geography

• Factors that led to the growth of tourism


  • Globalisation has increased these factors
• Motivation to travel


  Globalisation has enabled people to get access to new ideas of tourism destinations and experiences from all over the world, especially through new online media (e.g. social media and the internet)
• Globalisation has enabled access to new tourism ideas

  This has increased tourists' motivation to travel
• Example of increased motivation to travel

  • London's Kings Cross Station has become popular with tourists due to the international airing of the Harry Potter film series
• Ability to travel


  With increased globalisation, people now have the ability to search for and buy tourism-related services from anywhere, resulting in greater competition among businesses. As such, businesses now have a greater incentive to offer value-for-money travel experiences to attract more people.
• Greater competition among tourism businesses

  Tourists can now enjoy more affordable tours, increasing their ability to travel
• Mobility in travel


  As places become more connected via different transport modes, travelling has become more convenient, increasing tourists' mobility in travel. Today, tourists can easily find direct flights between cities.
• Adventure tourism


  • A form of tourism where tourists travel to natural environments and participate in challenging physical activities such as mountain climbing and skydiving
  • Adventure tourism mainly occurs in places of natural beauty which offer scenic backdrops for challenging physical activities to be carried out
  • Often, adventure tourists seek to achieve personal growth and self-fulfilment by taking part in these challenging tourist activities
• Example of adventure tourism


  • Trekking on Mount Everest
• Heritage tourism


  • A form of tourism where tourists participate in activities to experience its culture and learn about its history
  • Heritage tourism occurs in places with rich history and cultures. Often, places which have been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status attract many tourists
  • By experiencing the culture and learning about the history of the place, heritage tourists are able to fulfil their need for unique travel experiences and understand the rich and diverse global cultures outside of their home country
• Example of heritage tourism

  • The ancient city of Machu Picchu in Peru
• Sports tourism


  • A form of tourism where tourists either observe or participate in sporting events
  • Sports tourism often occurs in places where sporting events are held. These places often come equipped with sporting facilities to host the events such as stadiums, courts and race tracks
  • Sports tourists who participate in the events seek to achieve personal growth and self-fulfilment, while those who observe the events may seek to enjoy the event and escape the stress of work
• Example of sports tourism

  • During the English Premier League, thousands of overseas football fans visited the city of Manchester to watch their favourite football team, Manchester United or Manchester City
• Health tourism


  • A form of tourism where tourists travel to seek medical care or activities to enhance their physical, mental or spiritual wellness
  • This can help fulfil tourists' need for self-fulfilment or personal growth
  • Often, health tourism occurs in places with renowned medical services or wellness facilities
  • Many health tourists seek medical procedures in these destinations to improve their health as they are relatively cheaper than those in their home countries, have a shorter waiting time, or may not be available in their home country
  • These medical procedures may contribute to a greater sense of self-fulfilment as they improve the tourist's well-being. Some tourists may also seek treatments such as cosmetic surgery to improve their self-esteem
  • Aside from medical procedures, health tourists may participate in activities to relax and enhance their overall health such as yoga retreats and hot spring tours
• Examples of health tourism destinations

  • South Korea receives more than 2 million health tourists in 2018 who seek cosmetic procedures such as plastic surgery and non-cosmetic procedures to treat their medical issues
  • Bali, Indonesia is famous for its numerous yoga and wellness resorts