Chapter-1 Introduction of Tourism

Birendra Sainik Campus , Prepared by Rajendra K.C. Sallaghari ,Bhaktapur 2005-2006 Chapter-1 Introduction of Tourism: The word Tourism comprises of ‘Tour’ and ‘ism’. Tour is derived from the Latin term “Tornare” and Greek term ‘Ternos’ meaning 'a lathe or circle; the movement around a central point or axis'. This meaning changed in modern, English to represent 'one's turn'. The suffix “ism” is defined as 'an action or process; typical behavior or quality; while the suffix 'ist' denotes 'one that performs a given action'. When the word “Tour” and the suffix “ism” are combined, they suggest the action of movement around a circle. One can argue that circle represents a starting point, which ultimately returns to its beginning. A tour represents a journey that it is a round trip, i.e.; the act of leaving and then returning to the original starting point, and therefore, one who takes such a journey can be called a “Tourist” (Theobald, 1997). While tourism represents a packaged form of experience in which passivity prevails and contact with the unfamiliar and the real is avoided or prevented. The word 'tourism' was for the first time described in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1811. This reveals that the word tourism did not appear in the English language until the early nineteenth century, and the word 'tour' was more closely associated with the idea of a voyage or peregrination or a circuit. Then, with the idea of an individual being temporarily away from home for pleasure purposes a significant feature of the use of the word 'tourist' came into being. Tourism is not new phenomenon for Hindus. In Sanskrit literature there is found different terms for tourism derived from the root atan, which means leaving home for some time to other places. They had different types of tourism known as paryatan (going out for pleasure and knowledge); deshatan (going out to other countries primarily for economic gain); and tirthatan (going to the places of religious importance). The economist and other social scientists that make forecasts concerning the nature of human society in the future seem to indicate that all modern countries are progressing quite rapidly towards life styles which favor the growth and development of tourism. For example, factors such as increased real personal income, technological improvements and manufacturing has resulted in more productivity per worker, also increase in leisure time with a decrease in the work week, predictions for longer vacations in most industries, higher levels of education, the development of vacation leaves for persons outside the field of education, growth of interest in cultural matters that include appreciation of the cultures of other peoples and other places, technological development such as the spacious, large and capacitors subsonic aircraft deriving more comfort and at least stable, of not decreasing fares, improvements in communications, and awareness of other countries sand place etc. favor the growth of travel and tourism. The derived tourism comprises institutions of traveling, lodging, boarding and shopping. If we talk about leisure time only, in the western world and especially in the U.S, the amount of leisure time available to an individual has, in general, increased since World War II. The workweek has decreased from sixty hours to forty-eight hours, then to forty hours per week, and for some occupations, the work week in 1988 already stands at only thirty to twenty hours. Tourism is often considered as "the (golden) goose that lays the golden egg"- a source of income, and stimulus for more employment. Definition of Tourism: Technical Definition: Tourism can be defined in terms of one's reason for traveling whether it is for leisure, family reasons, or business. For example, American Express claims that; Travel and tourism is a vast complex network of business engaged in the lodging, transportation, feeding and entertainment of travelers. According to British Tourist Authority, a tourist trip is defined as; "a stay of one or more nights away from home for holidays, visits to friends or relatives, business conferences or any other purpose, except boarding education or semi-permanent employment" (Ryan). Experiential Definition: "Benefits that arise from experiencing new places, and new situations that are of a temporary duration, whilst free from the constraints of work, or normal patterns of daily life at home" (Ryan, 1991). Recognizing that every individual is different, tourism can be defined to accommodate the impact of each person's experience. The desire for sensual gratification is a major component in the 'holiday' travel industry, in which the primary motivation is rest, pleasure, adventure and discovery. Psychological Definition: Equally, the psychological impacts of tourism may be recognized, for a major component of tourism is holiday travel, and the prime motivations for such travel are the ones of rest, discovery and pleasure. From this view point, holiday tourism may be defined as: the means by which people seek psychological benefits that arise from experiencing new places, and new situations that are of a temporary duration, whilst free from the constraints of work, or normal patterns of daily life at home. According to United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): “Tourism is an activity of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one year for leisure, business or any other purpose”. Leisure is a time available to the individual when the discipline of a work, sleep and other basic needs have been made. “Tourism is a result of temporary movement of peoples to destination outside their normal places of work and residence, the activities undertaken during their stay in those destinations, and facilities created to cater to their needs”. According to the Herman Van Scheullard (1910): “The total of operations mainly of economic nature, which direct related to the entry, stay and movement of foreigners inside and outside a certain country, city or region”. 2 3 According to Swiss professors Walter Hunzikar and Kurt Krapf (1942): “Tourism is the sum of the phenomena and relationship arising from the travel and stay of non resident in so far as they do not lead to permanent resident and are not connected with any earning activity”. The international conference on leisure, recreation and tourism held by AIEST (Association of International Scientific Experts in Tourism 1981) define tourism as: “Tourism may be defined in terms of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home environment. Tourism may or may not involve overnight stay away from home”. In 1976 Tourism Society of England defined tourism as: “Tourism is the temporary short-term movement of people to destinations, outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during their stay at these destinations including movement for all purpose, as well as day visits or excursions”. According to Goeldner (2000), "Tourism is a composite activities, services, and industries that delivers a travel experience: transportation, accommodations, eating and drinking establishments, shops; entertainment activity, facilities, and other hospitality services available for individuals or groups that are traveling away from home". The study of tourism is the study of people away from their usual habitat, of the establishments which respond to the requirements of travelers, and of the impacts that they have on the economic, physical and social well-being of their hosts. It involves the motivations and experiences of the tourists, the expectations of and adjustments made by residents of reception areas, and the roles played by the numerous agencies and institutions which act as mediator between them. Characteristics of Tourism: Tourism is a service industry having certain peculiar character because tangible goods are produced but service is performed. Some of them are as follows: Tourism arises from movement of people to other stay at the various destinations. There are two elements of tourism journey to the destination and stay including activities at the destination. The movement of people takes place outside the normal place of walk and residence. The visit to the destination is temporary with an intention to return in few weeks or months. It is an experience rather than good. It is a service industry. Role of Tourism: It creates employment opportunities. It helps in foreign currency earning. It maintains balance of payment position. 4 It develops mutual understanding and brotherhood between local people and tourist. It has multiplier effects. It enhances living standard of people. Cultural and historical monuments of the destination are preserving and improved to present to the tourist such as offering cultural dance, renovating temples etc. It is a vehicle for regional development. It provides revenue for government through taxes. It creates an image of the destination on the part of the tourist. It provides facilities and services to the local people that are developed for tourism. It can serve to promote better image abroad, which can attract foreign investment. Nature of Tourism: Tourism is an intangible product (image, friendliness, perception, helpfulness, courtesy, security, trust, etc). On the basis of which imagination, hopes, expectations, wants, and needs are aroused. Tourism is made of several industries. Each of the components of tourism is highly specialized and together only can make the solid tourism product. Tourism product does not move to the customer needs to move to the product. Every citizen of a country is directly or indirectly related with tourism. Their response and behavior towards tourist reflects the image of the country. Tourism is highly influenced by government rules and regulations, political instability, seasonality and several other factors. It has a special character of 'dependability' to others. The demand of tourism product is very unstable. Tourism is a service industry and is directly related to satisfaction and human behavior, and it is the most complicated subject to deal with.

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