Passenger Transportation - Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies - page 96

INTRODUCTION

C hapters 5, 6, 7, and 8 focus on the operating sectors of the tourism industry, starting with

transportation. As shown in Figure 5.1, these sectors represent a critical segment of the tourism
phenomenon shown in Figure 1.2. It is the operating sectors that deliver the tourism experience and
tend to be viewed by the media, public, and visitors as the

It is the task of the
operating sectors to develop and deliver tourism services and experiences with a spirit of hospitality so
they will be enjoyable and truly memorable.
Turning our attention to the transportation sector, we find that since the beginning of time, people
have been traveling by various modes, from on foot to riding in a supersonic aircraft. Tourism and
transportation are inextricably linked

'' tourism industry. ''

— indeed, it is dif cult to overstate the importance of transporta-

tion in tourism. As world tourism increases, additional demands will be placed on the transportation

sectors (see Figure 5.2). Looking at the position occupied by the various modes of passenger
transportation, one finds that air travel dominates long-distance and middle-distance tourism. The
private automobile dominates for shorter trips and is the most popular means of travel for most
domestic journeys. The automobile is also very important in regional and international tourism. Rail
travel now plays a more limited role than it did in the past. However, this mode could increase its market
share, especially in Europe and Asia. The development of high-speed trains will increase rail traf c.
Motorcoach transportation reaches many communities that are not served by any other public
mode; but quantitatively, motorcoaches account for a very small percentage of vehicle miles. Cruises
are becoming more popular and are the fastest-growing segment of tourism. However, this segment is
still small quantitatively.
An increase in traf c due to world tourism growth puts pressure on transportation facilities,
and this can have adverse effects. Situations in the world vary widely within regions, countries, states,
and provinces. Also, variations exist among such areas. Even so, the problems seem to be the same all
over the world. Those needing the urgent attention of policy makers are as follows:

1. Congestion. Serious congestion affects most passenger transportation modes, particularly on

roads and at airports during peak periods. In major cities, there is the danger of reaching gridlock.
Congestion means delays that are a serious waste of time and energy.

F

Transportation
Sector

Figure 5.1 Operating sectors of the tourism

industry: transportation.