Tourist Regions

Today, the cost and time involved in travel have decreased due to our modern means of transportation. As a result, more people are travelling and sightseeing. The majority of people who travel are from developed countries, because they have more time and money to devote to travel. Many of these tourists come from countries such as France, Germany, Japan, the USA, China, the UK and Canada.

People are considered to be tourists if they generally travel more than 80 km from their place of residence for more than one day, but less than one year. Tourism can therefore take place:

• within the same region (regional tourism)

• within one country (national tourism)

• between two countries (international tourism)

A tourist region is an area that is organized to showcase different attractions that could be of interest to a large number of tourists. Attractions can be:

• natural (such as an exceptional natural landscape or a national park)

• cultural (such as a historic district in a city or a monument)

For a region to be considered a tourist region, its principal economic activity must be tourism. The tourist area therefore aims to:

• promote the region's tourist attractions

• welcome tourists with adapted infrastructures

• organize recreational, sporting and cultural activities

Tourism-related revenues help develop the region's economy and ensure the maintenance and preservation of its attractions.

There are tourist destinations all over the world. A tourist destination can include several countries.

The number of people who visit major tourist destinations increases every year. Tourist flows are therefore also increasing every year.

Most tourist travel takes place between two neighboring countries. Thus, a large proportion of international tourist flows are within the same continent. Most travel between two continents happens between Europe and North America.

A tourist region is characterized by the type(s) of tourism it offers.

The various forms of tourism include:

• beach tourism

• cultural tourism

• adventure tourism

• outdoor (nature) tourism or ecotourism

• recreational or entertainment tourism

• sports tourism

• culinary tourism

To find out more on this subject, consult the concept sheet The Characteristics and Development of a Tourist Region.

Tourism is an economic sector that is often highly profitable and creates many jobs for a region. As a result, countries and cities seek to promote their attractions in order to attract more and more tourists.

However, as the number of tourists increases, so do the challenges facing tourist areas. Indeed, tourism has many negative consequences for the environment and local populations.

To find out more on this subject, consult the concept sheet Issues Affecting Tourist Regions.

To access the rest of the unit, please consult the following concept sheets.