Macro Perspective of

Tourism and Hospitality

Module 2: The Nature of Tour, The Tourist Product, The Tourist
Destination, Characteristics and Importance of Tourism and Hospitality

Jeffrey Gudoy Susada, LPT THC1

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Module 2: The Nature of Tour, The Tourist Product, The Tourist Destination, Characteristics and Importance
of Tourism and Hospitality

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The Nature of a Tour

To analyze the nature of a tour systematically, it will be helpful to understand the difference between
domestic and international tourism, as well as independent and package tour.
Domestic Tourism
➢ Refers to travel taken exclusively within the national boundaries of the traveler’s country. Tourist
find this more relaxed because there’s no language, currency, nor documentation barriers. e.g. (You
are living in Manila and you have a field trip in Palawan.)

International Tourism
➢ Involve the movement of people across international boundaries. It is more difficult to travel
because the country visited has a different language, currency and documentation requirements,
such as passport, visas, and other conditions of entry to be met by tourist. e.g. (You’re from here in
the Philippines and you going to Japan/Korea, United States, Paris etc...)

Package Tour
➢ Also known as inclusive tour, it is an arrangement in which transport and accommodation is bought
by the tourist at an all-inclusive price from a Tour Operator/ Agent or Travel Agency. The Tour
operator arrange it inclusively from the mode of transportation up to lodging and food and
beverages services. It also includes tour itinerary and sometimes accompanied by a tour guide.
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Independent Tour
➢ Is an arrangement in which the tourist buys these facilities separately, either making reservations in
advance through the website like Agoda, booking.com etc.
➢ It simply says that the tourists arrange their own tour individually.
Independent Inclusive Tour or IIT - tourists arrange their own tour individually.
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➢ Group Inclusive Tour or GIT – he or she travels in the company of other tourists.

The Tourist Product

➢ Loosely defined as visitor experience, involves a combination of products in the form of goods
or services. The tourism product is a combination of what the tourist does at the destination
and the services he or she uses during his or her stay.

Characteristics of Tourism Product

• The tourism product is intangible.
-Product cannot be inspected or try first before they buy as they can with a washing machine, or
other consumer goods. e.g. (massage and surfing activity).
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• The tourism product is largely psychological in its attraction.

- It is more than a collection of services such as an aircraft seat or hotel room. It is temporary
use of a strange environment plus the culture and heritage of the region and the other
intangible benefits such as atmosphere and hospitality.

• Tourism product tends to vary in standard and quality over time.

- Unlike the production of other goods, tourism products may vary time to time. A package
tour cannot be consistently of equal standard. e.g. (A bumpy flight can change an enjoyable
experience into a nightmare; a good hotel room may be spoiled by poor food; and a holiday
at the seaside can be ruined by a prolonged rainy spell.)

• Tourism product is fixed or perishable.

- The number of hotel rooms and aircraft seats cannot be changed to meet the changing
demands of a tourist during a particular season. The revenues lost from unsold hotel rooms
or airline seats are not recoverable. In contrast, physical or tangible goods such as pen or
television may be sold at a latter date.
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The Tourist Destination

The tourist destination is a geographical unit where the tourist visits and stays. It is a city, town, or other
area that is significantly dependent on revenues from tourism, or "a country, state, region, city, or town
which is marketed or markets itself as a place for tourists to visit". The success of the tourist destination
depends on the three basic factors: attractions, amenities or facilities, and accessibility.

Attraction may be site and event attraction. Attraction can be a natural or man-made attraction.
A Natural attraction is an attraction that has been created by nature. These include mountains,
waterfalls, beaches, and climatic features such as sunshine and pure air.
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Man-made attraction includes buildings, superstructure, and historical or architectural sites such as
Fort Santiago, holiday camps, or theme parks such as Disneyland or Enchanted Kingdom.

Event attraction – includes congresses, exhibition, festivals, such as Sinolog, Ati-Atihan, Sports
events like Olympics and UAAP Games, also beauty pageant like Ms. Earth and Ms. Universe.
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Amenities or facilities- includes accommodation such as hotel room, swimming pool, restaurant
with entertainment and delicious food.
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Accessibility means having a regular and convenience of transport in terms of distance/time to the
destination at a reasonable price. These include the following: airport, seaport, communication and
current accessibility, transport services like bus/coach/ and railway it also includes gasoline
stations, banks and convenience store along the way to the destination.
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Characteristics of Tourism & Hospitality

Tourism and hospitality have special characteristics which make it different from other industries.
1. In tourism and hospitality, the product is not brought to the consumer; rather, the consumer has to
travel and go to the product to purchase, e.g. if tourist want to experience surfing he need to go
first on the site where he/she can catch the waves like in Baler, La Union, and Siargao.
2. The second characteristics is that the tourist product is not used up; they do not exhaust the
country’s natural resources, like for example factories of can goods like sardines they need to catch
fishes from the sea to produce sardines as their product unlike in tourism they are not consuming
the natural resources to produce product like surfing.
3. Tourism and hospitality are a labor-intensive industry. It requires more man-power than other
industries.
4. Tourism and Hospitality is people-oriented. It is primarily concerned with people.
5. Tourism and Hospitality is service-oriented. It is primarily concerned on delivering services.
6. The Tourism and Hospitality is seasonal. We have two season the lean season and peak season.
When peak season for example summer or holiday season, while lean season is on rainy days.

Importance of Tourism and Hospitality

Tourism and Hospitality has become one of the world’s major industries. The following are benefits
from tourism and hospitality:
1. Contribution to the balance of payment. Tourism and hospitality can help correct the balance of
payments and deficits of many countries by earning the much-needed foreign currency in
international trade.
2. Dispersion of the development. International tourism and hospitality are the best means to spread
wealth among countries; thus, bridging the economic gap between the rich and the poor.
3. Effect on general economic development. Expenditures by tourists can have beneficial effects on
all economic sectors and can lead to the development of the different industries and other
economic activities.
4. Employment opportunities. It can create different job/work opportunities especially to the less
fortunate.
5. Social benefit. Social exchange takes [place when tourists come in contact with the inhabitants of
the places they visit. Their social background and their presence affect the social structure and the
way of life of the local residents.
6. Cultural enrichments. Tourism and hospitality emphasize a sharing and appreciation of cultures.
We can appreciate the rich human and cultural diversity that the world offers and evolve a mutual
trust and respect for one another.
7. Educational significance. Tourism and hospitality enhance one’s education. International
conferences, seminars, and study trips enable people of all nations to exchange ideas, propose
solution to a certain problem and share their concerns.
8. A vital force for peace. It can help bridge the psychological and cultural distances that separate
people different races, colors, religions, and stages of social and economic development.
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Thank you, and keep safe and sound.

References:
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Verzosa, R. (2016). Travel Services. Quezon City, Philippines, Phoenix Publishing House Inc.
Goeldner, C., & Ritchie, JRB., (2009). Tourism, Principles, Practices, Philosophies. Canada. John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
Cruz, Z., (2018). Macro Perspective of Tourism and Hospitality, Manila Philippines, Rexbook Store.
Cruz, Z., (2014). Principles of Tourism Part II (Updated Edition); Rex Book Store, Inc
Cruz, Z., (2013) Principle of Tourism Part I. Philippines. Rex Book Store, Inc
Maya Kitchen., (2010). Food service and bartending handbook. Makati Philippines, Anvil Publishing Inc.
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/food_and_beverage_services/food_and_beverage_services_basics.htm
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/food_and_beverage_services/food_and_beverage_services_organization.
htmhttps://www.tutorialspoint.com/food_and_beverage_services/food_and_beverage_services_operation
s.htm