Science of Tourism BBA(Tourism

)I

The Basic Components

In order to understand tourism systematically, it is necessary to know the various components
which together make tourism happen. Three of these are considered to be basic:
A. Transport
B. Attractions/local
C. Accommodation
A. Transport : There can be no travel if there were no transport. Travel involves movement
of people and this is possible only if there is some mode of transport. Connectivity is very
vital for tourism development. This could be possible only if adequate transportation
infrastructure & access to destination is efficient, comfortable & inexpensive. This made
of transport may be a motor car, a coach, an airplane, a ship or a train which enables a
traveller to reach his pre-determined destination.
BASIC COMPONENTS

Transport Attractions Accommodation

Air Transport Ancient monuments Resort Complexes
Rail Transport Historical buildings Hotels
Motels
Road Transport Theme parks Youth Hostels
Ocean Transport Wildlife attractions Holiday Centres
Museums Inns
Farm Houses
Art galleries
Sleeper Trains
Archeological sites Campsites
Cultural centres Caravans
Amusement and leisure parks Villas
Heritage hotels
Beaches
Monuments
Open country sides
Climatic features
B. Locale
The locale may include the holiday destination & what it offers to the tourist. The holiday
destination may offer natural attractions like sunshine, scenic beauty or sporting facilities etc.
The locale, with its attractions & amenities, is the most important as these are very basic to
tourism. Unless these are there, the tourists will not be motivated to to to a particular place.
Tourist demands are also very much susceptible to changes in fashion. The tourists who visit a
particular place for its natural beauty may decide to visit some other attractions due to a change
in fashion. Peter has drawn up in inventory of the various attractions which are of significance in
tourism.

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Peter's inventory of tourist attractions

1. Cultural : Sites & areas & archaeological interest :

Historical buildings & monuments ; Museums;
Place of historical significance ; Modern Culture ;
Political & educational Institutions ; Religious
institutions.
2. Traditions : National festivals, Arts & handicrafts; Music,
Folklore; Native life & customs.
3. Scenic : National parks; Wildlife; Flora & fauna; Beach
resorts; Mountain resorts
4. Entertainment : Participation & recreation parks; zone &
oceanariums, cinemas & theatres; Night life;
Cuisine.
5. Other attractions : Climate, Health resorts or spas; Unique attractions
not available elsewhere.
According to Robinson, the attractions & tourism are, to a very large extent, geographical in
character. Location & accessibility (whether a place has a coastal or inland position & the ease
with which a given place can be reached) are important. Scenery or landscape is a compound of
landforms, water & the vegetation has an aesthetic procreative value. Climatic conditions,
especially in relation to the amount of sunshine, temperature & precipitation (snow as well as
rain), are of special significance.
C. Accommodation: World Tourism Organisation in its definition of a tourist has stated
that the tourist must spend at least one night in the destination visited to be qualified as a
tourist. The demand for accommodation away from one's home is met by a variety of
facilities. The range & type of accommodation is quite varied. There has been a
increasing demand for more non-traditions informal type of accommodation. The latest
trend in accommodation are holiday villages.
Accommodation may in itself be an important tourist attraction. A large number of tourists
visit a particular destination or town simply because there is a first class luxury hotel or resort
which provides excellent services & facilities.
Geographical Components of Tourism (H. Robinson)
1. Accessibility & location
2. Space
3. Scenery
(a) Water – sea, spring, falls etc.
(b) Vegetation – grassland, deserts etc.
(c) Landform - Mountain
4. Climate
5. Wildlife
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6. Settlement features towns, cities, villages, historical & archeological remains.

7. Culture – dance, music.

Tourist Typology
Plog in 1979, who devised of classification of the U.S. population into psychographic types,
with travellers distributed along a continuum from psychocentric to allocentric. The
psychocentries are the anxious, inhibited & less adventurous travellers, while at the other
extreme the allocentrics are adventurous, outgoing, seek out new the experiences due to their
inquisitive personalities interest in travel adventure. This means that, through time, some torists
may seek out new destinations, while others will follow the more adventurous as the destinations
develop & appear safe & secure.
Distribution of tourist in each typology
Allocentric Mid-centric Psycocentric
 Independent  Majority of travelers  Less sure, more
travelers above  Seek well-known, insecure travelers
average income established  Choose holiday
 Seek more outgoing destinations destination similar to
adventurous  May go to home environment
experiences destination  Like the familiar &
 Adventure Seekers Populated by may by repeat
 Take in forest in allocentries visitors
travel & adventure  Safe & sewre  Anxious, inhibited,
 Seek out new destinations chosen less adventurous
destinations
Plog's psychographic traveller types