Tourism is a vast industry that relies heavily on the products and services offered to its customers. These products and services collectively make up the tourism product.
The tourism product can be defined as a bundle of tangible and intangible elements that a tourist buys and experiences during their travels. In this article, we will discuss the features of tourism products.
Features of Tourism Products:
Tangibility: The tourism product can be tangible or intangible. Tangible elements include physical products such as accommodations, transportation, food and beverages, souvenirs, etc. Intangible elements include experiences such as adventure tours, cultural events, natural attractions, etc.
Perishability: Tourism products are perishable in nature, meaning they cannot be stored for future use. Once the time frame for experiencing the service or product has passed, it cannot be reused or resold.
Inseparability: A tourist’s experience of a product is inseparable from the service provided by the supplier. For example, a tourist’s stay at a hotel includes not only the physical room but also customer service provided by hotel staff.
Heterogeneity: Tourism products are heterogeneous because they are created by different suppliers who have their own unique methods of providing services.
Lack of ownership: Tourists do not own the tourism product but rather purchase temporary usage rights during their travels.
Seasonality: The demand for tourism products is affected by seasonality as certain destinations may be more popular during specific times of year due to weather conditions or cultural events.
The Components of Tourism Products
Tourism products consist of three main components: attractions, facilities, and transportation.
Attractions
Attractions are natural or man-made features that draw tourists to a destination. Examples include beaches, mountains, museums, amusement parks, historical sites, etc.
Facilities
Facilities are the tangible elements that support tourism activities. Examples include accommodations (hotels, resorts, etc.), restaurants, shopping centers, entertainment venues, etc.
Transportation
Transportation includes the modes of transportation used by tourists to reach their destination and move around within it. Examples include airplanes, trains, buses, taxis, rental cars, etc.
The Importance of Tourism Products
Tourism products are crucial to the success of the tourism industry as they are what attract tourists to a destination. The quality and range of products offered can greatly influence a tourist’s decision to visit a destination and their overall satisfaction with their experience.
In conclusion, tourism products are bundles of tangible and intangible elements that tourists purchase during their travels. These products have specific features such as tangibility, perishability, heterogeneity, seasonality, lack of ownership and inseparability. Components of tourism products include attractions, facilities and transportation which all play an important role in attracting visitors to destinations.