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Find out more about the different modes of being a tourist

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tourism, the act and process of spending time away from home in pursuit of recreation, relaxation, and pleasure, while making use of the commercial provision of services. As such, tourism is a product of modern social arrangements, beginning in western Europe in the 17th century, although it has antecedents in Classical antiquity.

Tourism is distinguished from exploration in that tourists follow a "beaten path," benefit from established systems of provision, and, as befits pleasure-seekers, are generally insulated from difficulty, danger, and embarrassment. Tourism, however, overlaps with other activities, interests, and processes, including, for example, pilgrimage. This gives rise to shared categories, such as "business tourism," "sports tourism," and " medical tourism " (international travel undertaken for the purpose of receiving medical care).

The origins of tourism

By the early 21st century, international tourism had become one of the world's most important economic activities, and its impact was becoming increasingly apparent from the Arctic to Antarctica. The history of tourism is therefore of great interest and importance. That history begins long before the coinage of the word tourist at the end of the 18th century. In the Western tradition, organized travel with supporting infrastructure, sightseeing, and an emphasis on essential destinations and experiences can be found in ancient Greece and Rome, which can lay claim to the origins of both "heritage tourism" (aimed at the celebration and appreciation of historic sites of recognized cultural importance) and beach resorts. The Seven Wonders of the World became tourist sites for Greeks and Romans.

Pilgrimage offers similar antecedents, bringing Eastern civilizations into play. Its religious goals coexist with defined routes, commercial hospitality, and an admixture of curiosity, adventure, and enjoyment among the motives of the participants. Pilgrimage to the earliest Buddhist sites began more than 2,000 years ago, although it is hard to define a transition from the makeshift privations of small groups of monks to recognizably tourist practices. Pilgrimage to Mecca is of similar antiquity. The tourist status of the hajj is problematic given the number of casualties that-even in the 21st century-continued to be suffered on the journey through the desert. The thermal spa as a tourist destination-regardless of the pilgrimage associations with the site as a holy well or sacred spring-is not necessarily a European invention, despite deriving its English-language label from Spa, an early resort in what is now Belgium. The oldest Japanese onsen ( hot springs) were catering to bathers from at least the 6th century. Tourism has been a global phenomenon from its origins.

Modern tourism is an increasingly intensive, commercially organized, business-oriented set of activities whose roots can be found in the industrial and postindustrial West. The aristocratic grand tour of cultural sites in France, Germany, and especially Italy-including those associated with Classical Roman tourism-had its roots in the 16th century. It grew rapidly, however, expanding its geographical range to embrace Alpine scenery during the second half of the 18th century, in the intervals between European wars. (If truth is historically the first casualty of war, tourism is the second, although it may subsequently incorporate pilgrimages to graves and battlefield sites and even, by the late 20th century, to concentration camps.) As part of the grand tour's expansion, its exclusivity was undermined as the expanding commercial, professional, and industrial middle ranks joined the landowning and political classes in aspiring to gain access to this rite of passage for their sons. By the early 19th century, European journeys for health, leisure, and culture became common practice among the middle classes, and paths to the acquisition of cultural capital (that array of knowledge, experience, and polish that was necessary to mix in polite society) were smoothed by guidebooks, primers, the development of art and souvenir markets, and carefully calibrated transport and accommodation systems.

Technology and the democratization of international tourism

Transport innovation was an essential enabler of tourism's spread and democratization and its ultimate globalization. Beginning in the mid-19th century, the steamship and the railway brought greater comfort and speed and cheaper travel, in part because fewer overnight and intermediate stops were needed. Above all else, these innovations allowed for reliable time-tabling, essential for those who were tied to the discipline of the calendar if not the clock. The gaps in accessibility to these transport systems were steadily closing in the later 19th century, while the empire of steam was becoming global. Railways promoted domestic as well as international tourism, including short visits to the coast, city, and countryside which might last less than a day but fell clearly into the "tourism" category. Rail travel also made grand tour destinations more widely accessible, reinforcing existing tourism flows while contributing to tensions and clashes between classes and cultures among the tourists. By the late 19th century, steam navigation and railways were opening tourist destinations from Lapland to New Zealand, and the latter opened the first dedicated national tourist office in 1901.

After World War II, governments became interested in tourism as an invisible import and as a tool of diplomacy, but prior to this time international travel agencies took the lead in easing the complexities of tourist journeys. The most famous of these agencies was Britain's Thomas Cook and Son organization, whose operations spread from Europe and the Middle East across the globe in the late 19th century. The role played by other firms (including the British tour organizers Frame's and Henry Gaze and Sons) has been less visible to 21st-century observers, not least because these agencies did not preserve their records, but they were equally important. Shipping lines also promoted international tourism from the late 19th century onward. From the Norwegian fjords to the Caribbean, the pleasure cruise was already becoming a distinctive tourist experience before World War I, and transatlantic companies competed for middle-class tourism during the 1920s and '30s. Between the World Wars, affluent Americans journeyed by air and sea to a variety of destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Tourism became even bigger business internationally in the latter half of the 20th century as air travel was progressively deregulated and decoupled from "flag carriers" (national airlines). The airborne package tour to sunny coastal destinations became the basis of an enormous annual migration from northern Europe to the Mediterranean before extending to a growing variety of long-haul destinations, including Asian markets in the Pacific, and eventually bringing postcommunist Russians and eastern Europeans to the Mediterranean. Similar traffic flows expanded from the United States to Mexico and the Caribbean. In each case these developments built on older rail-, road-, and sea-travel patterns. The earliest package tours to the Mediterranean were by motor coach (bus) during the 1930s and postwar years. It was not until the late 1970s that Mediterranean sun and sea vacations became popular among working-class families in northern Europe; the label "mass tourism," which is often applied to this phenomenon, is misleading. Such holidays were experienced in a variety of ways because tourists had choices, and the destination resorts varied widely in history, culture, architecture, and visitor mix. From the 1990s the growth of flexible international travel through the rise of budget airlines, notably easyJet and Ryanair in Europe, opened a new mix of destinations. Some of these were former Soviet-bloc locales such as Prague and Riga, which appealed to weekend and short-break European tourists who constructed their own itineraries in negotiation with local service providers, mediated through the airlines' special deals. In international tourism, globalization has not been a one-way process; it has entailed negotiation between hosts and guests.

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Tourism | Definition, History, Types, Importance, & Industry

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Tourism, the act and process of spending time away from home in pursuit of recreation, relaxation, and pleasure, while making use of the commercial provision of services. It is a product of modern social arrangements, beginning in western Europe in the 17th century, although it has antecedents in Classical antiquity.

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With travelers' desire for new experiences, the rapid global technological advancements, climate change, and other dynamics, the travel and tourism industry is constantly transforming.

All the same, there are still rising tourism trends that can help tour operators, Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), and other industry suppliers to revamp their businesses and experience success as we get into the new normal.

From experiential and transformative travel to automation and Bleisure trips, there are new opportunities companies should focus on.

In this article, we'll go through the top tourism trends right now and highlight how leisure businesses can stay on top of their game and recover during the post-COVID period.

Bleisure travel is a growing tourism trend where people traveling for work or business include some leisure time at their destination.

These business-leisure trips can either be pre-planned, whereby clients schedule their vacation within the same period of a job-related trip. Companies may also offer their workers some tourist experiences during work trips.

On the other hand, this can come as an afterthought. Once the meetings, professional conferences, and other work engagements are over, business travelers may decide to extend their stay and explore their destination.

There is also a growing trend among millennials known as the "digital nomad" phenomenon. This is whereby online workers and freelancers adopt a lifestyle of traveling as they work.

As a tour operator, you can take advantage of this growing trend by creating offers that entice business travelers to extend their stay for leisure. For example, you can sell team retreat packages combined with perks like photos, videos, and transportation.

Having wifi and chargers in buses and accommodation (for multi-day tours) can also entice digital nomads and other travelers looking to stay connected for work.

Gone are the days when booking a trip required clients to make a phone call, speak directly to a service provider, or walk into the supplier's office for face-to-face negotiation.

Digitization has led to a rise in online bookings. Not only has this made advertising cheaper for travel companies, but also customers are enjoying and increasingly prefer the convenience it offers.

Tour and activities companies have also progressively adopted technology and online booking. In 2019, were using 71% of operators surveyed reservation technology in their businesses, a marked increase from just 25% in 2010. More to that, these companies experienced faster growth plus higher profitability.

As we slowly approach the post-COVID period, automation in the sector is bound to continue rising. So as you work on getting back to profitability, take advantage of this tourism trend, and set up the right technology in order to increase your chances of faster recovery.

3. Mobile Bookings

Operators report that 2 in 5 online bookings are made on mobile devices. These smartphone shoppers are also more valuable to your business because of the following reasons:

They spend 50% more on tours and activities per trip.

They average 2.9 tours per trip.

They are twice as likely to leave online reviews.

Personalization is also important when it comes to the actual tour or activity. By offering flexible experiences that can be tailored to a traveler's needs, you stand a chance of better satisfying your clients, and that can lead to repeat visits. Your priority should, therefore, be on offering customer-oriented services.

It starts right from the time they see your advert on social media or your website. The messaging should resonate with what the client prefers. Travel and tour suggestions can be offered according to, for instance, what the customer has been browsing on the internet. This is possible to set up using specialized marketing tools and ad platforms like Google and Facebook.

You are better placed by factoring this in your company's digital marketing strategy. How do you get started? Reach out and speak to your customers to learn about their preferences, characteristics, behavior, and individual needs.

All in all, staying on top of this tourism trend can be the distinction that will make your company stand out from competitors and gain back profitability faster.

More travelers are adopting this mindset hence making their travel decisions with the environment in mind.

Carbon offsetting , for example, is becoming more popular by the day especially since travelers want to help mitigate the impact of the climate crisis.

Tour companies can also support this mission by making small but significant adjustments. You can do away with single-use plastics or opt to only use solar for all your energy needs.

But it's important to note that sustainability is not only about the environment. It's also about making a positive impact on cultures, economies, and the people at the destinations that clients visit.

In the face of COVID-19 pandemic, sustainable tourism is most likely going to grow. If you play your part in upholding sustainability, you can earn the trust and loyalty of the generation of travelers who are spearheading this trend.

6. Transformative Travel

This is a new tourism trend that's quickly gaining popularity. Transformative travel is about not just traveling for leisure but also aiming to make a difference in both the lives of others and oneself.

Volunteering trips are an example of the experiences that have gained popularity from this trend. Travelers vacation and also set aside time to volunteer at their travel destinations.

When it comes to making a difference in their own lives, clients can opt to go for wellness holidays where they retreat and either join a yoga class, relax at a nature-filled destination, or attend some apprenticeship classes to learn a new skill.

Because of this trend, there is also a notable change in the travelers' diet. Instead of indulging in unhealthy meals, those who've joined the organic food movement prefer places that offer highly nutritious and organic foods.

Based on this trend, tour operators can focus on offering unique and purposeful activities along with their usual products and services.

Experience tourism is on the rise . This trend is about having a once-in-a-lifetime experience or gaining an emotional connection with cultures and nature.

So, if you can offer these experiences, then you're well on your way to acquiring this increasing breed of clients. One of the most popular experiences is food sampling. Food tourism enables travelers to enjoy different local cuisines, maybe even learn how to cook some of the recipes and interact with the people's traditions in the process.

Another way clients want to experience their destinations is by staying with local families rather than in hotels. This gives them a chance to interact even closer with the locals and see their way of life.

8. Solo Travel

Solo traveling is a wonderful and self-rewarding experience that forces you to grow and leaves you feeling stronger and more confident.

But more people are aiming to travel solo for different reasons. Some may want the freedom to do whatever they want, whenever they want, rather than be ''tied down'' to a group of friends, family, or a partner. And some may be traveling alone for their own personal growth, and seeking something deeper from their solo adventure.

More solo travelers are also opting for professionally guided tours, which is good news for tour and activity operators. Many travelers are wanting to maximize their ''me-time.''

Take advantage of this by having special offers to cater to these solo adventurers. Maybe you can offer them a more personal experience with one-on-one tours, or one-on-one cooking classes.

Traveling solo can be uplifting, eye-opening, and fun, but sometimes lonely. You can also think of offers for two people where you have the opportunity to pair them with a stranger that may become their new best friend. These travelers also enjoy meeting new people and often make long-lasting friendships during their travels because approaching someone who is alone is much easier than approaching a group. Safety is also a high concern for solo travelers.

Be sure to stress that your offers are trustworthy and reliable. The idea of being scammed or even worse while on a trip is never fun for any type of traveler.

9. Wellness Travel

These are travelers looking for an enriching experience with the primary purpose of achieving, promoting, or maintaining the best health and sense of well-being and balance in life.

But don't think wellness travel is limited to resorts and spas. Almost any business can take advantage of this trend.

Think of how you can market your business offers as a way to contribute to wellness tourism by developing and promoting communities and show how both tourists and locals can benefit.

For example, a helicopter tour, paragliding flight, or whatever fun adventure your company offers, is a chance for personal growth by conquering fears or expanding horizons. Your existing offers may give the chance for people to empower themselves by learning a new skill set which also encourages personal growth.

Conclusion

As a tour operator or DMO, it's best to keep an eye on these tourism trends and begin strategizing. These include:

The merging of business and leisure travels

Increasing automation

Mobile bookings

Personalization of trips

A focus on sustainable tourism

Transformative travel

Experience tourism

Solo travel

Wellness travel

Have a plan of how to meet the needs of your clients and take advantage of these trends. This can be the much-needed headstart to help you emerge above your competition as you seek to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

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9 Tourism Trends That Will Shape the Travel Industry in 2020 and Beyond

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With travelers' desire for new experiences, the rapid global technological advancements, climate change, and other dynamics, the travel and tourism industry is constantly transforming. All the same, there are still rising tourism trends that can help tour operators, Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), and other industry suppliers to revamp their businesses and experience success as we get into the new normal.