the tourism industry is poised for exponential growth and development, creating an untold range of opportunities not only for jobs within and related to the industry, but for entrepreneurial initiatives that will help create sustainable and lasting economic supports for the industry.
• Why do visitors choose The Bahamas? In 2003, almost 70 percent of vacationers to Nassau/Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island and the Family Islands said their decision was based on the warm climate and the beauty and accessibility of our beaches first and foremost, followed by the diversity of hotel facilities.
• In 2003, almost 50% of vacationers to The Bahamas booked an air and hotel inclusive package with best vacation value cited as being of increasing importance in the decision-making process.

Tourism

• Tourism involves the short term movement of people to destinations outside the places where they normally live and work. It also involves the activities of people, referred to as tourists or visitors, during their visit to these destinations and the facilities and services patronized during their stay.
• These tourists or visitors spend money earned in their places of residence at their home country. This money, termed foreign exchange in the visited destination, is used for balance of payment in other countries. Foreign exchange enables countries to purchase the goods and services needed to stimulate their economies, thus generating wealth and employment in the destination. While tourism it is important economically, it is also beneficial socially, politically, culturally and educationally.

Tourist

• In simple terms, a tourist is a person travelling to another location, away from their usual social environment, for business, pleasure or social reasons. By most accepted definitions, to be classed as a tourist, a person needs to stay at that location for longer than 24 hours, but for no longer than one year.
• Anyone traveling for such purposes as recreation, holiday, health, sports, family reasons, business, on a mission or as a delegate at a conference, staying at least 24 hours and overnight, but not more than one (1) year. It excludes emigrants, diplomats, consular representatives and armed forces personnel. In no instance should the person be earning income in the place visited.
• Tourists may be motivated to travel by a range of different factors, such as refreshment of body and mind, or the pursuit of excitement, entertainment or pleasure. Alternatively, travellers may be driven by cultural curiosity, self-improvement, business, or by a desire to visit friends and family, or to form new relationships.
• While business travellers are usually classed as tourists, it is worth noting that many definitions of the word exclude those who travel with the intention of making an income in the place that they travel to.
• There are three classifications of tourists: international, regional and domestic. An International Tourist is one who visits another country outside his own country. A Regional Tourist is one traveling in a defined geographical region that is within the Caribbean. A Domestic Tourist is one traveling within his own country of residence e.g. Bimini, Abaco, etc.
• There are four categories of tourist in The Bahamas: Transit, Day, Cruise, and Overnight or Stopover.
• Transit Visitors: Persons passing through on their way to another country but having to enter The Bahamas for Immigration purposes.
• Day Visitors: Visitors spending less than 24 hours in The Bahamas do not use overnight accommodation.
• Cruise Visitors: Those visitors arriving by cruise ship and using the cruise ship for their accommodation. In 2000 these persons spent on average $60.00 per person in the destination and are pursued for the potential of their conversion to stopover visitors.
• Stopover Visitors are staying for at least 24 hours and using some form of overnight accommodation, whether hotel, boat or staying with friends and relatives. In 2000, these persons spent an average of $1000.00 per person. Economically, these are the most important visitors to The Bahamas.