Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
• There was zero international tourism growth in Europe. International arrivals in
Western Europe showed a fall of 3.7 million (−3 per cent) although growth continued
in Eastern Europe.
• The Americas recorded an overall decrease in international arrivals (−1 per cent), with
the North American region experiencing a decline (−5 per cent) for the third year in a
row. However, in contrast substantial growth was experienced in both the Caribbean
(8 per cent) and South America (12 per cent).
• Asia and the Pacific experienced a massive drop of 12 million arrivals (−9 per cent) due
to the SARS epidemic, with the South East Asia region experiencing a decline of 16
per cent, yet South Asia had 17 per cent growth.
• Despite security concerns, the Middle East and Africa recovered quickly during the year
and recorded the best results of all the regions with estimated increases of 10 per cent
and 5 per cent respectively.
At a global level the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC 2000), using a tourism
satellite accounting system, has measured that, directly and indirectly, the travel and
tourism industry constitutes 11 per cent of global GDP (US$3575 billion) and supports
200 million jobs worldwide (8 per cent of total employment or 1 in every 12.4 jobs). By
2010, the travel and tourism economic contribution is estimated to grow to 11.6 per cent
(US$6591 billion) of global GDP and will support 250 million jobs (9 per cent of total
employment or 1 in every 11 jobs). The WTTC (2001a) estimates that by 2011, the travel
and tourism economy will constitute 11.0 per cent of global GDP and support
260,417,000 jobs worldwide (9 per cent of total employment or 1 in 11.2 jobs).
The immediate economic significance of such figures is to be seen not only in tourist
destination and tourist generating areas but also in those destinations from which tourists
switch their travel in order to take advantage of cheap prices, faster travel times or more
favourable perceptions of safety. However, changes in the international tourism market
will also be related to domestic holiday travel, as consumers can switch their travel plans
not only between international destinations but also between domestic and international
destinations. Tourism, as with other forms of economic activity, therefore reflects the
increasing interconnectedness of the international economy. Indeed, by its very nature in
terms of connections between generating areas, destinations and travel routes or paths,
tourism is perhaps a phenomenon which depends more than most not only on transport,
service and trading networks but also on social, political and environmental relationships
between the consumers and producers of the tourist experience. Such issues are clearly of
interest to geographers. For example, according to L.S.Mitchell (1979), in his discussion
of the contributions that geography can make to the investigation of tourism:
The geographer's point-of-view is a trilogy of biases pertaining to place,
environment and relationships. … In a conceptual vein the geographer has
traditionally claimed the spatial and chorographic aspects as his realm….
The geographer, therefore, is concerned about earth space in general and
about place and places in particular. The description, appreciation, and
understanding of places is paramount to his thinking although two other
perspectives (i.e. environment and relationships) modify and extend the
primary bias of place.
(Mitchell 1979:237)
Search WWH ::




Custom Search