TYPES OF TOURISM

Anyone who spends at least one night away from home (normal place of living) is regarded as a tourist, no matter what
the purpose of visit is. In other words tourists are temporary visitors who do the act of tour and the purpose of travel is
leisure and pleasure. The origin of the word tourist is dated back to the year 1292 A.D., which was derived from the Latin
word ‘tornus’ which means a tools for describing the circle.

According to the oxford dictionary, the word tourist was used as early as 1800 A.D. The most widely accepted and
technical definition of a tourist was proposed by international union of official travel organization (IUOTO). In 1963 A.D.
and approved by world tourism organization (WTO) in 1968 A.D. , it states that tourists are temporary visitors staying at
least for 24 hours in the country visited and the purpose of visit can be classified under one of the following headings:

1)      By product
-          Mass tourism
-          Alternative

2)      By the nature of activity

-          Active
-          Passive

3)      By the nature of activity

-          Rural
-          City
-          Mountains
-          Lakes

4)   Duration of trip

      -     Day trip-Local
      -     Weekend break-National
      -     Annual holiday-International

5)   By age/ socio economic

      -      Backpackers (FIT- free independent tourist)
      -      DINKS (Double income no kids)
      -      SINKS (Single income no kids)

Stanley Plog’s (1972) psychographic research applied to the tourism industry has identified two diametrically
opposite groups i.e. the Allocentric traveler and Psycocentric traveler based on the ground personality type. The
Allocentric discovers new destination by word of mouth from other Allocentric and usually technical sources. The
Allocentric group does not constitute a significant or profitable market segment. Although an Allocentric will devote
considerable time and money to discretionary travel, the majority of his expenditures are for transportation to and from
the destination.
The near Allocentric represents the first market segment capable of being attracted to a planned tourism
development. The near Allocentric region will have a culture and a climate different from those of the visitor’s home. The
built environment in near Allocentric destination should contain accommodation and food service facilities of excellent
quality. Mid centric are far more conservative than near Allocentric contemporaries. They have a high need for security
and approved and will not visit any new destination until it is fully accepted by the near Allocentric market. A mid centric
tourist selects a destination with a markedly different climate and some minor cultural differences but in all other aspects
quite similar to his own.

1.      Allocentric:

-          Willing to explore new society, culture, climate

-          Bear high risk and heavily avoid the highly developed area
-          Covers small part so don’t contribute for market
-          Involve in adventurous activities and adopt change situation
-          Open to itenary (routine) and don’t extend their duration

2.      Psycocentric:

-          Never bear risk by themselves

-          Bear risk on the activities only after done by Allocentric tourist
-          Open and extend their duration
-          Don’t contribute for the market development
-          Explore developed destination
-          Show common activities
-          Plan focused, flexible travel duration
 -          Believe on chain market (e.g. Mc Donald)
3.      Midcentric:

-          Possess the characteristics of both Allocentric and Psycocentric

-          Sometimes avoid risk and sometimes not
-          Covers high part and contribute for market development
-          Fixed travel plan

Other types of tourist:

Ø  Cultural tourist: interested about culture and explore them

Ø  Leisure tourist: recreational, holiday, health, study, religion, sports etc.
Ø  Business tourist: special mission, meetings, seminars, conference, workshops etc.
Ø  Elite tourist: interested in history and explore historical heritages
Ø  Ecological tourist: interested in nature and explore natural heritages
Ø  Farm based tourist: rural tourist and explore rural area
Ø  Family visit: local tourist and visit families

            There are no definite rules for the division of tourists. Different scholars’ has divided tourists under different
headings. There are not any hard and fast rules regarding the classification of tourist. Researchers had categorize
according to the age group, tour type, size of a group, economic purpose of visit and the duration of stay etc. Different
authors, scholars or tourism experts have expressed their views and opinions very differently regarding the tourism
typology. Instead of this the world tourism organization (WTO) has divided tourist into the following categories:

1.      Leisure tourist: tourist traveling for utilizing their leisure time on pleasure

2.      Recreational tourist: tourist traveling for recreational or pleasure and entertainment
3.      Holiday tourist: tourist traveling for utilizing holidays.
4.      Study tourist: educational tours, traveling for study purpose
5.      Special mission tourist: tourist traveling to the special missions likes shopping, meetings, seminars, workshops etc.
6.      Pilgrimage tourist: tourists traveling for religious purpose.
7.      VFR tourist: tourist traveling for visiting friends and relatives.

            Tourist typology can be grouped into general categories i.e. interactional type and cognitive normative model. The
first one emphasizes the manner of interaction between visitors and destination areas where as the cognitive normative
models stress the motivation behind travel. On the other hand Valene Smith in 1989 has identified 7 types of tourists
which can be listed as below:
1.      Explorer: They travel in a limited number looking for discoveries of new places and involvement with the local people.
They easily accommodate to local norms in housing, food and lifestyle of the local people.

2.      Elite: These types of tourist usually travel for pleasure and entertainment. They are individually motivated tourist. They
are consul with the culture of natives and their interest is to see their life style of the local people.

3.      Off beat: They desire to go away from the crowds and heighten the excitement of their vacation by doing something
beyond the norms. These types of tourists include those who currently visit Toraja regency to see the funerals, trek
on Nepalto go alone in point hope as part of an Alaskan tour.

4.      Unusual: They do not want to follow the recognized destinations. Their objectives of making tour are to make more risks.
They are more adventurous. They visit with peculiar objectives such as physical danger or isolation. These groups tend to
be interested in the primitive culture but are much happier with the safe box lunch and bottled soda rather than a native
feast.

5.      Incipient mass: These are the individuals from a small organized group and make tour using some share services. Such
types of tourists prefer going together and paying separate.

6.      Mass tourist: They are individuals from a big group which may include a package tour to overseas. Economically they are
categorizing as middle class tourists. There is a continuous influx of visitors who inundate Hawaii most of the year, and
other areas at least seasonally including European resorts and northern hemisphere winter vacation land such as coastal
Mexico and the Caribbean.
7.      Chattered mass: This type of tourist comprises a mass travel to relocation destination, which incorporate many
standardized western facilities as far as possible.  These types of tourists arrive on mass as in Waikiki and for every 747
planeload, there is a fleet of at least ten big buses waiting to transfer them from the airport to the designated hotel in the
lobby of which is a special tour desk to provide itineraries cared other group services.

            According to V.L. Smith, tourism typology may be as follows:

1.      Ethnic tourism:
            In this type of tourism, tourists mostly take interest to visit the independent ethnic groups of different parts of the
world. The purpose of visit is to learn particular way of living or lifestyle of primitive people. The nature of visit is learning.
 The tourist will stay in native houses and take their food. There is a frequent interaction between the tourist and local
community.

2.      Cultural tourism:
            In this type of tourism, tourists see day to day behavior of the local community. Tourists are not encouraged to
interact with locals and interpreter or guide is used so that host behavior might not be changed. Accommodation units are
built outside the village as cultural group.

3.      Historical tourism:
            The purpose of visit in this type of tourism is to know and study about the glories of past. So tourists do visit to
various archaeological sites and historical sites museums etc. like Kathmandu durbar square, Patan durbar square,
pyramid in Egypt.

4.      Environmental tourism:
            In this type of tourism, tourists are motivated to visit or travel exotic/ exciting places so that they can see
appreciate, enjoy man land relationship. It may also include some negative impacts. So prior due consideration and proper
management need to be carried out.

5.      Recreational tourism:
                        In this type of tourism, tourists specially visit to those places where they can enjoy casinos, sea beaches and
other places for pleasure and entertainment. Such tourists usually prefer their own cuisine or national food. The purpose
of visit is to get more relaxation and recreation rather than adventure. E.g. casino of Las Vegas, Esselworld etc.

What are the  types of tourism?

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Travelling is a way to learn and experiance new cultures, traditions and meet new people at the same time.   There are
different types/ Kinds of Tourism as listed below :

1. Recreational Tourism - This includes people who travel to relax, and have fun.
2. Cultural Tourism - Cultural Tourism is the subset of tourism concerned with a traveler’s engagement with a
country or region’s culture, most importantly it focuses with the lifestyle os the people , their history, their
art,their religion(S) and the other elements that help to shape their life.
3. Nature Tourism - This is referred as responsible travel to natural areas, which conserves the environment
and improves the welfare of the local people. It is Tourism based on the natural attractions of a specific area.
Some examples include birdwatching, photography , camping, hiking, hunting, fishing and visiting parks. These
experential tourists are interested in a diversity of natural and cultural resources. They want what is real and
they wantto be immersed in a rich natural, cultural or historical experiance. Nature based tourism provides
incentives for local communities and landowners to conserve wildlife habitats upon the industry depends - it
promotes conservation by increased value on remaining natural areas.
4. Pleasure Tourism - Some people travel for their happiness and satisfaction.
5. Religious Tourism- It is also referred as faith Tourism. It is a type of tourism where people travel travel
individually or in a group for pilgrimmage or leisure (fellowship ) purposes. Normally these type of people
travel to places like Mecca, Medina, Karbala, Vatican City for Hajj pilgrimmage
6. Medical pilgrimmage - Medical Tourism refers to people travelling to a country other than their own to
obtain medical treatment. Medical Tourism most often is for surgries or some people travel for dental care of
fertility treatments. People with rare conditions may travelto countries where the treatment is better
understood. Health Tourism is a term for travel that focus on medical treatments and the use of healthcare
services.
7. Adventure Tourism -Adventure Tourism is a nice tourism involving exploration of a travel with a certain
degree of risk and it may also require special skills and physical exertion. Adventure tourists may have the
motivation to achieve mental states characterized as rush or flow, resulting from stepping outside their
comfort zone.

What is tourism?

Tourism refers to the business of providing accommodation & associated services to the people visiting places. Tourism
involves two elements i.e. the journey to the destination & stay.
Tourism is a temporary short term moment of people of destinations outside the place of their residence. Tourism is
undertaken for recreation, sight seen, pilgrimage for medical reasons, for adventure etc.

Types of tourism:

Following are some types of tourism:

1. Recreational tourism:
Tourism is an often activity for recreational purpose. Most tourism took for a change and rest; this is the reason why
package tours have become so popular.

2. Environmental tourism:
Rich and affluent tourist are preferred to spend more visits to remote places where they get pollution free airs to breath.

3. Historical tourism:
Tourist is interested to know how our forefather lived and administered in a particular area. They visit heritage locations,
temples, churches, museums, forts etc.

4. Ethnic tourism:
This refers to people traveling to distance places looking to their routes and attending to family obligations. Marriage and
death bring people together to their native places. Persons who are settled overseas during later part of life visit place of
their birth for giving boost to ethnic tourism.

5. Cultural tourism:
Some people are interested to know how other people or communities stay, survive and prosper. The kind of culture they
practice their art and music is different from ours. So in order to acquire knowledge, understands culture well, to become
familiar with the culture, they undertake journey.

6. Adventure tourism:
There is a trend among the youth to take adventure tour. They go for trekking,
rock climbing, river rafting etc. They organized camp fire and stay under the blue sky. This tourism is meant for people
with strong nerves who can tolerate stress.

7. Health tourism:
In recent years, health tourism has become highly popular. People visit nature cure centers and hospitals providing
specialist treatment. Many foreigners visit India for treatment because similar services in their country are costly.

8. Religious tourism:
India represents multi-religious composition of population. Various package tours are organized to enable people to
attend the religious duties and visit places of religious importance. E.g. Char Dham yatra.

9. Music tourism:
It can be part of pleasure tourism as it includes moment of people to sing and listen music and enjoy it.

10. Village tourism:

It involves traveling and arranging tours in order to popularize various village destinations.

11. Wild life tourism:

It can be an Eco and animal friendly tourism. Wild life tourism means watching wild animals in their natural habitat.