What Is Tourism and Event Management?

By Michael Ferguson

Tourism and event management are two important aspects of the hospitality industry. Tourism refers to the act of traveling for leisure or business purposes, while event management refers to the planning and execution of events such as conferences, weddings, concerts, and festivals.

What is Tourism?
Tourism is a multi-billion-dollar industry that involves the movement of people from one place to another for various reasons. The tourism industry is made up of various components such as transportation, accommodation, food and beverage services, attractions, and activities.

Types of Tourism
There are different types of tourism including:

  • Leisure tourism – This type of tourism involves traveling for relaxation or entertainment purposes.
  • Business tourism – This type of tourism involves traveling for work-related purposes such as attending conferences or meetings.
  • Cultural tourism – This type of tourism involves traveling to experience different cultures and ways of life.
  • Eco-tourism – This type of tourism involves traveling to natural areas with the aim of conserving the environment while enjoying nature.

What is Event Management?
Event management is the process of planning and organizing events from start to finish. It involves identifying objectives, selecting a venue, managing logistics, coordinating suppliers, marketing the event, ensuring safety and security at the event venue, among other tasks.

The Event Management Process
The event management process can be divided into five stages:

1. Planning Stage

This stage involves identifying why an event is being held, who will attend it, what will happen at the event, where it will be held and when it will take place. A budget also needs to be prepared at this stage.

2. Design Stage

This stage involves designing how the event will look like. It includes designing invitations or tickets, decorations, lighting, and sound.

3. Coordination Stage

This stage involves coordinating all the different elements of the event such as catering services, transportation, accommodation, and entertainment.

4. Execution Stage

This stage involves putting all the plans into action. It is the day of the event and everything needs to run smoothly.

5. Evaluation Stage

This stage involves evaluating whether the event was successful or not. Feedback from attendees is collected and analyzed to determine areas that need improvement for future events.

The Relationship Between Tourism and Event Management
Tourism and event management are closely related as events can attract tourists to a destination. For example, a music festival can attract people from different parts of the world who will need accommodation, food, and transportation services. This creates business opportunities for local businesses hence boosting the local economy.

In conclusion, tourism and event management are important components of the hospitality industry. They bring people together for leisure or business purposes while creating opportunities for businesses in various sectors such as transportation, accommodation, food and beverage services among others.