Importance of Tourism.

Theobald (1994) suggested that etymologically, the word tour is derived from the Latin tornare and the Greek tornos, meaning a lathe or circle; the movement around a central point or axis. This meaning changed in modern English to represent ones turn. The suffix -ism is defined as an action or process; tytpical behavior or quality whereas the suffx -ist denotes one that performs a given action. When the word tour and the suffixes -ism and -ist are combined, they suggest the action of movement around a circle. One can argue that a circle represents a starting point, which ultimately returns back to its beginning. Therefore, like a circle, a tour represents a journey that 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. Hunziker and Krapf, in 1941, defined tourism as people who travel the sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and stay of non-residents, insofar as they do not lead to permanent residence and are not connected with any earning activity. In 1976, the Tourism Society of Englands definition was: Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destination outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all purposes. In 1981, the International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism defined tourism in terms of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home. The United Nations classified three forms of tourism in 1994, in its Recommendations on Tourism Statistics: Domestic tourism, which involves residents of the given country traveling only within this country; Inbound tourism, involving non-residents traveling in the given country; and Outbound tourism, involving residents traveling in another country. The UN also derived different categories of tourism by combining the three basic forms of tourism: Internal tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism; National tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism; and International tourism, which consists of inbound tourism and outbound tourism. Intrabound tourism is a term coined by the Korea Tourism Organization and widely accepted in Korea.[citation needed] Intrabound tourism differs from domestic tourism in that the former encompasses policymaking and implementation of national tourism policies. Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places

outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes". Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2010, there were over 940 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 6.6% as compared to 2009. International tourism receipts grew to US$919 billion (euro 693 billion) in 2010, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 4.7% As a result of the late-2000s recession, international travel demand suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008, with growth in international tourism arrivals worldwide falling to 2% during the boreal summer months.This negative trend intensified during 2009, exacerbated in some countries due to the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, resulting in a worldwide decline of 4% in 2009 to 880 million international tourists arrivals, and an estimated 6% decline in international tourism receipts.

World tourism statistics and rankings

Most visited countries by international tourist arrivals

In 2010, there were 940 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 6.6% as compared to 2009. The World Tourism Organization reports the following ten countries as the most visited in terms of the number of international travellers. In 2010, China overtook Spain to become the third most visited country. Most of the top visited countries continue to be those in Europe, followed by a growing number of Asian countries.

Rank

Country

UNWTO Regional Market

International International International Change tourist tourist tourist 2009 arrivals arrivals arrivals to 2010 (2008) [11] (2009) [2] (2010) [2] 79,2 million 76,8 million 55,0 million 50,9 million 76.8 million 59.7 million 55.7 million +0.0% +8.7% +9.4%

1 2 3

France United States China

Europe

Americas 57,2 million Asia 53,0 million

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Spain Italy United Kingdom Turkey Germany Malaysia Mexico

Europe Europe Europe Europe Europe Asia

57,9 million 42,7 million 30,1 million 25,0 million 24,9 million 22,1 million

52,2 million 43,2 million 28,2 million 25,5 million 24,2 million 23,6 million 21,5 million

52.7 million 43.6 million 28.1 million 27.0 million 26.9 million 24.6 million 22.4 million

+1.0% +0.9% -0.2% +5.9% +10.9% +3.9% +4.4%

Americas 22,6 million

International tourism receipts

International tourism receipts grew to US$919 billion (693 billion) in 2010, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 4.7% from 2009. The World Tourism Organization reports the following countries as the top ten tourism earners for the year 2010. It is noticeable that most of them are on the European continent, but the United States continues to be the top earner.

Rank

Country

UNWTO Regional Market

International Tourism Receipts (2010) [2]

1 2 3

United States Spain France

North America $103.5 billion Europe Europe $52.5 billion $46.3 billion

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

China Italy Germany United Kingdom Australia

Asia Europe Europe Europe Oceania

$45.8 billion $38.8 billion $34.7 billion $30.4 billion $30.1 billion $23.0 billion $20.8 billion

Hong Kong (China) Asia Turkey Europe

International tourism expenditures

The World Tourism Organization reports the following countries as the top ten biggest spenders on international tourism for the year 2010.

Rank

Country

UNWTO Regional Market

International Tourism Expenditures (2010) [2] $77.7 billion $75.5 billion $54.9 billion $48.6 billion

1 2 3 4

Germany United States China

Europe North America Asia

United Kingdom Europe

5 6 7 8 9 10

France Canada Japan Italy Russia Australia

Europe North America Asia Europe Europe Oceania

$39.4 billion $29.5 billion $27.9 billion $27.1 billion $26.5 billion $22.5 billion

Most visited cities by international tourist arrivals

Top 10 most visited cities by estimated number of international visitors by selected year International visitors (millions)

City

Country

Year/Notes

Paris

France

15.1

2010 (Excluding extra-muros visitors)[13]

London

United Kingdom

14.6

2010[14]

New York United City States Antalya Turkey

9.7

2010[15]

9.2

2010[16]

Singapore Kuala Lumpur

Singapore

9.2

2010[17]

Malaysia

8.9

2010[18]

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

8.4

2010 (Excluding Mainland Chinese visitors)[19]

Dubai

United Arab Emirates Thailand Turkey

8.3

2010[20]

Bangkok Istanbul

7.2 6.9

2010[21] 2010[16]

History
Wealthy people have always traveled to distant parts of the world, to see great buildings, works of art, learn new languages, experience new cultures and to taste different cuisines. Long ago, at the time of the Roman Republic, places such as Baiae were popular coastal resorts for the rich. The word tourist was used by 1772 and tourism by 1811.In 1936, the League of Nations defined foreign tourist as "someone traveling abroad for at least twenty-four hours". Its successor, the United Nations, amended this definition in 1945, by including a maximum stay of six months.

Leisure travel
Leisure travel was associated with the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom the first European country to promote leisure time to the increasing industrial population. Initially, this applied to the owners of the machinery of production, the economic oligarchy, the factory owners and the traders. These comprised the new middle class. Cox & Kings was the first official travel company to be formed in 1758. The British origin of this new industry is reflected in many place names. In Nice, France, one of the first and best-established holiday resorts on the French Riviera, the long esplanade along the seafront is known to this day as the Promenade des Anglais; in many other historic resorts in continental Europe, old, well-established palace hotels have names like the Hotel Bristol, the Hotel Carlton or the Hotel Majestic reflecting the dominance of English customers.

Winter tourism
Although it is acknowledged that the Swiss were not the inventors of skiing it is well documented that St. Moritz, Graubnden, became the cradle of the developing winter tourism: Since that year of 1865 in St. Moritz, many daring hotel managers choose to risk opening their hotels in winter but it was only in the seventies of the 20th century when winter tourism took over the lead from summer tourism in many of the Swiss ski resorts. Even in Winter, portions of up to one third of all guests (depending on the location) consist of non-skiers. .

Mass tourism
Mass tourism could only have developed with the improvements in technology, allowing the transport of large numbers of people in a short space of time to places of leisure interest, so that greater numbers of people could begin to enjoy the benefits of leisure time. In the United States, the first seaside resorts in the European style were at Atlantic City, New Jersey and Long Island, New York. In Continental Europe, early resorts included: Ostend, popularised by the people of Brussels; Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais) and Deauville (Calvados) for the Parisians; and Heiligendamm, founded in 1793, as the first seaside resort on the Baltic Sea.

Adjectival tourism
Adjectival tourism refers to the numerous niche or specialty travel forms of tourism that have emerged over the years, each with its own adjective. Many of these have come into common use by the tourism industry and academics.Others are emerging concepts that may or may not gain popular usage. Examples of the more common niche tourism markets include:

Recent Development.
There has been an up trend in tourism over the last few decades, especially in Europe, where international travel for short breaks is common. Tourists have a wide range of budgets and tastes, and a wide variety of resorts and hotels have developed to cater for them. For example, some people prefer simple beach vacations, while others want more specialised holidays, quieter resorts, familyoriented holidays or niche market-targeted destination hotels. The developments in technology and transport infrastructure, such as jumbo jets, low-cost airlines and more accessible airports have made many types of tourism more affordable. On April 28, 2009 The Guardian noted that "the WHO estimates that up to 500,000 people are on planes at any time.There have also been changes in lifestyle, for example some retirement-age people sustain year round tourism. This is facilitated by internet sales of tourist services. Some sites have now started

to offer dynamic packaging, in which an inclusive price is quoted for a tailor-made package requested by the customer upon impulse. There have been a few setbacks in tourism, such as the September 11 attacks and terrorist threats to tourist destinations, such as in Bali and several European cities. Also, on December 26, 2004, a tsunami, caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, hit the Asian countries on the Indian Ocean, including the Maldives. Thousands of lives were lost including many tourists. This, together with the vast clean-up operations, stopped or severely hampered tourism in the area for a time. The terms tourism and travel are sometimes used interchangeably. In this context, travel has a similar definition to tourism, but implies a more purposeful journey. The terms tourism and tourist are sometimes used pejoratively, to imply a shallow interest in the cultures or locations visited by tourists.

Sustainable tourism
"Sustainable tourism is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems." (World Tourism Organization) Sustainable development implies "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987) Sustainable tourism can be seen as having regard to ecological and socio-cultural carrying capacities and includes involving the community of the destination in tourism development planning. It also involves integrating tourism to match current economic and growth policies so as to mitigate some of the negative economic and social impacts of 'mass tourism'. Murphy (1985) advocates the use of an 'ecological approach', to consider both 'plants' and 'people' when implementing the sustainable tourism development process. This is in contrast to the 'boosterism' and 'economic' approaches to tourism planning, neither of which consider the detrimental ecological or sociological impacts of tourism development to a destination. However, Butler questions the exposition of the term 'sustainable' in the context of tourism, citing its ambiguity and stating that "the emerging sustainable development philosophy of the 1990s can be viewed as an extension of the broader realization that a preoccupation with economic growth without regard to it social and environmental consequences is self-defeating in the long term." Thus

'sustainable tourism development' is seldom considered as an autonomous function of economic regeneration as separate from general economic growth.

Ecotourism
Ecotourism, also known as ecological tourism, is responsible travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strives to be low impact and (often) small scale. It helps educate the traveler; provides funds for conservation; directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities; and fosters respect for different cultures and for human rights.

Pro-poor tourism
The pro poor tourism has to help the very poorest in developing countries has been receiving increasing attention by those involved in development and the issue has been addressed either through small scale projects in local communities and by Ministries of Tourism attempting to attract huge numbers of tourists. Research by the Overseas Development Institute suggests that neither is the best way to encourage tourists' money to reach the poorest as only 25% or less (far less in some cases) ever reaches the poor; successful examples of money reaching the poor include mountain climbing in Tanzania or cultural tourism in Luang Prabang, Laos.

Recession tourism
Recession tourism is a travel trend, which evolved by way of the world economic crisis. Identified by American entrepreneur Matt Landau (2007), recession tourism is defined by low-cost, high-value experiences taking place of once-popular generic retreats. Various recession tourism hotspots have seen business boom during the recession thanks to comparatively low costs of living and a slow world job market suggesting travelers are elongating trips where their money travels further.

Medical tourism
When there is a significant price difference between countries for a given medical procedure, particularly in Southeast Asia, India, Eastern Europe and where there are different regulatory regimes, in relation to particular medical procedures (e.g. dentistry), traveling to take advantage of the price or regulatory differences is often referred to as "medical tourism".

Educational tourism
Educational tourism developed, because of the growing popularity of teaching and learning of knowledge and the enhancing of technical competency outside of the classroom environment. In educational tourism, the main focus of the tour or leisure activity includes visiting another country to learn about the culture, such as in Student Exchange Programs and Study Tours, or to work and apply skills learned inside the classroom in a different environment, such as in the International Practicum Training Program.

Creative tourism
Creative tourism has existed as a form of cultural tourism, since the early beginnings of tourism itself. Its European roots date back to the time of the Grand Tour, which saw the sons of aristocratic families traveling for the purpose of mostly interactive, educational experiences. More recently, creative tourism has been given its own name by Crispin Raymond and Greg Richards,who as members of the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS), have directed a number of projects for the European Commission, including cultural and crafts tourism, known as sustainable tourism. They have defined "creative tourism" as tourism related to the active participation of travellers in the culture of the host community, through interactive workshops and informal learning experiences. Meanwhile, the concept of creative tourism has been picked up by high-profile organizations such as UNESCO, who through the Creative Cities Network, have endorsed creative tourism as an engaged, authentic experience that promotes an active understanding of the specific cultural features of a place.

More recently, creative tourism has gained popularity as a form of cultural tourism, drawing on active participation by travelers in the culture of the host communities they visit. Several countries offer examples of this type of tourism development, including the United Kingdom, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Spain, Italy and New Zealand.

Dark tourism
One emerging area of special interest has been identified by Lennon and Foley (2000)as "dark" tourism. This type of tourism involves visits to "dark" sites, such as battlegrounds, scenes of horrific crimes or acts of genocide, for example: concentration camps. Dark tourism remains a small niche market, driven by varied motivations, such as mourning, remembrance, education, macabre curiosity or even entertainment. Its early origins are rooted in fairgrounds and medieval fairs.

Doom tourism
Also known as "Tourism of Doom," or "Last Chance Tourism" this emerging trend involves traveling to places that are environmentally or otherwise threatened (the ice caps of Mount Kilimanjaro, the melting glaciers of Patagonia, The coral of the Great Barrier Reef) before it is too late. Identified by travel trade magazine TravelAge West editor-in-chief Kenneth Shapiro in 2007 and later explored in The New York Times, this type of tourism is believed to be on the rise. Some see the trend as related to sustainable tourism or ecotourism due to the fact that a number of these tourist destinations are considered threatened by environmental factors such as global warming, over population or climate change. Others worry that travel to many of these threatened locations increases an individuals carbon footprint and only hastens problems threatened locations are already facing.

Growth
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) forecasts that international tourism will continue growing at the average annual rate of 4 %.With the advent of ecommerce, tourism products have become one of the most traded items on the internet. Tourism products and services have been made available through

intermediaries, although tourism providers (hotels, airlines, etc.) can sell their services directly. This has put pressure on intermediaries from both on-line and traditional shops. It has been suggested there is a strong correlation between tourism expenditure per capita and the degree to which countries play in the global context.Not only as a result of the important economic contribution of the tourism industry, but also as an indicator of the degree of confidence with which global citizens leverage the resources of the globe for the benefit of their local economies. This is why any projections of growth in tourism may serve as an indication of the relative influence that each country will exercise in the future. Space tourism is expected to "take off" in the first quarter of the 21st century, although compared with traditional destinations the number of tourists in orbit will remain low until technologies such as a space elevator make space travel cheap. Technological improvement is likely to make possible air-ship hotels, based either on solar-powered airplanes or large dirigibles.Underwater hotels, such as Hydropolis, expected to open in Dubai in 2009, will be built. On the ocean, tourists will be welcomed by ever larger cruise ships and perhaps floating cities.

Sports tourism
Since the late 1980s, sports tourism has become increasingly popular. Events such as rugby, Olympics, Commonwealth games, Asian Games and football World Cups have enabled specialist travel companies to gain official ticket allocation and then sell them in packages that include flights, hotels and excursions.

Latest trends
As a result of the late-2000s recession, international arrivals suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008. Growth from 2007 to 2008 was only 3.7% during the first eight months of 2008. The Asian and Pacific markets were affected and Europe stagnated during the boreal summer months, while the Americas performed better, reducing their expansion rate but keeping a 6% growth from January to August 2008. Only the Middle East continued its rapid growth during the same period, reaching a 17% growth as compared to the same period in 2007.This slowdown on international tourism demand was also reflected in the air transport industry, with a negative growth in September 2008 and a 3.3% growth in

passenger traffic through September. The hotel industry also reports a slowdown, as room occupancy continues to decline.As the global economic situation deteriorated dramatically during September and October as a result of the global financial crisis, growth of international tourism is expected to slow even further for the remaining of 2008, and this slowdown in demand growth is forecasted to continue into 2009 as recession has already hit most of the top spender countries, with long-haul travel expected to be the most affected by the economic crisis. This negative trend intensified as international tourist arrivals fell by 8% during the first four months of 2009, and the decline was exacerbated in some regions due to the outbreak of the influenza AH1N1 virus.

Importance of Tourism

Citizens now demand more meaningful involvement and more responsible and sustainable tourism practices. Local communities and Non Government Organizations today have a very important voice in the way in which tourism is developed and resources allocated. It is this more responsible and sustainable tourism that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago wishes to develop and promote. Tourism provides entrepreneurial opportunities for small operators, can foster balanced development and empower rural communities, youth and women, and can dynamise other sectors of the economy, particularly the agriculture sector. The Tourism Industry now demands more meaningful involvement and more responsible and sustainable tourism practices. Local communities and Non Government Organizations today have a very important voice in the way in which tourism is developed and resources allocated. It is this more responsible and sustainable tourism that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago wishes to develop and promote. Tourism provides entrepreneurial opportunities for small operators, can foster balanced development and empower rural communities, youth and women, and can dynamise other sectors of the economy, particularly the agriculture sector. The Tourism Industry includes everything that a traveler does on a trip eat, sleep, party, attend a conference, rent a car, take a taxi, shop, change foreign currency etc. It means that all of the economic activities of farmers, fishermen, cooks, shopkeepers, bartenders, tour guides, banks, hotels, carnival bands, entertainers, electricians, customs, immigration and literally every job that impacts directly or indirectly on tourism are all part of the tourism value chain. For specialist events, sports, and weddings the value chain is even greater. It is clear that the tourism industry is far-

reaching and is indeed everybodys business. It is also important to recognize that the travel and tourism industry is global, highly competitive and unstable. We must be able to continuously undertake our research and market intelligence, anticipate change, be prepared and not be caught off guard in the management of the industry The tourism sector is as significant to the Tobago economy as the oil and manufacturing sectors are to the Trinidad economy. In 2007, domestic arrivals to Tobago were 11.4 times larger than international stay-over arrivals, demonstrating the critical importance of the domestic market to the development of tourism in Tobago. In addition, most of the tourist accommodation establishments in Trinidad and Tobago are locally owned, allowing locals to meaningfully benefit from the sector. This underscores the need to ensure that quality and value for money is produced by these establishments so that they are financially viable, environmentally sustainable and generate measurable economic benefits for local people. The three major governmental and state agencies involved in the development of the local tourism industry are: 1. The Ministry of Tourism 2. The Tobago House of Assembly 3. The Tourism Development Company Limited

Overview of Tourism Sector in Mauiritius Economic Importance Growth in Tourist Arrivals Attractions National Tourism Policy Economic Importance Tourism, third pillar of the economy after the E.P.Z. manufacturing sector and Agriculture, contributes significantly to economic growth and has been a key factor in the overall development of Mauritius. In the past two decades tourist arrivals increased at an average annual rate of 9 % with a corresponding increase of about 21% in tourism receipts. In 2000, gross tourism receipts were 14.2 billion rupees (508.3 million US $) and contributed to about 11 % of our GDP. Tourism may be called to play an even more important role in the wake of the After-GATT Agreements. Back to top Growth in Tourist Arrivals Tourist arrivals have been expanding consequently, thus rising from 103,000 in 1977 to 656,450 in 2000, a more than six-fold increase. About 67% of the tourist arrivals are of
Related Links

Overview of Mauritius Overview of Tourism Sector in Mauritius

European origin, with France supplying nearly half. The nearby Reunion French Territory is the most important short haul source market accounting for about 13% of total tourist arrivals. Asian residents provided 6% of tourist arrivals, almost half of which originated from the Indian Sub-Continent. In 2000, total number of nights spent by tourist was estimated to about 6.5 million, representing an increase of 13% over 1999. The average length of stay works out to around 10 nights and average expenditure per tourist reached about Rs. 22,000 Based on the favourable growth registered in tourist arrivals, it is estimated that arrivals for the year 2001 would be around 700,000 (+10%) with total gross receipts of the order of 15,500 million rupees. Back to top Attractions Mauritius is predominantly a holiday destination for beach-resort tourists. It possesses a wide range of natural and man-made attractions, enjoys a sub-tropical climate with clear warm sea waters, attractive beaches, tropical fauna and flora complemented by a multiethnic and cultural population that is friendly and welcoming. These tourism assets are, its main strength, especially since they are backed up by well-designed and run hotels, and reliable and operational services and infrastructures. The hosts are being seen product and the "hospitality atmosphere" has more and more as the nucleus of the tourism been receiving increasing attention. Back to top National Tourism Policy The National Tourism Policy emphasizes low impact, high spending tourism. Selective, upmarket, quality tourism is favoured, and although such tourism is not the only type, it constitutes the major segment of our tourists who stay in high class hotels. In 1997, there were 87 hotels with a total capacity of 6,800 rooms and 14,100 bedplaces. Average room occupancy rates were 72% for all hotels and 78% for large hotels (defined as established beach hotels with more than 80 rooms). Figures for bed occupancy rates were 64% and 70% respectively. The most prestigious beach side resort hotels are owned and/or operated by large groups such as Sun International and Beachcomber. Many of the beach resort hotels are internationally recognised for their very high quality. It is estimated that around 25% of visitors stay in non-hotel accommodation, such as boarding houses, selfcatering bungalows and with friends and relatives. Overview of Tourism Sector in Mauiritius

The travel and tourism sector creates more jobs per million rupees of investment than any other sector of the economy and is capable of providing employment to a wide spectrum of job seekers from the unskilled to the specialised, even in the remote parts of the country.

7.5.2 The Tenth Plan approach towards tourism signifies a distinct shift from the approach adopted in earlier Plans. Apart from acknowledging the wellaccepted advantages of developing tourism for the promotion of national integration, international understanding and earning foreign exchange, the Tenth Plan recognises the vast employment generating potential of tourism and the role it can play in furthering the socio-economic objectives of the Plan. In order to create a supportive environment for the promotion of tourism, the New Tourism Policy, 2002, that is to be implemented during the Tenth Plan, will generate awareness about the benefits of tourism for the host population. It will mobilise state governments to use tourism as a means for achieving their socio-economic objectives, encourage the private sector to enhance investment in tourism and provide legislative and regulatory support for sustainable tourism and to protect the interests of the industry and the consumer. The policy envisages involving the rural sector in the promotion of rural, heritage, adventure and eco-tourism and will promote the development of competitive high quality products and destinations. Most importantly, it will remove the barriers to growth and resolve contradictions in policy to achieve inter-sectoral convergence of activities that help the growth of tourism. 7.5.3 The initiatives taken by the state so far have not yielded the desired result and Indias tourism performance has failed to match its potential even as countries not blessed with its natural and cultural endowments have taken the lead in reaping the benefits of tourism development for their people. The reasons for this poor performance need to be speedily addressed to enable tourism to make an appropriate contribution to national development. 7.5.4 As observed in the Planning Commission Report of the National Committee on Tourism (1988), the public sector made a significant contribution to the growth of tourism in the initial stages of planned development by providing a reasonable infrastructure base. During the Ninth Plan it was recognised that a reappraisal of the role of the State in tourism development and the extent of its participation was needed as it is neither necessary nor feasible for the State to make large investments in areas that are best left to the

initiative of the private sector. The state can contribute through infrastructure development, the planning of broad development strategies, the provision of fiscal and monetary incentives to catalyse private sector investment and devise an effective regulatory and supervisory mechanism to protect the interests of the industry and the consumer. The acceptance of this view also led to the commencement of the process of disinvestment in 18 hotels of the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) hotels. 7.5.5 The ITDC will have to redefine its role in the Tenth Plan. The State can also play an effective role in ensuring that tourism development does not harm the environment. The interaction between tourism and environmental pollution requires sensitive handling. There is comp-lementarity, not conflict, between the high quality environmental requirements of tourism and the imperatives of maintaining the ecological balance. CHAPTER 7.5

TOURISM
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Global Status and Trends 7.5.6 Although global recession and the September 11, 2001, events are estimated to have resulted in a temporary decline in travel and tourism demand in 2001-02, international and domestic tourism is expected to boom over the next two decades. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates a 4.5 per cent per annum increase in the total amount of travel and tourism economic activity between 2002 and 2012. This is largely attributed to a rise in global wealth, liberalisation of international airspace, cheaper flights and the use of the Internet as a travel tool. The earnings from tourism have made it one of the worlds largest industries and the fastest growing sectors of global trade accounting for 10.7 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP), 12.8 per cent of global exports, 8.2 per cent of global employment (or one in every 12.2 jobs), and 9.4 per cent of global capital investment. 7.5.7 Tourism in the least developed countries is growing faster than the world average, holding the promise of prosperity for many. International tourist arrivals worldwide reached 698 million in 2000, generating $ 595 billion revenues.

International tourism flows are expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2020 and revenue estimated to cross $ 2000 billion. Today, only 3.5 per cent of the world population travels internationally but the number of Asian, particularly Chinese, tourists is predicted to grow enormously as the region becomes more integrated with the global economy Global Market Trends 7.5.9 Consumer trends in tourism are gradually changing and require an appropriate response in terms of both policy formulation and investment. Current market trends indicate that:

Long haul travel will grow faster than

intra-regional travel. A growth of 24 per cent is expected by 2020.

People with less time for leisure are likely

to take more frequent but shorter trips nearer home, opening up opportunities for neighbouring country tourism.

The experienced traveller wants authentic,

off-the-beaten-track vacations in remote and less well-known places as against luxurious five-star vacations, leading to an interest in rural and ethnic tourism.

The increase in the number of people with

lots of money but little leisure time has resulted in a growing emphasis on rest and relaxation, and wellness and health holidays.
Table - 7.5.1 Contribution of Travel and Tourism to GDP and Employment World India World Average(%) (%) Rank Contribution of Tourism and Travel Economy to GDP 10.7 5.3 140 Contribution of Tourism and Travel Industry to GDP 4.2 2.5 124 Contribution of Travel and Tourism Economy Employment 8 5.6 140 Contribution of Travel and Tourism Industry Employment 3.1 2.9 111
Source : WTTC, Department of Tourism, Government of India.
TOURISM

819

The elderly population in key tourismgenerating

markets has shown a preference for cultural tourism against sun-and-sand vacations.

There is notable and increasing interest

in spiritualism.

 The demand for eco-tourism and naturebased

holidays is expected to double and even triple in the next 20 years.

Sports and adventure holidays continue

to be popular with the young. 7.5.10 The interest in cultural tourism, spiritualism, wellness holidays, eco-tourism and rural tourism would tend to favour India, provided the country can avail of the opportunities offered to maximise its natural advantages in these areas. The development of new tourism products and destinations during the Tenth Plan must be based on market research and demand, keeping the source markets and the age groups of the tourists in mind. At the same time, the Government must develop new source markets nearer home and make India a safer destination for women tourists and family holidays. Indias Place In World Tourism 7.5.11 The World Tourism Organisation forecast indicates an increasing tourism preference towards East Asia, the Pacific, West Asia and South Asia, although Europe and America still remain the worlds foremost tourism destinations commanding 77 per cent of the global market. East Asia/Pacific achie-ved the highest rate of growth of 14.5 per cent in tourism and travel in 2000 followed by West Asia and South Asia (Table 7.5.2). 7.5.12 With this gradual shift in focus, the outlook for the growth of tourism in the region is promising. In Asia, China has emerged as a leading tourist destination and is poised to become the worlds top tourist destination by 2020. 7.5.13 The WTTC has identified India as one of the worlds foremost tourist growth centres in the coming decade. After Turkey, India is expected to achieve the fastest rate of growth of the total amount of economic activity likely to be generated by travel and tourism, at 9.7 per cent over the next 10 years. Also, the largest employment creation after China is expected to take place in India over the same period. The growth in visitor exports or spending by international tourists, is likely to be the fastest in India at 14.3 per cent per annum over the next decade. On the whole, the WTTC forecast for India is promising, subject to key policy issues that affect the growth of the
Table 7.5.2

International Tourist Arrivals Million Growth Rate (%) Market Share (%) 1999 2000* 1999/1998 2000*/1999 1999 2000* World 650.0 698.3 3.8 7.4 100 100 Africa 26.5 26.9 6.1 1.5 4.1 3.8 America 122.3 130.2 2.3 6.5 18.8 18.6 East Asia/Pacific 97.6 111.7 10.8 14.5 15.0 16.0 Europe 379.8 403.3 1.7 6.2 58.4 57.8 Middle East 18.1 20.0 18.1 10.2 2.8 2.9 South Asia 5.8 6.3 10.7 9.0 0.9 0.9
Source : World Tourism Organisation *As collected from WTO database in January 2001
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sector being addressed. 7.5.14 If India is to realise its enormous potential in tourism it must provide exclusive world-class tourism products and destinations to compete successfully for a larger share of the Asian tourism market. Today, outbound tourism from India far exceeds visitor traffic to the country partly because will have to be broadened in the Tenth Plan through the development of competitive destinations that match international standards in terms of price and quality and also satisfy the international traveller. Indias international arrival figures have not been able to keep pace with neighbouring countries and have been exceeded by Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Dubai and the Maldives. Since 1995, Indias share of the world market has remained virtually stagnant at 0.38 per cent, while domestic tourism has grown at a phenomenal rate and India now accounts for 4.6 per cent share of domestic tourism worldwide. In terms of tourism receipts, India has shown relative buoyancy because of the interest shown by visitors in traditional handicraft items and particularly in diamonds. The Tenth Plan visualises a mutually supportive role for tourism and handicrafts by encouraging haats and shilpgrams and recognising shopping as an integral part of the tourism experience to promote the Made in India brand. Indias Tourist Profile 7.5.15 India receives the largest number of overseas tourists from the United Kingdom, which is its largest source market, followed by the United States, Sri Lanka, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Australia and Singapore. Of the tourists coming to India, 27.5 per cent are in the age group there is a lack of world-class destinations within the country and partly because the domestic

tourism policy has been largely directed towards those in the lower end of the spending spectrum. The high spender from India prefers to visit neighbouring countries as he gets better value for money. The scope and reach of domestic tourism of 35-44 years, 23.4 per cent in the age group of 25-35 years and 20.8 per cent in the age group of 45-54 years. Women constitute only 30.5 per cent of Indias total international arrivals. Repeat visitors account for 44.9 per cent of the overseas visitors. A substantial number of these may be non-resident Indians, as hotel reservations do not correspond to
Table - 7.5.3 Contribution of Travel and Tourism to Exports and Receipts Per cent World India World average Rank Total tourism exports as 12.15 9.5 31 percentage of total exports Tourism Receipts 5.2 11.8 29
Source : WTTC, Department of Tourism, Government of India

Contribution of Travel and Tourism to Employment (Figures in million) World India Rank Numbers Employed 207.1 25 2 nd million million
Source : WTTC, Department of Tourism, Government of India

Table - 7.5.4 International and Domestic Tourism World India Percentage share of India International Arrivals 698 million 2.64 million 0.38% Tourism Receipts $ 595 billion $ 3.2 billion 0.69% Domestic tourism worldwide 6,980 million 210 million 4.6%
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the number of international arrivals in the country. The average length of stay of foreign tourists in the country in 1998 was 31.2 days. Domestic tourism, on the other hand, is largely pilgrimage-oriented and requires improvement in travel facilities and pilgrim destinations. TENTH PLAN OBJECTIVE 7.5.16 Tourism in India has tended to be regarded as an elitist activity conducted primarily for the purpose of earning foreign exchange. Its vast potential as an engine of growth and employment generater has remained largely untapped. Although, with 25 million jobs, India ranks second

in terms of number of persons employed in travel and tourism, yet the contribution of the sector as a percentage share of all employment is amongst the lowest in the world. The Tenth Plan objective is to integrate tourism with the socio-economic objectives of the Plan by creating 3.6 million jobs a year through the promotion of domestic and international tourism and to enhance Indias share of international arrivals from 0.38 per cent to at least 0.62 per cent by 2007. Role of the Department of Tourism 7.5.17 Being the nodal agency for the development of tourism in the country, the department of tourism needs to make greater efforts to co-ordinate and integrate the policies of central ministries that have an impact on the development of tourism and to mobilise state governments and the private sector to develop unique and competitive tourism products and destinations. Crucial decisions affecting tourism are taken by other ministries viz. the Ministries of Finance, Home, Civil Aviation, Surface Transport, Environment and Forests, Urban Development, Rural Development, Ocean Develop-ment etc. The Department of Tourism has tended to concentrate largely on its role as the promoter of international tourism and generator of foreign exchange earnings while paying relatively less attention to inter-sectoral policy co-ordination and the all-important development of tourism infrastructure and product quality. In the Tenth Plan, the Department will redefine and expand its role and work towards intersectoral convergence and policy integration to remove the barriers to the growth of tourism Economic Importance Growth in Tourist Arrivals Attractions National Tourism Policy

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Overview of Mauritius Overview of Tourism Sector in Mauritius

Economic Importance Tourism, third pillar of the economy after the E.P.Z. manufacturing sector and Agriculture, contributes significantly to economic growth and has been a key factor in the overall development of Mauritius. In the past two decades tourist arrivals increased at an average annual rate of 9 % with a corresponding increase of about 21% in tourism receipts. In 2000, gross tourism receipts were 14.2 billion rupees (508.3 million US $) and contributed to about 11 % of our GDP. Tourism may be called to play an even more important role in the wake of the After-GATT Agreements. Back to top

Growth in Tourist Arrivals Tourist arrivals have been expanding consequently, thus rising from 103,000 in 1977 to 656,450 in 2000, a more than six-fold increase. About 67% of the tourist arrivals are of European origin, with France supplying nearly half. The nearby Reunion French Territory is the most important short haul source market accounting for about 13% of total tourist arrivals. Asian residents provided 6% of tourist arrivals, almost half of which originated from the Indian Sub-Continent. In 2000, total number of nights spent by tourist was estimated to about 6.5 million, representing an increase of 13% over 1999. The average length of stay works out to around 10 nights and average expenditure per tourist reached about Rs. 22,000 Based on the favourable growth registered in tourist arrivals, it is estimated that arrivals for the year 2001 would be around 700,000 (+10%) with total gross receipts of the order of 15,500 million rupees. Back to top Attractions Mauritius is predominantly a holiday destination for beach-resort tourists. It possesses a wide range of natural and man-made attractions, enjoys a sub-tropical climate with clear warm sea waters, attractive beaches, tropical fauna and flora complemented by a multi-ethnic and cultural population that is friendly and welcoming. These tourism assets are, its main strength, especially since they are backed up by well-designed and run hotels, and reliable and operational services and infrastructures. The hosts are being seen product and the "hospitality atmosphere" has more and more as the nucleus of the tourism been receiving increasing attention. Back to top National Tourism Policy The National Tourism Policy emphasizes low impact, high spending tourism. Selective, upmarket, quality tourism is favoured, and although such tourism is not the only type, it constitutes the major segment of our tourists who stay in high class hotels. In 1997, there were 87 hotels with a total capacity of 6,800 rooms and 14,100 bedplaces. Average room occupancy rates were 72% for all hotels and 78% for large hotels (defined as established beach hotels with more than 80 rooms). Figures for bed occupancy rates were 64% and 70% respectively. The most prestigious beach side resort hotels are owned and/or operated by large groups such as Sun International and Beachcomber. Many of the beach resort hotels are internationally recognised for their very high quality. It is estimated that around 25% of visitors stay in non-hotel accommodation, such as boarding houses, self-catering bungalows and with friends and relatives.
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