tourism must
‘‘
capture
’’
the composition
—
or components
—
of the tourism system, as well as the key
processes and outcomes that occur within tourism. These processes and outcomes include the very
essence of tourism, the travel experience, and the supporting means by which tourism is made
possible. Figure 1.2 attempts to describe the complexity of the relationships among the many
components of the tourism phenomenon.
The Tourist
The very heart of the tourism phenomenon model is unequivocally the
tourists
and the travel
experiences that they seek when visiting a tourism destination. In order for a destination to provide
stimulating, high-quality experiences, it is critical that both policy makers and managers be able to
understand tourists
’
motivation for pleasure travel, as well as the multiple factors that in
fl
uence their
selection of a destination, their mode of travel, and their ultimate choice among the myriad activities
that may ful
fi
ll their travel needs. It is only when we understand the tourist as fully as possible that we
can proceed to develop the facilities, events, activities, and programs that will distinguish a given
destination, thus making it uniquely attractive to the tourist.
Natural Resources and Environment
A fundamental dimension of the model
—
indeed, the very basis of much tourism
—
is the natural
resources and environment component. Any given destination is primarily and unchangeably
characterized by its
physiography
(the nature and appearance of its landscape) and its
climate
(the kind of weather it has over a period of years; i.e., the conditions of heat and cold, moisture and
Tourism is engaging in
wonderful, fun, family
experiences while on
vacation. Visiting an
interactive zoological park
such as Jungle Island and
enjoying an encounter with
lorikeets is a memorable
experience.
Photo courtesy of
Jungle Island.
Components of Tourism and Tourism Management
E
9
dryness, and wind). Finally, the third component of the natural environment is people. In the case of
people, we must distinguish between two very important categories of individuals: (1) those who
‘‘
belong
’’
to the destination (its residents), and (2) those who are current or potential visitors to the
destination (the tourism market).
The Built Environment
Another dimension of the tourism phenomenon is the
built environment
that has been created by
humans. This built environment
fi
rst includes the culture of the residents of the host region. As
discussed in Chapter 10, the culture of a people re
fl
ects many dimensions of its past development and
its current way of life.
Culture
is a very permanent characteristic of a destination, and one that cannot
(and should not) be changed simply to enhance tourism development.
