Research and Innovation in Tourism Industry

We all know that tourism industry is a great entertaining industry. Many of us have gone on a tour at some point in our life and so we all have a rough picture of how entertaining as well as how intricate the tourism industry is. The word 'tourist' has been in existence since 1760. It is said that tourism began to be known officially on Jul 5, 1841 when Thomas Cook planned a trip from Market Harborough to Loughborough for a meeting. The first foreign trip made by Thomas Cook was a six-day stay in Paris in 1861. Tourism is a vast industry and though it seems to be a single industry, the tourism industry has many ancillary industries that support its growth. As a tourist one can understand the different touch points involved in tourism from the start of the tour to the end. Tourism industry is a very competitive industry and it needs to be constantly updated and changed according to the needs of the customers. There are two very important elements in the tourism industry. One is the direct element which comes into direct contact with tourists like sales, accommodation, transport and other ancillary services. Indirect elements are the support services which may not come into direct contact with the tourists but it is very hard for the industry to function without these services. For example Infrastructure, Roads, Airports, Communications, Public Toilets, Signs, Manufacturing, Electricity, Water supply and Sewerage and garbage disposal are all indirect elements in the tourism industry but very powerful.The tourism industry benefits both host and home countries. This is mainly observed in developing countries. Tourism is one of the world's most significant sources of economic outcomes and employment. This sector supports 292 million people in employment which is 1 in 10 jobs on the planet. For many countries, such as the Bahamas and other island economies, it is the main source of income and employment. The Travel & Tourism sector contributes a larger share to the GDP. It accounts for 10.2% of the world's GDP. For countries like UK, it is worth more than £120 billion a year. Travel & Tourism industry not only outpaced the wider economy, but also grew faster than other significant industries such as financial and business services, retail and distribution, public services, transport and manufacturing.Tourism is all set to grow more than ever by the year 2030. In the year 2030, most of the tourist population is expected to be in Europe than anywhere in the world. While travel to Africa, the Middle East and the Americas also does increase, Europe sees a great rise in number. If tourism is managed well it will bring positive changes in the socio, cultural, economical, environmental and political development of the destinations and as such represents a significant development opportunity for many countries and communities. The tourism industry will continue to remain in the forefront of wealth and employment creation. Even with numerous challenges arising, the future of tourism looks extremely favorable and expected to grow at a rate of 3.9% annually. It is anticipated that by year 2026, tourism industry could support 370 million jobs and $11 trillion in GDP.This book will help in understanding more about the tourism industry and the various benefits it provides to the developed and developing countries. The book also talks about the various types of tourism and how marketing and branding techniques are applied to develop the tourism sector. The book will take you on a short tour to various tourist destinations and will teach the importance of preserving the tourist spots.