Tourism 1.2 (geography)

Need For Relaxation

Some people travel to relieve stress, change routines, rest, and rejuvenate, like British tourists preferring to visit Phuket for its scenic beaches to rest and rejuvenate.

• Some people also prefer to participate in recreational activities overseas, hence they would go to theme parks and recreational areas to experience a different routine.

→ For example, Universal Studios Singapore is a theme park that offers a variety of shows, attractions and rides for people to participate in to relieve stress and have fun. In 2018, Universal Studios Singapore has welcomed around more than 18 million that year..

Need for Unique Experiences

Travelers seek unique experiences to explore different cultures and environments, like the rise in climbing Mount Everest and visiting Antarctica.

→ For example, The number of people going to visit Antarctica on cruises have increased significantly over the past 2 decades due to people’s growing curiosity in visiting one of earth’s last uninhabited regions.

Need for Personal Growth and Self-Fulfillment

Travel is seen as a way to gain knowledge, skills, and achieve personal growth, like attending cooking schools in Bali or pilgrimage tourism to Mecca or going to climb Mount Everest.

→ For example, many cooking schools have sprung in Bali to teach tourists how to cook Balinese Cuisine, allowing for people to learn about Balinese Cuisine and gain skills on how to cook it as well.

→ Another example is Pilgrimage Tourism, tourists travel to sacred sites to learn more about their faiths and religions. Muslims tend to go visit areas like Mecca in Saudi Arabia in order to learn more about their faith and perform rituals to help them grow spiritually.

→ People also stretch themselves physically and mentally by challenges difficult and challenging activities such as climbing Mount Everest in order to achieve their fullest potential and growth in resilience and strength. The number of people climbing Mount Everest has increased

Business Innovations

Innovations like Trivago and Expedia offer affordable travel options by bulk purchasing services ,hence purchasing them for cheaper prices and also being able compare prices and trip reviews of different hotels directly on their platform and to be able to purchase tourism packages at competitive prices, making travelling more accessible as travelling is more affordable

Increase in Disposable Income

Economic development post-WWII led to increased disposable incomes, fueling growth in tourism by resulting in greater spending on travel in countries like China and India which are a growing middle class with increased disposable incomes.

For example, like China's GDP quadrupling and international tourism growing from 9 million departures to 154 million departures from 1999 to 2019

Lower Accommodation Costs

Innovations like Airbnb provide affordable housing options, catering to different budgets as people are able to rent different houses at competitive prices. In 2019, there were over 2 million people staying in AirBNB properties daily.

Lower Transportation Costs

Budget airlines like AirAsia and Scoot offer cheaper travel options due to using fuel-efficient planes, using less fuel and landing at airports with reduced airport taxes, making travel more affordable for people. Increasing international tourism.

Increase in Mobility

New forms of transport and expanding public transport networks have made travel cheaper and faster. Expansion of public transport services and infrastructure. Increased Private Car Ownership.

For example, 1965, a conventional train from Tokyo to Osaka would take around 6 hours and 40 minutes in order to complete the whole ride. However ,with the Shinkansen Train Network, the duration has decreased to 3 hours and 10 minutes, which led to increased tourism in places that are served by the Shinkansen Train Network.

→ For example, The opening of Changi Airport Terminal 4 has allowed for more flights to other parts of Asia and flights entering Singapore, making tourism more convenient as there are more timings available for people to travel in and out of Singapore.

→ Another example is the recent development of the Downtown Line, increasing connectivity and accessibility to common tourist locations such as Gardens By The Bay , Chinatown and Little India, which increases tourism in these areas, and allowing for people to commute easily.

Increase in Private Car Ownership

Increased private car usage allows families to travel conveniently, boosting domestic tourism and hotel businesses, as seen in America post-1965.

→ For example, in 1965, private car ownership has significantly increased in America, which resulted in an increase in domestic tourism. As American families continue to increasing use their own private cars, the hotel and motel business has also flourished and has grown and expanded significantly.

Increase in Leisure Time

In 2015, the China Government encouraged employers to give half-day paid leaves on Friday during the summer in order to encourage and boost domestic tourism.

This can come in the form of more paid leave, public holidays and shorter working weeks or even Work-From-Home programs.