define tourism in commerce

Tourism: Meaning, Types, Nature, Components & Importance

Meaning of tourism.

Tourism refers to social, cultural and economic phenomenon entailing the movement of people to foreign countries or places outside their usual environment for leisure or business motives. It is simply an act of travelling to places away from your hometown or usual area. It is quite interesting and thrilled filled activity that peoples have either done or would love to do it. Tourism is a collection of activities, services and industries that together provides better travel experience to peoples travelling away from their home. It comprises of transportation, eating and drinking establishments, accommodation, entertainment, retail shops and other hospitality services provided either to individuals or group of travellers. 

The World Tourism Organization (WTO) has specially defined tourism as a practice of travelling and staying away from your home or usual environment for 1 year or less in case if it is for leisure purposes, or for 24 hours or less if meant for business/professional purposes. Tourism concept is distinct from travel. In order for tourism to happen, some displacement must be there: a person has to travel using any mode of transportation (person can even travel on foot that is nowadays the case for poorest societies and happens even in more developed countries). Also, not all travels can be considered as tourism.

Types Of Tourism

Tourism is mainly of two types based on the purpose of visit and alternative forms of tourism. It can be categorized as international and domestic tourism. 

International tourism involves people travelling outside the boundary of their home country to some other foreign country. For travelling to foreign country, one need to go through several formalities and require documents such as valid passport, visa, foreign exchange, health documents etc. It is also divided into 2 types: Inbound Tourism and Outbound Tourism. 

Inbound Tourism: Inbound tourism refers to tourist belonging to some outside country entering a particular country. Travelling outside the home country to some another country is categorised as inbound tourism for the country where people are travelling. Like for example, when Indian origin tourists travel to Australia, then it will inbound tourism for Australia as foreign tourists have entered the country. 

Outbound Tourism: This refers to people travelling from their origin country to some different country. When tourists move to some foreign place, then it is categorized as outbound tourism for their own country as they are going outside their home country. For example, when Indian tourists travel to Australia, then it will be outbound tourism for India and inbound tourism for Australia. 

Domestic Tourism refers to tourism activities of people within their home country. When people travel to different parts of their home country, then it is covered under the domestic tourism. Travelling within the home country is easier because it does not need formal travel documents and tedious formalities such as compulsory health check-ups and foreign exchange. People when travelling domestically does not face much language issues or foreign exchange issues unlike in case of foreign travels. 

Nature of Tourism

The nature of tourism is much connected with travelling. It has been the human phenomenon since the beginning of human civilization. This is a sensitive factor for human nature in terms of moving to survive, explore and get to know the unknown things. Humans started travelling as nomads for search of prey and foods, in earlier times. Later on, the agricultural development developed the base for movement of peoples as traveller. After this the industrial revolution made various destinations prominent to travelling. This made the lifestyle of traveller much easier as well as safe to realize their tourism activities. Nature of tourism is further discussed in points below: – 

Tourism and service

Tourism is a service industry comprising of all those sectors of economy that are involved in offering services such as transportation, accommodation, food, beverage, as well as distribution and sales services. The tourism industry has been taken as term of economic growth, productivity, social development, employments income, etc. However, it does not produce any commodity that can be touched or taken home. Therefore, tourism is a hospitality industry and bridge in between peoples. It makes valuable contribution to world’s economy via offering jobs to more and more people than any other industry. 

Tourism is economy contributor

With the help of tourism business, a lot of income is generated within economy in the form of domestic or foreign exchange. A large population gets employed in this industry. Tourism industry is a major contributor to public revenue. Also, nature too can be tapped and friendly relations with other countries can lead to provide benefits for economy. 

Tourism products are highly perishable

The tourism products cannot be transported to customer location. Customers need to move to the products or visit the points of service delivery. For example, hotel rooms, culture, attraction is not possible to be transported from Sri Lanka. ‘Export’ or ‘Export of tourism products’ denote the arrival of tourists or facilities utilized by tourists. 

Tourism assists in educating the mass

Tourism industry plays an effective role in spreading ideas and knowledge among mass population. There is a spontaneous method of learning and exchange of ideas in this industry. Exploration and discovery scope is very high among the adventure tourists. Also, because of tourism, respect for each other’s own life exists. 

Tourism industry is sustainable

There is not any horizon or end to tourism activities. Tourism industry is a long-term industry. It represents non-stop movement of peoples and this incessant move give rise to more and more tourism activities. 

Components of Tourism

Tourism does not operate in isolation, but contains some components without whom it can’t be operated. Tour undertaken by person is affected by distinct elements or components. These components are core parts of tourism and are known as 4 A’s of tourism. 

The four components are: Attraction, Accessibility, Accommodation and Amenities. 

Attraction is considered as the most important component of tourism that creates desire among people to make visits to a specific place or destination. It is anything influencing or inspiring people to make visit/travel. Every country has different type of attraction that attracts in large number of tourists. The lack of attraction cannot pull travellers. Attraction is all those elements, that determines the tourist’s choice to visit one place over others. Peoples can be attracted by different attraction such as trekking, sunrise, waterfall, monument, historical building, cultural sites, national parks, beach resort, flora and fauna, scenic beauty, religious sites etc. The attraction creates flow of tourism to particular area/place and act as magnetic power on pull factor of tourism. 

Attraction can also be classified into two ways: – 

– Core Attraction : Core attraction denotes the basic assets or attributes of particular place/destination. This makes up the main theme of destination. Core attraction may be natural or man-made, cultural recreations, historic or spectator events. 

– Supporting Attraction : It includes the facilities and services that serve the needs of travellers lodging, food service, shopping and local transport, foreign currency exchange and so on. Also, the success of every tourism destination depends not only on its power to attract visitors but also on its ability to hold them. Therefore, a destination must have sufficient attraction such that it is appealing to wider market.

Accessibility

Accessibility is also key component of tourism that denotes reachability to place of destination via distinct modes of transportation. It is simply the way through which tourists can easily reach their destination point. An attraction is not only necessary but it should also be accessible. Tourists reach the place of attraction by using the means of transportation. Therefore, transportation services should be regular, economic, comfortable and safe, as if travel services are better then more will be the tourists coming. Transportation is very crucial and if tourism destination lacks transport facilities, it becomes of little value. 

The passenger transport is categorized into public or private, international air and surface, etc.

– Air Transport : Air transport is the fastest growing means of long-distance tourist transport and served as primary means of transport on many routes. 

– Sea Transport : It plays a major role on short sea routes, waterways and for cruises. 

– Rail Transport : Rail Transport is good for both short and medium distance within the home country or in-between different countries. This assist in reaching destination or for movements at destination. 

More and more tourists will visit a place if it has good modes of transportation available. For example, if we compare rara lake and phewa lake- Rara lake is beautiful destination in western Nepal but only few tourists visit this place due to transportation problem. Whereas, phewa lake is visited by millions of people due to the availability of good transportation.

Accommodation

Accommodation is another component of tourism which is a primary service needed by tourists at the place of destination. It has important role to play in influencing the tourists to choose destination. Accommodation denotes a place where travellers get food and shelter to stay. The tourists can stay in distinct types of accommodation such as staying with relatives, friends, other private accommodation and their own means of accommodation such as tent and caravans. This also include the provision of food and beverages for tourists. 

Tourism arises from the movement of people and stay at the place of destination. Accommodation complements the attraction and every tourist want such accommodation where they can stay comfortably and served good food. They give more priorities to place with good accommodation having all facilities such as hotel, lodges, apartment, bar and restaurant. A huge amount of investments are needed on accommodation that are designed as per the paying capacity of tourists. A well-designed accommodation at nice location with all facilities is also attraction. Tourist must spend at least one night on destination; therefore, accommodation is important. No one is going to visit a place with attraction and accessibility, but no accommodation. 

Amenities are yet another important component of tourism that are extra facilities like service added with attraction, accessibility and accommodation in order to create tourism. They on their own does not generate any tourist flow but their absence may distract the tourists. Amenities are basically the elements which provide pleasure and satisfaction to tourists from destination. Modern amenities are primary elements of tourism and are provided by government, hotel, airlines, travel agencies etc. Different amenities that government provides are visa, entry to archaeological and cultural sites, mountaineering permit, custom facilities etc. The necessary service and facilities for making guest feel comfortable while travelling such as food, rest, sport, communication and entertainment are also included within amenities. For example, sea side resort offer facilities such as swimming, yachting, boating, recreation.

Amenities are both natural and man-made where natural amenities comprise of fishing, trekking, beaches, climbing, viewing, and man-made amenities comprises of cinema, internet, telephone, drama, music, fair and festival, E-mail and fax service.

Importance of Tourism

The tourism industry is important due to the benefits it brings and its role as a commercial activity that creates demand and development for many more industries. Tourism not only contributes towards the economic development, but also generates large number of employment opportunities and revenues. The importance of tourism is well-discussed in points given below: – 

Brings in Influx of Wealth

The biggest advantage tourism provides to every country it that it provides way to economy for receiving influx of wealth. This thing becomes very crucial for nations with newer and weaker economies, and requires the boost. There are numerous countries in Africa that especially need this, and are heavily dependent on tourism sector. Tourists travelling from strong economy countries provide foreign cash that is much stronger than the currency of weak economy countries. This in turn means that tourists are willing to spend more, considering the strength of their money in particular area. Of course, this will bring in more benefits for country. The money spend by tourists not only goes to popular tourist destination and activities, that funds local tour operators and small ventures, but also goes at their general stay.

Large job opportunities

One of the best advantages of tourism industry is that it provides large employment opportunities for locals. Creation of jobs is the most obvious benefit provided to every country. This got spread throughout all industries, from pilots flying the planes for connecting countries to the people washing utensils in restaurant kitchens. Rise of customers during tourist peak season within the wide range of business fields provide enormous benefits. Tourism too creates new jobs for local peoples within the countries, paving the way for opening of new locally run business. More jobs are created from these new businesses both within the travel and tourism sector. 

Building infrastructure

An important benefit of tourism industry is construction and improvement of infrastructural facilities within the country. With the help of wealth inflow from tourists and local communities, large expenses for building up of roads, school, parks, hospital and community areas can be easily afforded. A booming tourism industry won’t be able to survive in country having absence of right infrastructure, as tourists face difficulties in moving around and there won’t be much activities available. For example, if country’s roads are badly damaged and cannot be driven on then tourist won’t be able to move to places where they want to. 

Source of diverse income

Most of the countries are heavily reliant on different industries operating within them, and when these industries fall short then entire economy broke down. Tourism is one of the industries that is much reliable and provides regular flow of income to countries. This means that sometimes the main industry of country can be tourism industry. Tourism remains heavy unlike the other one that changes with seasons. The tourism industry helps in easing the strain caused by suffering industries, and assist in minimizing the massive negative effect this has on overall economy of country. 

Environmental protection

The environmental health is nowadays taken seriously by entire world. Due to this, there is a demand for destinations to be environment friendly. Business involved in tourism activities are taking efforts to make themselves stand out by being more responsible to environment offering eco-tours. These businesses then impact the wellness of environment and improves ways of treating massive habitats. Now, key natural areas remain unharmed and conserved due to their value to tourism industry. Practice of eco-friendly tours and accommodations motivate tourists to respect the untouched sites they are visiting, that helps in keeping these sites and their inhabitants unharmed.

Gender equality

Women fill up the majority of positions in tourism industry among most parts of the world. Unfortunately, they tend to hold more jobs at lower designations and many of them even perform unpaid jobs in their family tourism businesses. That said, the gap in wages is smaller as per the UN Women. Women are earning 14.7% less as compared to men and fill more management roles than in other fields. Tourism industry carries lots of opportunities and strategies that has great potential to further empower women. 

Preserves heritage

Another important advantage of tourism is the preservation of culture and heritage. There are lots of tourist who visit the destination specially to see the local heritage. And due to this, many destinations will take all possible steps to preserve their heritage. This can involve putting restrictions in place or limiting the number of tourists, if necessary. It is also an example of careful planning of tourism and sustainable management of tourism.

Related posts:

• International Business: Nature, Characteristics, Features
• Role and Importance of Transportation in Business
• Compensation Management: Meaning, Components, Objectives and Factors Influencing It
• Scope and Importance of International Business
• Impact of Coronavirus on Indian Economy
• Logistics Management: Meaning, Nature, Scope, Objectives and, Importance

Add CommerceMates to your Homescreen!

The Importance of Tourism on Economies and Businesses

Have you ever wondered why tourism is such a big deal for many countries and businesses? Why do they invest so much in promoting tourism?

Tourism is one of the world's largest industries, generating trillions of dollars in revenue each year. It has a significant impact on economies and businesses, creating jobs, generating income, and boosting local economies.

The importance of tourism cannot be overstated. It affects not only the tourism industry but also other sectors such as transportation, hospitality, and retail. In this article, we will explore the economic and business benefits of tourism and why countries must invest in this industry.

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes.

Importance of Tourism to Local Economies

Tourism is a crucial contributor to the growth of local economies. A thriving local economy creates opportunities for residents to lead happier, more comfortable lives.

However, every region requires some assistance to achieve its full potential. Communities depend on neighbouring cities, counties, and other areas for economic growth, and tourism plays a vital role in this process, particularly for smaller communities.

Tourism provides several benefits to local economies. It generates new revenue streams by attracting visitors and increasing the amount of money spent in the area. As visitors explore local attractions, they purchase goods and services from local businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, and souvenir shops. This, in turn, creates employment opportunities, which can benefit the residents of the area.

Additionally, tourism can stimulate the development of infrastructure in the area, such as the construction of new hotels, transportation systems, and other amenities. This not only creates jobs but also attracts new businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs, contributing to the economic growth of the region.

Tourism is especially significant for small communities that may have limited resources to grow their local economies.

By attracting visitors, small towns can generate new revenue streams and create new job opportunities. Tourism can also help to promote and preserve local culture, traditions, and heritage, encouraging residents to take pride in their community.

What are the impacts of tourism?

The advantages of tourism extend beyond the creation of billions of dollars and hundreds of millions of jobs and business opportunities. A thriving tourism industry also helps to build infrastructure such as roads, parks, hospitals, schools, and community areas.

Additionally, it assists in the preservation of heritage sites, natural wonders, and precious cultures, creating a platform for people to showcase their cultural traditions and safeguard sacred areas.

By choosing to stay in locally-owned accommodations, shop in artisan markets, take part in traditional festivals and tour with local guides, travellers can have a direct positive impact.

The tourism industry also contributes to protecting the environment and its wildlife, with many tourism businesses offering eco-friendly services and encouraging tourists to respect the lands and communities they visit.

There are many inspiring cases of change, such as former poachers turning into safari guides or gamekeepers, as the income from tourists wanting to see wildlife means that protecting the animals is a far more valuable venture. Tourists can also contribute to the preservation of natural areas by paying entry fees for national parks and making sure to leave only footprints and take only photos.

These positive impacts of the tourism industry are all part of a move towards responsible tourism, where the focus is on having a beneficial effect on the communities visited, protecting wildlife, and caring for the planet.

Reasons Why Tourism Is Important 

Tourism is a vital industry that has a significant impact on economies, cultures, and individuals around the world. From boosting local economies to promoting cultural exchange and preserving heritage sites, the benefits of tourism are numerous and far-reaching. 

Here are ten reasons why tourism is important:

Tourism is a significant source of revenue for communities around the world. Visitors who come to explore new places and experience unique activities bring in money that can boost the local economy. This spending occurs in a variety of ways, including dining at restaurants, shopping at local stores, and participating in tours or events.

As a result, businesses of all types and sizes have the potential to earn more income when their community attracts tourists. This influx of money can benefit not only business owners but also employees, who will have more resources to spend within the local economy.

Moreover, the increase in sales tax revenue generated by tourism can fund important infrastructural and environmental projects in the community.

2. Job Creation

Tourism is also an important source of employment for residents. The growth of the tourism industry means more job opportunities for people in various fields, such as hospitality, transportation, and entertainment.

When businesses see an increase in demand for their products and services, they may need to hire more staff to meet the needs of their customers. This job creation can result in lower unemployment rates and a boost in the standard of living for people in the community.

3. Cultural Preservation

Tourism plays a crucial role in preserving culture. This is evident in a few ways. Firstly, tourism provides support to artisans who sell their crafts to visitors. Markets and shops are a significant draw for many tourists interested in purchasing souvenirs for people back home or as a way to remember their trip.

Secondly, tourists often visit cultural sites and attend local music, dance, theatre, and other performances. These activities help sustain intangible culture, which gives regions their unique identity and protects the multiculturalism of our world.

Cultural tourism has been known to help preserve heritage sites and landmarks that might otherwise have been lost. For example, the UNESCO World Heritage List identifies and protects cultural and natural heritage sites of universal significance.

These sites, which include ancient ruins, religious sites, and architectural wonders, draw millions of visitors each year. The income generated by tourism provides resources for maintaining and protecting these sites, ensuring their preservation for future generations.

In addition to preserving tangible cultural heritage, tourism also promotes the continuation of traditional practices and customs. When communities realize that tourists are interested in their culture, they are often more motivated to preserve and celebrate it. This can help prevent cultural practices from being lost to time and modernization.

Furthermore, tourism encourages the development of cultural events and festivals that celebrate the customs and traditions of a community. These events create a sense of pride and community identity, and can also provide opportunities for economic growth.

4. Infrastructure Development

Tourism can also lead to infrastructure development in a community. As more visitors come to an area, the need for amenities like roads, public transportation, and accommodations increases. This demand can spur the construction of new hotels, restaurants, and other tourism-related businesses.

Furthermore, the local government may invest in improving the infrastructure to make the community more attractive to tourists. Such improvements can include the construction of new highways, parks, and public facilities, which can benefit not only tourists but also residents.

5. Improved Quality of Life

Tourism can improve the quality of life for residents. When a community's economy is bolstered by tourism, residents may enjoy a higher standard of living, with better access to services and amenities.

For example, new businesses may offer more job opportunities and contribute to a more diverse economy. This can lead to better public services, improved educational opportunities, and a stronger sense of community pride.

Additionally, tourists may bring in new ideas, perspectives, and cultures that can enrich the local community.

6. Job Opportunities

Tourism is not only beneficial for businesses and the economy but also for the people who live in the community. One of the significant advantages is the job opportunities that arise from a thriving tourism industry.

As more tourists visit a community, new businesses and service offerings emerge, creating job openings. Industries such as hospitality, food service, and travel produce a lot of new job opportunities. For example, hotels, restaurants, and tour companies hire staff to accommodate and entertain visitors.

Moreover, tourism enables locals to create new businesses or expand existing ones, which opens up new entrepreneurial opportunities. Services like Airbnb empower residents to earn revenue by renting out their homes or apartments to tourists seeking comfortable and authentic local experiences.

7. Tourism impacts GDP growth (and decline)

Tourism has a significant impact on a country's GDP. In 2019, the direct contribution of travel and tourism accounted for 3.3% of the world's total GDP , representing a small rise since 2018.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 resulted in a significant decline in tourism's contribution to the GDP, dropping by almost 50% according to the World Travel and Tourism Council Report .

Tourism's contribution to a country's GDP is closely linked to the number of jobs it creates. When tourism flourishes, businesses thrive, which leads to more employment opportunities. As a result, more people have money to spend within their local economy. This increase in sales tax revenue funds important infrastructural and environmental endeavours in the community.

On the other hand, a decline in tourism can result in a decrease in revenue, which can negatively impact the GDP. The decline can also result in fewer employment opportunities, making it harder for residents to make a living.

The pandemic highlighted the significant impact that tourism has on GDP growth (and decline) and the importance of supporting the industry during difficult times.

8. Tourism supports low-income countries

Tourism is a crucial source of revenue for many of the world's lowest-income countries. In 2015, 48 of the lower-income and lower-middle-income countries experienced an increase in tourist arrivals , resulting in approximately $21 billion (USD) in revenue.

For Small Island Developing States (SIDS) across the globe, tourism accounts for 30% of their export earnings . In the Pacific island nation of Palau, tourism is responsible for a staggering 38% of GDP .

For these countries, tourism plays a vital role in their economic growth and development. The revenue generated from tourism can be used to fund important initiatives such as infrastructure improvements, healthcare, education, and conservation efforts.

Furthermore, tourism creates employment opportunities for residents, providing them with a means to support their families and contribute to their communities.

9. Tourism is good for rural areas

The concept of “rural tourism” has gained popularity as urban tourists crave a break from busy city life and seek out more natural environments. They look for unique experiences such as staying on a farm, going for days-long hikes with guides, rock climbing, and more.

These visits create job opportunities for people residing in rural areas. Moreover, they highlight the value of preserving and investing in these regions.

Tourism in rural areas also offers tourists an opportunity to learn more about an area in its natural state and form a deeper connection with the local community. It encourages people to explore local cultural and historical attractions while supporting small businesses and community development.

The development of rural tourism can also bring a sense of pride and identity to local communities by showcasing the unique aspects of their region.

10. Tourism encourages conservation

Tourism can encourage conservation efforts in various ways. First, nature-based tourism, such as scuba diving, hiking, camping, and wildlife watching, is popular and motivates authorities to protect natural areas like old-growth forests, lakes, coastlines, state parks, and gardens.

A case in point is Costa Rica, which recognized the potential of conservation in attracting tourists. The country reversed deforestation trends and doubled its forest cover in just three decades. This boosted tourism, which generated approximately $6.14 billion in 2019 .

Tourism also creates awareness of the importance of conservation among tourists, business owners, and communities. Visitors learn about the natural environment and ecosystems, and how they can contribute to preserving them. This education can inspire individuals to become conservationists or support conservation efforts.

Moreover, tourism can provide financial support for conservation initiatives. For instance, visitors pay entry fees to national parks, which generate revenue that authorities can use for conservation programs. Some businesses in the tourism industry also donate a portion of their profits to conservation organizations or support local community conservation projects.

Lastly, tourism can promote sustainable practices that reduce environmental impact. Many tourism businesses now offer eco-friendly services and encourage tourists to respect local cultures and the environment. Such initiatives can help conserve resources and preserve the natural environment for future generations.

Tumisang Bogwasi

2X Award-Winning Entrepreneur | Empowering Brands to Generate Leads, Grow Revenue with Business Strategy and Digital Marketing | Founder, CEO of Fine Group

Related Posts

Exploring the World of Tourism: A Comprehensive Guide to 49 Types of Tourism

• June 26, 2023

• English (CA)
• Deutsch (DE)
• Deutsch (CH)

Business tourism 101: All you need to know

What is business tourism.

• To participate in internal meetings at different office locations
• To meet business partners (clients or suppliers)
• To go to conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, and other local or international business events
• To take part in company retreats or incentive trips

Why is business tourism important?

• Better understand common goals, needs, and challenges
• Work together more efficiently
• Easily share knowledge and ideas
• Achieve important breakthroughs and solve problems faster

See how to save money on business travel

What are the different types of business tourism, traditional business traveling, incentive trips, conference and exhibitions, how has business tourism evolved over the years.

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

• See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
• Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
• Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

A quick guide to understanding business travel analytics

TravelPerk and American Airlines Provide Modern Booking Capabilities Through NDC

TravelPerk’s Post-Pandemic Office Design

• Business Travel Management
• Offset Carbon Footprint
• Flexible travel
• Travelperk Sustainability Policy
• Corporate Travel Resources
• Corporate Travel Glossary
• For Travel Managers
• For Finance Teams
• For Travelers
• Thoughts from TravelPerk
• Careers Hiring
• User Reviews
• Integrations
• Privacy Center
• Help Center
• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Modern Slavery Act | Statement
• Supplier Code of Conduct

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Search ITA Search

National Travel and Tourism Strategy Overview

2022 national travel and tourism strategy.

The Strategy focuses on U.S. government efforts to promote our nation as a premier destination grounded in the breadth and diversity of its communities, and to foster a travel and tourism sector that drives economic growth, creates good jobs, and bolsters conservation and sustainability. Drawing on engagement and capabilities from across the federal government, the Strategy aims to increase not only the volume but also the value of tourism.

Leverage existing programs and assets to promote the United States to international visitors and broaden marketing efforts to encourage visitation to underserved communities.  

Reduce barriers to trade in travel services and make it safer and more efficient for visitors to enter and travel within the United States.

Extend the benefits of travel and tourism by supporting the development of diverse tourism products, focusing on underserved communities and populations. Address the financial and workplace needs of travel and tourism businesses, supporting destination communities as they expand their tourism economies. Deliver world-class experiences and customer service on federal lands and waters that showcase U.S. assets while protecting them for future generations.

Reduce travel and tourism’s contributions to climate change and build a travel and tourism sector that is resilient to natural disasters, public health threats, and the impacts of climate change. Build a sustainable sector that integrates protecting natural resources, supporting the tourism economy, and ensuring equitable development.

• Stand Up for Free Enterprise

Travel and Tourism: What Businesses Need to Know Now

The pandemic has had a significant impact on both business travel and leisure travel. Here’s what businesses need to know about travel beyond COVID-19.

September 13, 2021

Key Takeaways

• Business and leisure travelers are indicating a willingness to begin traveling again.
• The delta variant has slowed growth and created uncertainty around when travel and tourism will return to pre-pandemic levels.
• Businesses must adjust to the 'new normal' of travel to stay competitive and better serve their employees and customers.

COVID-19 hit the travel industry hard. Business travel, one of the industry’s primary sources of revenue, came to an abrupt halt. On the leisure travel side, vacations and special events were put on hold, damaging the tourism sector as well.

While the travel and tourism industries are slowly starting to recover, the emergence of the Delta variant has slowed growth and created uncertainty around when business and leisure travel will return to pre-pandemic levels. Here’s what businesses need to know to make informed decisions about traveling for their employees and customers amid this changing landscape.

Business travel during COVID-19

After a challenging year and a half, there is cause for optimism in the business travel industry, with companies indicating a willingness to return their employees to the road—or air as the case may be. According to a recent report from The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), over half of travel buyers and procurement professionals reported that their company’s travel spending increased “somewhat” to “a lot.” Additionally, participants reported a slight increase from the previous month in restarting domestic and international travel for business.

Despite the relative safety of air travel, companies are still being cautious. The survey found that only 40% of companies planned to restart domestic trips within the next one to three months, while a mere 18% of companies planned to restart international trips. Their caution is owed to concerns over the presence of COVID-19 variants. Among survey participants, 78% were “concerned” or “very concerned” about the effects of the delta variant, as well as the possibility of further variants, on the safety of business travel.

The economic impact of pandemic travel restrictions

Amid the pandemic, both domestic and international destinations have placed varying restrictions on travel. In addition to public health concerns, logistical factors like required COVID-19 testing and quarantine periods have significantly reduced where and how often people are traveling. Moreover, many airports and other transportation hubs have been operating with fewer staff, limiting both the efficiency of traveling and options for doing so. The reduction in both business travel and leisure travel cost the airline industry more than $100 billion in lost revenue in 2020, and estimates project a further loss of nearly $50 billion this year.

The loss in air travel has also negatively impacted the tourism sector. Reduced demand for travel has similarly reduced demand for hotels, restaurants and food service, local retail, entertainment, and events. In 2020, international tourism and its related sectors saw a loss of $2.4 trillion due to the effects of the pandemic.

Recovery in travel and tourism will largely depend on global vaccine distribution and the suppression of COVID-19 variants. According to the GBTA survey, approximately 1 in 5 participants reported their company required employees to be vaccinated before traveling domestically. With different countries and even states having their own set of restrictions and vaccination status guidelines, organizations may hold off on business travel until these requirements can be streamlined or more easily understood.

The impact of vaccine inequity on the tourism sector

While most developed countries have seen a successful vaccine rollout, many developing nations are still struggling with limited vaccine access and administration. Depending on the country, vaccination rates range from less than 1% to more than 60%.

As developing countries work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 without the support of widespread vaccines, they continue to experience greater losses in the tourism sector. This is especially critical, as many less-developed countries are heavily reliant on tourism for jobs and economic growth.

Countries with higher vaccination rates, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, have experienced less severe losses in tourism and are likely to have a more swift recovery. Still, the U.S. tourism industry has taken a hit, with many businesses struggling to find enough workers to keep them open during seasonal tourist peaks.

The long-term outlook for travel and tourism

The “new normal” of a post-pandemic world is expected to have long-term impacts on the travel and tourism industries.

With respect to corporate travel, many businesses have capitalized on new technologies to conduct remote meetings and large-scale conferences. With this, the frequency of business travel is likely to decrease, though it is unlikely to be replaced by virtual meetings altogether.

On the leisure travel side, people will likely continue to explore their own backyards more frequently than pre-pandemic. The summer of 2020 saw an uptick in road trips across America, with people choosing destinations within driving distance and further away from crowded metropolitan cities.

Travelers will continue to use touch-free technology

Contactless technology has seen a rise in recent years, but it has become more widespread than ever amid the pandemic. According to a survey by the U.S. Travel Association , 41% of global transactions are currently carried out through contact-free means, and 74% of Americans plan to continue using touch-free tech even post-pandemic. Apps that allow for contactless check-ins, direct payments, and even mobile hotel keys are expected to increase in popularity over the next several years.

As countries look toward fiscal and public health recovery, business travel and leisure travel are also beginning to recover. However, it is unlikely that things will return to the way they were before COVID-19. Rather, businesses must adjust to the “new normal” of travel to stay competitive and best support their employees and customers.

Traveling during COVID-19? Review the latest CDC guidance for domestic travel and international travel .

• Infrastructure
• Transportation

Recommended

• Travel How Branson Creates a Memorable Getaway for Spring Breakers Businesses in Branson, Missouri make the city a fun family destination for spring break in the Ozarks. By Rachel Ledbetter
• Travel From Pharaohs and Pyramids to Post-Pandemic Priorities in Egypt: 4 Ideas for the Biden Administration By Steve Lutes
• Travel Quick Take: Coronavirus' Economic Impact By U.S. Chamber Staff
• Travel The Most Important Issues Facing the Aviation Industry By Sean Ludwig
• Travel “We’re in Survival Mode:” On the Delaware Shore, Small Businesses Struggle to Stay Afloat Amid Worker Shortage By J.D. Harrison

View this online

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of tourism in English

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

• We must ensure that tourism develops in harmony with the environment .
• The island is being destroyed by the relentless march of tourism.
• It is unclear how to mitigate the effects of tourism on the island .
• Service industries such as tourism have become more important in the post-industrial age .
• The region's reliance on tourism is unwise .
• air corridor
• amenity kit
• caravanning
• high season
• package tour
• phrase book
• post-holiday
• put something up
• ranger station
• tourist trap
• trailer park

tourism | American Dictionary

Tourism | business english, examples of tourism, translations of tourism.

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

be chasing your tail

to be busy doing a lot of things but achieving very little

Binding, nailing, and gluing: talking about fastening things together

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• English    Noun
• American    Noun
• Business    Noun
• Translations
• All translations

Add tourism to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

• More from M-W
• To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Definition of tourism

Examples of tourism in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tourism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1811, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Dictionary Entries Near tourism

touring car

Cite this Entry

“Tourism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tourism. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of tourism, more from merriam-webster on tourism.

Nglish: Translation of tourism for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of tourism for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tourism

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Your vs. you're: how to use them correctly, every letter is silent, sometimes: a-z list of examples, more commonly mispronounced words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), absent letters that are heard anyway, popular in wordplay, 10 words from taylor swift songs (merriam's version), a great big list of bread words, 10 scrabble words without any vowels, 12 more bird names that sound like insults (and sometimes are), 9 superb owl words, games & quizzes.

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Commerce

Travel and tourism.

The National Travel and Tourism Office , part of ITA, creates a positive climate for growth in travel and tourism by reducing institutional barriers to tourism, administers joint marketing efforts, provides official travel and tourism statistics, and coordinates efforts across federal agencies through the Tourism Policy Council. The Office works to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and increase its exports, thereby creating U.S. employment and economic growth through:

• Management of the travel and tourism statistical system for assessing the economic contribution of the industry and providing the sole source for characteristic statistics on international travel to and from the United States;
• Design and administration of export expansion activities;
• Development and management of tourism policy, strategy and advocacy;
• Technical assistance for expanding this key export (international tourism) and assisting in domestic economic development

Related Content

Readout of secretary raimondo’s meeting with the u.s. travel and tourism advisory board, summary readout of deputy secretary don graves’ travel to tokyo, readout of secretary raimondo's meeting with minister of culture and tourism of the people’s republic of china hu heping, secretary raimondo appoints members of u.s. travel and tourism advisory board, secretary raimondo statement on pre-departure testing announcement, secretary raimondo announces new national strategy to reenergize u.s. travel and tourism, readout of secretary gina m. raimondo’s meeting with united states travel and tourism advisory board, earth day spotlight: our ocean, our blue economy.

NOAA Administrator: This Earth Day, Let's Get Climate Ready

Virtual remarks by u.s. secretary of commerce gina raimondo at the noaa travel and tourism listening session.

E-Business Models in Tourism

• Living reference work entry
• First Online: 01 April 2020
• Cite this living reference work entry

• Stephan Reinhold 5 ,
• Florian J. Zach 6 &
• Christian Laesser 7  

740 Accesses

3 Citations

The purpose of this chapter is to reflect on business models employed by online travel service providers since the beginning of online travel until 2019. In lockstep with technological development, this study identified three time periods of development. For each period, we investigate cases that best represent e-business model development. Employing Wirtz’s four business-to-consumer business model subtypes, we found that the commerce-type model (focus on trade transactions) dominated online travel agencies until 2000, while the next period was characterized by the advent of Web 2.0-enabled content-type models (providing online content, specifically user-generated content) and context-type models (aggregation of already existing online content) for information search portals. Finally, the increased complexity of the Internet in the last decade is also captured in multiple online business models, including the connection-type model (establishing real or virtual connections) pursued by platform businesses. The chapter offers avenues for future research that relate to theoretical issues across the three identified periods and an outlook of future tourism business model developments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Adner R (2017) Ecosystem as structure. J Manag 43(1):39–58

Google Scholar  

Alford P (2000) E-business models in the travel industry. Travel Tour Analyst (3):67–86

Ali R (2013) The glass that will change how we see travel, literally. Skift

Amit R, Zott C (2001) Value creation in e-business. Strateg Manag J 22(6/7):493–520

Article   Google Scholar  

Amit R, Zott C (2012) Creating Value Through Business Model Innovation MIT Sloan Management Review 53:41–49

Baden-Fuller C, Haefliger S (2013) Business models and technological innovation. Long Range Plan 46(6):419–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2013.08.023

Baden-Fuller C, Mangematin V (2013) Business models: a challenging agenda. Strateg Organ 11(4):418–427

Baden-Fuller C, Morgan MS (2010) Business models as models. Long Range Plan 43(2/3): 156–171

Beritelli P, Reinhold S, Laesser C, Bieger T (2015) The St. Gallen model for destination management, 1 edn. IMP-HSG, St. Gallen

Bieger T, Laesser C (2004) Information sources for travel decisions: toward a source process model. J Travel Res 42(4):357–371. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287504263030

Bieger T, Reinhold S (2011) Das wertbasierte Geschäftsmodell – Ein aktualisierter Strukturierungsansatz. In: Bieger T, Knyphausen-Aufsess DZ, Krys C (eds) Innovative Geschäftsmodelle. Springer, Berlin. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18068-2_2

Chapter   Google Scholar  

Borko S (2018) 10 years later: how the travel industry came back from the financial crisis. Skift

Bortz J, Döring N (2006) Forschungsmethoden und Evaluation für Human- und Sozialwissenschaftler. 4., überarb. Aufl. edn. Springer, Berlin

Buhalis D, Law R (2008) Progress in information technology and tourism management: 20 years on and 10 years after the Internet—The state of eTourism research. Tour Manag 29(4):609–623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2008.01.005

Buhalis D, Sinarta Y (2019) Real-time co-creation and nowness service: lessons from tourism and hospitality. J Travel Tour Market 36(5):563–582. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2019.1592059

Cardell K, Douglas K (2010) Travelblogging. In: Bastin G, Douglas K, McCrea M, MX S (eds) Journeying and journalling: creative and critical meditations on travel writing. Wakefield Press, Kent Town, pp 47–57

Casadesus-Masanell R, Zhu F (2013) Business model innovation and competitive imitation: the case of sponsor-based business models. Strateg Manag J 34(4):464–482

Casaló LV, Flavián C, Guinalíu M, Ekinci Y (2015) Do online hotel rating schemes influence booking behaviors? Int J Hosp Manag 49:28–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2015.05.005

Cetin G, Aydogan Cifci M, Istanbullu Dincer F, Fuchs M (2016) Coping with reintermediation: the case of SMHEs. Inf Technol Tour 16(4):375–392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40558-016-0063-2

Chesbrough HW, Rosenbloom RS (2002) The role of the business model in capturing value from innovation: evidence from xerox corporation’s technology spin-off companies. Ind Corp Chang 11(3):529–555

Christensen CM (2006) The ongoing process of building a theory of disruption. J Prod Innov Manag 23(1):39–55

Christensen CM, Bartman T, van Bever D (2016) The hard truth about business model innovation. MIT Sloan Manag Rev 58 (1):31–40

Chuang TC, Liu JS, Lu LYY, Tseng F-M, Lee Y, Chang C-T (2017) The main paths of eTourism: trends of managing tourism through Internet. Asia Pac J Tour Res 22 (2):213–231. https://doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2016.1220963

Clampet J (2016) Marriott and Trivago sign on to new ad product for Facebook and Instagram. Skift

Cocotas A (2011) How $3 Billion TripAdvisor’s Business Works. Business Insider

Cozzolino A, Verona G, Rothaermel FT (2018) Unpacking the disruption process: new technology, business models, and incumbent adaptation. J Manag Stud 55(7):1166–1202

Cusumano MA (2010) Cloud computing and SaaS as new computing platforms. Commun ACM 53(4):27–29

DaSilva CM, Trkman P (2014) Business model: what it is and what it is not. Long Range Plan 47(6):379–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2013.08.004

Dolnicar S (2019) A review of research into paid online peer-to-peer accommodation: launching the Annals of Tourism Research Curated Collection on peer-to-peer accommodation. Ann Tour Res 75:248–264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2019.02.003

Economist (2013) The origins of the financial crisis. The economist, Europe, Print Edition edn. Economist Newspaper Ltd., London

Economist (2014) The incorporated woman: who owns your personal data? The Economist, Europe edn. The Economist Newspaper Ltd., London

Economist (2018) How to tame the tech titans. The Economist, Europe, Print edn. Economist Newspaper Ltd., London

Fiske ST, Taylor SE (2013) Social cognition: from brains to culture. 2 edn. Sage, London

Book   Google Scholar  

Foss NJ, Saebi T (2018) Business models and business model innovation: between wicked and paradigmatic problems. Long Range Plan 51(1):9–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2017.07.006

Frew AJ (2000) Information and communications technology research in the travel and tourism domain: perspective and direction. J Travel Res 39(2):136–145

Frier S (2019) Instagram launches direct purchasing for fashio brands but travel is missing in action. Skift

Gallagher L (2017) The airbnb story: how three ordinary guys disrupted an industry, made billions... and created plenty of controversy. Hughton Mifflin Hartcourt Publishing Company, New York

Gambardella A, McGahan AM (2010) Business-model innovation: general purpose technologies and their implications for industry structure. Long Range Plan 43(2/3):262–271

Gassmann O, Frankenberger K, Sauer R (2016) Exploring the field of business model innovation: new theoretical perspectives. Springer, Cham

Ghaziani A, Ventresca M (2005) Keywords and cultural change: frame analysis of business model public talk, 1975 to 2000. Sociol Forum 20(4):523–559

Ghosh S (1998) Making business sense of the Internet. Harv Bus Rev 76(2):126–136

Gmelich K (2019) Airbnb creates opportunities for startups that fill the gaps in homesharing. Skift

Grant T (2002) International directory of company histories, vol 46. St. James Press, New York

Grant T (2004) International directory of company histories, vol 58. St. James Press, Detroit

Gratzer M, Werthner H, Winiwarter W (2004) Electronic business in tourism. Int J Electron Bus 2(5):450–459

Guttentag D (2015) Airbnb: disruptive innovation and the rise of an informal tourism accommodation sector. Curr Issue Tour 18(12):1192–1217

Habibi MR, Kim A, Laroche M (2016) From sharing to exchange: an extended framework of dual modes of collaborative nonownership consumption. J Assoc Consum Res 1(2):277–294

Hamdi R (2019) Google quietly releases its hotel booking destination with potentially huge implications. Skift

Hyde KF, Laesser C (2009) A structural theory of the vacation. Tour Manag 30(2):240–248

Johnson MW (2010) Seizing the white space: business model innovation for growth and renewal. Harvard Business Press, Boston

Joo J (2002) A business model and its development strategies for electronic tourism markets. Inf Syst Manag 19(3):58–69

Katz ML, Shapiro C (1994) Systems competition and network effects. J Econ Perspect 8:93–93

Kinstler L (2018) How TripAdvisor changed travel. The Guardian

Ko WJ (2018) Instagram gives boost to obscure Japanese destinations looking for more tourism. Skift

Lam LW, Harrison-Walker LJ (2003) Toward an objective-based typology of e-business models. Bus Horiz 46(6):17–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0007-6813(03)00084-3

Lambert S (2015) The importance of classification to business model research. J Bus Models 3(1):49–61

Lancaster KJ (1966) A new approach to consumer theory. J Polit Econ 74(2):132–157. https://doi.org/10.1086/259131

Lang TC (2000) The effect of the Internet on travel consumer purchasing behaviour and implications for travel agencies. J Vacat Mark 6(4):368–385. https://doi.org/10.1177/135676670000600407

Law R (2000) Internet in travel and tourism – part I. J Travel Tour Market 9(3):65–71

Law R (2006) Internet and tourism – part XXI: TripAdvisor. J Travel Tour Market 20(1):75–77. https://doi.org/10.1300/J073v20n01_06

Law R (2007) Internet and tourism – part XXII: sidestep. J Travel Tour Market 20(3–4):153–155. https://doi.org/10.1300/J073v20n03_11

Law R (2009) Internet and tourism – part XXVII: travel blog. J Travel Tour Market 26(3):344–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548400902925403

Law R (2010) Internet and tourism – part XXIX: Google Maps. J Travel Tour Market 27(6): 645–647. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2010.507161

Law R, Chan S (2004) Internet and tourism – part XIV: Hotels.com. J Travel Tour Market 17(4): 79–81. https://doi.org/10.1300/J073v17n04_08

Law R, Chen F (2000) Internet in travel and tourism – part II: Expedia. J Travel Tour Market 9(4):83–87. https://doi.org/10.1300/J073v09n04_05

Law R, Tong K (2001) Internet and tourism – part III: travelocity. J Travel Tour Market 10(1): 137–142. https://doi.org/10.1300/J073v10n01_11

Lecocq X, Demil B, Ventura J (2010) Business models as a research program in strategic management: an appraisal based on Lakatos. M@n@gement 13(4):214–225

Lee HA, Denizci Guillet B, Law R (2012) An examination of the relationship between online travel agents and hotels: a case study of choice hotels international and Expedia.com. Cornell Hosp Q 54(1):95–107. https://doi.org/10.1177/1938965512454218

Mahadevan B (2000) Business models for internet based e-commerce: an anatomy. Calif Manag Rev 42(4):55–69

Markides CC (2006) Disruptive innovation: in a need of better theory. Prod Innov Manag 26:19–25

Massa L, Tucci C, Afuah A (2017) A critical assessment of business model research. Acad Manag Ann. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2014.0072

McIntosh RW, Goeldner CR, Ritchie JRB (1995) Tourism: principles, practices, philosophies. Wiley, New York

Mills J, Law R (2002) Internet and tourism – part VI: Priceline.com. J Travel Tour Mark 11(4): 97–102. https://doi.org/10.1300/J073v11n04_07

Navío-Marco J, Ruiz-Gómez LM, Sevilla-Sevilla C (2018) Progress in information technology and tourism management: 30 years on and 20 years after the internet – revisiting Buhalis & Law’s landmark study about eTourism. Tour Manag 69:460–470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2018.06.002

Nunes P, Breene T (2011) Reinvent your business before it’s too late. Harv Bus Rev 89(1/2):80–87

O’Connor P (2010) Managing a hotel’s image on tripadvisor. J Hosp Mark Manag 19(7):754–772. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2010.508007

O’Neill S (2018) Google is one step closer to its user-centric vision of travel booking. Skift

O’Neill S (2019) Google starts piloting voice products for airlines and hotels. Skift

Osterwalder A, Pigneur Y (2009) Business model generation – a handbook for visionaires, game changers, and challengers. Osterwalder & Pigneur, Amsterdam

Osterwalder A, Pigneur Y, Tucci CL (2005) Clarifying business models: origins, present, and fulture of the concept. In: Communications of the Association for Information Systems. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, pp 1–25

Pateli A, Giaglis G (2004) A research framework for analysing eBusiness models. Eur J Inf Syst 13(4):302–314

Pederson J (2004) International directory of company histories, vol 57. St. James Press, Detroit

Pierce D (2019) Oculus quest review: a $400 taste of the future of gaming. Wall Street J

Pike SD (2016) Destination marketing organizations–research opportunities in an era of uncertainty. In: Book of Abstracts-6th international conference on tourism, 2016. International Association for Tourism Policy (IATOUR)

Porter ME (2001) Strategy and the internet. Hav Bus Rev 79:62–78

Rappa M (2002) Business Models on the Web.

Rayman-Bacchus L, Molina A (2001) Internet-based tourism services: business issues and trends. Futures 33(7):589–605

Reinhold S, Dolnicar S (2017a) Airbnb’s business model. In: Peer-to-Peer accommodation networks: pushing the boundaries. Goodfellow Publishers, Oxford, pp 27–38. https://doi.org/10.23912/9781911396512-3601

Reinhold S, Dolnicar S (2017b) How airbnb captures and disseminates value. In: Dolnicar S (ed) Peer to peer accommodation networks. Goodfellow Publishers Ltd., Oxford. https://doi.org/10.23912/9781911396512-3603

Reinhold S, Dolnicar S (2017c) How airbnb creates value. In: Dolnicar S (ed) Peer to peer accommodation networks. Goodfellow Publishers Ltd., Oxford. https://doi.org/10.23912/9781911396512-3602

Reinhold S, Dolnicar S (2017d) The sharing economy. In: Dolnicar, S. (ed) Peer-to-peer accommodation networks. Goodfellow Publishers Ltd., Oxford, 15. http://doi.org/10.23912/9781911396512-3600

Reinhold S, Zach F, Krizaj D (2017) Business models in tourism: a review and research agenda. Tour Rev 72(4):462–482. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-05-2017-0094

Reinhold S, Beritelli P, Grünig R (2019a) A business model typology for destination management organizations. Tour Rev 74(6):1135–1152

Reinhold S, Zach FJ, Krizaj D (2019b) Business models in tourism – state of the art. Tour Rev 74(6):1120–1134

Rentmeister J, Klein S (2003) Geschäftsmodelle – ein Modebegriff auf der Waagschale. Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft 2003 (Special Issue 1):17–30

Rowan S (2019) Google and Amazon’s disruption of the online travel industry is looking inevitable. Forbes

Rumble R, Mangematin V (2015) Business model implementation: the antecedents of multi-sidedness. In: Business models and modelling, pp 97–131. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0742-332220150000033021

Sandulli FD, Rodríguez-Duarte A, Sánchez-Fernández DC (2014) Value Creation and Value Capture Through Internet Business Models. In: Martínez-López FJ (ed) Handbook of strategic e-business management. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp 83–108. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39747-9_4

Sans AA, Quaglieri A (2016) Unravelling airbnb: urban perspectives from Barcelona. Reinventing the local in tourism: producing, consuming and negotiating place 73:209

Schaal D (2012) How Booking.com turned the other OTAs into converts. Skift

Schaal D (2014) These are the 5 things that killed Travelocity. Skift

Schaal D (2016) The definitive oral history of online travel. Skift

Schaal D (2018a) Google working on solving the pain points in vacation package shopping. Skift

Schaal D (2018b) Instagrammer turned her following into a luxory travel advisor business. Skift

Schaal D (2019a) Airbnb eliminates some guest fees to take on Booking Holdings. Skift

Schaal D (2019b) Airbnb tests hotel integration by adding some HotelTonight partners. Skift

Schaal D (2019c) Google Maps is ready to transform the world of superapps. Skift

Schaal D (2019d) Google travel is now one step closer to one-stop shopping. Skift

Schaal D (2019e) Tour operators: Airbnb Adventures knows distribution, not destinations. Skift

Schertler W, Berger-Koch C (1999) Tourism as an information business: the strategic consequences of e-commerce for business travel. In: Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 1999. Springer, New York, pp 25–35

Sheivachman A (2018) Google’s conflicted travel strategy pushes forward. Skift

Sheivachman A (2019) Google Parent Alphabet’s smart city vision in Toronto Poses privacy concerns. Skift

Shelvachman A (2018) Travelport looks to solve hotel distribution problems with blockchain. Skift

Sigala M, Dolnicar S (2018) Entrepreneurship opportunities. In: Dolnicar S (ed) Peer-to-Peer accommodation networks. Goodfellow Publishers, Oxford, pp 11–86

Snihur Y, Thomas LDW, Burgelman RA (2018) An ecosystem-level process model of business model disruption: the disruptor’s Gambit. J Manag Stud 55(7):1278–1316

Soler M, Craig DE (2016) Are Google reviews poised dot beat TripAdvisor at its own game? Skift

Sosna M, Trevinyo-Rodriguez RN, Velamuri SR (2010) Business model innovation through trial-and-error learning: the naturhouse case. Long Range Plan 43(2/3):383–407

Sumers B (2019) Why Google thinks machine learning will be game changer for travel. Skift

Täuscher K, Laudien SM (2018) Understanding platform business models: a mixed methods study of marketplaces. Eur Manag J 36(3):319–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2017.06.005

Teece DJ (2007) Explicating dynamic capabilities: the nature and microfoundations of (sustainable) enterprise performance. Strateg Manag J 28 (13):1319–1350

Teece DJ (2010) Business models, business strategy and innovation. Long Range Plan 43(2/3):172–194

Teece DJ (2018) Business models and dynamic capabilities. Long Range Planning 51 (1):40–49.

Timmers P (1998) Business models for electronic markets. Electron Mark 8(2):3–8

Ting D (2016) Hotels use Instagram communities to curate travel guides for guests. Skift

Wang Y, Yu Q, Fesenmaier DR (2002) Defining the virtual tourist community: implications for tourism marketing. Tour Manag 23(4):407–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(01)00093-0

Wirtz BW (2019) Digital business models. Progress in IS

Wirtz BW, Pistoia A, Ullrich S, Göttel V (2016) Business models: origin, development and future research perspectives. Long Range Plan 49(1):36–54

Wirtz BW, Schilke O, Ullrich S (2010) Strategic development of business models: implications of the Web 2.0 for creating value on the internet. Long Range Plan 43(2/3):272–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2010.01.005

Xiang Z, Gretzel U (2010) Role of social media in online travel information search. Tour Manag 31(2):179–188

Xiang Z, Magnini VP, Fesenmaier DR (2015) Information technology and consumer behavior in travel and tourism: insights from travel planning using the internet. J Retail Consum Serv 22:244–249

Yuan Y-L, Gretzel U, Fesenmaier DR (2003) Internet technology use by American convention and visitors bureaus. J Travel Res 41(3):240–255

Zach F, Gretzel U, Xiang Z (2010) Innovation in the web marketing programs of American convention and visitor bureaus. Inf Technol Tour 12(1):47–63

Zach FJ, Nicolau JL, Sharma A (2020) Disruptive innovation, innovation adoption and incumbent market value: the case of Airbnb. Ann Tour Res 80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2019.102818

Zach FJ, Tussyadiah IP (2017) To catch them all—the (un) intended consequences of Pokémon GO on mobility, consumption, and wellbeing. In: Information and communication technologies in tourism 2017. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 217–227

Zervas G, Proserpio D, Byers JW (2014) The rise of the sharing economy: estimating the impact of Airbnb on the hotel industry. J Market Res, 54(5), 687–705.

Zhang X-Z, Liu J-J, Xu Z-W (2015) Tencent and Facebook data validate metcalfe’s law. J Comput Sci Technol 30(2):246–251. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11390-015-1518-1

Zott C, Amit R (2010) Business model design: an activity system perspective. Long Range Plan 43(2/3):216–226

Zott C, Amit R, Massa L (2011) The business model: recent developments and future research. J Manag 37(4):1019–1042. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206311406265

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

School of Business and Economics, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Schweden

Stephan Reinhold

Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA

Florian J. Zach

IMP-HSG, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Schweiz

Christian Laesser

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephan Reinhold .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA

Zheng Xiang

Department of Tourism Studies and Geography, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden

Matthias Fuchs

Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Ulrike Gretzel

Department of Business Informatics, University of Applied Sciences Ravensburg-Weingarten, Weingarten, Germany

Wolfram Höpken

Section Editor information

Department of Tourism Study & Geography, The European Tourism Research Institute, Mid-Sweden University, Östersund, ämtland, Sweden

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Cite this entry.

Reinhold, S., Zach, F.J., Laesser, C. (2020). E-Business Models in Tourism. In: Xiang, Z., Fuchs, M., Gretzel, U., Höpken, W. (eds) Handbook of e-Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05324-6_71-1

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05324-6_71-1

Published : 01 April 2020

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-05324-6

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-05324-6

eBook Packages : Springer Reference Business and Management Reference Module Humanities and Social Sciences Reference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

What is e-tourism and how is it changing travel?

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

We live in a digital world nowadays, or an ‘e’ world as some may like to put in. We have concepts such as ‘e-business’, ‘e-commerce’, ‘e-marketing’ and ‘e-service’, so it seems it was only time before the idea of ‘e-tourism’ emerged. But what exactly is e-tourism, how does it work and why is it important? Read on to find out…

What is e-tourism?

Research and development, reservation and bookings, marketing and promotion, the tourist experience, is smart tourism e-tourism, the benefits of e-tourism, the disadvantages of e-tourism, how is e-tourism changing travel, e-tourism- further reading.

E-tourism is all about the introduction of digitalisation into the tourism industry. This manifests itself in many different ways. We see e-tourism before, during and after a holiday or trip itself – and actually there is a lot of e-tourism that goes on behind the scenes, so we don’t actually ‘see’ it at all!

Dimitrious Buhalis is known as an expert in the field of e-tourism and he defines it as the digitization of all processes and value chains in the tourism, travel, hospitality and catering sectors that allow organizations to maximize their efficiency and effectiveness.

This digitalization, over the years, has changed the way that the tourism industry works and in turn has altered the structure of the tourism industry , often for the better- making it more efficient and productive. And this is not unique to the tourism industry by any means, our whole world has been becoming increasingly digitalised for many years now. In fact, we have become so reliant on the digital aspects of our lives that the functioning of the contemporary tourism system and its future seem unthinkable without the technological innovation that we have today!

Examples of e-tourism

E-tourism is ingrained throughout the tourism system, from the booking process right through to the tourist experience and everywhere in between. It would be impossible to discuss every way that technology is used in the tourism industry (ok, well perhaps not impossible, but I would be here a very long time!). Below I have outlined some of the most common ways that that e-tourism occurs.

E-tourism is used to a large extent during the research and development stages of a tourism product or service. There are a wealth of digital resources at the disposal of tourism industry stakeholders , which enables them to collect large amounts of data and research their (potential) customers. In turn, this helps organisations in the travel and tourism industry to better understand their customers and therefore to better satisfy their needs and desires.

Likewise, recent years have seen many options for the tourists themselves to research their travel choices to a greater extent than they have previously been able to. Reading blogs, looking at travel pictures on Instagram, scouring Pinterest… when it comes to heading off on a city break or relaxing beach vacay, tourists often turn to the internet as a source of location inspiration- this is also evidence of e-tourism.

Central reservation systems have come a long way in the past couple of decades. First introduced in the 1960s by airlines, central reservation systems were quickly adopted by hotels and other businesses operating in the travel and tourism industry. Most recently these have been further developed to allow the tourist to play a key role in the booking process by linking their reservation systems to popular online booking platforms such as Expedia or Syscanner as well as in-house developed booking systems.

Nowadays, pretty much everything can be booked online. Tourists don’t need to make a trip into town specifically to visit a travel agent, and sit there while they look through brochures and databases to find a trip that ticks every box for them- tourists can do it for themselves! There is far more freedom and independence now, as consumers are part of the process from the start. Bookings and changes can be made at the tap of a button or the click of a link. This not only makes the process simpler and easier for the tourist, but it also helps the business to operate faster and more efficiently, reducing overhead costs and maximising productivity.

Some years ago the likes of travel agencies and tourist boards would focus their marketing efforts on printed advertising such as posters, brochures and flyers… but those days are long gone now. Whilst there will always be a place for physical advertising of this type, travel and tourism organisations now have a wealth of valuable data at their fingertips that they can use to inform their marketing.

As we live more of our lives online (think shopping, researching, connecting with our friends on social media etc), the organisations that want to sell us their products and/or services are more informed to do so than they have ever been before. Adverts can be targeted to specific customers based on location, age and other relevant demographics. It can also be based around the user’s online activity- yes, if you begin to research ecotourism holidays it is likely that you may begin to be shown adverts about eco lodges in the Gambia or ecotourism in Costa Rica ! Whilst there are certainly some ethical questions about how much of our data is used by organisations for advertising purposes, there is no disputing that the organisations of today have a big foot up in comparison to their counterparts from a decade or two ago!

In addition to this, we have new platforms where marketing can take place. Social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook allow for both large companies and individuals to promote products, services or places. As I explain in my article about Instatourism , these social media platforms can be powerful tools for the purposes of marketing. And more and more people are working in the field too- many argue that the growth of travel influencers around the world has changed the marketing industry forever!

Technology has also enhanced the travel sector in many ways. More efficient aircraft, trains, cars etc have enabled us to travel further and faster than ever before. They typically create less damage to the environment too, with more environmentally friendly initiatives being researched and implemented such as bio fuels and hybrid models.

Travel is easier for the consumer these days too. No longer do we need to carry around our pocket-sized road maps, or get stressed out when we can’t read directions- all we need nowadays is a 4G connection and a navigation app! There are plenty of other apps that help us travel too, from train apps with timetables to flight comparison sites and more.

There are many ways that e-tourism has helped to enhance the tourist experience and to make the tourism industry more efficient. From having your room service brought to you by a robot, to checking a menu in a restaurant using a QR code, to downloading an app in a theme park that shows queue times for the rides to having an audio programme give you information on your phone as you walk through a museum. E-tourism is everywhere we look!

Is virtual tourism e-tourism?

Virtual tourism is an example of e-tourism in practice. It is essentially a hybrid concept- it combines both the notions of virtual reality and tourism. In essence, virtual tourism facilitates a tourism experience, without actually having to travel anywhere. Virtual tourism takes many different forms and comes in vary degrees of technological capability.

In its simplest form, virtual tourism may comprise of a video of a tourism destination. The ‘tourist’ watches the video, utilising their hearing and sight senses. More sophisticated forms of virtual tourism include being immersed in an environment through use of a headset or simulator. It may involve use of various props, users may be required to wear gloves and there may be additional sensations such as movement (like in a rollercoaster simulator), feeling (for example if the user is sprayed with water ) and smell. You can read a detailed article about the virtual tourism industry here.

Smart tourism and e-tourism are commonly interlinked, however smart tourism is not always an example of e-tourism. Smart tourism is all about tourism that is designed in a ‘smart’ way- the intention is to promote productivity and make the tourism industry efficient. Oftentimes this does require the use of digitalisation, or technology, hence making it a form of e-tourism, but this isn’t always the case 100% of the time. You can read all about the concept of smart tourism here.

Ultimately, e-tourism is a good thing. The use of technology in the tourism industry has helped to make it more efficient, run more smoothly (with less risk of human error) and making it more productive. This generally means that consumers (or tourists) are more satisfied with their tourism experience and that the organisations involved have increased profit margins and lower overheads.

E-tourism has introduced us to a whole new way of thinking and has helped to expose us to invaluable developments in the travel and tourism industry- it has helped to make parts of the industry more environmentally friendly, it has helped to have more effective marketing and product development and it has helped us to embrace new forms of tourism too, such as smart tourism and virtual tourism.

However, as is the case with any form of tourism, there are some negative impacts of e-tourism too. The use of technology sometimes takes away the ‘human’ aspect- customer service from a robot will never replace the smiles and conversations that a real person would bring to the situation. And using technology to a large extent may reduce the number of jobs in the tourism industry too, which can have a negative economic impact on the host community. Furthermore, technology can go wrong- a booking system that is down or a website that doesn’t work properly can cause loss of money and business, for example.

Ultimately, e-tourism is all about making the tourism industry more efficient through the use of technology. As I have outlined in this article, there are many ways that this can be done and the benefits of this can be far reaching. From the perspective of the tourism industry, the digitalisation of travel and tourism can help to enhance business prospects- income, productivity, performance etc. And from the perspective of the tourist it can help to make their tourism experience more enjoyable.

If you have found this article interesting, then I am sure that you will enjoy these too!

• What is smart tourism and why is it so BIG?
• Virtual tourism explained: What, why and where
• What is sustainable tourism and why does it matter?
• What is ecotourism and why is it so important?
• Niche tourism: What, why and where

Liked this article? Click to share!

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

UN standards for measuring tourism

Share this content.

• Share this article on facebook
• Share this article on twitter
• Share this article on linkedin

Glossary of tourism terms

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which involve tourism expenditure.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Activity/activities : In tourism statistics, the term activities represent the actions and behaviors of people in preparation for and during a trip in their capacity as consumers ( IRTS 2008, 1.2 ).

Activity (principal): The principal activity of a producer unit is the activity whose value added exceeds that of any other activity carried out within the same unit ( SNA 2008, 5.8 ).

Activity (productive): The (productive) activity carried out by a statistical unit is the type of production in which it engages. It has to be understood as a process, i.e. the combination of actions that result in a certain set of products. The classification of productive activities is determined by their principal output.

Administrative data : Administrative data is the set of units and data derived from an administrative source. This is a data holding information collected and maintained for the purpose of implementing one or more administrative regulations.

Adventure tourism : Adventure tourism is a type of tourism which usually takes place in destinations with specific geographic features and landscape and tends to be associated with a physical activity, cultural exchange, interaction and engagement with nature. This experience may involve some kind of real or perceived risk and may require significant physical and/or mental effort. Adventure tourism generally includes outdoor activities such as mountaineering, trekking, bungee jumping, rock climbing, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, canyoning, mountain biking, bush walking, scuba diving. Likewise, some indoor adventure tourism activities may also be practiced.

Aggregated data : The result of transforming unit level data into quantitative measures for a set of characteristics of a population.

Aggregation : A process that transforms microdata into aggregate-level information by using an aggregation function such as count, sum average, standard deviation, etc.

Analytical unit : Entity created by statisticians, by splitting or combining observation units with the help of estimations and imputations.

Balance of payments : The balance of payments is a statistical statement that summarizes transactions between residents and non-residents during a period. It consists of the goods and services account, the primary income account, the secondary income account, the capital account, and the financial account ( BPM6, 2.12 ).

Bias : An effect which deprives a statistical result of representativeness by systematically distorting it, as distinct from a random error which may distort on any one occasion but balances out on the average.

Business and professional purpose (of a tourism trip): The business and professional purpose of a tourism trip includes the activities of the self-employed and employees, as long as they do not correspond to an implicit or explicit employer-employee relationship with a resident producer in the country or place visited, those of investors, businessmen, etc. ( IRTS 2008, 3.17.2 ).

Business tourism : Business tourism is a type of tourism activity in which visitors travel for a specific professional and/or business purpose to a place outside their workplace and residence with the aim of attending a meeting, an activity or an event. The key components of business tourism are meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. The term "meetings industry" within the context of business tourism recognizes the industrial nature of such activities. Business tourism can be combined with any other tourism type during the same trip.

Business visitor : A business visitor is a visitor whose main purpose for a tourism trip corresponds to the business and professional category of purpose ( IRTS 2008, 3.17.2 ).

Central Product Classification : The Central Product Classification (CPC) constitutes a complete product classification covering goods and services. It is intended to serve as an international standard for assembling and tabulating all kinds of data requiring product detail, including industrial production, national accounts, service industries, domestic and foreign commodity trade, international trade in services, balance of payments, consumption and price statistics. Other basic aims are to provide a framework for international comparison and promote harmonization of various types of statistics dealing with goods and services.

Census : A census is the complete enumeration of a population or groups at a point in time with respect to well defined characteristics: for example, Population, Production, Traffic on particular roads.

Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism : Coastal tourism refers to land-based tourism activities such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing and other coastal leisure, recreation and sports activities which take place on the shore of a sea, lake or river. Proximity to the coast is also a condition for services and facilities that support coastal tourism. Maritime tourism refers to sea-based activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports and includes their respective land-based services and infrastructure. Inland water tourism refers to tourism activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports which take place in aquatic- influenced environments located within land boundaries and include lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, groundwater, springs, cave waters and others traditionally grouped as inland wetlands.

Coherence : Adequacy of statistics to be combined in different ways and for various uses.

Competitiveness of a tourism destination : The competitiveness of a tourism destination is the ability of the destination to use its natural, cultural, human, man-made and capital resources efficiently to develop and deliver quality, innovative, ethical and attractive tourism products and services in order to achieve a sustainable growth within its overall vision and strategic goals, increase the added value of the tourism sector, improve and diversify its market components and optimize its attractiveness and benefits both for visitors and the local community in a sustainable perspective.

Consistency : Logical and numerical coherence.

Country of reference : The country of reference refers to the country for which the measurement is done. ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Country of residence : The country of residence of a household is determined according to the centre of predominant economic interest of its members. If a person resides (or intends to reside) for more than one year in a given country and has there his/her centre of economic interest (for example, where the predominant amount of time is spent), he/she is considered as a resident of this country.

Country-specific tourism characteristic products and activities : To be determined by each country by applying the criteria of IRTS 2008, 5.10 in their own context; for these products, the activities producing them will be considered as tourism characteristic, and the industries in which the principal activity is tourism-characteristic will be called tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 5.16 ).

Cultural tourism : Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions.

Data checking : Activity whereby the correctness conditions of the data are verified. It also includes the specification of the type of error or of the condition not met, and the qualification of the data and their division into "error-free data" and "erroneous data".

Data collection : Systematic process of gathering data for official statistics.

Data compilation : Operations performed on data to derive new information according to a given set of rules.

Data confrontation : The process of comparing data that has generally been derived from different surveys or other sources, especially those of different frequencies, in order to assess and possibly improve their coherency, and identify the reasons for any differences.

Data processing : Data processing is the operation performed on data by the organization, institute, agency, etc., responsible for undertaking the collection, tabulation, manipulation and preparation of data and metadata output.

Data reconciliation : The process of adjusting data derived from two different sources to remove, or at least reduce, the impact of differences identified.

Destination (main destination of a trip): The main destination of a tourism trip is defined as the place visited that is central to the decision to take the trip. See also purpose of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.31 ).

Destination management / marketing organization (DMO) : A destination management/marketing organization (DMO) is the leading organizational entity which may encompass the various authorities, stakeholders and professionals and facilitates tourism sector partnerships towards a collective destination vision. The governance structures of DMOs vary from a single public authority to a public/ private partnership model with the key role of initiating, coordinating and managing certain activities such as implementation of tourism policies, strategic planning, product development, promotion and marketing and convention bureau activities. The functions of the DMOs may vary from national to regional and local levels depending on the current and potential needs as well as on the decentralization level of public administration. Not every tourism destination has a DMO.

Documentation: Processes and procedures for imputation,  weighting,  confidentiality  and suppression rules, outlier treatment and data capture should be fully documented by the  survey provider.  Such documentation should be made available to at least  the body financing the survey.

Domestic tourism : Domestic tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor within the country of reference, either as part of a domestic tourism trip or part of an outbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Domestic tourism consumption : Domestic tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Domestic tourism expenditure : Domestic tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor within the economy of reference, (IRTS 2008, 4.15(a)).

Domestic tourism trip : A domestic tourism trip is one with a main destination within the country of residence of the visitor (IRTS 2008, 2.32).

Domestic visitor : As a visitor travels within his/her country of residence, he/she is a domestic visitor and his/her activities are part of domestic tourism.

Durable consumer goods : Durable consumer goods are goods that may be used repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more, assuming a normal or average rate of physical usage. When acquired by producers, these are considered to be capital goods used for production processes, as is the case of vehicles, computers, etc. When acquired by households, they are considered to be consumer durable goods ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.39 ). This definition is identical to the definition of SNA 2008, 9.42 : A consumer durable is a goodthat may be used for purposes of consumption repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more.

Dwellings : Each household has a principal dwelling (sometimes also designated as main or primary home), usually defined with reference to time spent there, whose location defines the country of residence and place of usual residence of this household and of all its members. All other dwellings (owned or leased by the household) are considered secondary dwellings ( IRTS 2008, 2.26 ).

Ecotourism : Ecotourism is a type of nature-based tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to observe, learn, discover, experience and appreciate biological and cultural diversity with a responsible attitude to protect the integrity of the ecosystem and enhance the well-being of the local community. Ecotourism increases awareness towards the conservation of biodiversity, natural environment and cultural assets both among locals and the visitors and requires special management processes to minimize the negative impact on the ecosystem.

Economic analysis : Tourism generates directly and indirectly an increase in economic activity in the places visited (and beyond), mainly due to demand for goods and services thatneed to be produced and provided. In the economic analysis of tourism, one may distinguish between tourism's 'economic contribution' which refers to the direct effect of tourism and is measurable by means of the TSA, and tourism's 'economic impact' which is a much broader concept encapsulating the direct, indirect and induced effects of tourism and which must be estimated by applying models. Economic impact studies aim to quantify economic benefits, that is, the net increase in the wealth of residents resulting from tourism, measured in monetary terms, over and above the levels that would prevail in its absence.

Economic territory : The term "economic territory" is a geographical reference and points to the country for which the measurement is done (country of reference) ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Economically active population : The economically active population or labour force comprises all persons of either sex who furnish the supply of labour for the production of goods and services as defined by the system of national accounts during a specified time-reference period (ILO, Thirteenth ICLS, 6.18).

Economy (of reference): "Economy" (or "economy of reference") is an economic reference defined in the same way as in the balance of payments and in the system of national accounts: it refers to the economic agents that are resident in the country of reference ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Education tourism : Education tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation the tourist's engagement and experience in learning, self-improvement, intellectual growth and skills development. Education Tourism represents a broad range of products and services related to academic studies, skill enhancement holidays, school trips, sports training, career development courses and language courses, among others.

Employees : Employees are all those workers who hold the type of job defined as "paid employment" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employer-employee relationship : An employer-employee relationship exists when there is an agreement, which may be formal or informal, between an entity and an individual, normally entered into voluntarily by both parties, whereby the individual works for the entity in return for remuneration in cash or in kind ( BPM6, 11.11 ).

Employers : Employers are those workers who, working on their own account with one or more partners, hold the type of job defined as a "self-employment job" and, in this capacity, on a continuous basis (including the reference period) have engaged one or more persons to work for them in their business as "employee(s)" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employment : Persons in employment are all persons above a specified age who, during a specified brief period, either one week or one day, were in paid employment or self-employment (OECD GST, p. 170).

Employment in tourism industries : Employment in tourism industries may be measured as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in any of their jobs, as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in their main job, or as a count of the jobs in tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 7.9 ).

Enterprise : An enterprise is an institutional unit engaged in production of goods and/or services. It may be a corporation, a non-profit institution, or an unincorporated enterprise. Corporate enterprises and non-profit institutions are complete institutional units. An unincorporated enterprise, however, refers to an institutional unit —a household or government unit —only in its capacity as a producer of goods and services (OECD BD4, p. 232)

Establishment : An establishment is an enterprise, or part of an enterprise, that is situated in a single location and in which only a single productive activity is carried out or in which the principal productive activity accounts for most of the value added ( SNA 2008, 5.14 ).

Estimation : Estimation is concerned with inference about the numerical value of unknown population values from incomplete data such as a sample. If a single figure is calculated for each unknown parameter the process is called "point estimation". If an interval is calculated within which the parameter is likely, in some sense, to lie, the process is called "interval estimation".

Exports of goods and services : Exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, or gifts or grants, of goods and services from residents to non-residents (OECD GST, p. 194)

Frame : A list, map or other specification of the units which define a population to be completely enumerated or sampled.

Forms of tourism : There are three basic forms of tourism: domestic tourism, inbound tourism, and outbound tourism. These can be combined in various ways to derive the following additional forms of tourism: internal tourism, national tourism and international tourism.

Gastronomy tourism :  Gastronomy tourism is a type of tourism activity which is characterized by the visitor's experience linked with food and related products and activities while travelling. Along with authentic, traditional, and/or innovative culinary experiences, Gastronomy Tourism may also involve other related activities such as visiting the local producers, participating in food festivals and attending cooking classes. Eno-tourism (wine tourism), as a sub-type of gastronomy tourism, refers to tourism whose purpose is visiting vineyards, wineries, tasting, consuming and/or purchasing wine, often at or near the source.

Goods : Goods are physical, produced objects for which a demand exists, over which ownership rights can be established and whose ownership can be transferred from one institutional unit to another by engaging in transactions on markets ( SNA 2008, p. 623 ).

Gross fixed capital formation : Gross fixed capital formation is defined as the value of institutional units' acquisitions less disposals of fixed assets. Fixed assets are produced assets (such as machinery, equipment, buildings or other structures) that are used repeatedly or continuously in production over several accounting periods (more than one year) ( SNA 2008, 1.52 ).

Gross margin : The gross margin of a provider of reservation services is the difference between the value at which the intermediated service is sold and the value accrued to the provider of reservation services for this intermediated service.

Gross value added : Gross value added is the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 3.32 ).

Gross value added of tourism industries : Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI) is the total gross value added of all establishments belonging to tourism industries, regardless of whether all their output is provided to visitors and the degree of specialization of their production process ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.86 ).

Grossing up : Activity aimed at transforming, based on statistical methodology, micro-data from samples into aggregate-level information representative of the target population.

Health tourism : Health tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation, the contribution to physical, mental and/or spiritual health through medical and wellness-based activities which increase the capacity of individuals to satisfy their own needs and function better as individuals in their environment and society. Health tourism is the umbrella term for the subtypes wellness tourism and medical tourism.

Imputation : Procedure for entering a value for a specific data item where the response is missing or unusable.

Inbound tourism : Inbound tourism comprises the activities of a non-resident visitor within the country of reference on an inbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Inbound tourism consumption : Inbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Inbound tourism expenditure : Inbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(b) ).

Innovation in tourism : Innovation in tourism is the introduction of a new or improved component which intends to bring tangible and intangible benefits to tourism stakeholders and the local community, improve the value of the tourism experience and the core competencies of the tourism sector and hence enhance tourism competitiveness and /or sustainability. Innovation in tourism may cover potential areas, such as tourism destinations, tourism products, technology, processes, organizations and business models, skills, architecture, services, tools and/or practices for management, marketing, communication, operation, quality assurance and pricing.

Institutional sector : An aggregation of institutional units on the basis of the type of producer and depending on their principal activity and function, which are considered to be indicative of their economic behaviour.

Institutional unit : The elementary economic decision-making centre characterised by uniformity of behaviour and decision-making autonomy in the exercise of its principal function.

Intermediate consumption : Intermediate consumption consists of the value of the goods and services consumed as inputs by a process of production, excluding fixed assets whose consumption is recorded as consumption of fixed capital ( SNA 2008, 6.213 ).

Internal tourism : Internal tourism comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident and non-resident visitors within the country of reference as part of domestic or international tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(a) ).

Internal tourism consumption : Internal tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of both resident and non-resident visitors within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and inbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Internal tourism expenditure : Internal tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of visitors, both resident and non-resident, within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and inbound tourism expenditure. It includes acquisition of goods and services imported into the country of reference and sold to visitors. This indicator provides the most comprehensive measurement of tourism expenditure in the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(a) ).

International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities : The International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) consists of a coherent and consistent classification structure of economic activities based on a set of internationally agreed concepts, definitions, principles and classification rules. It provides a comprehensive framework within which economic data can be collected and reported in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking. The classification structure represents a standard format to organize detailed information about the state of an economy according to economic principles and perceptions (ISIC, Rev.4, 1).

International tourism : International tourism comprises inbound tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips and the activities of non-resident visitors within the country of reference on inbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(c) ).

International visitor : An international traveller qualifies as an international visitor with respect to the country of reference if: (a) he/she is on a tourism trip and (b) he/she is a non-resident travelling in the country of reference or a resident travelling outside of it ( IRTS 2008, 2.42 ).

Job : The agreement between an employee and the employer defines a job and each self-employed person has a job ( SNA 2008, 19.30 ).

Measurement error : Error in reading, calculating or recording numerical value.

Medical tourism : Medical tourism is a type of tourism activity which involves the use of evidence-based medical healing resources and services (both invasive and non-invasive). This may include diagnosis, treatment, cure, prevention and rehabilitation.

Meetings industry : To highlight purposes relevant to the meetings industry, if a trip's main purpose is business/professional, it can be further subdivided into "attending meetings, conferences or congresses, trade fairs and exhibitions" and "other business and professional purposes". The term meetings industry is preferred by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Reed Travel over the acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) which does not recognize the industrial nature of such activities.

Metadata : Data that defines and describes other data and processes.

MICE : See meetings industry.

Microdata : Non-aggregated observations, or measurements of characteristics of individual units.

Mirror statistics : Mirror statistics are used to conduct bilateral comparisons of two basic measures of a trade flow and are a traditional tool for detecting the causes of asymmetries in statistics (OECD GST, p. 335).

Mountain tourism : Mountain tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in a defined and limited geographical space such as hills or mountains with distinctive characteristics and attributes that are inherent to a specific landscape, topography, climate, biodiversity (flora and fauna) and local community. It encompasses a broad range of outdoor leisure and sports activities.

National tourism : National tourism comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors within and outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(b) ).

National tourism consumption : National tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of resident visitors, within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and outbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

National tourism expenditure : National tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of resident visitors within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and outbound tourism expenditure ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(b) ).

Nationality : The concept of "country of residence" of a traveller is different from that of his/her nationality or citizenship ( IRTS 2008, 2.19 ).

Non-monetary indicators : Data measured in physical or other non-monetary units should not be considered a secondary part of a satellite account. They are essential components, both for the information they provide directly and in order to analyse the monetary data adequately ( SNA 2008, 29.84 ).

Observation unit : entity on which information is received and statistics are compiled.

Outbound tourism : Outbound tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor outside the country of reference, either as part of an outbound tourism trip or as part of a domestic tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39(c) ).

Outbound tourism consumption : Outbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Outbound tourism expenditure : Outbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(c) ).

Output : Output is defined as the goods and services produced by an establishment, a) excluding the value of any goods and services used in an activity for which the establishment does not assume the risk of using the products in production, and b) excluding the value of goods and services consumed by the same establishment except for goods and services used for capital formation (fixed capital or changes in inventories) or own final consumption ( SNA 2008, 6.89 ).

Output (main): The main output of a (productive) activity should be determined by reference to the value added of the goods sold or services rendered (ISIC rev.4, 114).

Pilot survey : The aim of a pilot survey is to test the questionnaire (pertinence of the questions, understanding of questions by those being interviewed, duration of the interview) and to check various potential sources for sampling and non-sampling errors: for instance, the place in which the surveys are carried out and the method used, the identification of any omitted answers and the reason for the omission, problems of communicating in various languages, translation, the mechanics of data collection, the organization of field work, etc.

Place of usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides, and is defined by the location of his/her principal dwelling (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.20 to 2.24).

Probability sample : A sample selected by a method based on the theory of probability (random process), that is, by a method involving knowledge of the likelihood of any unit being selected.

Production account : The production account records the activity of producing goods and services as defined within the SNA. Its balancing item, gross value added, is defined as the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption and is a measure of the contribution to GDP made by an individual producer, industry or sector. Gross value added is the source from which the primary incomes of the SNA are generated and is therefore carried forward into the primary distribution of income account. Value added and GDP may also be measured net by deducting consumption of fixed capital, a figure representing the decline in value during the period of the fixed capital used in a production process ( SNA 2008, 1.17 ).

Production : Economic production may be defined as an activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses inputs of labour, capital, and goods and services to produce outputs of goods or services ( SNA 2008, 6.24. ).

Purpose of a tourism trip (main): The main purpose of a tourism trip is defined as the purpose in the absence of which the trip would not have taken place ( IRTS 2008, 3.10. ). Classification of tourism trips according to the main purpose refers to nine categories: this typology allows the identification of different subsets of visitors (business visitors, transit visitors, etc.) See also destination of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 3.14 ).

Quality of a tourism destination : Quality of a tourism destination is the result of a process which implies the satisfaction of all tourism product and service needs, requirements and expectations of the consumer at an acceptable price, in conformity with mutually accepted contractual conditions and the implicit underlying factors such as safety and security, hygiene, accessibility, communication, infrastructure and public amenities and services. It also involves aspects of ethics, transparency and respect towards the human, natural and cultural environment. Quality, as one of the key drivers of tourism competitiveness, is also a professional tool for organizational, operational and perception purposes for tourism suppliers.

Questionnaire and Questionnaire design : Questionnaire is a group or sequence of questions designed to elicit information on a subject, or sequence of subjects, from a reporting unit or from another producer of official statistics. Questionnaire design is the design (text, order, and conditions for skipping) of the questions used to obtain the data needed for the survey.

Reference period : The period of time or point in time to which the measured observation is intended to refer.

Relevance : The degree to which statistics meet current and potential users' needs.

Reliability : Closeness of the initial estimated value to the subsequent estimated value.

Reporting unit : Unit that supplies the data for a given survey instance, like a questionnaire or interview. Reporting units may, or may not, be the same as the observation unit.

Residents/non-residents : The residents of a country are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located in its economic territory. For a country, the non-residents are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located outside its economic territory.

Response and non-response : Response and non-response to various elements of a survey entail potential errors.

Response error : Response errors may be defined as those arising from the interviewing process. Such errors may be due to a number of circumstances, such as inadequate concepts or questions; inadequate training; interviewer failures; respondent failures.

Rural tourism : Rural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle / culture, angling and sightseeing. Rural tourism activities take place in non-urban (rural) areas with the following characteristics:

• Low population density;
• Landscape and land-use dominated by agriculture and forestry; and
• Traditional social structure and lifestyle

Same-day visitor (or excursionist): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Sample : A subset of a frame where elements are selected based on a process with a known probability of selection.

Sample survey : A survey which is carried out using a sampling method.

Sampling error : That part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated.

Satellite accounts : There are two types of satellite accounts, serving two different functions. The first type, sometimes called an internal satellite, takes the full set of accounting rules and conventions of the SNA but focuses on a particular aspect of interest by moving away from the standard classifications and hierarchies. Examples are tourism, coffee production and environmental protection expenditure. The second type, called an external satellite, may add non-economic data or vary some of the accounting conventions or both. It is a particularly suitable way to explore new areas in a research context. An example may be the role of volunteer labour in the economy ( SNA 2008, 29.85 ).

SDMX, Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange : Set of technical standards and content-oriented guidelines, together with an IT architecture and tools, to be used for the efficient exchange and sharing of statistical data and metadata (SDMX).

Seasonal adjustment : Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique to remove the effects of seasonal calendar influences on a series. Seasonal effects usually reflect the influence of the seasons themselves, either directly or through production series related to them, or social conventions. Other types of calendar variation occur as a result of influences such as number of days in the calendar period, the accounting or recording practices adopted or the incidence of moving holidays.

Self-employment job : Self-employment jobs are those jobs where remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits (or the potential of profits) derived from the goods or services produced.

Self-employed with paid employees : Self-employed with paid employees are classified as employers.

Self-employed without employees : Self-employed without employees are classified as own-account workers.

Services : Services are the result of a production activity that changes the conditions of the consuming units, or facilitates the exchange of products or financial assets. They cannot be traded separately from their production. By the time their production is completed, they must have been provided to the consumers ( SNA 2008, 6.17 ).

Social transfers in kind : A special case of transfers in kind is that of social transfers in kind. These consist of goods and services provided by general government and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISHs) that are delivered to individual households. Health and education services are the prime examples. Rather than provide a specified amount of money to be used to purchase medical and educational services, the services are often provided in kind to make sure that the need for the services is met. (Sometimes the recipient purchases the service and is reimbursed by the insurance or assistance scheme. Such a transaction is still treated as being in kind because the recipient is merely acting as the agent of the insurance scheme) (SNA 2008, 3.83).

Sports tourism : Sports tourism is a type of tourism activity which refers to the travel experience of the tourist who either observes as a spectator or actively participates in a sporting event generally involving commercial and non-commercial activities of a competitive nature.

Standard classification : Classifications that follow prescribed rules and are generally recommended and accepted.

Statistical error : The unknown difference between the retained value and the true value.

Statistical indicator : A data element that represents statistical data for a specified time, place, and other characteristics, and is corrected for at least one dimension (usually size) to allow for meaningful comparisons.

Statistical metadata : Data about statistical data.

Statistical unit : Entity about which information is sought and about which statistics are compiled. Statistical units may be identifiable legal or physical entities or statistical constructs.

Survey : An investigation about the characteristics of a given population by means of collecting data from a sample of that population and estimating their characteristics through the systematic use of statistical methodology.

System of National Accounts : The System of National Accounts (SNA) is the internationally agreed standard set of recommendations on how to compile measures of economic activity in accordance with strict accounting conventions based on economic principles. The recommendations are expressed in terms of a set of concepts, definitions, classifications and accounting rules that comprise the internationally agreed standard for measuring indicators of economic performance. The accounting framework of the SNA allows economic data to be compiled and presented in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking ( SNA 2008, 1.1 ).

Total tourism internal demand : Total tourism internal demand, is the sum of internal tourism consumption, tourism gross fixed capital formation and tourism collective consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.114 ). It does not include outbound tourism consumption.

Tourism : Tourism refers to the activity of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ).

Tourism characteristic activities : Tourism characteristic activities are the activities that typically produce tourism characteristic products. As the industrial origin of a product (the ISIC industry that produces it) is not a criterion for the aggregation of products within a similar CPC category, there is no strict one-to-one relationship between products and the industries producing them as their principal outputs ( IRTS 2008, 5.11 ).

Tourism characteristic products : Tourism characteristic products are those that satisfy one or both of the following criteria: a) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share total tourism expenditure (share-of-expenditure/demand condition); b) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share of the supply of the product in the economy (share-of-supply condition). This criterion implies that the supply of a tourism characteristic product would cease to exist in meaningful quantity in the absence of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 5.10 ).

Tourism connected products : Their significance within tourism analysis for the economy of reference is recognized although their link to tourism is very limited worldwide. Consequently, lists of such products will be country-specific ( IRTS 2008, 5.12 ).

Tourism consumption : Tourism consumption has the same formal definition as tourism expenditure. Nevertheless, the concept of tourism consumption used in the Tourism Satellite Account goes beyond that of tourism expenditure. Besides the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips, which corresponds to monetary transactions (the focus of tourism expenditure), it also includes services associated with vacation accommodation on own account, tourism social transfers in kind and other imputed consumption. These transactions need to be estimated using sources different from information collected directly from the visitors, such as reports on home exchanges, estimations of rents associated with vacation homes, calculations of financial intermediation services indirectly measured (FISIM), etc. ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.25 ).

Tourism destination : A tourism destination is a physical space with or without administrative and/or analytical boundaries in which a visitor can spend an overnight. It is the cluster (co-location) of products and services, and of activities and experiences along the tourism value chain and a basic unit of analysis of tourism. A destination incorporates various stakeholders and can network to form larger destinations. It is also intangible with its image and identity which may influence its market competitiveness.

Tourism direct gross domestic product : Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP) is the sum of the part of gross value added (at basic prices) generated by all industries in response to internal tourism consumption plus the amount of net taxes on products and imports included within the value of this expenditure at purchasers' prices ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.96 ).

Tourism direct gross value added : Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) is the part of gross value added generated by tourism industries and other industries of the economy that directly serve visitors in response to internal tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.88 ).

Tourism expenditure : Tourism expenditure refers to the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables, for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips. It includes expenditures by visitors themselves, as well as expenses that are paid for or reimbursed by others ( IRTS 2008, 4.2 ).

Tourism industries : The tourism industries comprise all establishments for which the principal activity is a tourism characteristic activity. Tourism industries (also referred to as tourism activities) are the activities that typically producetourism characteristic products. The term tourism industries is equivalent to tourism characteristic activities and the two terms are sometimes used synonymously in the IRTS 2008, 5.10, 5.11 and figure 5.1 .

Tourism product : A tourism product is a combination of tangible and intangible elements, such as natural, cultural and man-made resources, attractions, facilities, services and activities around a specific center of interest which represents the core of the destination marketing mix and creates an overall visitor experience including emotional aspects for the potential customers. A tourism product is priced and sold through distribution channels and it has a life-cycle.

Tourism ratio : For each variable of supply in the Tourism Satellite Account, the tourism ratiois the ratio between the total value of tourism share and total value of the corresponding variable in the Tourism Satellite Account expressed in percentage form ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.56 ). (See also Tourism share).

Tourism Satellite Account : The Tourism Satellite Account is the second international standard on tourism statistics (Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework 2008 –TSA:RMF 2008) that has been developed in order to present economic data relative to tourism within a framework of internal and external consistency with the rest of the statistical system through its link to the System of National Accounts. It is the basic reconciliation framework of tourism statistics. As a statistical tool for the economic accounting of tourism, the TSA can be seen as a set of 10 summary tables, each with their underlying data and representing a different aspect of the economic data relative to tourism: inbound, domestic tourism and outbound tourism expenditure, internal tourism expenditure, production accounts of tourism industries, the Gross Value Added (GVA) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) attributable to tourism demand, employment, investment, government consumption, and non-monetary indicators.

Tourism Satellite Account aggregates : The compilation of the following aggregates, which represent a set of relevant indicators of the size of tourism in an economy is recommended ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.81 ):

• Internal tourism expenditure;
• Internal tourism consumption;
• Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI);
• Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA);
• Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP).

Tourism sector : The tourism sector, as contemplated in the TSA, is the cluster of production units in different industries that provide consumption goods and services demanded by visitors. Such industries are called tourism industries because visitor acquisition represents such a significant share of their supply that, in the absence of visitors, their production of these would cease to exist in meaningful quantity.

Tourism share : Tourism share is the share of the corresponding fraction of internal tourism consumption in each component of supply ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.51 ). For each industry, the tourism share of output (in value), is the sum of the tourism share corresponding to each product component of its output ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.55 ). (See also Tourism ratio ).

Tourism single-purpose consumer durable goods : Tourism single-purpose consumer durables is a specific category of consumer durable goods that include durable goods that are used exclusively, or almost exclusively, by individuals while on tourism trips ( TSA:RMF 2008 , 2.41 and Annex 5 ).

Tourism trip : Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.29 ).

Tourist (or overnight visitor): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Tourism value chain : The tourism value chain is the sequence of primary and support activities which are strategically fundamental for the performance of the tourism sector. Linked processes such as policy making and integrated planning, product development and packaging, promotion and marketing, distribution and sales and destination operations and services are the key primary activities of the tourism value chain. Support activities involve transport and infrastructure, human resource development, technology and systems development and other complementary goods and services which may not be related to core tourism businesses but have a high impact on the value of tourism.

Travel / traveller : Travel refers to the activity of travellers. A traveller is someone who moves between different geographic locations, for any purpose and any duration ( IRTS 2008, 2.4 ). The visitor is a particular type of traveller and consequently tourism is a subset of travel.

Travel group : A travel group is made up of individuals or travel parties travelling together: examples are people travelling on the same package tour or youngsters attending a summer camp ( IRTS 2008, 3.5 ).

Travel item (in balance of payments): Travel is an item of the goods and services account of the balance of payments: travel credits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from an economy by non-residents during visits to that economy. Travel debits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from other economies by residents during visits to other economies ( BPM6, 10.86 ).

Travel party : A travel party is defined as visitors travelling together on a trip and whose expenditures are pooled ( IRTS 2008, 3.2 ).

Trip : A trip refers to the travel by a person from the time of departure from his/her usual residence until he/she returns: it thus refers to a round trip. Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips.

Urban/city tourism : Urban/city tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in an urban space with its inherent attributes characterized by non-agricultural based economy such as administration, manufacturing, trade and services and by being nodal points of transport. Urban/city destinations offer a broad and heterogeneous range of cultural, architectural, technological, social and natural experiences and products for leisure and business.

Usual environment: The usual environment of an individual, a key concept in tourism, is defined as the geographical area (though not necessarily a contiguous one) within which an individual conducts his/her regular life routines ( IRTS 2008, 2.21 ).

Usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.16 to 2.18).

Vacation home : A vacation home (sometimes also designated as a holiday home) is a secondary dwelling that is visited by the members of the household mostly for purposes of recreation, vacation or any other form of leisure ( IRTS 2008, 2.27 ).

Valuables : Valuables are produced goods of considerable value that are not used primarily for purposes of production or consumption but are held as stores of value over time ( SNA 2008, 10.13 ).

Visit : A trip is made up of visits to different places.The term "tourism visit" refers to a stay in a place visited during a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.7 and 2.33 ).

Visitor : A visitor is a traveller taking a trip to a main destination outside his/her usual environment, for less than a year, for any main purpose (business, leisure or other personal purpose) other than to be employed by a resident entity in the country or place visited ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ). A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Wellness tourism : Wellness tourism is a type of tourism activity which aims to improve and balance all of the main domains of human life including physical, mental, emotional, occupational, intellectual and spiritual. The primary motivation for the wellness tourist is to engage in preventive, proactive, lifestyle-enhancing activities such as fitness, healthy eating, relaxation, pampering and healing treatments.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Copenhagen’s Old Stock Exchange Building Partly Collapses in Fire

The 17th-century building, one of the city’s best-known structures, was once the financial center of Denmark.

By Derrick Bryson Taylor and Maya Tekeli

Derrick Bryson Taylor reported from London, and Maya Tekeli from Copenhagen.

The old stock exchange building in downtown Copenhagen — one of the city’s oldest structures, known for its elaborate spire of intertwined dragon tails — partly collapsed in a large fire early Tuesday.

No one was injured, according to a statement from King Frederik X. Images and video from social media showed flames on the structure’s roof and dark clouds of smoke lingering over the city.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire in the structure, which appeared to be undergoing renovations. As of early Tuesday afternoon, the blaze was still burning with “pockets of fire” in the building, an official with the Copenhagen fire department said.

The king said that the building’s famed spire had helped define Copenhagen as a “city of towers.”

“Until today, we have regarded the historic building as a beautiful symbol of our capital and a building that we, as a nation, have been proud of,” he said.

The authorities responded to the fire just after 7:30 a.m., officials said in a news conference on Tuesday. Around 200 people have been involved in fighting the fire.

“It’s still difficult to work in large parts of the building,” said Jakob Vedsted Andersen, the executive director of the Greater Copenhagen Fire Department. “The entire structure has collapsed inside, so there are pockets of fire. However, there’s no danger of the fire spreading to other buildings.”

It will take days for the authorities to piece together what caused one of Denmark’s most prized buildings to go up in flames.

Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Denmark’s culture minister, said in an interview early Tuesday that it was “dreadful” to see the building in flames. “The building represents over 400 years of Danish history,” he said, using “Borsen,” the Danish name for the building. “It’s one of the last structures in the world in Dutch Renaissance style, where trade has been conducted throughout the entire period.”

Amid the chaos, the police in Copenhagen said on social media that they had evacuated several surrounding buildings, and urged people to avoid the area.

The old stock exchange building, a 17th-century structure that was once the financial center of Denmark, also housed several historical paintings and other artifacts. City officials rushed the valued pieces out of the building after the fire broke out. At the time of the fire, the building was occupied by Dansk Erhverv, a business organization.

One of the larger works carried to safety was Peder Severin Kroyer’s “From Copenhagen Stock Exchange,” according to a local news outlet . The work, which was painted in 1895 and depicts several key Danish financial figures, is more than 13 feet long. It took six people to remove it to safety.

Denmark’s National Museum said on social media that it had sent dozens of workers to the building to remove cultural objects and assess the damage of others before safely stowing them away.

Mr. Engel-Schmidt said the old stock exchange’s artworks “tell us something about ourselves as a nation and as a people.” He added that the building had been the backdrop of countless historical events, and that it was ingrained in the Danish psyche.

“That’s why there are people standing in the streets, looking incredibly sad,” he said. “It affects me, too.”

Several other officials lamented the fire, including Jan Jorgensen, a member of Parliament for the Liberal Party, who called for the old stock exchange to be rebuilt. “Probably the most iconic building in Copenhagen,” he said on social media . “All forces must be united to have this old, beautiful house rebuilt in all its power and splendor.”

The building was constructed at the direction of King Christian IV, who had recognized the importance of trade and commerce, according to the Visit Copenhagen tourism website . The original structure contained at least 40 market stalls and was surrounded by water on three sides to help ships easily unload their cargo.

As fire crews fought the flames on Tuesday, dozens of onlookers quietly stood on the street, watching in shock, including Celeste Bolvinkil Andersen, who said she had woken up when she heard her roommate shouting about the fire.

“It feels a bit like becoming a firsthand witness to history,” she said. “I can’t help but sit here deeply, deeply disappointed in myself, for not having gone inside and seen the Borsen from the inside. And now it’s completely gone.”

Derrick Bryson Taylor covers breaking and trending news and is based in London. More about Derrick Bryson Taylor

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.