Travel and

Tourism
Unit 2
Two Bridges
Tuition
In this lesson
you will learn
how to
• understand factors affecting
the scale of global tourism
demand
• explain reasons for the growth
of sustainable tourism
2.1 The scale
of T AND T
DEMAND
Travel and tourism has grown, and has kept
growing, for many years. More tourists have
wanted to travel to more destinations and
demand for tourism has increased.
Growth in travel and tourism has had
economic, environmental and sociocultural
impacts on a wide scale.
Factors affecting tourism demand and how
they are managed
 01 ECONOMIC

Factors
affecting 02 SOCIAL

T+T 03 TECHNOLOGICAL

04 POLITICAL

05 ENVIRONMENTAL

06 HEALTH
Economic factors
Economic factors also affect tourism demand.
Factors that affect tourism demand are managed. For
example, national governments of countries manage the
factors that affect demand for tourism in their countries.
Economic factors include:
• the disposable income people have to spend on travel
• the amount of money governments invest in tourism.
National governments invest in travel and tourism by using
money for development.
For example, a country's government can use money to
improve transport facilities such as airports, roads and
railways.
Social
Factors
• Demographics include the number, age and level of disposable income
of the population of locations.
• Demographics affect the numbers of outbound tourists from a country.
For example, some countries have increasing numbers of retired people
who have increased disposable income and leisure time to travel, go on
holiday or visit friends and relatives.
• Health awareness has increased globally. Health awareness has
increased the demand for active, outdoor holidays.
Social
Factors
• This awareness has increased the availability of health, fitness and spa
products and services, which many large hotels now provide to satisfy
consumers' demands.
• Social consciousness has increased. Media and social media have
increased consumer awareness of other people and the difficulties others
face in life.
• The demand for socially sustainable tourism has increased. More
consumers want to buy travel and tourism products and services that
bring positive social impacts to destinations.
• Fashion and trends affect the demand for tourism products and services.
A trend is the general direction of change. One trend is for more
sustainable tourism.
Technological factors
Technological factors affecting tourism
demand include:
• transport developments, for example, more
airports, bigger aircraft and faster trains
• developments in information technology
(IT), for example, online booking and the
growth of social media.
Political factors
• Terrorism can deter tourists when attacks take place in a destination.
• War reduces the number of tourists who want to travel to an affected
country.
• Political stability is a factor affecting tourism demand.
• Political instability in a destination can include riots and demonstrations,
which may be seen in the media. Tourism becomes reduced in a
destination where there is political instabi
Political factors
• Safety and security concerns are caused by terrorist attacks, war and
political instability. These concerns reduce the demand for travel and
tourism to affected destinations
• • Imposed limitations on travel affect tourism demand.
• National governments can decide to limit tourism.
• For example, the COVID-19 pandemic caused governments to impose
limits on travel within and between countries.
Environmental Factors
• Environmental factors that can reduce tourism demand include:
• extreme weather, such as storms, hurricanes and typhoons
• natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.
• More people are now concerned about the environment.
• Increased consumer concern about the environment is a trend. This concern about the
environment affects the ways people travel and the destinations they choose to visit.
Sustainability in travel and tourism has increased as consumers demand more sustainable
transport and more sustainable products and services in destinations.
 health factors
• Health
• Health factors affect the level of tourism demand. In 2020, the world began to be badly affected by a
pandemic, which was caused by the COVID-19 virus.
• The disease spread around the world and affected tourism demand. The risk of disease reduces tourism
demand.
• Pandemics reduce tourism demand greatly, as shown by the case study Pandemic and tourism: what
next?
 2.2 The
features and
appeal of
destinations
Different people find different destinations
appealing or interesting. This may be related to
how reachable the destination is in terms of
topographical features, infrastructure and
location. In this section, you will discover
information on how features of destinations
appeal to different types of tourists.
The features 01 LOCATION

and appeal of 02 TOPOGRAPHICAL

04 INFRASTRUCTURE
 Location
• some destinations are either easier to travel to for tourists around the world (for example, Paris in France),
or more appealing because of where they are located (for example, the Maldives).
• Paris is the capital of France, and will be the Olympic Games host city in 2024. It has a good location for
transport links. International airports for Paris are Charles de Gaulle, Orly and, for budget flights, Beauvais.
• Major road and rail links connect Paris to the rest of France and much of Western Europe.
High-speed trains link Paris to other capital cities in Europe and to most other big cities in France.
• Weather and seasonal characteristics: certain destinations are appealing because tourists can rely on them
for the weather. For example, they can expect sunshine in Santa Barbara, California, on the West Coast of the
USA, for a summer beach holiday, or snow for a winter sports holiday in a mountain resort such as
Breckenridge, Colorado, USA.
 Topographical
Topographical features: mountains, rivers and lakes can add to a destination's appeal for adventure and
sightseeing tourists, for example, spectacular mountains surround Breckenridge. In the winter, Breckenridge
is a ski resort. From spring to autumn (fall), tourists can mountain bike, hike through the impressive
mountain scenery, fish for trout, paddleboard, go white-water rafting, play golf or photograph the beautiful
scenery.
Accessibility:
• Accessibility: some destinations are easier to reach than others because of transport links, for example,
Orlando, Florida, USA, or because of provision for tourists with specific needs, such as at Copenhagen
Airport, Denmark. Orlando has two main international airports. Orlando International Airport is used by
many long-haul flights. Sanford International Airport has more low-cost (budget) and charter flights.
Accessibility services provided for tourists at Copenhagen Airport in Denmark include sustainable electric
vehicles used to transport tourists with specific mobility needs through the airport.

• Travel and transport gateways and hubs help to make some destinations such as Orlando more
accessible than others. Orlando International Airport is a gateway airport and a hub airport. Some
tourists arrive at the airport on inbound flights and transfer to domestic flights, for example, to other
airports in Florida, such as Fort Lauderdale and Key West.
 Infrastructure
⚬ Infrastructure, including public transport, roads, airports and ports, can make some destinations more accessible
than others, for example, the Olympic city of Paris in France. International airports for Paris are Charles de
Gaulle, Orly and Beauvais. Major motorways (freeways) and high-speed rail links connect Paris to the rest of
France and to other large cities in Europe, including London, via the Channel Tunnel.
⚬ Built and natural attractions add to the appeal of destinations to leisure tourists, for example, Ha Long in
Vietnam. The beautiful natural attractions of Ha Long Bay appeal to many domestic and inbound tourists
⚬ . Boat tours allow tourists to admire the impressive scenery.
⚬ The built environment of the old port area of Hoi A town appeals to tourists. Some of the well-preserved
architecture of the port dates from the well-preserved architecture of the port dates. The old Japanese Bridge is
a very popular built attraction.
￭ Culture, including traditions, language, arts and music, adds to the appeal of destinations such as Marrakesh
to cultural tourists. Marrakesh in Morocco, North Africa, is a historic city. The centre of the old city (the
Medina) is Jemaa el-Fna. Jemaa el-Fna is a large open space. The Jemaa el-Fna square appeals to cultural
tourists, with traders selling local orange juice, traditional leather bags and brass cups. The many Moroccan
food stalls in Jemaa el-Fna attract crowds of tourists and local people. Cultural tourists enjoy watching
performers in Jemaa el-Fna, which include groups of traditional musicians and dancers, storytellers,
magicians and circus acts. Alongside the Jemaa el-Fna square is a traditional market. This lively market has
many small shops and stalls selling a great variety of traditional local goods, including traditional rugs and
Moroccan lamps, leather bags, bright fabrics, embroidered slippers, silver jewellery and spices.
 Infrastructure
⚬ Expected behaviours, for example, respecting local customs, rules and regulations, can affect the appeal of some
destinations such as Marrakesh and New Zealand's Bay of Plenty to some inbound tourists. In Marrakesh, tourists are often
expected to dress modestly and to behave soberly and respectfully in public. Tourists visiting New Zealand's Bay of Plenty,
meanwhile, are encouraged to behave modestly and respectfully.
⚬ public.
⚬ Tourists visiting New Zealand's Bay Plenty, meanwhile, are encouraged to behave responsibly and sustainably in order to
respect the local Maori people's culture.
⚬ • Tourism organisations and providers affect the appeal of destinations because of the products and services made available
and promoted to customers.
⚬ For example, in Australia, tour operators organise package tours that include accommodation, visits to natural and built
attraction, and ancillary services, such as travel insurance and the provision of trained tour guides.
⚬ Sustainable provisions, for example, ecotourism products and services in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty destination, appeal to
responsible tourists.
⚬ The local tourism authority educates tourists on responsible tourism. Tourists are told how to care for the environment and
people.
⚬ Responsible tourism advice is also made available online to tourists.
 Do Y o u
Ha v e
A ny
Ques ti o n s
please do
these
activities
Act 2.2
Act 2.3
Thank You
For Your Attention