BeyondCompetence

(ProfessionalOperationsofTourGuiding)

Chapterone1.1DefinitionofTravelTourism(名解）

theactivitiesofpersonstravelingtoandstayinginplacesoutsidetheirusualenvironmentfornotmorethanoneconsecutiveyearforleisure,businessandotherpurposes.(WTO,1993)theactivitythespacethetimetheaimAdefinitionthatisoftenquotedintheUKcontextisthefollowingproposesbytheTourismSocietyintheearly1980s:‘Tourismisthetemporary,short-termmovementofpeopletodestinationsoutsidetheplaceswheretheynormallyliveandwork,andactivitiesduringtheirstayatthesedestinations;itincludesmovementforallpurposes,aswellasdayvisitsorexcursions’.(TourismSociety,1982)Bothofthesedefinitionsofferaclearinsightintothescopeandcontextoftourism.Theydemonstratethatitisanactivityembracingallaspectsofthemovementofpeopleawayfromtheirnormalsurroundingsandtheactivitiestheyundertakeandfacilitiestheyuseintheirdestinationarea.Morespecifically,thesetwodefinitionsdemonstratethatpeoplewewouldcategorizeastouristsare:Tourist:

AwayfromhisorhernormalplaceofresidenceOnavisitthatistemporaryandshorttime,butisnotgreatthan12monthinduration.Engagedinactivitiesthatonewouldnormallyassociatewithtourism.Notnecessarilystayingawayfromhomeovernight,butmerelyonadayvisit(excursion)Notalwaysawayfromhomeforholidayorvacation,butmaybeawayfromhomeonbusiness.Fromatechnicalpointofview,domesticorinternationalvisitorswhostayatleastonenightintheplaceorcountryvisitedareknownastourists,whereasthosewhodonotstayovernightarecategorizedassame-dayvisitors,dayvisitorsorexcursionists.Toidentifythemajorelementsnecessaryforinclusioninacomprehensivedefinitionoftourism,namely:Thereistravelbetweenatourist’shomeareaandadestination.Thevisitistemporaryandshort-termThevisitingtouristwillundertakeactivitiesnormallyassociatedwithtourism,butmaybeonbusinessorvisitingfriendsandrelatives.Thetouristwillmakeuseofavarietyoftouristproductsandfacilitiesinreachingandstayinginthedestination.Thetourist’svisitwillresultinnegativeandpositiveimpactsonthedestinationareaanditspeople.Tourism,asaneconomicactivity,isessentiallyademandandsupplyrelationship,concernedwithsatisfyingtherequirementsofdomesticandinternationaltouristsbyprovidingarangeoffacilitiesandamenities,oftengroupedtogetherindestinationarea.thedemandwillbeinfluencedbyavarietyoffactors,suchasconsumerbuyingbehaviorpatterns,travelpropensities,lifestylecharacteristics,technologicaldevelopmentsandpoliticalimpacts,whichmaybeeconomic,environmentalorsocio-cultural.Threesegmentsoftourism1)Entertainmentandrecreation(hospitality)2)Transportation3)TravelagenciesandtouroperatorTransportation

AirtravelBus(motor)CruisingRailway

!Attention:Bus&coach1.2Purposeoftravel

Whatarethepurposesoftravel?AttendingconventionsorconferencesVisitingfriendsorrelativesGoingonbusinessAttendingtohealth-relatedproblemsGoingtoamorecomfortableclimateRestingandrelaxingVisitingthemeparks,exhibitions,oreventsParticipatinginsportseventsSightseeingFurthereducationVisitingthebirthplaceofparentsorgrandparentsAttendingweddingsorfuneralsleisuretourism(名解)atypeoftouristactivity,encompassingholidaysandshortbreaksforavarietyofmotives.Asleisuretouristsbecomebettereducatedandmoresophisticatedintheirlifestyle,theprovidersoftourismproductsaremoreresponsivetotheirneeds,therangeofleisuretourismopportunitiesbecomemorediverse.businesstourism(名解）

Ithaseconomicimportanceasitisahighvaluetourismwithbusinesstravelerspayingpremiumratesfortravel,entertainmentandaccommodation.ItoftenplaysanimportantcomplementaryroletoleisuretourismdestinationsWhyistourismseenasahighvaluetourism?1.3CharacteristicsofthetourismindustryWhatarethecharacteristicsoftourismindustry?Dominatedbyprivatesectorenterprises--DynamicandentrepreneurialManysmallandmedium-sizedenterprisesServesdomesticandinternationalmarketsThrivesonface-to-facecommunicationMakingextensiveuseofnewtechnologyRudimentarymanagementstructuresVulnerabletoexternalpressuresPositiveandnegativeimpacts.Whydoestheauthorsaythattherearegoodgroundsfordebatingwhethertourismisindeedanindustryinitsownright?Whatisoneofproblemsiftourismindustryisover-dependentonprivatesector?Whyistourismindustryfirstandforemosta‘peoplebusiness’operationally?Tourismisdominatedbyprivatesectorenterprises.Publicbodieshaveanimportantroletoplayintourismplanning,regulationanddevelopment,butthegreatmajorityoftourismprovidersoperateinthecommercialworld.Tourismconsistsofaverywiderangeofinterrelatedsectors,manyofwhichcanjustifiablyclaimtobeindustriesthemselves,forexample,hotels,airlines,touristattractions,touroperatorsandtravelagencies.Groupingsuchsectorstogetherunderoneindustrybannercertainlyhelpsfromapoliticalpointofview,helpingtogivetourismamoreunitedvoice.Oneproblemassociatedwithanover-dependenceonprivatesectorinthetourismindustryisthepotentialtoignoretourism’ssocial,culturalandenvironmentalproblemswhilefocusingonmaximizingprofits.Thisisherecommunityandsocietyingeneralthatarenotforgottenasthetourismindustryexpandsitsoperations.Operationally,thetourismindustryisfirstandforemosta‘peoplebusiness’thatthrivesonface-to-facecommunicationmethods.Thisisapparentnotonlyinthewaythattouristsaremanagedindestinationareas,butalsointermsofthehumanresourceinputssurroundingtransportationandthesellingoftourismproductsandservices.DevelopmentofTourismTourismhasbecomeoneofthemostimportantandfastestgrowingindustriesinthisrapidlychangingworld,dependingonmodemmeansofrapid,convenientandinexpensivetransportation.AftertheSecondWorldWar,risingstandardsofliving,increasedleisuretimeanddevelopmentsintransportationresultedinasharpincreaseindemandforinternationaltravel.Touristdestinationsrespondedtothisdemandbydevelopingawidevarietyoftouristfacilitiesandamenities.TourismTodayNowtheterm“packageholiday’isapopularexpressionforinclusivetour.Theseproductsarepurchasedbyafirmcalledatouroperator,andthencombinedandsoldasapackageatasinglepricetotourist.Therefore,inmanywaystheterm“packageholiday”wouldbeabetterdescriptionthaninclusivetour,shouldsomeconfusionoccuraboutitstechnicaldefinition.TourismtodayinChinaAsChinainitiatedthepolicyofopening&reform,China’stourismindustrywitnessedtremendousachievements.In1999,totaltouristarrivalstoChinaandtherevenuegeneratedfrominboundbusinessranked5thand7threspectivelyamongtheworldtopdestinations.Attheturnofnewcentury,Chinahasworkedoutstrategicplanfortourismdevelopmentforthenext20yearsandthegoalistobecometheworld’sleadingtourismcountry.RuralopportunitiesTourismjobsandbusinessesareusuallycreatedinthemostunderdevelopedregionsofacountry,helpingtoequalizeeconomicopportunitiesthroughoutanationandprovidinganincentiveforresidentstoremaininruralareasratherthanmovetoovercrowdedcities.InfrastructureinvestmentTourismstimulatesenormousinvestmentsinnewinfrastructure,mostofwhichhelpstoimprovethelivingconditionsoflocalresidentsaswellastourists.Tourismdevelopmentprojectsoftenincludeairports,roads,marinas,sewagesystems,wat