Characteristics of Tourism Products

A product is an item of merchandise brought to market with the intent of generating

sales, serving customers’ needs, and achieving financial goals. Tourism products are
not any exceptions to this rule. As the tourism industry is considered one of the most
profitable industries in both developed and developing economies, there are many
new developments in this field across the globe. However, what are some peculiarities
about their nature?

Tourism Product is defined as the combination of tangible and intangible elements,

such as natural, cultural, and man-made resources, attractions, facilities, services, and
activities centered on a specific point of interest that serves as the core of the
destination marketing mix and creates an overall visitor experience that includes
emotional aspects for potential customers.
UNWTO

Characteristics of Tourism Products

Here are the characteristics of tourism products:
1. Intangibility: Intangibility means that the product cannot be directly seen tasted or
felt before its purchase and consumption. There is no transfer of ownership of goods
involved in tourism, which means a single tourism product can be sold infinite time
by managing properly. For example, hotel rooms, air tickets, paragliding, raft.

2. Inseparability: Tourism products cannot be separated from its provider. For

example, a hotel guest cannot experience counter service if the receptionist is not
there, nor can the receptionist render the service if there is no guest.

3. Perishable: Tourism products can't be stored for sale in the future. For
example, the plane tickets for April 22 cannot be sold on April 23. Due to this reason
hotel industry, airlines give a certain discount to increase their sale by minimizing loss
and by earning certain revenue.

4. Heterogeneity: The element of the human factor creates a difference between one
product and the other, what tourist experiences at one place may not be similar to the
one experienced at another place. For example, even within the same restaurant, due
to a large number of servers, the way one customer is served may differ from the way
another is served.

5. Absence of Ownership: A tourist product's ownership is not transferable to

the consumer. The consumer only has the right to use the product because he paid for
it for a set number of days or weeks.

6. Manufactured by Many Producers: A joint effort of many producers such as

airlines hotels, lodges, restaurants, entertainment, etc is very necessary to run the
tourism industry.
7. Seasonal Product: For every tourist product or area, there is a certain time in
which most tourists visit, which is known as peak season.

8. Immovability: A tourist attraction such as a waterfall, mountain, beach, flora, and

fauna cannot be moved from where it is originally located to another place.