- Function: noun
- 1 : the practice of traveling for recreation
- 2 : the guidance or management of tourists
- 3 a : the promotion or encouragement of touring b : the accommodation of tourists
Source: http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?bo...
Wikipedia elaborates with:
Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. A tourist is someone who travels at least fifty miles from home, as defined by the World Tourism Organization (a United Nations body).A more comprehensive definition would be that tourism is a service industry, comprising a number of tangible and intangible components. The tangible elements include transport systems - air, rail, road, water and now, space; hospitality services - accommodation, foods and beverages, tours, souvenirs; and related services such as banking, insurance and safety & security.
The intangible elements include: rest and relaxation, culture, escape, adventure, new and different experiences.
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism)
Bottom line? Tourism is when you find yourself 50 miles or more away from home - for the right reasons.
Travel & Disability at Suite 101 concerns itself with "Inclusive Tourism" and the means to achieving it, "Inclusive Destination Development."
In this case "inclusive" refers to accommodating a broad range of tourists not to a particular payment scheme for the travel product. There can be confusion because "all inclusive" is also used by the travel industry to describe self-contained resorts and/or packaged tours where all expenses and amenities are included in the initial price.
Rather "inclusive" is used in the sense that it is used by the World Bank in its promotion of "Inclusive Development."
The World Bank promotes "Inclusive Development" as economic and regional development that allows for full social participation of people with disabilities. "Destination Development" is the phrase used by the tourism industry to describe the strategic application of planning, development, and marketing resources to enhance a location as a desired destination for travelers.
"Inclusive Destination Development" uses the word "inclusive", in the sense it is used by the World Bank, to mean "allowing for the full social participation of people with disabilities." Thus, Inclusive Destination Development is "the systematic and strategic application of resources to render a location a destination of choice for persons with disabilities."
The goal of Inclusive Tourism is to accommodate the broadest range of tourists possible without stigma or the need for special accommodation.
