What Field of Study Is Tourism?

By Alice Nichols

Tourism is a field of study that encompasses various aspects related to the travel industry. It involves understanding the factors that influence people’s travel decisions, planning and managing travel experiences, and analyzing the economic and social impacts of tourism on destinations.

What Does Tourism Include?

Tourism is a multidisciplinary field that draws knowledge from various subjects such as economics, geography, anthropology, marketing, psychology, and environmental studies. The study of tourism includes the following:

1. Tourism Planning and Management

Tourism planning and management focus on developing strategies for promoting tourism in a destination while ensuring sustainable development. This involves analyzing the market demand for tourism products and services, developing infrastructure to support tourism activities, managing cultural and environmental resources to prevent negative impacts on local communities.

2. Tourist Behavior

Understanding tourist behavior is crucial in designing products and services that meet their needs and preferences. This includes studying factors such as motivation for travel, decision-making processes, information search behavior, satisfaction levels with travel experiences.

3. Tourism Economics

Tourism economics examines the economic impacts of tourism on local economies. This includes analyzing the contribution of tourism to GDP, employment generation, foreign exchange earnings, tax revenues.

4. Tourism Marketing

Tourism marketing focuses on promoting destinations to potential tourists through advertising campaigns, public relations activities, social media marketing.

Career Opportunities in Tourism

A degree in tourism can lead to various career opportunities such as:

  • Tour Operator
  • Travel Agent
  • Hotel Manager
  • Tourism Consultant
  • Tourism Researcher
  • Tourism Marketing Manager

The Importance of Tourism

Tourism is a vital source of income for many countries, particularly those with a rich cultural and natural heritage. It creates job opportunities, promotes the development of infrastructure, and contributes to the preservation of cultural and environmental resources.

In conclusion, tourism is a multidisciplinary field that involves understanding various aspects related to the travel industry. A degree in tourism can lead to exciting career opportunities while contributing to the development and sustainability of destinations worldwide.