1

TOURISM
TERM 1

GRADE 12
Topic: Domestic, Regional and International Tourism
Content: Global events of international significance
Concepts: • A happening or occurrence of international importance because it
Global event will affect the whole world
• Global events attract participants, spectators, journalists and
television viewers from all over the world
• Global events can be sporting events or other planned events of
international significance that do not involve sports

EXAMPLES OF GLOBAL SPORTING EVENTS

Olympic Games
• Major international event in which
thousands of athletes from more than 200
countries participate in various sports codes
• The Summer Games and Winter Olympics are each held every
4 years but never in the same year
Wimbledon
• Oldest tennis tournament in the world
• Held every year at the All England Club in
Wimbledon, London (United Kingdom)
• Played on grass courts
• It is one of four Grand Slam Tournaments
Tour de France
• Annual international cycling race held in
France and neighbouring countries
• Participants cover more than 3600km
• The race lasts 3 weeks
• The course changes every year
• The finish line is always in Paris, France
FIFA World Cup
• Biggest soccer tournament in the world
• Hosted by a different country every four
years
• Attracts more television viewers that any
other sport event

Compiled by E Ferreira (SES Services Subjects NMBD) & PL Vosloo

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Comrades Marathon
• Ultra-marathon of about 90km
• Held annually between Durban and
Pietermaritzburg (KwaZulu-Natal)
• World’s largest and oldest ultra-marathon

EXAMPLES OF PLANNED EVENTS OF INTERNATIONAL

SIGNIFICANCE
• G8 Summits (A summit is a meeting of
heads of state)
• The Group of Eight (G-8) is an
intergovernmental organization that meets
annually to address international economic
and monetary issues.
• The G-8 is now referred to as the G-7
because Russia, one of the original eight,
was suspended from the group in 2014
after annexing Crimea in Ukraine.
• G-7 members countries: France, Germany,
Japan, Italy, the UK, USA, Canada

Climate change meetings

• Annual conferences arranged by the
United Nations to assess global progress
in dealing with climate change e.g. COP26
Glasgow (2021)
• Host country: A host country is the country that provides services,
buildings and infrastructure for a specific event.
The positive • If an event is successful and well run, people will be encouraged to
impact of return to the host destination.
global • The positive effect of media: International events are broadcast
events on globally giving information about the destination. A positive
international atmosphere or beautiful scenery can encourage visitors to visit the
tourism host country.
• The positive effect of participants and sport fans: Participants
and sports fans will need a variety of services and facilities during
their stay. The providers of these services and facilities will benefit
financially from the event. This helps to promote the destination.

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Negative • If an event is unsuccessful or not well managed, fans may not return
impact of to, or recommend, the host destination to others.
global • Problems caused by fans and participants: People attending
events on events away from home could behave irresponsibly. This can result
international in antisocial behaviour, accidents, illegal activities and sexually
tourism transmitted diseases.
• The problems caused by an increase in visitors to an area:
▪ The facilities that support a global event must be able to
accommodate the large number of fans and increased noise,
pollution, litter and traffic congestion that often result from such an
event.
▪ Noisy fans or loud music, rubbish in the streets and traffic
congestion can make the inhabitants of a city and visitors opposed
to future events in that area.
The impact • Public-relations (PR) opportunities:
of hosting ▪ People visit a certain area because they enjoyed watching an
global event hosted in that country on television or in the media.
events on • Local population:
domestic ▪ The inhabitants of a host city benefit from a global event because it
tourism of gives them the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend such an
the host event.
country ▪ Skills development when members of the local population are
employed before and during the event.
• Seasonality:
▪ Staging events is a way to reduce the effect of seasonality and
attract domestic tourists during quiet times of the year.
▪ Reducing the effects of seasonality makes the tourism industry
more competitive.
The impact • Income generation:
of hosting ▪ Hosting a global event generates income for the city and country in
global which the event is hosted.
events on ▪ A global event can benefit the tourism industry in the long term and
the contribute to the host country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
economy of • Investment:
the host ▪ Hosting of a global event may encourage businesses to invest in
country the country and economy in which the event is hosted.
▪ Entrepreneurship is encouraged.
• Job creation:
▪ Direct employment (jobs in the accommodation sector, security
companies and catering services), indirect employment (supply of
goods and services necessary to run the event) and
entrepreneurship opportunities arise due to the hosting of a global
event.
• Foreign exchange income:
▪ Foreign tourists attending a global event spend money on local
products and services bringing foreign currency which they
exchange for the local currency.

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The • Development of infrastructural services:

advantages ▪ Global events lead to improvements in infrastructure at the host
a global destination, e.g., improved public transport systems, upgraded
event holds airports, bus and train stations and roads, upgraded or new sports
for the host stadiums, conference centres and hotels, improved
country communications services.
▪ Major infrastructural development will take place, e.g. stadiums,
sports villages for the country in preparation for the events.
▪ Recreation facilities that local residents can enjoy after the event
are built.
• Investment:
▪ Foreign and local companies and people attending an event may
see opportunities for business investment.
▪ Good publicity and enhanced reputation during and after the
events lead to increased investor confidence and business
opportunities.
• Foreign exchange income:
▪ Hosting a global event increases the host country’s foreign
exchange income as visitors must exchange their foreign currency
for the local currency.
▪ Economic injection.
• The multiplier effect:
▪ The income generated by global events filters through the local
economy.
• Other:
▪ A global event can benefit the tourism industry and contribute to
the host country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
▪ Job creation.
▪ Increased national pride.
▪ Developing new tourism markets.
▪ Transformation and upliftment of communities.
▪ Showcasing the host nation’s culture.
▪ Publicity for the country.
▪ Encourages partnerships between countries.
▪ Encourages cooperation between countries.
The dis- • High cost of new infrastructure:
advantages ▪ Sports stadiums and venues often need to be built; transport
of global infrastructure has to be improved.
events for a ▪ The infrastructure developments sometimes remain unused after
host country the event.
▪ The local community often has to carry the cost of the
infrastructure developments.
• Disappointing investment and foreign exchange income:
▪ Expectations of product owners regarding investment and number
of foreign visitors may not be realised, resulting in a loss of
income.
• Increased cost of goods and services:
▪ The price of goods and services, such as accommodation, event
tickets to events, property and restaurant meals may increase
during the event. These inflated prices affect the local community.
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• Multiplier effect and economic leakages:

▪ The income generated from a global event does not always remain
in the host city or country. This is called leakage.
• Other:
▪ Community opposition, environmental impacts (increased
pollution, crowds and over usage of resources).
▪ Increased levels of crime, increased pollution/traffic congestion.
▪ Negative media coverage if the event proves to be unsuccessful.
▪ Exploitation of cultures and surrounding environments.

Content: Political situations and unforeseen occurrences of international

significance
Concept: • Refers to political happenings in a country.
Political • The political situation in a country can either be peaceful or
situation unstable.
• Examples: election of a new president in USA and subsequent
attacks on the capital city (general unrest), terrorist attacks or
threats, civil wars
Concept: • Events that are unpredictable.
Unforeseen • These events are unplanned may have global importance.
occurrence • Examples: natural disasters (tsunami, earthquake or an outbreak of
a disease (Covid-19)), outbreak of wildfires (California).
• Natural disasters are the most unexpected and costly events in
terms of the loss of life and resources. Severe weather conditions
caused by extreme amounts of wind, rain, storms or temperature
impact on the tourism industry.
• An economic recession (a world-wide drop in economic wealth).
Economic upsets, such as increased inflation rates can affect the
tourism industry of a country.
• Transport accidents involving any mode of transport such as air,
sea, road or rail can affect the image of safety at a destination.
The impact • Leisure and business tourists will be discouraged from travelling to
of political countries and regions where there is political instability as they will
situations view them as dangerous.
on • Leisure tourists may look to different countries in which are
international perceived as safer.
tourism and • Business tourists will choose safer more stable countries to attend
the conferences and meetings.
economy • There will be less foreign exchange earnings and revenue coming
into the affected country’s economy.
• Airlines could suspend their flights to the affected country
• The tourists own governments might advise them not to travel to the
affected country.

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The impact • An unforeseen occurrence such as a natural disaster usually

of attracts a lot of media coverage.
unforeseen • Those planning to visit a country that has had an unforeseen
occurrences occurrence such as floods, an earthquake or a tsunami will cancel
on their trip and choose another destination.
international • Tourists in the affected country and are affected by the disaster will
tourism and leave as soon as possible.
the • The tourist’s lives can be endangered.
economy • An unforeseen occurrence can create enormous problems for tour
operators and transport providers that have to make emergency
arrangements for customers in affected regions This can often be
very costly.
• Infrastructure will be damaged.
• Flights and trips as well as bookings to the affected destination or
region have to be cancelled.
• Destruction of flora, fauna and ecosystems
• Fewer tourists will visit the destination, or they will find alternative
destinations.
• A decline in foreign tourist arrivals will result in decreased foreign
income.
• The tourism industry will come to a standstill in the affected areas as
the majority of the infrastructure would have been damaged.
• Job losses
• The multiplier effect will be negatively affected due to fewer tourists
visiting the attractions.

Flood, Venice (2019) Earthquake, Italy (2016)

Wildfires, California (2020) Airplane crash, Moscow (2019)

Compiled by E Ferreira (SES Services Subjects NMBD) & PL Vosloo