Table of Contents
Components of tourism
A tourist, in order to get to his destination, has to travel and therefore, some mode of transport is necessary for this. This mode of transport may be a motor car, a coach, and aero plane, a ship or a train which enables a traveler to reach his predetermined destination. The Attraction may include the holiday destination and what is offered to the tourist. The holiday destination may offer natural attractions like sunshine, scenic beauty or sporting facilities, etc.
Accommodation is another basic component which is essential for providing food and also rest. After having reached his destination, a tourist must have some kind of accommodation which provides him food and sleep. Locate with its attractions and amenities is the most important as these are very basic to tourism. Unless these, the tourists will not be motivated to go to a particular place. However, since interest and tastes of tourists vary widely, they might choose from wide range of attractions available to various destinations all over the world.
Five A’s components of tourism
Attraction
Attractions form the core of the tourism experience and the reason people travel to a particular destination. The other constituents of the tourism industry such as accommodation, transport, food and beverage, etc. depend on the existence of attractions at the destination for their survival. The main attraction may be a stand-alone unit or a cluster of many smaller attractions and there is likely to be some overlap. Almost anything can be an attraction, and appeal to a person according to his/her age, interests, etc.
This is the principal reason for undertaking travel to a particular destination. Attractions are classified basically into four categories which are follows:
- Natural attractions The place gifted by the nature is called natural attraction. They are very important for tourism these are flora and fauna, national parks, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, mountains valley, natural wonders; caves, gorge, natural views, rocks, spas, hot spring etc. these natural attraction plays very vital roles to develop tourism in particular places and destinations. In Nepal Himalayas, lakes, mountain, rivers etc. are the natural attraction for tourist.
- Manmade / built attractions: the attractions made by the people are called man made attraction. These are ancient and historical sites, archeological sites etc. these manmade attraction are as follows:-Ancient and historical sites, Archeological sites, Zoo and museums, Events sport, Trade fare and exhibition, Institution, Religious place, Recreational places, Shopping center etc.
- Social attractions where one can meet and interact with the locals at a destination as well as meet friends and relatives
- Cultural attractions in the form fairs, festivals, celebrations, theatre and museums, which depict the history and culture of a country.
Accommodation
It plays a central role in tourism. Every tourist needs a place to stay and relax. Tourists look for clean, hygienic, and well maintained accommodation with a comfortable bed, clean linen, and sanitary facilities with adequate hot and cold water supply. A wide range of accommodation options exist at most destinations ranging from tourist lodges to five star deluxe hotels. Without suitable accommodation there would be no tourism as accommodation is the temporary home of the tourist at the destination and the base from which they pursue their activities.
Categories of Accommodation
Accommodation can be categorized in different ways. These could be categorized by location, price, by type of visitors and by type of facilities they offer.
Primary Accommodation
Hotels
Hotels are a vital and essential part of the tourism and hospitality industry. Due to the increasing volume of tourists travelling, government should provide proper infrastructure to boost tourism. More hotels must be built to keep up with demand. The dictionary defines hotel as ‘a place supplying boarding and lodging. Today, the hotels provide not only accommodation and meals but also various other services as per the needs of the guests such as massage parlous and cultural programmes etc.
International Hotels
International hotels are the modern western – style hotels located in almost all metropolitan and other large cities as well principal tourist centers. The hotels are placed in various star categories. There are five such categories ranging from five stars to one star, depending upon the facilities and services provided. These facilities include well-appointed reception and information counter, banquet halls, conference facilities, etc. There are also a number of shops, travel agency, money changing and safe deposits facilities. Restaurant facilities, bars and banqueting are an integral part of the business of a hotel.
Resort Hotels
Resort hotels are located near the sea, mountain and other areas abounding in natural beauty. Rest, relaxation and entertainment are the key factors around which resorts are built. The primary motive of a person visiting them is rest and relaxation which he is looking for, away from his routine, busy work life. The type of services and amenities located in resort property include recreation facilities such as swimming pool, golf course, tennis courts, skiing, boating, surf- riding and various indoor sports. Other amenities include coffee shops, restaurants, conference rooms, lounge, shopping arcade and entertainment.
Commercial/Downtown/Business Hotels
These hotels cater to the individual tourists for business purpose, the middle budget tourists, and their repeat guests. The location of these hotels is mainly near the business or commercial centers. Besides accommodation these hotels provide parking space, restaurants and sometimes, business facilities for their guests such as conference and meeting halls, secretarial services etc.
Floating Hotels
As the name suggests, these hotel are located on the surface of the water. It may be on the sea or on a lake. All the facilities and services of a hotel are provided here and these are very popular in many countries. In some countries old luxury ships have been converted into floating hotels and are very popular among tourists. The atmosphere they provide is exclusive and exotic. In India, floating hotels in the form of houseboats are very popular with tourists.
Capsule Hotels
Capsule hotels are the newest innovation in the budget hotel market. The first of its kind was opened in Osaka in Japan in the year 1979, as a spin-off the 1970’s fashion in Japanese architecture for capsules. These have now sprung up in increasing numbers in big cities of Japan.
The capsule is a box made of glass- reinforced plastic or cement, open either at one side or one end, in which are concentrated some of the functions of a traditional hotel room – bed, a clock, radio, TV, flexible lighting, a box for valuables and a miniature table for writing, rooms in capsule hotel generally are lined up in double- Decker fashion along a central aisle as in a sleeping compartment of a train. Toilets and washrooms, vending machine room, and lounge are close by on each floor, of the hotel.
Airport Hotel
Airport hotel, as the name suggests, are located near the airports primarily to cater to the needs of transit passengers, airport crew as also passengers of delayed or cancelled flights. The various facilities provided in these hotels are designed to offer comfort and convenience to the air travelers. The various services may include parking and shuttle service to and from the airport terminal. The hotels may also provide services for business travelers for organizing meetings, conferences and conventions etc.
Heritage Hotels
Many of the old properties of the royal and aristocratic families’ like castles, palaces, forts, and havelis have been converted into hotels. These properties are renovated and the majestic grandeur and splendor is recreated for the tourists’ experience. In the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat these heritage hotels are an attraction, for example, Lake Palace, Udaipur, and Umaid Bhavan Palace, Jodhpur. Other examples of heritage hotels are castles such as Paradors in Spain, Posadas in Portugal, Chauteux in France, and Schlosse in Australia. The guests are treated as nobels or members of a royal family at these heritage properties.
Boutique Hotel
Boutique hotel is a term popularized in North America and the United Kingdom to describe hotels which often contain luxury facilities of varying size in unique or intimate settings with full service accommodations. Boutique hotels began appearing in the 1980s in major cities like London, New York, and San Francisco. Typically boutique hotels are furnished in a themed, stylish and/or aspiration manner.
Boutique hotels are often individual and focused on offering their services in a comfortable, intimate, and welcoming setting, so they are therefore extremely unlikely to be found amongst the homogeneity of large hotel. Guest rooms and suites may be fitted with telephone and Internet, air-conditioning, honesty bars and often cable/pay TV, but equally may have none of these, focusing on quiet and comfort rather than gadgetry. Guest services are often attended to by 24-hour hotel staff. Many boutique hotels have on-site dining facilities, and the majority offer bars and lounges that may also be open to the general public.
Supplementary Accommodation
Motel
The concept of motel or motel-hotel originated in the United States of America. Motel was meant for local motorists and foreign tourists travelling by road. Primarily designed to serve the needs of motorists, almost exclusively meet the demand for transit accommodation. They serve the function of a transit hotel except that they are geared to accommodate motor travelling guests for overnight stay. The important service provided by motels include parking, garage facilities, accommodation, restaurants, etc. there also equipment and tools available which the guest can use himself if he wished to repair his vehicle. The price charged for accommodation and meals/refreshments is much cheaper as compared to that in hotels.
Motels are mostly located outside the city limits in the countryside along the main highway and preferably at an important road junction. Since these establishments cater mainly for persons of new motorways along which these are necessarily located. Motels are of different types. Some provide just the minimum services while others are well-furnished, with comfortable accommodation and excellent facilities. The accommodation provided is of a chalet type, which is furnished, having a dining hall and a fixed menu. Shopping facilities for travelling public are also provided.
Inns
They are smaller in size with modest board and lodging facilities. They may be located anywhere within or outside the city. They are the forerunners of the modern motels.
Youth Hostels
Youth hostels made their first appearance in Germany in the form of a movement in about the year 1900. A youth hostel can be defined as a building which offers clean, moderate and inexpensive shelter to young people exploring their own country or other countries and travelling independently or in groups on holiday or for educational purposes.
It is a place where young people of different social backgrounds and nationalities meet and come to know each other. The objective of youth hostels, therefore, is not merely to provide accommodation and board, but also to serve as centers which offer an opportunity to young people coming from different parts of the country, as also young travelers from abroad, to know and understand each other. It is a place of friendship, recreation and out -of- school and college education.
The youth hostels are equipped to accommodate young men and women, who travel on foot, by bicycle or other means of locomotion and who, at very little cost, are provided with a place to sleep, eat or to make their own meal. The services provided include accommodation, meals and also recreation. The charges for these services are very modest. The hostels are also equipped to enable the users to prepare their own meals if they so desire. The accommodation provided in the hostels is for a limited number of days.
Caravan and Camping Sites
Caravan and camping sites constitute a significant accommodation category in many holiday areas. These are very popular in some European Countries as in the United States of America. These are also known as open-air hostels, tourist’s camps or camping grounds. Camping originally practiced by hikers on foot, is increasingly giving way to car camping.
The sites are usually located within the large cities in open spaces. Equipped to receive mobile accommodation in the form of caravans, the camping sited provide facilities for parking, tent pitching, water, electricity, toilet, etc. though the services provided generally include restaurants, recreational rooms, toilets and at certain places a grocer’s shop, the type of services often vary from the place to place. Some countries have enacted legislation establishing the minimum facilities that must be provided and these include health and sanitation standards, prices to be charged for parking and use of various services and facilities.
Pension
This type of accommodation is very popular in certain European countries. Particularly in Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland these establishments are used extensively by the tourists. Pension is also described as a private hotel, a guest house or a boarding house. Catering facilities are optional and are usually restricted to the residents. Many of them stay for longer and definite periods such as a week or a fortnight. The reservation of accommodation is made in advance. Mostly managed by a family, a pension is much cheaper than a hotel.
Bed and Breakfast Establishments
Also known in some countries as apartment hotels and hotel garnish, they represent a growing form of accommodation units catering for holiday as well as business travelers. These establishments provide only accommodation and breakfast but not the principal meals. These are usually located in large towns and cities, along commercial and holiday routes and also resort areas and are used by en route travelers. Some of these are very popular with holiday makers.
Tourist Holiday Villages
Tourist holiday villages were established in some European countries after World War II. These are situated at warm sea sides and in the regions which offer certain facilities for tourists. The village complex is a centre of accommodation providing extensive sports and recreation facilities, riding, swimming, tennis, volleyball, football, sauna, mini- golf, badminton, table tennis and yoga. These provide both boarding and lodging.
The atmosphere in these villages is kept as informal as possible. Telephones, radios, newspapers and T.V are banned unless there is an emergency. Wallets and other valuables are locked away at the beginning of one’s stay. The holiday villages are usually based on family units, each providing a convertible living room, bath/shower and sometimes a kitchen. The villages are self-sufficient, providing almost all necessities required by the residents. There is also a small shopping complex where one can buy articles of daily need. The services of a doctor are available. The accommodation is sold for a week or a fortnight at an all inclusive price.
Home Stays
Home Stays are type of accommodation where tourists are provided with a feeling of staying in a homely environment. It is where the local residents as the stakeholders of tourism industry are enabled to generate some revenue by accommodating tourists in their house and fulfilling their reasonable requirements during their stay. This is being monitored and controlled by local bodies and concerned authorities as part of standardizing the service. In many states of India, this part of accommodations is getting popular.
In addition to this, there are some other types of accommodation as well prevail in the preview of supplementary accommodation such as:
- Railway Retiring rooms
- House boats
- Guest houses and lodges
- Forest bungalows
- Farm houses
Accessibility
A significant and one of the most relevant elements in the tourism equation is in terms of transportation. In fact this essential factor has also passed through long process comprising a full range of stages i.e., from man’s feet to horses, stage coach, water transport, railroad, automobile and motor coach transport and finally air transport. The development of travel and the growth of transport are not only mutually dependent but also go hand-in- hand; travelers call for transport that is safe, fast, comfortable and convenient besides being affordable.
Accessibility is the means of transportations by which a tourist can reach the particular destinations for pleasure. Transportation plays very important role in tourism. In twenty first century transport made the world smallest by its facilities. Different means of transportation can be mentioned as follows:-
- Road transportation
- Air transportation
- Rail transportation
- Sea transportation
- Rope way transportation
In the context of Nepal only road and air transportation are usually available. Rail transportation is nominal. Being a landlocked country sea is not available. We do not have well organized transportation facilities to reach our tourist destination through we are very reach regarding tourist destination.
Amenities
Facilities area, necessary aid to the tourist centre. For a seaside resort, facilities like swimming, boating, yachting, and surf-riding and such other facilities like dancing, recreation and amusements are important for every tourist centre. Amenities can be of two types: natural, e.g., beaches, sea bathing, possibilities of fishing opportunities for climbing, trekking, rowing etc. and manmade; e.g., various types of entertainments and facilities which cater for the special needs of the tourists.
Excellent sandy beaches, sheltered in sunshine having pain and coconut trees and offering good bathing conditions from very good tourist attractions. Certain other natural amenities such as spacious sheltered water for the purpose of sailing, or the opportunities for fishing and shooting are also very important.
Activities
People take break because they want to see and do different things. Some like an active holiday and would like to go for water sports fishing, natural trails etc. while some would rather just sit back and relax. A number of activities may be available at the destination to suit various age groups and social backgrounds. Tourist may be attracted to a destination for any one or more of the above activities or attractions located there.


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