CHARACTERISTICS

OF TOURISM AND
HOSPITALITY
 Five Main
Characteristics of
•
Tourism 
Because of its complexity, tourism is a combination of
phenomena and relationships.
• It has two essential elements: the dynamic element(the
journey) and the static element(the stay).
• The journey and stay are to-and-from destinations
outside the place of residence and work.
• The movement to destinations is temporary and short-
term, with the intention to return within a few days,
weeks, or months; and
• Destinations are visited for purposes not connected
with paid work, that is not to be employed and not for
business or vocational reasons.
• Elements of Travel  
Four basic elements have been used as
criteria for defining travelers and/or tourists.
These are: distance, length of stay at the
destination, residence of the traveler, and
purpose of travel. 

Distance
It is the difference between local travel or
traveling within a person’s home community
and non-local travel or traveling away from
home. It excludes commuting to and from
work and change in residence. 
  
Length of Stay at Destination
The second basic element of travel used as
criteria for defining travelers is the length of
stay at the destination. The definition of tourists
and excursionists as proposed by UNWTO is
largely teased on length of stay. Tourists are
temporary visitors who make at least one
overnight stay, while excursionists are
temporary visitors who do not stay overnight in
the country that they visit.  

Residence of the Traveler

The residence or origin of the traveler is the
third basic element of travel. For business and
research purposes, it is important to know
where people live. 
  
• Purpose of Travel

The fourth basic element is the purpose

of travel. It can be divided into seven: 
1. Visiting friends and relatives;
2. Conventions, seminars, and
meetings;
3. Business;
4. Outdoor recreation – hunting,
fishing, boating, and camping;
5. Entertainment – sightseeing, theater,
sports;
6. Personal – family, medical,
funeral, wedding;
7. Others
 The Nature of a Tour 

A package tour, sometimes called

inclusive tour is an arrangement in which
transport and accommodation is bought
by the tourist at an all-inclusive price of
the individual elements cannot be
determined by the purchaser himself. 

The tour operator who organizes the

package tour purchases transport and
hotel accommodation in advance, usually
obtaining these at a lower price because
he is buying them in bulk. 
On the other hand, an independent
tour is an arrangement in which the
tourists buy these facilities
separately, either making
reservations in advance through a
travel agent or en route during his
tour. 
The Tourist Product 
                      

  In a narrow sense, the tourist

product consists of what the tourist
buys. In a wider sense, the tourist
product is a combination of what the
tourist does at the destination and
the services he uses during his stay 
  

  
Characteristics of a Tourist
Product 

• A tourist product is that

it is a service.
• The tourist product is
largely psychological in
its attraction.
• Tourist product tend to vary in
standard and quality over time.
• The supply of the product fixed.
Tourist Destination

The tourist destination is a

geographical unit where the tourist
visits and stays. It may be a village,
a town, a city, a district, a region, an
island, a country or, a continent. 

Attraction may be site and event

attractions.A site attraction is one in
which the destination itself has
appeal, while an event attraction is
one in which tourists are drawn to
the destination solely because of
what is taking place there. 
Attractions may also be natural
or man-made.

Natural attractions include

mountains, beaches, and climatic
features such as sunshine and
pure air. Man-made attractions
include buildings of historical or
architectural interest such as Fort
Santiago, holiday camps, or
“theme parks” such as
Disneyland in Los Angeles,
USA. 
Amenities or facilities include
accommodation, food, local
transport, communications, and
entertainment at the site.

Accessibility means having

regular and convenience of
transport in terms of
time/distance to the destination
from the originating country at a
reasonable price. 
Tourist Services 
The travel and stay of tourists give
rise to a wide range of services in the
course of a holiday. The principal
tourist services are supplied by
passenger transport, which
provides the means to reach the
destination, as well as the movement
at the destination. 

Accommodation, food and

beverage, and entertainment
constitute the second group of tourist
services. Hotels are of vital concern
to a large proportion of tourists.
The third group of tourist
services consists of those
provided by the travel agent and
by the tour operator.The travel
agent is the distributor of the
product, while the tour operator
is the manufacturer of the
product.
Characteristics of Tourism 

*The product is not brought to the

consumer.

*The products of tourism are not used up.

*Tourism is a labor-intensive industry.

*Tourism is people oriented.

 
*Tourism is a multi-dimensional
phenomenon.

*The tourist industry is seasonal.

*The industry is dynamic.

Importance of Tourism  

*Contribution to the balance of

payments. 
*Dispersion of development
*Effect on general economic
development
*Employment opportunities
*Social benefits
*Cultural enrichment
*Educational significance
*A vital force for peace