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Components of tourism: Structure of the tourism industry

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The travel and tourism industry is argued by many as being the largest industry in the world. It is, therefore, no surprise that the structure of the tourism industry is quite complex, involving many components of tourism.

With many different types of tourism and types of businesses operating within the tourism industry, from private companies to charities and NGOs, the structure of the tourism industry is made up of many different segments and components.

In this article I will provide you with an overview of the structure of the tourism industry, outlining the types of organisations and stakeholders in tourism that are involved.

Structure of the tourism industry

Components of tourism, international organisations, national tourist boards, regional tourist boards, tourist information centres, travel by air, travel by road, travel by train, travel by water, hotels chains, hostels and budget accommodation, holiday parks and campsites, accommodation innovations, world travel market, football world cup, glastonbury, holi festival, day of the dead, natural attractions, built attractions, tour operators, travel agents, ancillary services, components of tourism | structure of the tourism industry, structure of the tourism industry | components of tourism: further reading.

The importance of tourism is demonstrated when you can see how big the industry is!

The structure of the industry is made up of several components of tourism and involves many different stakeholders. These components are all interrelated in one way of another. The components of tourism make up the entire tourism system.

There are several integral components of tourism. Without these components, the tourism industry would struggle to function. I have explained what this means below, but before you read on, take a look at this short video that I made (and if you like what you see, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel)!

This was demonstrated, for example, during the Coronavirus pandemic, which halted air travel around the world. Travel services are a vital component of tourism and without these services being operational, the tourism industry struggled to survive!

There are six major components of tourism, each with their own sub-components. These are: tourist boards, travel services, accommodation services, conferences and events, attractions and tourism services.

Below, I will explain what each of the components offer to the tourism industry and provide some relevant examples.

Components of tourism: Tourist boards

A tourist board is an essential component of tourism and an integral part of the structure of the tourism industry.

A tourism board is responsible for the promotion of tourism in a particular area. This could be a city, a region, a country or a group of countries.

A tourism board is usually Government funded and is usually a public travel and tourism organisation (although this is not always the case).

A tourism board is also often referred to as a Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO).

Most tourist boards focus on promoting tourism in a particular area, city or country. There are, however, some organisations which aim to promote tourism across more than one country.

Whilst these organisation often have many functions other than tourism, they will also play a role in the promotion of tourism in particular parts of the world. This could include the European Union , the ASEAN network or organisations such as the United Nations.

A national tourist board is a national organisation whose aim is to promote tourism across the country.

There are usually several management bodies that are involved with a national tourist board. They are essential stakeholders who determine many aspects of tourism in the country, such as budgets, taxation and regulations.

Said management bodies include the parliament, the tourist board, an auditing committee and the Prime Minister, President or Head of State.

The national tourist board is funded from tourist taxes, membership fees, Government funding and other sources.

Examples of national tourist boards (often most commonly referred to by their ‘campaign title’ as opposed to the Government title) include Visit Britain , Incredible India and Amazing Thailand .

A regional tourist board is a tourist board that focusses on a particular region of a country. They are often a sub-division of a country’s national tourist board.

Regional tourism boards are often funded and operated in the same way as national tourist boards.

Examples of successful regional tourism boards include: Visit Cornwall in the UK, Kerala Tourism in India, Visite Montreal in Canada and Cape Town Tourism in South Africa.

A tourist information centre is the place where tourists can go for advice and help with regards to all matters related to tourism in the area.

In the tourist information centre (TIC) you will find staff who are knowledgeable about the local area. There will often be a range of printed and digital information for you, including leaflets, maps, coupons and guidebooks. Sometimes there will be virtual tourism facilities.

Tourist information centres have been an important component of tourism throughout the history of travel and tourism , however, they are coming under increasing pressure as a result of information that is available online. This has resulted in fewer people visiting TICs in person.

Most major tourist areas will have a tourist information centre. These are usually centrally located.

Tourist information centres are funded by the local Government.

Other posts that you might be interested in: – What is tourism? A definition of tourism – The history of tourism – Stakeholders in tourism – Dark tourism explained – What is ABTA and how does it work? – The economic impacts of tourism

Components of tourism:Transport services

The relationship between transport and tourism is strong.

According to the most commonly accepted definitions of tourism, a person must travel away from their home environment for at least one night in order to be a tourist (although I would argue that this definition needs updating given that it doesn’t account for novel forms of tourism such as a staycation or virtual tourism ).

Based on this fact, therefore, transport is an integral component of tourism. Without transport, people cannot reach their intended destination.

There are a range of different transport types. The most common and popular methods of transport that make up the structure of the tourism industry, however, are: air, road, train and water .

Travel by air has grown exponentially in the past few decades. With the introduction of low cost airlines and deregulation, the competitive market has been a tourist’s paradise.

New routes opening up has introduced tourists to areas that they may never have been able to reach before and low prices have resulted in more of us taking more trips abroad using air travel as our means of transportation.

Travel by air is an essential component of tourism and this was demonstrated during the Coronavirus epidemic. During this time most air traffic was halted, which had a devastating impact of the tourism industry world-wide.

Travel by road is also a core component of tourism, particularly for domestic tourism .

Travel by road is more popular in some countries than others. This largely depends on accessibility options (i.e. what is accessible by road), distances required and road conditions.

In destinations where travel by road is popular, there are often many car hire or rental companies.

Travel by train is very popular in destinations that have good rail networks in infrastructure.

In some parts of the world, such as China and Japan, there are world-class high-speed railways that can be more efficient than flying.

In other parts of the world, the rail journey is part of the tourism experience. A good example of this is the Siberian Railway.

In Europe you can buy an affordable interrail pass , which allows you to travel throughout Europe using the rail system.

Travel by water is also an important component of tourism.

The structure of the tourism industry includes cruises, ferries and leisure boats, among other types of travel by water.

Travel by water can vary considerably in price and can include anything from a round the world cruise to a short long tail ride in Thailand .

Components of tourism: Accommodation services

Accommodation services make up an important part of the structure of the tourism industry.

Whilst accommodation services were traditionally focussed mainly around the hotel industry, nowadays accommodation options for tourists are much more varied. This adds an additional layer of complexity to the structure of the tourism industry.

There are many hotel chains that operate throughout the tourism industry and that are a key component of tourism.

Multinational corporations have expanded throughout the tourism industry with key players being hotel chains such as Marriott, Radisson, Hilton, Travel Lodge and Holiday Inn.

However, hotel chains such as these have come under increased scrutiny as a result of the economic leakage in tourism that they cause.

Hostels and budget accommodation options are popular with budget travellers and backpackers.

There are a range of hostels found throughout the world. These are particularly popular in destinations where accommodation is expensive, such as London, New York and Singapore.

The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) and Hostelling International are popular hostel providers that are found across the UK and overseas.

Billy Butlin changed the face of the British holiday market with the introduction of his seaside holiday parks back in 1936.

Since this time, other similar chains have expanded throughout the UK and the rest of the world.

Camping is also an important component of tourism. There are camp sites situated throughout the world ranging from safari camps to glamping (glamorous camping).

Homestays have become an increasingly prominent component of tourism.

Whilst bed and breakfast accommodation has been around for a very long time, nowadays there are many more options that are grounded on the concept of a homestay.

The sharing economy has seen the growth and introduction of many types of accommodations into the travel and tourism sector that did not exist before.

The most popular of these is Airbnb, where people rent out a room or an entire property to tourists. You can read more about how Airbnb works here .

In recent years consumers have been demanding new and unusual experiences more than ever. In response to this, we have seen many accommodation innovations emerge throughout the world.

From staying in an ice hotel in Finland, to sleeping in a hammock in Borneo to a night in a haunted castle in Wales, there are many different types of accommodation options that can make your holiday a little bit more exciting!

Components of tourism: Conferences and events

Conferences and events make up a significant part of the structure of the tourism industry.

Conferences, which often come under business tourism , come in all shapes and sizes around the world.

From a small academic gathering to a large-scale summit involving national leaders from around the world, conferences are an important component of tourism.

Likewise, the event sector is also a significant part of the tourism industry.

There are millions of events that take place around the world each year that vary in size and function. Many of these form an integral part of the tourism industry.

Examples of major conferences and events around the world

There are many major conferences and events that take place around the world every year. Here are a few of my favourites:

The World Travel Market (WTM) is held in London each November. This is a large event that is held at the Excel venue.

WTM provides travel industry experts with the opportunity to showcase their work, learn more about the industry and to network.

ITB is the world’s leading international travel trade show. It is held in Berlin each year.

Similar to the WTM, this large-scale event enables industry professionals to network and undertake continuous professional development.

The vast majority of people are familiar with the Football World Cup.

The Football World Cup is held every four years in a different location.

The Football World Cup attracts millions of tourists from all over the world. The event also acts as a stimuli for tourism as the nation will often use the opportunity of hosting the event as a chance to market tourism in the area to those who are tuning in from their TVs from around the world.

Sports tourism , which includes events such as the Football World Cup, contributes significantly to the overall tourism industry.

Glastonbury is a popular British music festival. It takes place each summer in Somerset.

Glastonbury is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts. In addition to music, the festival hosts dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, and other arts to entertain visitors.

Glastonbury attracts many domestic tourists as well as international tourists.

San Fermin is a festival that is held in Pamplona, Spain each July.

San Fermin, also known as the ‘Running of the Bulls’ is a historically-rooted festival that lasts five days. It involves dancing, eating and drinking, games and the famous bull races and fights.

San Fermin has been subject to a lot of controversy in recent years, with many people protesting that it is a cruel form of animal tourism .

Holi Festival is known as the ‘festival of spring’, the ‘festival of colours’ or the ‘festival of love’.

Holi Festival is celebrated in India each year during the month of March.

Holi Festival is famous for the way in which coloured paints are used and often thrown onto people’s faces and clothes.

This is a Hindu festival that signifies the victory of good over evil.

The Day of the Dead festival, locally referred to as ‘Dia de los Muertos’, is a festival that is celebrated in November each year in Mexico.

This day is a celebration of the deceased, whereby it is believed that the alive and the dead are reunited. On this day many people will create offerings for the deceased.

Many people choose to dress up as skeletons and in halloween-type outfits and they celebrate with food, drink and music.

Components of tourism: Attractions

An essential component of the tourism industry are the tourist attractions.

There are a multitude of different tourist attractions around the world.

Some are built, some are natural. Some are paid, some are free. Some are famous, others are not. Some are large and some are small.

Natural attractions are just as it says on the tin – natural. In other words, they are attractions that have not been made by man.

Natural attractions are found all over the world and vary in size and scope. There is even a definitive list of the seven natural wonders of the world .

I have visited many natural attractions around the world, here is a list of some of my favourites:

• Drakansburg Mountains, South Africa
• Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
• Mount Toubkal, Morocco
• Sahara Desert, Morocco
• Red Sea, Egypt
• Dead Sea, Israel
• Sierra Nevada, Spain
• Chicken Island, Thailand
• Niagara Falls, USA
• Rocky Mountains, Canada
• Pammukale Thermal Pools, Turkey
• Iceland (the island is filled with wonderful natural attractions!)
• Amazon Rainforest , Ecuador
• Cenotes, Mexico
• Iguazu Falls, Brazil
• The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
• Waterways of Kerela, India
• Mount Hallasan, South Korea

Built attractions also make up an important part of the structure of the tourism industry.

There are many built attractions throughout the world. Some attractions are built for the purpose of tourism, such as theme parks or museums. Other attractions are built for other purposes but then become tourist attractions, such as the Empire State Building or the Sydney Opera House.

I have visited many built attractions throughout the world. Here are some of my favourites:

• Robin Island, South Africa
• The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
• La Sagrada Familia, Spain
• The Eiffel Tower, France
• The United States Capitol Building, USA
• Statue of Liberty, New York
• Petronas Towers, Malaysia
• Marina Sands Bay Hotel, Singapore
• Angkor Wat, Cambodia
• Taj Mahal, India
• Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia
• Houses of Parliament, UK
• Sheikh Zayed Mosque, UAE

Components of tourism: Tourism services

Tourism services are an essential component of tourism. Without many tourism services, the tourism industry would fail to adequately function.

Below I will explain the three major tourism services that make up the structure of the tourism industry.

A tour operator is the individual or organisation who puts together a trip.

Typically, a tour operator would package together essential elements including accommodation, transport and transfer. They would then sell this package to the tourists.

However, tour operators are becoming fewer in recent years. Consumers are now far more Internet savvy and are more capable of researching the individual elements of their holiday and booking this independently. This is known as dynamic packaging .

Traditionally, a travel agent would sell the product that the tour operator has produced i.e. the package holiday.

While travel agents have and continue to sell individual holiday components, they have historically been most commonly used by tourists who wish to book a package holiday.

In today’s society, there is far less scope for travel agents than there used to be. A few years ago it would be easy to finish school and to get a job in a travel agent selling holidays. Now, however, people are more likely to set up their own travel agent business online or to be employed by an online retailer.

Many high street stores have now closed as there is little demand these days for holidays to be booked in this way. Instead, many people are selling holidays and travel services via their blogs or websites.

The travel agent does still exist, but he has changed the way he looks.

Ancillary services are another core component of tourism.

Ancillary basically means ‘extra’ or ‘additional’. An ancillary service in the context of tourism, therefore, is any product or service that is additional to the core elements of accommodation, transport and transfer.

Here are some examples of ancillary products:

• Attraction tickets
• Meal tickets
• Extra luggage
• Currency exchange
• Airport parking

As you can see, the tourism industry is large and complex, but understanding the different components of tourism isn’t too difficult.

All of the components of tourism are interconnected in one way or another and many rely on one another to be successful.

Want to learn more about the structure of tourism? I have listed some recommended texts below.

• An Introduction to Tourism : a comprehensive and authoritative introduction to all facets of tourism including: the history of tourism; factors influencing the tourism industry; tourism in developing countries; sustainable tourism; forecasting future trends.
• The Business of Tourism Management : an introduction to key aspects of tourism, and to the practice of managing a tourism business.
• Tourism Management: An Introduction : gives its reader a strong understanding of the dimensions of tourism, the industries of which it is comprised, the issues that affect its success, and the management of its impact on destination economies, environments and communities.

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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.

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Tourism consists of various components and components of tourism also known as the 4 ‘A’s of tourism. Without these components, tourism cannot be operated. A tour of an individual is influenced by various elements or components. There are 4 ‘A’s of tourism:

1.       Attraction 2.      Accessibility 3.      Accommodation 4.      Amenities Let’s know about each in detail:

1.  Attraction:

Attraction is one of the most important components of tourism. It pulls a person towards a destination or inspires him to make a visit. Nowadays, everyone seeks attraction in everything- the clothes they wear, the food they eat, the place they live in, etc. Attraction helps people to decide which place to visit. According to NYU, 68% of people pay more attention to attractive places to visit. Tourists can be attracted by several attractions like waterfalls, sunrise, historical sites, sports, etc. Attraction works as magnetic power on the pull factor of tourism. There are three major attractions that attract more tourists:

•       Built Attraction: These attractions are those which have been made by a human, like a museum, zoos, cultural and historical sites.
•       Site Attraction: These attractions are created by nature like the Himalayas, rivers, waterfalls, etc.
•       Event Attraction: Organizing a special program or event by a country attracts tourists.

 2. Accessibility:

Accessibility is another important component of tourism. Accessibility means the way by which a tourist can easily reach the desired destination. A destination should not only be attractive but accessible also. Some modes of transportation to reach a destination are very necessary. Cheaper modes of transportation receive a maximum number of tourists. Transportation plays a vital role, if a tourist destination is located at a place where no transport can reach then that destination become of little value. The following provision should be there for accessibility:

•      Accessibility of Road Transport
•      Accessibility of Rail Transport
•      Accessibility of Air Transport
•      Accessibility of Marine Transport

More tourists will visit a place if more transport modes are available.

 3.  Accommodation

Accommodation is another important factor that influences the tourist to choose a destination. Every tourist wants a good accommodation where he can spend the night peacefully and be served good food. The destination should be easily accessible along with good accommodations so that tourists can relax and have a good time. Accommodation must include hotels, guesthouses, apartments, restaurants, and Bar for refreshment. Accommodation should be designed in such a way that tourists can afford it according to their paying capacity. Accommodation should be well designed with all facilities. Accommodation is very important because no one will visit a place although it has an attraction, and accessibility but unavailability of Accommodation

4. Amenities:

 amenities are a very important component of tourism as its not easy to win the heart of travelers with the absence of required amenities. the absence of amenities may distract tourists. amenities are elements that help the tourist to get satisfaction and pleasure from the destination. these are extra services and facilities that are provided by travel agencies, airlines, hotels, etc. amenities include all necessary facilities and services to make a tourist feel comfortable in travel for example rest, food, entertainment, sport, etc. types of amenities:.

•      Natural: Beaches, Climbing, Fishing, Trekking etc.
•      Man-Made: Cinema, Fair and Festival, Internet, Music, Drama etc.

       Conclusion:

Apart from these four ‘a’s of tourism, there is also another important ‘a’ of tourism which refers to affordability. the travel expenses like accommodation charges, transport fees, and entrance fees should be at affordable prices. the above-mentioned ‘a’ should be balanced equally to pull more visitors to any destination and there should be some interesting things to explore for different age groups of tourists. thus, these 4 ‘a’s are very important to generate more tourism flow and acts as a backbone of tourism destination in any country..

Gaurav Gera

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Tourism System

A system consists of several parts that are interconnected and interrelated, each part influencing each other through its dynamic nature while responding to the external influences as well.  All the components within the system work to attain a common goal or purpose.  

An influence in one part of the system will be felt throughout the system.  It can be also referred to a spider’s web.   Ludwig von Bertalanffy,  a biologist has defined ‘ General system theory’  as a set of elements that experience interrelationship among themselves and with their external environments.

A system is an assemblage or interrelated combination of things or elements or components forming a unitary whole (Hall 2008).  Tourism can be referred to as a system as it reacts to the external environments like the social, political, technological and ecological.  Elements like attraction, transport, accommodation, facilities interact with each other while it interacts with the external environment too.

Concept of Tourism as a System

Tourism is conceptualized as a system by many scholars.  It was in the 1970s that the General Systems Theory was applied to the concept of tourism and it has resulted in a number of system theories of tourism.  Scholars like Leiper, Getz, Gunn and Mill and Morrison have suggested systems model for tourism.   In his book, tourism planning

(1979), Gunn put forth the “tourism fundamental system” that involved five components: tourist, transportation, attractions, services-facilities, and information-direction. Leiper (1979) developed the whole tourism systems based on the systems theory and identified   five basic components: tourists, generating regions, transit routes, destination regions, and a tourist industry operating within physical, cultural, social, economic, political, and technological environments. He conceptualized tourism as an open system.

Neil Leiper’s Whole Tourism System Model

Neil Leiper devised a Whole Tourism System Model in the year 1979 and the same was restructured in the year 1990.  It is completely based on the Systems Approach consisting of three major components or elements.  The following are the four components embedded in the Leiper’s model. 

Pic credit-  https://www.slideshare.net/Poddar25/got-3-module-1

I.  The Human Component:

 The Tourist

II.  The Geographical Component:

•      The Generating Region

•      Transit Route Region

•      The Destination Region

III. The Industrial Component 

Iv. the environmental component.

Leiper proposed six aspects within the model which are interrelated, interdependent and interact with each other and function as a group while responding to the external influences.  Thus it is an open system where influences are found within the system as well as external to the system. 

The human component consists of the tourists, the geographical component consists of traveler-generating regions, transit route regions and tourist-destination regions, the industrial component involving the various business and organizations that provide services and finally, the environmental component comprising of the social, technological, legal and ecological aspects.  

All these aspects weave together as a whole tourism system in a structural manner.  Figure-1 provides the pictorial representation of the Leiper’s model of the components of the tourism system.

1. The Human Component

The human component specified in the model is the tourists who undertake tourism to a destination of their interests.  A tourist is a person who traverses away from his place of residence to another place for a short span of stay with an aim to spend his holidays.  

A person can be called as a tourist if he stays for at least 24 hours and not more than one year in a destination either within the country or outside the country of residence not involving in any remunerative activity.   Tourism, according to the Oxford dictionary, is “the theory and practice of touring or travelling for pleasure”.

Tourists undertake different forms of tourism as per their need like recreation, pleasure, business, education, health, pilgrimage, culture and they are called as recreational tourists, pleasure tourists, business tourists, education tourists, health tourists, pilgrimage tourists and cultural tourists in that order.  

It is based on the motivational push that tourists undertake their trip to a particular destination.  It all happens with the available forms of tourism.  Therefore, it completely depends on the purposes of travel.

As per the definition of UNWTO’s (United Nations World Tourism Organization), “tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other purposes”. It is clear from the definition that tourists are temporary residents of the destination of visit.  

After touring, they return to their original place of residence or their place of departure. According to Leiper (1979), the fundamentals of tourism are traced back to Greek origins, likened to a circle, reflecting a key component of tourism and returning to the point of departure.

2. The Geographic Component.

The geographic component refers to the geographical area involved in the tourism process.  Tourists depart from a geographical area – the place of origin, utilize a geographical route and reach a geographical area – the place of arrival or destination of visit.  

Similarly, they reach their area of origin after completion of the trip taking a complete cycle of the geographical components.  Thus, there are three geographical areas involved in the conduct of tourism.

The geographic components comprise of the following three aspects:

1.      Tourist Generating Region(TGR)

2.      Travel Route Region(TRR) and

3.      Tourist Destination Region(TDR) 

2.1 Tourism Generating Regions (TGR).

Tourism Generating Region refers to the place where the tourist starts and ends his tour.  It is the location of permanent residence from where he departs for tour and reaches after completion of trip. It is also referred to the source region of journey as well as the geographical area of demand. According to Dann (1977), it is the geographical setting pertaining to the motivational and behavioral pattern termed as “Push” factors.

‘Push’ factors are the intangible wishes or desires arising in the minds of a person. These are influenced by the social, psychological, and economic forces generated from within the person.

The aspects like mundane environment, exploration, self-evaluation, relaxation, prestige, family relations, and social interaction are found within the minds of the people of the tourist-generating region.  These pertain to the psychological push factors.  Influence of family, reference groups, social classes, culture, and sub-cultures are the factors pertaining to the social push factors.  

The demographic aspects like age, sex, educational qualification, income and marital status also contribute to the push factors.  The economic push factors are the disposable income added with the available leisure time joint together that play vital role in the tourist-generating region.  

Apart from the above mentioned factors in the tourist generating region, the aspects like ticketing services, tour operators, travel agents and marketing and promotional activities present in the departure area play a major role as push components.

2.2. Transit Route Region (TRR).

Transit route refers to the path throughout the region across which the tourist travels to reach his or her destination.  It is the path that links the tourist generating regions and the tourist destination regions, along which the tourists travel.  

When the tourists undertake a long haul, travel it is necessary to take a temporary stoppage called a transit route.  The transit route includes stopover points, which might be used for convenience of the tourist or due to the presence of various attractions throughout the travel route that can be visited by the tourists.

The transit route enables the tourists to change flight or stop for some time for refueling. The transit route might differ from the start of the travel from the generating region and ending of the travel from the destination region.  

The transit route may be crossed with the different types of transportation like air transport or rail transport or water transport or road transport or a combination of all these types of transports according to the necessity of the tourist. Thus, the transit rout region is a vital component in the tourism system.

2.3 Tourist Destination Region (TDR).

Tourist Destination Region refers to the destination, which the tourists prefer to visit during their travel.  It is the location, which attracts tourists for their temporary stay.  The destination region is the core component of tourism, as it is the region, which the tourist chooses to visit, and which the core element of tourism is based on.  It is the supply side of the tourism products that pull the tourists.

This component includes the natural attractions, cultural attraction, and various entertainment factors, accommodation, facilities, services, amenities, safety and security available in the destination of visit that ultimately pull the tourists. The new age tourists mostly demand now-a-days special interest tourism products available in the destination region. 

The qualitative aspects that are absent or lacking in the tourist-generating region and available in the tourist destination region form as the basic attractions that pull the tourists towards TDR.  The location has the attributes as anticipated by the tourists that retains loyal tourists from the generating regions

3. The Industrial Component..

The next important component in the Lieper’s model is the industry.  Industrial component refers to the businesses and organizations that promote tourism related products.  These firms thrive to cater to the needs and wants of the tourists.They impart full-fledged products and services to the tourists through attractions, accommodation, accessibility and amenities.

It is a composition of many small firms that provide tourist attractions and services to the tourists in an affordable manner. Tourism industry is not an individual entity and all the industrial components of the tourism industry function together as an amalgam as tourism cannot function in the absence of even a single aspect of the industrial component.  Tourism industry is a mixture of many industries.  They are:

•      Tourist Services Industry

•      Accommodation Industry

•      Transport Industry

•      Entertainment Industry

•      Tourist Attraction Industry

•      Shopping Industry

These industries are located in different places some in the tourist generating region and some in the destination region. The travel agents and tour operators are located in the tourist generating region who help in the arrangement of travel for the tourists.  

They do marketing activities motivating the tourists to visit specific destination regions while designing tailor made tourism products.  The travel agents and tour operators in  the destination region are facilitators of the tourists.  Thus, they form to be the tourist services industry.

The accommodation industry, the sub-component comprises of hotels, motels, resorts, guest- houses and home stays that provide temporary residential facility for the tourists.  There is variety of options in the accommodation sector affordable to the different category of tourists. The transport industry consists of four forms of transport like air, rail, sea and road transport.

A number of carriers are there in the transport industry transporting the tourists from the tourist-generating region to the tourist destination region through the transit route region.  It is one of the most indispensable components as tourism cannot happen without movement of people and transport industry solely takes care of it.

The entertainment industry pertains to the products provided in the destination region by the service providers with a motive to bring enjoyment, pleasure, fun, excitement, amusement and recreation to make the tourists’ leisure time fruitful and lively. Theaters, games, sports, gambling, bars and pubs are some of the products in the entertainment industry available in the destination region

The attraction industry comprises of the tourism experiences based on which tourists ultimately gets high level of satisfaction. Nature, culture, heritage, monuments, climate, beaches, events, sunshine, snow, are some of the attractions which pull the tourists towards the tourist destination region. Attractions are unique to the destinations, as these will not be found in the tourist-generating region.

Shopping Industry is another sub-component, which is unique to the destination region as tourists wish to shop products that are traditional or famous to that particular destination.  For example, Kashmir is famous for shawls and Gujarat is famous for saris.  

Therefore, tourists wish to buy souvenirs from the destinations and wherever they travel, they desire to go to some of the shopping malls to buy their choice products selected from souvenirs which happen to be ready-made wear, cosmetics / skin-care products, snacks / confectioneries, shoes/ other footwear, handbag /wallets/belts, souvenirs / handicrafts, medicine/ herbs, perfume, personal care and jewelry.

4. The Environmental Component.

The last component in the Leiper’s model of tourism system is the environment component that surrounds the three geographical regions.  Tourism is an open system and it interacts with the external environment. Environment is the surrounding circumstances that affect the tourism system and vice versa. These forces either induce positive or negative influences on the tourism system.  The environmental components that affect the tourism system are as follows:

1.      Political Factors

2.      Economic Factors

3.      Social/Cultural Factors

4.      Technological Factors

5.      Environmental Factors

6.      Legal Factors 

4.1 Political Factors

Political factors influences the tourism system according the available political situation.  An unstable political situation will hamstring the tourism development.  Tourism system will function effectively if there is political harmony and law and order are executed in a proper manner.  

It will further get developed in case the government enforces tourism policy planning, makes more investments in the tourism industry and ensures tax benefits.  If there is good relationship existing between the countries of the tourist generating region and tourist destination region tourism will flourish.  Otherwise tourism growth will be adversely affected.

4.2 Economic Factors

The economic factors influence the system of tourism as it is directly related to the per capita income of the tourist generating region, their disposable income and standard of living.  On the other hand if tourist destination region provides affordable tourism products and services tourism development is likely to go up.  

Therefore, the income and expenditure of the tourists will be balanced ensuring tourist flow.  Economic factors are also directly related to the general global financial situation.  The financial depression that was prevalent in the year 2008 had severely affected the tourism industry as the per capita income decreased all over the world.

4.3 Social/Cultural Factors

Social or cultural factors spell significant influences on the tourism system.  Based on the attitude of the local people in the tourism destination region the tourists of the generating region will be pulled towards it.  The experience of the tourists depends upon the receptive nature of the hosts of the destination.  

If aversion prevails over the behavior of the tourists in the minds of the host people, loyal tourists cannot be pulled by the destination region.  The tourists will not prefer to visit a destination which is not tourist friendly.

4.4 Technological Factors

Technology is another important factor that affects the tourism system.  Technology has been developing swiftly and it has spread its wings in all the sectors especially in tourism.  It has changed the travel behavior of the tourist of the generating region and the organizations of the tourism industry are using technology to market their their services and products of the tourist destination region.  

Internet is used by the tourists to gather information about the destinations, the transit routes and the attractions to decide on their travel.  They make reservations online instead of approaching the travel agents and tour operators – traditional methods of  distribution system.  The suppliers of the destination region and the transit route region like the airlines, hotels, and tourism attraction operators make direct contact with the tourists generating region and create great challenge to the intermediaries.

4.5 Environmental Factors

The environmental factors are related to the rich biodiversity existing in the tourist destination region.  The more the pressure given to the environmental chasteness more will be the impact on the biodiversity.  The ecosystem of the destination region is affected by the tourists of the generating region and the tourism industrial operators.

Negative impacts like pollution, loss of greeneries, congestion, over utilization creates the imperatives for making tourism sustainable for the future.  Therefore, such negative impacts have to be eliminated or reduced by the government creating awareness about sustainability of tourism resources in the minds of the stakeholders otherwise severe loss will be exerted on the tourism system.

4.6 Legal Factors

The legal factors refer to the prevalent law and order in the tourist generating region, transit route region and the tourist destination region. These laws act as a framework  to protect the tourists and the organizations of the tourism industry.  It leads to the proper development and management of tourism and the components of the tourism system.  There are laws pertaining to tourism infrastructure, conservation of natural rich biodiversity and the cultural resources.

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Travel ABC: The 7 Essential Components of Tourism

By Jorge Coromina

Travel and tourism have become an integral part of modern life, offering people the opportunity to explore new destinations, cultures, and experiences. 

While we often associate travel with leisure and relaxation, the industry's complexities go far beyond just booking a flight and hotel. 

To truly understand the dynamics of travel and tourism, we need to delve into its seven essential components, each playing a vital role in creating memorable journeys for travelers worldwide.

Transportation

Transportation serves as the backbone of the travel and tourism industry. Whether it's crossing international borders or exploring local attractions, the availability of efficient and reliable transportation is crucial. Airlines, railways, buses, cruise lines, and other modes of transportation connect destinations, making it possible for travelers to reach their desired locations. Advancements in transportation technology have also made travel more accessible, convenient, and eco-friendly.

Accommodation

Accommodation is a fundamental component of travel and tourism, encompassing a wide range of options to suit every traveler's preferences and budget. From luxurious five-star hotels to cozy bed and breakfasts, hostels, vacation rentals, and camping sites, the diversity in accommodation choices allows travelers to personalize their experience. The hospitality industry's dedication to providing comfortable and welcoming spaces plays a significant role in ensuring tourists enjoy a memorable stay.

Attractions

The attractions at a destination are what entice travelers to visit and explore. Whether they are natural wonders, historical landmarks, cultural sites, amusement parks, or adventure sports, attractions are the heart of tourism. They showcase the unique identity of a place, revealing its history, traditions, and values. Government and private initiatives to preserve and promote attractions contribute to the sustainable growth of the tourism industry.

Cuisine and Dining

One of the most enjoyable aspects of travel is indulging in the local cuisine and dining experiences. Food is an essential part of culture, and trying traditional dishes gives travelers an authentic glimpse into the destination's way of life. Restaurants, street food vendors, food festivals, and cooking classes all contribute to the gastronomic adventure that enriches a traveler's journey.

Entertainment and Events

Entertainment and events are integral to enhancing the overall travel experience. Music festivals, art exhibitions, cultural performances, and sports events add excitement and vibrancy to destinations. These events often draw large crowds of tourists, fostering cultural exchange and economic growth for the local community.

Travel Services and Infrastructure

Behind the scenes, travel services and infrastructure work tirelessly to ensure seamless experiences for travelers. Travel agencies, tour operators, travel insurance providers, and online platforms facilitate trip planning and booking. Additionally, efficient infrastructure, such as airports, roads, public transportation, and communication networks, plays a crucial role in supporting the smooth movement of tourists.

Hospitality and Customer Service

At the core of travel and tourism lies the importance of hospitality and exceptional customer service. The warmth and friendliness of locals, as well as the professionalism of tourism employees, leave a lasting impression on visitors. From tour guides to hotel staff, these individuals play an invaluable role in creating a positive and welcoming environment for tourists.

The travel and tourism industry is a multifaceted ecosystem comprising various components that work harmoniously to provide enriching experiences for travelers. From the moment a journey is conceived to the point of departure, each aspect plays a vital role in shaping memories that last a lifetime. 

As this industry continues to evolve, a focus on sustainability, responsible tourism, and embracing cultural diversity will ensure that future generations can enjoy the wonders of travel while preserving the beauty of our world's destinations.

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Category: Travel

Date: October 19, 2023

Travel and Tourism Industry Components (5A’s in Tourism )

Travel and tourism components captivate travel aspirants and grab them to your travel agency. These are the ingredients that add flavor to your agency’s offerings and allow you to lead the way in an ever-competitive industry.

Perhaps, you may already offer these paramount travel components, however if you miss to highlight them on your travel website, you’ll lose many significant opportunities.

To ensure that you’re maximizing the potential of these key components, let’s quickly delve into the advantages of the six components of tourism, and some ideas for weaving them seamlessly into your website.

Being a travel website development company should recognize the fundamental 5A’s of tourism. Understanding these components enables a comprehensive approach to designing and developing travel websites that cater to the dynamic needs of modern travelers. As a dedicated travel digital marketing services provider, recognizing the intricate dynamics of these components is crucial in crafting engaging and user-friendly travel platforms that effectively highlight the unique offerings of various destinations.

Table Of Contents

Components of tourism, 1. attraction, 2. activities, 3. accessibility, 4. accommodation, 5. amenities, 6. affordability.

Today, people seek attraction in everything – the food they eat, the clothes they wear, etc. Why attraction is important for the Travel & Tourism industry?

According to Phocuswright , 36% of people rated travel as an important priority for spending their time and money. The NYU states that 68% of tourists pay more attention to attractive places to travel. Today, different groups of people are traveling and exploring a lot around the world.

Though all people travel, their reasons for traveling might differ from person-to-person. Some people travel,

• To write novels, epics, short stories. Usually, writers have the habit of traveling to get new ideas
• To spend their vacation, this is evident from the study by Travel Agent Central stating that around $101.1 billion is spent by Americans on summer vacations.
• To relax from the depressions caused by the outer world. The Global Commission on Ageing and Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies in partnership with the U.S. Travel Association stated that traveling actually keeps you healthy.

How will travelers know about the services you offer?

According to Facebook , 87% of people get inspired to travel from social media. Therefore, you can post charming images and virtual reality videos on your page and impress your viewers.

Typically, people get closer to things that attract them. Therefore, you can grasp the attention of many people through your attractive travel sites.

Actually, how can you make an ordinary trip an extraordinary one? The answer to this question will be activities. Other than anything else, activities like hiking, biking, trekking actually impress your travelers.

• According to Short Term Rentalz 2019, 85% of families said that their priority for travel was outdoor activities.
• TripAdvisor’s latest analysis stated that snorkeling activities have gone up to 64% since last year and sailing trips have gone up to 55% within the last year.

For instance, if a person goes for a trip to a beach spot, there should be boats, lifejackets, emergency kits, etc so it would be possible for a traveler to actively go for a boat ride.

You can use technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality to design videos on your websites and create awareness about the available travel activities.

Accessibility to a place is the most important thing in travel as it helps a person to reach that place of attraction. Some of the most visited areas by tourists are France, Singapore, Rome, Italy, China, Mexico, etc.

Each tourist place in these countries follows various terms and conditions. Some rules would be like,

• In Singapore, if you spit chewing gum in public places, you will have to pay $1000 as a penalty.
• Traffic rules are strictly followed in Mexico that everyone on the road should know in which direction to move.
• Both men and women are supposed to follow the dress codes while visiting the holy places in Rome.

Another difficulty of a traveler in accessing a place would be transportation. Based on the regions, transport also varies

• The gondola is the mode of transport used in Italy.
• People of France use Trams for moving from one place to another.
• The Turkish countrymen have underground funicular railways as their transport.

It would be more interesting for tourists if they are already familiar with these transport mediums, rules, and regulations.

When a traveler goes on a trip, he/she wishes to have a good place to stay with all amenities and luxuries. A place with lots of comforts attracts travelers even more.

• The Short Term Rentalz says that 60% of family travelers like to accommodate in hotels, while 21% prefer to resorts.
• The Booking website gives an analysis that 73% of travelers yearn to stay in greenish accommodation at least once in their lifetime

In the olden days, travelers used to book the rooms through a travel agent or by contacting the hotel accommodations team.

For instance, what would be the first thing that a traveler who is planning for a trip does? The traveler searches for the availability of rooms in the net along with many queries like – Are there any local affiliations near to the Hotel? What about the food menu provided? Am I entitled to any exclusive amenities inside my room?

At that time, if your website acts as an answer key for the tourist’s questions, then you will be able to stand out from your competitors.

You cannot easily win the heart of your traveler unless you provide the required amenities.

Interesting statistics about amenities of a Traveler,

Sockets – According to PR Newswire Association, 81% of people agree that they take smartphones during travel as their primary accessory. You can provide sockets to charge these electronic devices like tablets, gadgets, laptops.

Personalized lavatories – Cornell University states that 86% of travelers used the available toiletries. Therefore, you can provide amenities like personal-sized shampoos, conditioners, body washes, hand soap, etc.

When travelers get impressed by the facilities you offer during their stay, even for their next trips they will come again to your travel agency. Also, they will start recommending your services to others. Therefore, the amenities you provide will bring greater promotions to your travel business!.

• According to travel statistics by Google, 57% of travelers feel that travel websites should customize information based on their past bookings and personal preferences.
• HubSpot states that 61% of users are unlikely to return to a site if they had trouble loading it on their mobile device and 40% of users are likely to jump ship to a competitor’s site if the mobile site of their preferred brand takes a long time to load.

This is the sixth ‘A’ but nonetheless very important to attract tourists to the destination. Tourists should be able to afford the trip in terms of transport costs, accommodation charges, entrance fees at attractions and the number of days, which need to be spent on travel and stay; i.e. they should be able to afford the holiday in terms of time and money. Tour operators prepare package tours keeping affordability in mind. These group tours work out cheaper than individuals booking their own tickets and making itineraries for themselves

A successful destination would have a good balance between these six ‘A’s and ensure that there is something to see and do for people of different ages and backgrounds so that a large number of tourists visit the place.

Drive Conversions and Boost your Business with Expert Travel Website Development.

Apart from the classic five ‘A’s of tourism, we suggest a sixth ‘A’ which is vital to the tourism agency’s success, Affordability.

The travel expenses like transport costs, accommodation charges, entrance fees, and many more should be at an affordable price for travelers. For this reason, tourist agencies are coming up with new projects on package tours. This is because, those who are traveling on package tours do not have to book tickets, plan itineraries on their own because the tour operators themselves plan everything for travel at a cheaper cost.

Thus, if the destined touring spots should have more visitors, then the above mentioned A’s should be balanced equally, and also travelers of different age groups and backgrounds should have some things interesting for them to explore.

Generally, in the tourism industry, attraction and activities go hand in hand. Even though the 5 components are important for trips, in recent years, attraction & activities have become the heart and soul of successful tourism!

Thus, travel aspirants should be aware that your agency provides all these 5 A’s. And the travel agents can reveal it to travelers via the website. If you are in the travel & tourism industry and are looking to create an attractive travel website to improve your brand image, get partnered with a professional website development company . By comprehensively understanding the 5A’s in tourism, we can skillfully leverage travel digital marketing services to create engaging platforms. Such adept integration of travel website development services ensures a seamless and immersive user experience.

Feel free to contact us . Our team is always happy to assist you.

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What Are The 4 Components of Sustainable Tourism? – A Path to Responsible Travel

• 1.1 1. Environmental Sustainability
• 1.2 2. Social Sustainability
• 1.3 3. Economic Sustainability
• 1.4 4. Cultural Sustainability
• 2 Conclusion

What Are The 4 Components Of Sustainable Tourism? – Introduction 

Tourism is a global industry that brings people from different corners of the world to explore new destinations, cultures, and experiences. Ho wever, as the tourism sector continues to expand, there is growing recognition of the need for responsible and sustainable practices.

Sustainable tourism aims to preserve and protect the environment, support local communities, and provide enriching experiences for travelers. To achieve these goals, there are four essential components of sustainable tourism that serve as guiding principles for the industry.

What is Sustainable Tourism? :  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yT-zMS70ekk&pp=ygUxV2hhdCBBcmUgVGhlIDQgQ29tcG9uZW50cyBvZiBTdXN0YWluYWJsZSBUb3VyaXNtPw%3D%3D

1. Environmental Sustainability

Preserving Nature : One of the primary components of sustainable tourism is the preservation of natural resources and ecosystems. This involves minimizing the negative impact of tourism activities on the environment. Key practices include:

– Conservation: Protecting natural habitats, wildlife, and ecosystems through responsible tourism activities and habitat restoration projects. – Reducing Pollution: Implementing eco-friendly practices to minimize pollution, such as waste reduction, responsible waste disposal, and promoting sustainable transportation options. – Resource Management: Managing natural resources like water and energy efficiently to minimize waste and environmental degradation.

Example: Eco-lodges in Costa Rica are designed to blend seamlessly with the rainforest environment, using sustainable construction materials and renewable energy sources, while educating guests about conservation efforts.

2. Social Sustainability

Empowering Communities: Sustainable tourism should benefit local communities economically, socially, and culturally. This includes:

– Community Involvement: Engaging and empowering local communities in tourism planning, development, and decision-making processes. – Cultural Preservation: Respecting and preserving the cultural heritage of the destination, including traditions, languages, and indigenous knowledge. – Economic Opportunities: Creating jobs and supporting local businesses through tourism activities.

Example: In Tanzania, community-based tourism initiatives in Maasai villages offer travelers authentic cultural experiences, including traditional dances, storytelling, and artisan workshops, directly benefiting the local community.

3. Economic Sustainability

Ensuring Economic Viability: Sustainable tourism must be economically viable for all stakeholders involved. Key considerations include:

– Fair Wages: Paying fair wages to employees and service providers to ensure a decent standard of living. – Local Sourcing: Supporting local businesses, artisans, and food producers to stimulate the local economy. – Long-Term Viability: Ensuring that tourism activities generate economic benefits over the long term without compromising the destination’s integrity.

Example: In Bhutan, the government enforces a “high-value, low-impact” tourism policy, which includes a minimum daily expenditure for tourists. This approach generates revenue for local communities while minimizing negative impacts.

4. Cultural Sustainability

Respecting and Celebrating Culture: Cultural sustainability emphasizes the importance of preserving and celebrating the unique cultural heritage of a destination. Key aspects include:

– Respect for Traditions: Encouraging tourists to respect local customs, traditions , and religious practices.

– Education and Awareness: Providing opportunities for travelers to learn about the culture, history, and heritage of the destination. – Cultural Exchange: Fostering positive interactions between tourists and locals to promote cross-cultural understanding.

Example: In Kyoto, Japan, visitors are encouraged to participate in tea ceremonies, wear traditional kimono, and explore historic temples and shrines while adhering to respectful behavior and etiquette guidelines.

Sustainable tourism is an essential step towards ensuring that the travel industry continues to thrive while minimizing its negative impact on the planet and local communities. The four components of sustainable tourism—environmental, social, economic, and cultural sustainability—provide a comprehensive framework for responsible travel.

By embracing these principles, travelers, tour operators, and governments can work together to create enriching, sustainable experiences that benefit everyone involved, protect the environment, and contribute to the long-term well-being of the destinations we love to explore.

In conclusion, sustainable tourism is not merely a buzzword but a tangible commitment to transforming the travel industry into a force for positive change. The four key components of sustainable tourism—environmental, social, economic, and cultural sustainability—provide a comprehensive framework for achieving responsible travel.

The examples we’ve explored showcase how these principles are being applied worldwide, highlighting the real impact that sustainable tourism can have on our planet and its communities. Whether it’s protecting wildlife in Kenya, supporting fair wages in South Africa, investing in local markets in Mexico, or preserving cultural heritage in Italy, sustainable tourism initiatives demonstrate that responsible travel is both possible and beneficial for all stakeholders involved.

As travelers, businesses, and governments increasingly recognize the importance of sustainability, it is our collective responsibility to embrace these principles and put them into practice. By doing so, we can ensure that tourism continues to provide enriching experiences for travelers while safeguarding our environment, empowering local communities, fostering economic development, and preserving the cultural treasures that make our world so diverse and captivating.

In the face of global challenges such as climate change and overtourism, sustainable tourism is not just an option; it’s a necessity. It offers a path toward a more harmonious and equitable future, where travel enhances the world rather than depletes it. As travelers, let us choose destinations and experiences that prioritize sustainability, and as industry stakeholders, let us continue to innovate and collaborate to make responsible travel the norm rather than the exception. Together, we can ensure that the wonders of our world remain accessible to future generations, inspiring awe and reverence for the beauty and diversity of our planet.

More Links:

What Are The 3 Main Steps For Recycling To Be Successful? – Unveiling The Steps:  https://ecosustainity.com/what-are-the-3-main-steps-for-recycling-to-be-successful/

Is It Hard To Find A Job In Sustainability? – Navigating the Path:  https://ecosustainity.com/is-it-hard-to-find-a-job-in-sustainability/

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Chapter 7. Travel Services

7.1 Components of Travel Services

The travel services sector helps travellers arrange and reserve their vacation or business trips (StatsCan, 2018). This sector is made up of businesses and organizations that work in a coordinated effort to provide travellers with seamless arrangements to maximize their travel experience. Go2HR describes travel services experiences and employment opportunities as follows:

Within this sector, you have the flexibility of working in various capacities with event and conference planning organizations, travel companies and organizations, as well as associations, government agencies and companies that specialize in serving the needs of the tourism sector as a whole. (go2HR, Essential Tips – Travel Services, 2020)

Before we move on, let’s explore the term travel services a little more. As detailed in Chapter 1 , Canada, the United States, and Mexico have used the NAICS guidelines, which define the tourism industry as consisting of transportation, accommodation, food and beverage, recreation and entertainment, and travel services (Tourism HR Canada, 2020). These five sectors are defined and further detailed in B.C. by the B.C. government (BC Government, 2014) and go2HR on their website (go2HR, Career Explorer, 2020).

For many years, however, the tourism industry was classified into eight sectors: accommodations, adventure and recreation, attractions, events and conferences, food and beverage, tourism services, transportation, and travel trade (Yukon Department of Tourism and Culture, 2020; go2HR, 2020, What is Tourism? – Travel Services).

Tourism services support industry development and the delivery of guest experiences, and some of these are missing from the NAICS classification. To ensure you have a complete picture of the tourism industry in BC, this chapter will cover both the NAICS travel services activities and some additional tourism services.

First, we’ll review the components of travel services as identified under NAICS, as well as exploring popular careers within:

• Travel agencies (brick and mortar)
• Online Travel Agencies/OTA
• Tour operators
• Destination marketing organizations (DMOs)

Other Organizations

Following these definitions and descriptions, we’ll take a look at some other support functions that fall under tourism services. These include sector organizations, tourism and hospitality human resources organizations, training providers, educational institutions, government branches and ministries, economic development and city planning offices, and consultants.

Finally, we’ll look at issues and trends in travel services, both at home, and abroad.

While the application of travel services functions are structured somewhat differently around the world, there are a few core types of travel services in every destination. Essentially, travel services are those processes used by guests to book components of their trip. Let’s explore these services in more detail.

Travel Agencies

A travel agency is a business that operates as the intermediary between the travel industry (supplier) and the traveller (purchaser). Part of the role of the travel agency is to market prepackaged travel tours and holidays to potential travellers. The agency can further function as a broker between the traveller and hotels, car rentals, and tour companies (Goeldner & Ritchie, 2003). Travel agencies can be small and privately owned or part of a larger entity.

A travel agent is the direct point of contact for a traveller who is researching and intending to purchase packages and experiences through an agency. Travel agents can specialize in certain types of travel including specific destinations; outdoor adventures; and backpacking, rail, cruise, cycling, or culinary tours, to name a few. These specializations can help travellers when they require advice about their trips. Some travel agents operate at a fixed address and others offer services both online and at a bricks-and-mortar location. Travellers are then able to have face-to-face conversations with their agents and also reach them by phone or by email. To promote professionalism within the travel industry, travel counsellors can apply for a specialized diploma or certificate in travel from ACTA (ACTA, 2020a; go2HR, 2020a).

Today, travellers have the option of researching and booking everything they need online without the help of a travel agent. As technology and the internet are increasingly being used to market destinations, people can now choose to book tours with a particular agency or agent, or they can be identified as seeking Domestic Independent Travel (DIT) or Foreign Independent Travel (FIT) , by creating their own itineraries from a number of suppliers.

Online Travel Agents (OTAs)

Increasing numbers of travellers are turning to online travel agents (OTAs), companies that aggregate accommodations and transportation options and allow users to choose one or many components of their trip based on price or other incentives. Examples of OTAs include iTravel2000, Booking.com, Expedia.ca, Hotwire.com, and Kayak.com. OTAs continue to gain popularity with the travelers; in 2012, they reported online sales of almost $100 billion (Carey, Kang, & Zea, 2012) and almost triple that figure, upward of $278 billion, in 2013 ( The Economist , 2014).

In early 2015 Expedia purchased Travelocity for $280 million, merging two of the world’s largest travel websites. Expedia became the owner of Hotels.com, Hotwire, Egencia, and Travelocity brands, facing its major competition from Priceline (Alba, 2015).

Although OTAs can provide lower-cost travel options to travellers and the freedom to plan and reserve when they choose, they have posed challenges for the tourism industry and travel services infrastructure. As evidenced by the merger of Expedia and Travelocity, the majority of popular OTA sites are owned by just a few companies, causing some concern over lack of competition between brands. Additionally, many OTAs charge accommodation providers and operators a commission to be listed in their inventory system. Commission-based services, as applied by Kayak, Expedia, Hotwire, Hotels.com, and others, can have an impact on smaller operators who cannot afford to pay commissions for multiple online inventories (Carey, Kang & Zea, 2012). Being excluded from listings can decrease the marketing reach of the product to potential travellers, which is a challenge when many service providers in the tourism industry are small or medium-sized businesses with budgets to match.

While the industry and communities struggle to keep up with the changing dynamics of travel sales, travellers are adapting to this new world order. One of these adaptations is the ever-increasing use of mobile devices for travel booking. The Expedia Future of Travel Report found that 49% of travellers from the millennial generation (which includes those born between 1980 and 1999) use mobile devices to book travel (Expedia Inc., 2014), and these numbers are expected to continue to increase. Travel agencies are reacting by developing personalized features for digital travellers and mobile user platforms (ETC Digital, 2014). With the number of smartphone users expected to reach 1.75 billion in 2014 (CWT Travel Management Institute, 2014) these agencies must adapt as demand dictates.

A key feature of travel agencies’ (and to a growing extent transportation carriers) mobile services includes the ability to have up-to-date itinerary changes and information sent directly to consumers’ phones (Amadeus, 2014). By using mobile platforms that can develop customized, up-to-date travel itineraries for clients, agencies and operators are able to provide a personal touch, ideally increasing customer satisfaction rates.

Take a Closer Look: PATA — The Future of Travel is Personalisation at Scale

“The industry has changed monumentally over the past decade. The rise of meta-search websites and sharing economy services like Airbnb is giving travellers more control and choice than ever before. However, this is nothing compared to the changes that are on the horizon as technologies like mobile, AR, AI, and VR become mainstream.

One thing is certain; the pace of change is accelerating. Against this backdrop, the travel industry as a whole will need to fundamentally shift its focus to continuous innovation.” (PATA, 2019)

Despite the growth and demand for OTAs, brick and mortar travel agencies are still in demand by travellers (IBISWorld, 2019) as they have both an online presence and physical locations. The COVID-19 pandemic may see an increase in travellers relying on personal contact with brick and mortar travel agencies but at a distance through mail and phone.

Tour Operators

A tour operator packages all or most of the components of an offered trip and then sells them to the traveller. These packages can also be sold through retail outlets or travel agencies (CATO, 2020; Goeldner & Ritchie, 2003). Tour operators work closely with hotels, transportation providers, and attractions in order to purchase large volumes of each component and package these at a better rate than the traveller could if purchasing individually. Tour operators generally sell to the leisure market.

Inbound, Outbound, and Receptive Tour Operators

Tour operators may be inbound, outbound, or receptive:

• Inbound tour operators  bring travellers into a country as a group or through individual tour packages (e.g., a package from China to visit Canada).
• Outbound tour operators work within a country to take travellers to other countries (e.g., a package from Canada to the United Kingdom).
• Receptive tour operators (RTOs) are not travel agents, and they do not operate the tours. They represent the various products of tourism suppliers to tour operators in other markets in a business-to-business (B2B) relationship. Receptive tour operators are key to selling packages to overseas markets (Destination BC, 2020) and creating awareness around possible product.

Destination Marketing Organizations

Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) include national tourism boards, state/provincial tourism offices, and community convention and visitor bureaus around the world. DMOs promote “the long-term development and marketing of a destination, focusing on convention sales, tourism marketing and service” (Destinations BC, 2020).

Spotlight On: Destinations International

Destinations International is the global trade association for official DMOs. It is made up of over 600 official DMOs in 15 countries around the world. DMAI provides its members with information, resources, research, networking opportunities, professional development, and certification programs. For more information, visit the Destinations International website.

With the proliferation of other planning and booking channels, including OTA s, today’s DMOs are shifting away from travel services functions and placing a higher priority on destination management components.

Working Together

One way tour operators, DMOs, and travel agents work together is by participating in familiarization tours (FAMs for short). These are usually hosted by the local DMO and include visits to different tour operators within a region. FAM attendees can be media, travel agents, RTO representatives, and tour operator representatives. FAMs are frequently low to no cost for the guests as the purpose is to orient them to the tour product or experience so they can promote or sell it to potential guests.

The majority of examples in this chapter so far have pertained to leisure travellers. There are, however, specialty organizations that deal specifically with business trips.

Spotlight On: Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Canada

“GBTA Canada is the voice of the Canadian business travel industry. We believe in providing the business travel and meetings community with a global platform to serve as a resource library for their peers, to implement world-class Conferences, workshops and virtual meetings, and to foster an interactive network of innovation and support.” The GBTA state that their economic impact contributes $23.5 billion CAD in Canadian business travel (Economic Impact Study) and “$435+ billion CAD of business travel and meetings expenditures represented globally.” Visit the GBTA website .

Business Travel Planning and Reservations

Unlike leisure trips, which are generally planned and booked by end consumers using their choice of tools, business travel often involves a travel management company, or its online tools. Travel managers negotiate with suppliers and ensure that all the trip components are cost effective and comply with the policies of the organization.

Many business travel planners rely on global distribution systems (GDS) to price and plan components. GDS combine information from a group of suppliers, such as airlines. In the past, this has created a chain of information from the supplier to GDS to the travel management company. Today, however, there is a push from airlines (through the International Air Transport Association’s Resolution 787) to dissolve the GDS model and forge direct relationships with buyers (BTN Group, 2014).

Destination Management Companies

According to the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI), a destination management company (DMC) specializes in designing and implementing corporate programs, and “is a strategic partner to provide creative local experiences in event management, tours/activities, transportation, entertainment, and program logistics” (ADMEI, 2020). The packages produced by DMCs are extraordinary experiences rather than general business trips. These are typically used as employee incentives, corporate retreats, product launches, and loyalty programs. DMCs are the one point of contact for the client corporation, arranging for airfare, airport transfers, ground transportation, meals, special activities, and special touches such as branded signage, gifts, and decor (ADMEI, 2020). The end user is simply given (or awarded) the package and then liaises with the DMC to ensure particular arrangements meet his or her needs and schedule.

As you can see, travel services range from online to personal, and from leisure to business applications. Now that you have a general sense of the components of travel services, let’s look at some examples in Canada and BC.

Under NAICS, businesses and functions that assist with planning and reserving components of the visitor experience.

Other services that work to support the development of tourism and the delivery of guest experiences.

A business that provides a physical location for travel planning requirements.

An individual who helps the potential traveller with trip planning and booking services, often specializing in specific types of travel.

A trade organization established in 1977 to ensure high standards of customer service, engage in advocacy for the trade, conduct research, and facilitate travel agent training.

A service that allows the traveller to research, plan, and purchase travel without the assistance of a person, using the internet on sites such as Expedia.ca or Hotels.com.

An operator who packages suppliers together (hotel + activity) or specializes in one type of activity or product.

An operator who packages products together to bring visitors from external markets to a destination.

An operator who packages and sells travel products to people within a destination who want to travel abroad.

Someone who represents the products of tourism suppliers to tour operators in other markets in a business-to-business (B2B) relationship.

Also known as a destination management organization; includes national tourism boards, state/provincial tourism offices, and community convention and visitor bureaus.

Tours provided to overseas travel agents, travel agencies, RTOs, and others to provide information about a certain product at no or minimal cost to participants. The short form is pronounced like the start of the word "family" (not as each individual letter).

A company that creates and executes corporate travel and event packages designed for employee rewards or special retreats.

Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality in BC - 2nd Edition Copyright © 2015, 2020, 2021 by Morgan Westcott and Wendy Anderson, Eds is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Thailand’s Tourist Towns Deal With Their Own Russian Invasion

I t’s just past 11 p.m. on Phuket’s neon-festooned Bangla Road and revelers are out in force, though the heady atmosphere is distinctly more Sochi than Southeast Asia. TVs overhanging the sprawling beer bars show ice skating instead of soccer; Cyrillic signage proliferates; and Russian-speaking touts dispense flyers for pole-dancing clubs exclusively featuring women from former Soviet republics. “Russians, Ukrainian, Belorussian, Kazakhs,” says one tout in dark Ray Bans and a skin-tight Armani polo shirt. “We have them all here.”

The war in Ukraine has entailed an incalculable human toll, while roiling markets, disrupting supply chains, and sending inflation soaring across the globe. But in Thailand, the two-year-old conflict is also having a profound social effect despite being over 4,000 miles away. While many Western nations have shut out Russian air travel in response to Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Thailand sees Russian arrivals as key to reviving its pandemic-ravaged tourism industry. In October, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin extended 90-day visas upon arrival for Russian passports, insisting in a February interview : “We’re not part of the [Ukraine] conflict. We are neutral.”

Read More: 5 Takeaways from TIME’s Conversation with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin

Last year, Russians ranked top for tourist arrivals in Thailand from outside of Asia with 1.4 million visitors. Meanwhile, Russians were top overall on the southern resort island of Phuket, which has long been a favorite haunt. Last July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Phuket to inaugurate a new consulate to cope with surging visitor numbers. A month later, the Phuket Tourist Association sent a delegation to St. Petersburg and Moscow seeking to court even more vacationers.

In the first three months of this year, 366,095 Russians arrived at Phuket International Airport, almost double the same period of 2023 and transforming the island’s commercial and social life. (That figure doesn’t include the significant number who transferred via Thailand’s main gateway of Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.) But while a boon for the macro economy, the influx has chafed with locals who increasingly complain that Russians are stealing jobs and upsetting cultural mores. Across Thailand, lurid headlines such as “ Rabid Russian assaults police team in Phuket after going berserk at a city centre hotel ” and “ Russian tourist kicks pregnant Thai woman after asked to leave shoes outdoor ” are both a symptom and cause of alarm. (However, transgressions involving New Zealand , Swiss , and Portuguese nationals admittedly proliferate also.)

“Russia and Thailand are so different and sometimes they don’t understand Thai law and culture,” Lieut. Colonel Akachai Siri, chief inspector of Phuket Tourist Police, tells TIME. “Sometimes they break the law and they don’t recognize we have law enforcement.”

Nevertheless, Thailand’s Russian incursion appears here to stay. Other than the preferential visas, sanctions on Russian air carriers and reciprocal bans on Western airlines have slashed the destinations where Russian nationals can escape their frigid winter, making already-popular Thailand an easier choice. And then there are the not inconsiderable numbers fleeing economic doldrums and a war of choice that they had no part in choosing—not least since the Kremlin has ramped up military conscription amid mounting casualties .

“That was the final straw for us,” says Mark, a Russian who fled to Thailand with his boyfriend after an initial draft announcement in September 2022 and asked that TIME use a pseudonym for security. “We understood we can’t go back because anyone can be called to the army and just die in the war.”

As a result, the number of Russians choosing to stay in Thailand long-term is soaring. Beyond 90-day visas upon arrival, thousands are applying for one-year business or education visas. Arnold, who asked that TIME use only one name for fear of reprisals in his homeland, moved from Moscow to the Thai resort town of Hua Hin permanently last year and has noticed an increase in what are colloquially termed “ relocants ” fleeing the “various negative things which are going on back home.”

The affluent are acquiring luxury cars and yachts and renting or purchasing villas. Phuket’s plush Laguna beachfront complex of villas, ornamental lake, and 18-hole golf course is now dubbed “Little Moscow,” says Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, advisory chairman to Phuket’s Tourist Association. Over half of all residents across its 1,000 acres are Russian, according to the Laguna real estate management office, which employs two native Russian speakers to deal with the shifting demographic. Across Phuket, real estate prices have bumped some 20% owing to the Russian influx, says Bhummikitti.

The incursion has also increased pressure on Akachai’s Tourist Police, which has only 60 officers to assist the 2,000-odd regular Royal Thai Police and 60 dedicated Immigration Police across both Phuket and the larger adjacent province of Pha Nga. In addition to swelling tourist numbers, whereas 60% of tourists before the pandemic traveled on tour groups with guides and agents on hand to smooth any problems, today, 70% are independent travelers, which means the Tourist Police are increasingly called to mediate all manner of conflicts.

Relaxed entry requirements have also attracted a criminal element. In early February, Phuket police arrested five suspected Russian gangsters for the kidnapping and extortion of over $800,000 in cryptocurrency from a Belarussian couple that Akachai says was retaliation for a financial dispute back home. And last month, a 42-year-old Russian man was found stabbed to death in a rented house that was being used as a cannabis farm. The chief suspect is a Tajikistani man who fled Thailand for Turkey just hours after the murder.

Yet Akachai says most crimes relate to illegal work involving Russians determined not to return home while the war rages but without the means to support themselves indefinitely—not least since international banking sanctions have rendered accessing savings more difficult. Many Russians have set themselves up as unofficial tour guides, car and motorbike rental services, real estate agents, hairdressers, or even sex workers, advertising online via Telegram groups.

Yet not all aspects of the phenomenon are troublesome. Other than Russians, a significant number of Ukrainians have fled their war torn nation for Thailand, potentially creating a tinderbox atmosphere. But Akachai says he has not encountered a single skirmish or negative incident between the two nationalities in Phuket. Yury Rozhkov, 46, a Russian national who works for a travel agency in Bangkok, says he regularly meets Ukrainians staying in his apartment building and relations are nothing but cordial.

“They understand it’s Putin, it’s not Russia, Russian people are different,” he says. “And I’m sure Russians who have money to travel to Thailand do not support Putin and the war in Ukraine.”

In Hua Hin, Arnold is a member of a Russian-language Telegram group with more than 4,500 members from across the former Soviet bloc, but he says he cannot recall a single politically charged message among the 400 or so posted every day. “99.9% of discussions are where to find the best pad thai, current prices in the local market, how to rent a car, or where to get a vaccine,” he says.

Perched by the main gate of Phuket’s Laguna resort, the d’Odessa restaurant serves Ukrainian syrniki pancakes and smoked salmon croissants slathered with gold leaf. The tablet menu has options for Ukrainian, English, and Russian—and staff say the majority of clientele speak the latter. “There are many Ukrainian restaurants filled with Russians in Phuket,” says Bhummikitti.

Ultimately, both sides caught up in this senseless conflict share a desire to stay out of harm’s way by whatever means necessary. Mark is still employed by his Russian IT company thanks to an understanding boss despite remote working being strictly against company policy. Every day he fears a draft ticket or internal enquiries by higher management could spell the end to that vital paycheck. If that happens, “I will try to find a local job or another [remote] job in Russia,” he says. “I will try every way I can not to go back.”

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• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Write to Charlie Campbell / Phuket, Thailand at [email protected]

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California Today

A Makeover for a Beloved Tourist Destination

Visitors make Hollywood Boulevard one of their first stops in Los Angeles. But when they arrive, the reality may not match the fantasy.

By Jill Cowan

Ask most anyone around the world to imagine Hollywood, or even Los Angeles, and they’ll probably think first of the Hollywood sign. Next might come sights along Hollywood Boulevard: the iconic stars of the Walk of Fame; the TCL Chinese Theater (formerly Grauman’s) at night, lit by spotlights painting the dark sky above; classic movie stars slinking into the Musso & Frank Grill for an ice-cold martini.

That’s why tourists often make Hollywood Boulevard one of their first stops in Los Angeles. With about 38 million visitors a year, the area known as the Hollywood Entertainment District is one of the region’s most visited destinations, outpacing even Disneyland, visited by about 16.8 million people in 2022.

When they arrive, though, the reality may not match the fantasy.

As Angelenos will loudly attest whenever they head toward Hollywood Boulevard for a concert or a centrally located happy hour, traffic there is often at a standstill, and people in the midst of mental health or substance-use episodes wander down the crowded sidewalks. Restaurants catering to tourists blast music, and costumed sales workers hawk discount souvenirs or bus tours, resulting in a cacophony. And about 30 percent of the street-level commercial space on the boulevard in the entertainment district is vacant — a 40-year problem, according to Kathleen Rawson, the president and chief executive of the Hollywood Partnership, the nonprofit that manages the area’s business improvement district.

“Hollywood has had a stigma for quite some time,” Rawson said.

But city officials hope that a plan aimed at making Hollywood Boulevard more friendly to pedestrians and cyclists could help turn that around — ideally before Los Angeles hosts the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.

The plan — named “Access to Hollywood,” because, one assumes, the allusion was right there — would use $8 million in public money to expand sidewalks and add bus lanes, protected bike lanes and designated turning lanes to a 3.6 mile stretch of Hollywood Boulevard extending from West Hollywood to Los Feliz. Pedestrian safety is a key goal: Right now, the thoroughfare is among the 6 percent of city streets in Los Angeles that account for 70 percent of the city’s deaths and severe injuries to walkers. Outdoor dining spaces along the boulevard will also be expanded.

“We know when people come here and they stay here and they shop here, they’re going to spend their money here,” said Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez, who is spearheading the project and whose district encompasses most of the area. “They are going to make businesses more vibrant and make this truly the street that it should be: a world-class destination.”

Hollywood boosters, including Rawson and Soto-Martinez, hope that the transportation improvements will be the beginning of a broader revitalization of Hollywood Boulevard that could involve shutting the street to traffic more regularly, creating a pedestrian-friendly public space.

Rawson said other small improvements could make a big difference in encouraging visitors to spend time in the area. For example, she said, she hopes to raise money to pay for power-washing the Walk of Fame daily, rather than just twice a week. The boulevard has relatively few street trees; last year, the group planted 75. In the future, she said, she could envision more events on the street geared to both tourists and residents, like an outdoor World Cup watch party.

“We are dealing with the raw material here in this neighborhood that is prime for a little love and care,” she said. “The streetscape improvement plan is an amazing start to that.”

Steve Nissen, the chief executive of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which founded the Walk of Fame, said Hollywood Boulevard, like so many entertainment districts around the country, had cycled through highs and lows. While he acknowledged that recent years had been tough, he added, “We are now on a great upswing.”

He noted that Netflix, which already had an enormous office and studio footprint in Hollywood, recently spent $70 million to restore the century-old Egyptian Theater on the boulevard — the site of Hollywood’s first movie premiere event, in 1922.

The rest of the news

California can continue to set its own vehicle emission standards , a federal court ruled, blocking an attempt by Ohio, Alabama, Texas and other Republican-led states to revoke California’s authority to set standards higher than the federal government’s, The Associated Press reports.

The state has failed to adequately monitor the outcome of its spending on homelessness programs , according to the State Auditor’s Office, The Los Angeles Times reports.

A conservative group warns that legislation under consideration by California lawmakers to address how government agencies handle Black people’s applications for occupational licenses, a measure related to reparations for descendants of slaves, would be challenged , The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Southern California

The Rev. Cecil Murray, who used the First African Methodist Episcopal Church as a place for the Black community in Los Angeles to address social injustices, died at his home in the city. He was 94.

Arts institutions and galleries say they are not giving up on downtown Los Angeles, despite the financial damage done there, as in many cities, by the pandemic.

The Los Angeles City Council imposed a temporary moratorium on dog breeding permits after L.A. Animal Services reported that its shelters are filled to more than three times their normal capacity, KTLA reports.

Central California

A California appeals court ruled that Vince Fong, a Republican state legislator, can remain on the ballot for Kevin McCarthy’s former U.S. House seat while also running for re-election to the Assembly in November, Politico reports.

Northern California

A group of about 200 graduate students working at U.C. Law San Francisco filed to form a union , KQED reports.

And before you go, some good news

The St. Francis Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard, built in 1926, was once the heart of Hollywood. The photographer Penny Wolin’s book “Guest Register” captures the spirit of the hotel through pictures of its residents .

Wolin took the photos nearly 50 years ago, when she was 21 and stayed at the hotel for three weeks, NPR reports. She wanted to learn more about the kinds of people who were living in a hotel that had once been famous for its movie-star glamour. She describes the St. Francis as “an existential place.”

Thanks for reading. We’ll be back tomorrow.

P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword .

Soumya Karlamangla , Maia Coleman and Briana Scalia contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at [email protected].

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Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this newsletter referred incorrectly to vacant commercial space in the Hollywood Entertainment District. The vacancy rate is 30 percent for street-level space along Hollywood Boulevard in the district, not for the district as a whole.

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Jill Cowan is a Times reporter based in Los Angeles, covering the forces shaping life in Southern California and throughout the state. More about Jill Cowan

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Hawaii is "on the verge of a greater catastrophe," locals say, as water crisis continues

By Li Cohen

Updated on: April 11, 2024 / 8:23 AM EDT / CBS News

In Hawaii, one of the most important sayings is ola i ka wai , "water is life" — a phrase that not only sums up what it means to exist on an island, but what it means to live, period. But now, one of the largest of the island chain's land masses is facing a triple threat to its sole freshwater source, and if it isn't addressed soon, one community member says, "we're in deep trouble."

Despite being surrounded by seemingly endless ocean, freshwater on Oahu, the third-largest of Hawaii's six major islands, is not easily accessible. The island relies on an underground aquifer for its water supply. Replenishing that aquifer is a decades-long natural process, as it takes a single drop of water roughly 25 years to make it there from the sky. 

And recent years have seen compounding problems: less rain, leading to significant droughts , and repeated jet fuel leaks and PFAS chemical spills contaminating water systems. All of this significantly limits available water use for locals, many of whom say tourism is only worsening the situation. Just months ago, the world's largest surfing wave pool opened up on the island — filled with freshwater.

"They're not using it to drink or to support life, they're using it to make money. They're commodifying it," said Healani Sonoda-Pale, who is Native Hawaiian and a member of advocacy group O'ahu Water Protectors. "… We are on the verge of a greater catastrophe." 

"We are in a water crisis , that has to be made very clear," Wayne Tanaka, director of Sierra Club of Hawai'i, told CBS News, saying that if the reasons for this crisis aren't soon addressed, "We may come to a point where we have to decide … who gets water and who doesn't."

Surrounded by water, Oahu runs dry 

On an island, rain is essential. 

Statewide, rainfall averages range widely, from just 8 inches to around 400 inches a year, Thomas Giambelluca, director of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa Water Resources Research Center, told CBS News. There is a massive difference just minutes apart. Some areas are extremely dry, while others have the wettest climate in the U.S. 

At the university campus where CBS News spoke with Giambelluca, the average yearly rainfall is about 60 inches a year, while nearby Waikiki, two miles away, gets 20 inches.

Water supplies depend on that rainfall, with drier areas having a smaller supply. But those drier areas also face higher demand, as they are where tourists flock and many locals reside. And because the drinking water supply is almost entirely from groundwater, shifting weather patterns can pose a major problem.

"We have the problem of getting water to where it's needed from where it can be found," Giambelluca said. "...When the rain doesn't come, we don't have any second chance, we don't have any other way to get our water supply. We can't pipe it from a nearby state."

Currently, the entire island of Oahu is considered " abnormally dry ," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. "Severe and persistent droughts," prompting water conservation measures, are not uncommon, Giambelluca said. While officials could work to desalinate ocean water, "that's not the preferred way to get drinking water," he added. 

"It's very energy-intensive, and so that would be in opposition to our goals of reducing our dependency on fossil fuels in Hawaii, reducing our emissions," he said. 

And as global temperatures continue to rise, that will only get worse — not just on Oahu, but across Hawaii.

"Hawaii is getting drier and drier, particularly since the 1980s," state climatologist Pao-Shin Chu said. "...The consecutive dry days become longer and longer. That's very clear." 

But drought isn't the only issue. Warmer global temperatures also fuel more extreme precipitation, bringing more rain in a shorter duration. According to Giambelluca, that won't necessarily help maintain the water supply, as steep watersheds will channel that water into flooding, and rising sea levels will prevent rainwater from having a place to go — not even into the aquifer. Rising seas are already causing significant erosion on coastlines. 

Giambelluca explained that as sea levels rise, the ocean will infiltrate the underground freshwater system, physically pushing that resource out while also infiltrating wells and other components of the water supply system that will need to be adjusted.

"It's already affecting those water systems," Giambelluca said. "...There's no question that climate change is going to make problems caused by other factors worse."

In fact, some evidence suggests that after 2030, there will be less groundwater to extract from, Chu said, adding, "that's going to be a problem." 

"Without water, there is no life" 

For Anthony Deluze, it already is a problem. He manages farmland on Oahu, nestled in between Pearl Harbor, a highway and a shopping center. His land is spring-fed, which he uses to primarily grow taro, a root vegetable considered a sacred staple in Native Hawaiian food and culture. But climate change has made growing taro for his family and community much more difficult.  

"The biggest challenge is water," he said. "...Without water, there is no life." 

Deluze has managed the land he is on for more than a decade, but within the past five years, he said, the water table has significantly dropped, reducing the available freshwater while more seawater seeps in. Between that and the ongoing drought issues, he didn't have even half the amount of water needed to properly maintain his crops. 

"A healthy lo'i [water taro] system needs about 250,000 gallons per day per acre for it to be healthy," he said. "... We were probably getting, in the summertime, about 35,000 per day. And if we're lucky, maybe about 40- to 45,000 in the wintertime, per day. And this is three acres, so we're not even hitting a fraction of what we need." 

But it's not just a lack of water, it's a lack of clean water. 

"Water quality and water quantity are tied together," Giambelluca said. "...Water contamination is always going to impact water quantity, water availability." 

Across the highway from Deluze's farm lies Pearl Harbor and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, where in November 2021, there was a jet fuel leak in the Navy's World War II-era underground storage tanks. Nearly 20,000 gallons of jet fuel leaked out of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, contaminating the base's water system and sickening thousands of military families and locals, many of whom say they are still reeling from the health impacts. 

The Board of Water Supply instantly had to shut down three wells that supply water to the island, as the aquifer sits just below Red Hill . A year later, that same facility saw a major leak of 1,300 gallons of AFFF, a fire suppressant that contains PFAS, otherwise known as " forever chemicals ." 

"We can't farm with fuel; we can't live, period," Deluze said. 

The military has since cleaned up the bulk of the lost fuel and chemicals, but many officials believe some of both could have ended up in the environment regardless. 

"Red Hill…did spark off this crisis," Sierra Club's Wayne Tanaka told CBS News. 

"If we lose our water, every aspect of life will be impacted and upended. Not just for the next few years, but for the next few generations." 

Editor's note: The headline of this story has been updated.

• Water Safety
• Climate Change
• Hawaii Wildfires
• Pearl Harbor
• United States Military
• Water Conservation

Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.

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