Fundamentals of Travel and Tourism Policies and Practices

Question: 1. Summarise the key historical and current developments in tourism. Identify the different types of tourism (Mass and Special Interest tourism) and explain their characteristics giving examples where appropriate. (LO1) (600 words) 2. There are reasons why tourists visit a particular destination. Discuss the extent literature related to the demand for tourism, particularly looking at tourist behaviour and motivations. Answer: Introduction The report would essentially focus on understanding the historical and current developments that have been generated in the travel and tourism sector in United Kingdom. It would also focus on analysing the factors that contribute in creating the demand and also in motivating tourists to venture into tourism adventures both on the domestic and international fronts. The report would also aim in understanding the elements that are needed to be effectively incorporated for development of resorts. Finally, the report would reflect on the features of public, private and voluntary firms operating in the travel and tourism sector of United Kingdom with effective examples. Historical and Current Developments in Tourism Current developments in the tourism sector are highlighted in terms of growth of arrival of international tourists where during 2014 the number of tourist arrivals grew by around 4.3 percent compared to the previous period totalling to an amount of 1.133 billion. Further, highlights reflect that activities associated with international tourism generated increased revenues of around $1.5 trillion in terms of generation of export revenues. A forecast rendered by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) reflects that growth in the number of arrivals of international tourists to different regions is increased by around 3 to 4 percent during the 2015 period(UNWTO, 2015). Further, the current trends associated with the tourism sector reflects on the use of internet based technological systems like Smartphones and other gadgets by consumers for reservation activities in hotels and in other transportation mediums like airlines and railways. An estimate carried out during 2014 reflects that around 25 percent of the hotel bookings made by United States based tourists were carried out through the use of mobile devices. Moreover, the development of social networking mediums like Facebook and Twitter are also observed to be increasingly employed by the tourism and travel companies for generation of increased awareness about tourism products and services to a larger number of tourists around the world(Chopra, 2015). Different Types of Tourism The different types of tourism are broadly categorised under two heads like mass and special interest tourisms. Mass tourism denotes to tourism activities where the tourism products and services are generated to be consumed by people in large numbers or masses. Thus mass tourism involves increased or mass production of tourism products and services. Moreover mass tourism also features the growth of demand and consumption of consumer goods and accessories associated with the tourism venture. It is observed that people moving in tourist places featuring sea focus on the procurement of surf boards while skiing accessories are increasingly demanded by people moving over to snow capped hills and mountains. Other examples of mass tourism reflects on theme parks like the Disney theme park that attracts considerable number of tourists and also tourism packages designed by touring companies like Thomas and Cook inviting increased number of tourists. Similarly, the designing of tourism packages featuring facilities like touring, dining and other entertainment activities also contribute in attracting con siderable number of people to tourism sites featuring architectures and beaches(Baldacchino, 2016). Special Interest Tourism or SIT is featured by the existence of tourists that share common interests in visiting specific places and tourist destinations. The common liking reflected by the tourists contributes in attributing their choices for specific tourism destinations. Activities concerning SIT are essentially designed based on the travel interests and motivation of the tourist groups rather than being based on income, age and other social and demographic categories. Nature tourism can be effectively identified as a potential example of SIT. The SIT can be effectively categorised as health tourism, passive tourism activities associated with sports, active tourism activities like adventure based tourism, creative tourism associated with cultural performances like dance, music and art, heritage and also luxury or relaxing tourism(Richins Hull, 2016). Demand for Tourism The demand for different tourist sites and venues are increasingly constituted by a host of different functions like the age, income, educational and marital status of the people interested or focusing to tour to specific tourism destinations. Further, the prices of the different tour packages developed by the tour and travel companies also affect and determine the travelling and touring demand of the people to specific tourism destinations. The demand for honeymoon sites and packages both along domestic and international tourism are potentially influenced by the marital status and situation of the masses. Similarly, educational tours pertaining to travelling to historical and heritage sites are influenced by nature of the educational status of the people. Changes in the exchange rates between two economies also tend to influence the tourism demand of the people. The exchange rates associated with tourism destinations are also influenced by the inflation rates concerning the tourism destinations or economies. Growth in the level of inflation along with unfavourable exchange rates dampens the interests of the tourists. Existence of substitute tourist destinations and tourism packages also influence the demand of tourists moving over to specific regions(Song Witt, 2012). Push/Pull Factors Different types of push and pull factors are observed to influence the interests of tourists visiting specific tourist destinations. Different types of push factors like escaping from the routine or mundane work and social environments, exploration of different regions and their own adventurous behaviours, desire to earn relaxation and luxurious lifestyle for specific periods, interest for enhancing social and kinship interactions and relations are observed to influence the mindset of the people for touring over to specific regions. The other pull factors like novelty of tourist regions and also the educational qualifications of the tourists are also observed to potentially influence the tourist mindset. Push and pull factors in a combined form together contribute in taking effective decisions regarding the restoration of tourism and ecological environments. The push factors are thus observed to be the different types of psychological factors that potentially motivate and influence t he consumers for generating visits to different tourist regions. Pull factors on the other hand reflect on the essential features and determinants of specific tourism destinations that potentially attract tourists to such regions. Thus, students pursuing research in architectural, archaeological and historical studies are thus observed to be pulled to tourism destinations of heritage and historical interests(Tribe, 2009). Tourist Motivation and Typologies Tourist typologies based on motivational aspects of tourist contribute in categorising tourists. The five different tourist categories or typologies are identified as follows. Budget travellers are identified to be tourists that are economically oriented in nature. Adventure travellers are observed to be tourists that focus on touring over to adventurous regions consisting of hills, forests and beaches encouraging activities like trekking and surfing. The adventure travellers however are observed to reflect reduced interests for enjoying leisure tourism involving the use of spas and other relaxing centres(CHEN et al., 2014). Homebodies are categorised as tourists that desire for enjoying relaxing travel. These tourist categories do not desire in getting travel related information and also are not adventurous in nature. Vacationers are categorised as tourists that focus on planning of tourism activities and focus on booking of holidays depending on their vacation periods. Finally, the moderates are classified as tourists that have an increased interest for travelling over to different regions but do not have inclinations for participating in activities concerning sports tourism and also in weekend trips to short destinations(Lubbe, 2003). Factors Influencing Tourist Motivation A set of factors underlined below tend to influence the decision making activities of the tourists visiting both domestic and international regions. Age of the Tourists Age constitutes to be important determinant that governs the decision making activities of the people concerning touring. Survey conducted on the tourist population in United Kingdom reflects that people aged between 16 to 24 years and also those beyond 65 years are more inclined in availing holiday packages designed by tour operators. People belonging to the above age categories however fail to meet their tourism needs on a frequent basis owing to income constraints. The UK population relating to the age group 35 to 54 reflect potential interests in overseas or international tourism while the retired population focus more on enjoying the benefits of domestic tourism. The younger population in the region is largely advertised for promotion of both adventurous and leisure tourism on account of their energy and also income power(Song Witt, 2012). Family Influences In terms of family influences, the women population in the UK households are observed to act as information seekers and analysers regarding selection of tourism venues. However, the decision regarding length of stay, price packages, travelling decisions and also accommodation facilities are undertaken in a joint fashion in heterosexual households. The existence of children in the households also requires the parents to make tourism plans depending on school or college holidays where the duration of the holidays are also planned based on the availability of the children(Page, 2014). Gender Gender groupings among men, women and also the existence of transgender population in societies potentially influence the touring decisions of the different communities. The men are observed to be potentially interested in adventure tourism involving trekking, mountain climbing, paragliding, skiing and other types of sporting events. Further, the male population is also interested in availing sex tourism. The women tourists focus on touring over to spiritual and religious places while also on availing the benefits of leisure tourism(Page Connell, 2006). Agents and Elements Needed for Development of Tourist Attractions The elements that are needed to be incorporated for designing and development of effective tourism attractions and resorts are identified in terms of 6As of tourism. The first A signifies the incorporation of needed attractions like designing resorts involving scenic attractions like hills, forests and beaches or in the form of development of artificial attractions like that of designing theme and amusement parks for entertaining guests and visitors through generation of cultural nights and festivals. The second A denotes the incorporation of transportation infrastructures for generation of accessibility to the resorts. The tour or resort company thus not only requires in making the tourists avail adequate transportation facilities but also in generation of effective routes that would help in servicing the tourists by fetching them from different busy terminals like airports and railway stations(Hampton, 2013). The third A increasingly focus on the generation of effective amenities b ased on providing the right quality and standard of accommodation facilities along with provision of effective and quality food and leisure facilities for entertaining the people. Further, the fourth A reflect on the different types of tour product and service packages that are designed by other intermediary firms linked with the tourism company for generation of tour services in a customised fashion. The fifth A relate to the different activities that are designed in the tourist resorts for helping in the attraction of potential tourists. The activities in the tourist resorts can be made increasingly attractive based on the incorporation of support from different event management firms. The final A relates to the development of network of the tourist resort with other ancillary firms pertaining to different sectors like banks, hospitals, insurance and postal services. The development of networks of the tourist resort with other ancillary services provided by government, semi-govern ment and private partners would help the tourists enjoy their tours in a holistic fashion(Buhalis Amaranggana, 2014). Key Organisations in UK Travel and Tourism Industry The investigation of the travel and tourism sector based in United Kingdom reveals that the sector is increasingly constituted by firms operating in the private, public and voluntary sector. Private Sector Firms Investigations carried out in the UK Tourism and Travel Industry reflect that majority of the firms operating in the stated sector in the region belong to the private category. The private sector tour and travelling firms increasingly focus on incurring increased revenues and profits while also in generating increased returns to the shareholders. Travel and tourism sector in United Kingdom contribute in generating increased employment in the region such that it contributes in generating 10 percent of the total employment in the economy. Different types of private tour and travel companies operating in United Kingdom are like Thomas Cook, Holiday Inn, British Airways, London Eye, Alton Towers and Virgin Trains. Public Sector Firms The public sector firms operating in the travel and tourism sector in United Kingdom are observed to be effectively governed by the local, regional and national governments. The public sector tourism and travel organisations increasingly focus on educating, informing and providing quality touring and travelling services to tourists at reduced cost. The government authority DCMS or the Department of Culture, Media and Sport potentially operates in managing and governing the operations of the government travel and tour firms operating in the region. Some effective examples of travel and tour firms operating along the tourism supply chain in United Kingdom are like the museums, tourism and travel information centres, national gallery and also the different regional tourism development organisations(Smith Stewart, 2014). Voluntary Sector Firms The voluntary sector firms operating in the travel and tourism sector in United Kingdom are essentially constituted by charity and not-for-profit organisations and also other types of trusts. The funding of the voluntary sector firms are made based on the use of entrance fees, donations generated by the internal members and those collected from the external society and also a host of fundraising events generated in the region. The voluntary sector firms mainly focus on promoting and protecting the tourism and heritage resources and sites in the region. The operation of the voluntary sector firms operating in the travel and tourism sector in United Kingdom are carried out by staffs, managers and other volunteers. Examples of voluntary firms in the travel and tourism sector in United Kingdom are the national trust of United Kingdom, Friends of Williamsons, The Sealed Knot and also Tourism Concern(Visit Britain, n.d.). Conclusions The analysis carried out in the report effectively reflects on the current developments brought about in the global tourism and travel sector. It also analyses the characteristics of two main types or categories of tourism like mass and specific interest tourism in an empirical fashion and also through the generation of effective examples for generation of needed clarity. Further, the report also reflects on the different factors or reasons that attract potential tourists to the regions. The analysis is conducted to understand the demand factors and also other factors that increasingly motivate the tourists in venturing to different regions. The report also focuses on the different elements that need to be effectively incorporated for designing of tourist attractions and resorts. Finally, the paper also reflects on private, public and voluntary firms operating in the travel and tourism sector of United Kingdom with relevant examples. References Baldacchino, G., 2016. Archipelago Tourism: Policies and Practices. New York : Routledge. Buhalis, D. Amaranggana, A., 2014. Smart Tourism Destinations. 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