International tourism has become more globally diverse since the 1980s, with Asia Pacific now the second most popular tourist destination. While most tourists still originate from developed countries, there are increasingly more from developing countries like China and India. Domestic tourism remains the most common, accounting for 83% of all tourist arrivals worldwide in 2010. Tourism has evolved from mass tourism, where large groups visit popular destinations together, to niche tourism, where independent travelers seek new and unique experiences like ecotourism. The growth of transportation systems has enabled both mass tourism over long haul destinations as well as niche tourism to more remote areas.

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EDGEFIELD SECONDARY SCHOOL
SECONDARY THREE HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
CHAPTER ONE: GLOBAL TOURISM
Geographer’s name: _______________________ ( ) Class: 3 ____ Date: ____________
G A T E W A Y 2 : W H Y H A S T O U R I S M B E C O M E
A G L O B A L P H E N O M E N O N ?
(1) Changing Trends in International Tourism
• Since the 1980s, international
tourism has become increasingly
diverse in its origins and its
destinations.
• In particular, the Asian Pacific
region has become an
increasingly popular tourist
destination.
o Since 2004, Asia Pacific is
the 2nd
most popular tourist
destination.
Change in tourist
origins & destinations:
• More than half of all international
tourists still originate from the world’s most
developed countries (eg. tourists originating
from Europe & North America).
o But increasingly, there are more
international tourists from the rapidly
developing countries (eg. tourists
originating from Asia Pacific & South
America, like China, India, Brazil).
(2) Growth of Domestic Tourism
• Domestic tourism was and continues to be the most popular form of tourism.
o Worldwide in 2010, 83% of all tourist arrivals were domestic tourism!
• But in Singapore, there are very few domestic tourists because most of Singapore’s
attractions can be reached within an hour by public transport. It is thus impractical for
Singaporeans to rent accommodations overnight near a tourist attraction.
Changes in the Global Tourism Industry:
Asia-Pacific
region
Concept of PLACE
Ø Places differ from one another,
and different people travel from
(tourist origin) or travel to
(tourist destination) different
places/countries.
Ø Thus, tourist origins &
destinations are unevenly
distributed throughout the world.

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• The advantages of engaging in domestic tourism:
o Travelling within a region is often cheaper than travelling longer distances.
o Can save the hassle of changing currency.
o It is also quicker to get to a regional destination especially if time away from
home is limited.
o A tourist is also more likely to have better knowledge of the local language and
culture of a country in the region.
(3) The Evolution of Mass Tourism to Niche Tourism
Factors leading to the evolution of tourism:
• The growth of tourism (ie. the volume of travel)
• Improvements in transportation systems (eg aeroplanes, buses, trains, ships) have
enabled faster travel times and increased carrying capacity (ie. carries more people.
o This has given rise to mass tourism and increased long-haul destinations.
• The growth in income (ie. people becoming more affluent) has led to the demand of
niche tourism.
Tourism has evolved into different forms and can be classified as follows:
• Travel that involves
large numbers of
tourists visiting a
particular place
together.
• It is the most
popular form of
tourism as it is
often the cheapest
way to holiday, and
is often sold as a
package holiday.
• Examples?
• Package holidays
usually involve a tour
arranged by a travel
agent.
• The package usually
includes transportation,
accommodation and
meals.
• The package also
includes the service of
local tour guides who
are able to converse
with the tourists and are
knowledgeable about
the sites of visit.
• Examples?
Mass tourism
• A special-interest tourism that can be
done by independent travellers or
combined with tour packages.
• Niche tourism appeals to travellers who
seek ‘new’ destinations, activities,
adventures and experiences.
• Examples?
Niche tourism
• A form of niche tourism.
• Refers to responsible travel to
natural areas that conserves the
environment and improves the
well-being of local people.
• Examples?
Package holidays
Ecotourism
(a) Different forms of tourism:

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(b) Distance away from tourist’s home country:
Short-haul destinations Long-haul destinations
• Destinations that are a short distance
away from the tourist’s home
country (generally less than six
hours of travel).
• Eg. Thailand is a short-haul
destination from Singapore because
the flight time from Singapore to
Thailand is approximately 2 hours.
• Destinations that are a long distance
away from the tourist’s home country
(usually reachable by six hours or
more flight travel).
• Eg. the USA is a long-haul destination
from Singapore because the flight time
from Singapore to the USA is
approximately 19 hours.
Glossary
§ Phenomenon: a situation that is observed to exist or happen.
§ Domestic tourism refers to tourism within a tourist’s own country.
§ Evolution: the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more
complex form.
§ Mass tourism: a form of tourism that involves tens of thousands of people going to the
same place, often at the same time of year.
§ Niche tourism offers special-interest activities that are rarely offered in mass tourism.