Global Tourism
Travel for the sake of travel is a new phenomenon that has taken roots firmly and has caught the attention of many. In olden days, travellers were generally merchants who crossed the mountains and the seas for trading and not for sightseeing. Then there were ambassadors and scholars like Marcopolo and Hiuen tsang who set out with a purpose and went back to their countries with amazing stories of their travels. Today their travelogues are documented history of the past.
Today the tourist has come a long way. He can pick and choose a destination that would suit his budget. He also has the option of choosing a packaged vacation. Travel companies and tour operators offer you a range of places that you could visit. All the arrangements for the trip which includes mode of travel, booking of tickets, your hotel stay and sightseeing trips are taken care of.
What has given rise to the sudden upsurge in tourism? If you think for a while you could list out a few key factors. According to the W.T.O (World Travel Organizations) leisure is the chief reason for a rise in international travel. People are trying to find time which they can spend with family and friends. Taking a vacation to a place which is their favourite or to a new place gives them a chance to relax and imbibe new experiences. Next, surveys tell us that people have more disposable income. Another important factor is that air travel has become cheaper. The reason for this can be attributed to the fact that the aviation industry has seen such rapid expansion in the last ten to fifteen years that the travel industry is going places. In fact tourism today is the world’s largest industry which generates annual revenue of almost £500 billon. According to statistics, every ninth job in the world is created by the tourism industry.
If today we are talking of the world in terms of a global village, then tourism cannot but be global. Traveling to different parts of the globe is now easy and you can pick your ‘getaway’ place from the exotic locations worldwide. Tourism for any country is a vital source of foreign revenue and every country must pay special attention to highlight its scenic splendour and equip its tourist attraction spots with the necessary infrastructure. According to the W.T.O, by 2010, China will become the world’s most visited nation of the 21st century.
So the next time the travel bug bites you, just pack your bags and go. Tell yourself you have earned a holiday, you need to give yourself a break and get away from the daily
