Global Travel and Tourism: Pattern and Trends

This assignment provides an overview of the development of the travel and tourism industry, including key milestones and the role of elements such as accommodation, travel agents, transportation, and attractions. It also explores the factors that affect tourism behavior and the models of motivation and influence on consumer decision making. The assignment further discusses recent and emerging patterns and trends in the international travel and tourism industry and factors affecting the popularity of global destinations.

Global Travel and Tourism
Pattern and Trends

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
P1 Key milestones in development of tourism industry.........................................................3
P2 Elements of tourism industry and their interrelation.........................................................4
M1 Role of tourism elements and their interaction for tourism experience...........................5
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................6
P3 Factors that affect tourism behaviour................................................................................6
P4 Models of motivation and influence on consumer decision making.................................6
M2 Factors underpinning tourist behaviour and impact on decision making process...........8
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................8
P5. Recent and emerging patterns and trends in international travel and tourism industry...8
M3 Significance of recent and emerging patterns and trends to travel and tourism industry 9
LO4................................................................................................................................................10
P6 Factors affecting popularity of global destinations.........................................................10
M4 Factors affecting popularity of destinations and level of importance to destination's
popularity’............................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Travel and tourism sector is one of the most apparently growing industries across the
global periphery. This industry is engaged in provision of services such as accommodation,
transportation (air, road, water, foot etc.), entertainment (social halls, churches, mosques, casinos
etc.), boarding, lodging, recreation, car rental, reservations, food & beverage arrangements and
many more. Travel and tourism sector accounts for 10.4% of the Global GDP (Travel & tourism
economic impact 2019 world – WTTC, 2019). In this regard, it is seen that travellers may visit a
destination for leisure or commercial purpose. This sector witnesses a large number of trends and
patterns on a regular basis. These tend to exert influence upon the manner in which companies
operating within this sector offer services to customers.
The present assignment is based on trends and pattern pertaining to travel and tourism
sector. It includes overview of development of this industry along with contribution of elements
in maximization of experiences driven by travellers. Also, it explores the factors that drives
tourists' behavioural pattern. In addition to this, the factors influencing the popularity of global
destinations have been covered in this assignment.
LO1
P1 Key milestones in development of tourism industry
Travel and tourism sector has evolved to a great extent over the period of last 70-80
years. It has witnessed certain key milestones that have shaped the way in which the concerned
industry today functions within the confines of an economy (Standing, Tang-Taye and Boyer,
2014). Such key milestones along with their influence over global travel and tourism sector are
explained as follows:-
Pre 1945 era: Prior to the 19th century, the respective industry was just providing basic
services to clients. However, with the passage of time, additional facilities such as laundry, F&B
arrangement, accommodation emerged. Also, travel agents hereby came up with affordable
holiday packages for clients.
Mid (1945-1979) era: Hereby, the key emphasis of tourism companies was upon building
networking with rival firms in same industry, with a view to facilitate growth and expansion.
Further, the interface between transportation industries such as airlines as well as railways began

setting communication with tourism sector to provide effective customer services (Page and
Hall, 2014).
1980 to Present era: At the present time, tourism industry is engaged in provision of
personalised holiday and tour packages to clients to appeal to them in an effective manner.
Further, the concerned sector also came up with additional services such as rental car, travelling
insurances, health care facilities etc. These types of offerings are aimed at inflating the
experience driven by tourists across the global periphery (Mowforth and Munt, 2015). They tend
to provide an overall boost to the contribution of travel and tourism sector to the Global GDP.
Also, nowadays, a large number of tour operators capitalise upon the heritage, historical past and
culture of destinations to appeal to public at large and thereby enhance the stake of this sector in
global economy.
A number of developments have taken place within the confines of travel and tourism
sector over the course of time, such as rental car, travelling insurance, health care facilities,
personalised holiday and tour packages, heritage travelling, cultural tourism. These
developments have shaped the growth of travel and tourism sector and facilitated an increment in
the existent level of sales as well as profits.
P2 Elements of tourism industry and their interrelation
Travel and tourism sector comprises of several components that tend to provide support
to this industry in positively affecting the behavioural patterns of customers. In this regard, some
of the elements which are significant to the concerned sector are briefly described as follows:-
Accommodation: This is a crucial element of respective sector which illustrates the
provision of services related to hotel, motel and so on (Swarbrooke and Horner, 2012).
Accommodation is aimed at assurance of ease and comfort for customers, thereby receiving high
level of satisfaction from them in return. In addition to this, global tourism sector now also
render additional facilities such as food & beverage arrangement, laundry and housekeeping to
retain the clients for long term. This element of travel and tourism industry is regarded as the
most important as this seeks to provide a place to travellers to stay. It creates a pleasant
experience for tourists by equipping the rooms with all the necessary facilities that can provide
them comfortable experience.
Travel agent: These are individuals who hold the responsibility of planning and
arranging the holiday for travellers by selecting destinations as per customer demands. They

make sure that the experience driven by customers from the start to the end of holiday package is
pleasant and pleasurable (Munoz-Leiva, Hernández-Méndez and Sánchez-Fernández, 2012). At
times, these agents even personalise the packages as per the needs and wants of customers in
return of extra money. By providing the travellers with guidance and knowledge about each and
every aspect of the tour, travel agents ensure that the tourists have wonderful time during the trip.
This inflates the overall experience of travellers during the tour.
Transportation: Travel and tourism sector apparently encompasses transportation
services through all types of modes such as air, water, foot or road (Vellas, 2016). This enables
the travellers to execute sightseeing during the tour and cherishing the natural aura of all the
destinations that are a part of the holiday package. It is thus regarded as a crucial element of
travel and tourism sector which provides tourists with the chance to visit any location of their
preference at any point of time. This tends to create an impeccable experience for travellers by
providing them access to all the places which they intend to visit during the execution of a
particular tour.
Attractions: These can be regarded as the captivating locations such as pilgrimage place,
monument, museum etc. These attractions are the most important part of travel and tourism
sector which provide scenic beauty to tourists to cherish and recall for a long period of time
(Noti, 2013). Thus, to keep the interests of travellers in-tacked, it is essential for government to
preserve the beauty of such historical and entertainment destinations. Such places tend to create a
remarkable experience for tourists by significantly appealing to them through their features and
characteristics. When tourists visit these locations, they derive high satisfaction as they get to
visit a star attraction of any location.
The above explained elements are interrelated to a significant extent. For example- The
lack of effectual transportation services would imply the travellers not being able to access their
favourite locations or attractions (Vu and et. al., 2015). Further, tourists take support from travel
agents to ensure that they have a pleasurable experience during the tour. Reservation of
accommodation facilities for clients is also done by travel agent. The collaboration of all these
components ensures that people derive extensive contentment from the package.
M1 Role of tourism elements and their interaction for tourism experience
The elements of travel and tourism sector are acknowledged to be accommodation
(facilities linked to stay in hotel or motel), travel agent (providing help related to tour package),

transportation (movement from one place to another for sightseeing) and attractions (attractive
destinations to visit). The role of all of these elements is to enhance the experience driven by
tourists as a result of consumption of tourism services. The interaction taking place between all
of these elements provide assistance to tour operating companies in providing best in class
services to tourists so that they can derive maximum satisfaction consequently. The interaction
helps in ensuring that the tourists do not face any kind of difficulty while on the tour.
LO 2
P3 Factors that affect tourism behaviour
There are several factors which place influence over tourism behaviour. This is illustrated
with the help of the example of Greece as explained below:-
Brand Image of Destinations: This is concerned with the extent of popularity and
awareness of a destination among the people. In this regard, it is identified that when a
destination is excessively popular, it places a positive influence over the behavioural pattern of
tourists and vice versa also holds true. For instance: It is acknowledged that the positive and
extensive brand image of Greece as a tourist destination, aids in gaining the attention of large
number of tourists. When tourists get to know that a destination is too popular, they get intrigued
to make a visit to the place.
Geographical factors: A number of changes take place within the confines of climatic
conditions. This exerts pressure upon tourism industry to adapt to such changes or it would face
severe consequences (Theobald, 2012). For instance: Scorching heat at Santorini, Greece tends
to deflate the quantum of tourists visiting this destination at a daily basis. This has a huge impact
over the revenue generated out of this destination as well as it would affect the popularity of this
location (Lee and Brahmasrene, 2013).
Social factors: Constant changes take place in the needs and preferences of tourists. This
may have a positive or negative influence over the tourism generated by that destination. For
instance: An adverse shift in the needs and demands of tourists and their consumer decision
making pattern would result in decrement in tourism revenues generated from Greece (Meyer,
2013).
Cultural factors: This encompasses language, norms, values and other cultural aspects of
a destination. These tend to have a substantial impact over the tourism behaviour. For instance:

It is acknowledged that a hefty sum is incurred upon the upkeep of historical places and tourist
locations of Greece. This has an affirmative impact over the money generated from tourism of
this destination.
P4 Models of motivation and influence on consumer decision making
Motivation is seen as the essential factor that influences interest of tourists towards the
respective industry. In order to influence behaviour of tourists towards them tour operators uses
different motivational models for influencing decision making process of travellers in their
favour. The main two models are described as below in effective manner:
Maslow's Hierarchy theory: This theory is mainly based on needs and requirement of
customers. It consists of five stages in which tour operator one by one satisfies tourists for
influencing their decision in their favour. Such needs in relation to consumer behaviour are
discussed in brief manner as follows:-
Physiological Needs:
At first stage that is physiological needs, tour operators ensures to provide basic needed
services to customers which includes food, shelter, etc. while finalising their trip.
Safety Needs:
At safety needs, the major emphasis of tour operator is, upon making the trip of travellers
safe and secured (Dickinson and et. al., 2014).
Social Needs:
In social needs stage that is third one main focus of tour operators is to organise trip in
friendly environment so that every traveller could remain open to tour operators and discuss their
problems with them.
Esteem Needs:
The next stage is about esteem needs which simply state that tour operators are required to
satisfy customers by providing luxurious services to users as their budget so that they can satisfy
to them at extent level.
Self Actualisation Needs:
The last stage of this theory stipulates that tour operators should develop such an
experience for tourists that they are able to develop their knowledge about the location in an
effective manner. In order to enhance satisfaction level of user at this stage, tour operator starts

providing personalise packages to each of its customers in order to develop their satisfaction
level at higher level.
Whereby all the needs of tourists are fulfilled by the tour operators, it places a positive
influence upon the consumer decision making process. This inflates the pleasure driven by
travellers during the trip and also enhances the chance of the tourists making repeat purchase for
the tour. When tourists derive satisfaction from the receipt of travelling services, they do word of
mouth publicity for the travel company, which leads to creation of new demand in future course
of time. Creating a repeat customer through satisfaction of all their needs with the first usage of
services bring a constant income for the tour operators, with no need for extra marketing
expenses. Thus, it can be said that Maslow’s Theory consisting of 5 level of needs, when duly
fulfilled by the tour operators, lead to imposition of positive influence on consumer decision
making within travel and tourism sector.
Vroom's Expectancy theory: This framework is consisting of three main factors that
collaboratively supports in motivating tour operators in positive manner. In expectancy factor,
tour operators mainly gets motivated with the belief that if they will provide effective services to
customers then they will able to make loyal towards their packages only as a result they will
become successful in the near future (Boniface, Cooper and Cooper, 2016). At next factors that
is instrumentality, it can be said that rewards can easily motivate tour operators as they works
harder for gaining more rewards. At last, in valence factor, tour operator can only feel motivated
if they get their desired rewards depending upon their hard work. By applying this framework in
tourism industry, tour operators can easily be motivated which will also result in providing more
effective services to customers in the near future.
M2 Factors underpinning tourist behaviour and impact on decision making process
There are numerous factors which influence behavioural pattern and decision making of
travellers. In this regard, it has been identified that Brand Image of Destinations, Geographical
factors, Social factors and Cultural factors are the aspects which underpin tourist behaviour and
place impact over their decision making procedure. When these factors are positive, maximum
number of visitors prefers to visit place as they are comfortable in travelling and enjoying. This
simply means that tour operators are required to modify their packages according to the factors
which positively affect tourist decision making procedure. This will help them in serving
customers in an effective manner and generating higher revenue for themselves.

LO 3
P5. Recent and emerging patterns and trends in international travel and tourism industry
Over the period of time, global travel and tourism sector has witnessed a number of latest
as well as emergent trends. Some of the current and emerging patterns and trends are described
in a brief manner as follows:-
Current Patterns and Trends in the international travel and tourism industry
Online booking: In the modern era, tourists prefer to do the booking of their holiday or
tour packages via the usage of internet. The reservations are either done via desktops or through
mobile applications.
Solo travel: Nowadays, one of the most emerging trends within the confines of travel
and tourism sector is travelling across the globe all by oneself. In this regard, travellers now
prefer to select solo holiday or tour packages via various types of travel portals.
Personalisation: This is one of the most widely used trends within the international
travel and tourism industry. In the modern era, travellers expect an experience which meets their
personal preferences and choices. From destination to accommodation to the activities they get
indulged in during the tour, all needs to match their perception of the best tour. Thus, tour
operators leverage personalisation in tour to provide a tailored experience to tourists as per their
choices and needs. Hereby, the tourists can select the locations, hotel, mode of transportation and
many more aspects of the tour as per their discretion. This leaves an impeccable impression over
the tourists and influences them to do repeat purchase in future course of time.
Emerging Patterns and Trends in the international travel and tourism industry
Robot: Cognitive computing is paving the way of each and every sector of economy.
Within the confines of respective sector, robots are now being used in hotels to improve the
effectiveness as well as efficiency of business operations. This leads to a reduction in the cost of
operations and the manual labour required for executing tasks.
Eco-tourism: This is regarded as yet another emergent trend pertaining to travel and
tourism sector. This involves stipulation of opportunities for travellers to witness the beauty of
nature as well as wildlife (Ghimire, 2013). Eco tourism is becoming famous amidst all the age
groups of tourists.
Bleisure Travel: This is one of the most apparently emerging trends across the global
travel and tourism sector. Hereby, leisure and travelling for business is combined to develop an

experience wherein travellers can execute their work while also fulfilling their leisure desires in
their downtime.
M3 Significance of recent and emerging patterns and trends to travel and tourism industry
Travellers have over the course of time evolved and gained awareness of the feature and
characteristics of modern day tours. Trends such as eco tourism, solo travelling, usage of robots
and online booking leave an impeccable impression over them when provided to them in their
tour package. Personalisation is a current trend that is being leveraged by tour operators across
the globe at present to develop tour packages as per the preference of tourists and thereby derive
high satisfaction from them. Bleisure travel is an emerging trend which has gained the attention
of tour operators with the passage of time. Hereby, business activities and leisure travel is
integrated with a view to provide recreation time during the commercial tour. This has the
capability to gain the attention of a large base of travellers towards them. Travellers get intrigued
by these current and emergent trends used by tour operators. Thus, they get influenced to have an
experience of the same and enhance the revenues generated out of the travel and tourism sector
across the globe.
LO4
P6 Factors affecting popularity of global destinations
There are number of factors which places influence over popularity of global destinations
and their growth. With reference to travel and tourism industry it can be said that external factors
holds power of influencing performance of it. Some of the main influential factors among them
are described as below:-
Social factor: Influence of this factor can be understood in better with the example of
popular destination Egypt. This global destination is popular for its historical pyramids which
influences social influence of its customers towards it (Baka, 2016). For maintaining influence of
customers towards them it is essential for marketing manager of the tourism industries to provide
services to customers according to their requirement for making the influence of this factor
toward them in positive manner.
Reviews of friends and relatives: Individuals prefers to discuss with their family and
friends while finalising destination for visiting. It can be said that if an individual plans to visit
Greece and at the time of discussion any of his/ her friends have denied to the same then it will

surely influence popularity of this respective place and also affect the popularity of destination
within travel and tourism industry.
Appealing marketing and advertising: This is yet another factor which affects the
popularity of a destination. There are many destinations across the globe, which have become
popular over the course of time owing to the massive advertising expenditure that has been done
upon them by the government. The best example of this is Eiffel Tower on which massive
advertising is done by the central government. When efforts and initiatives are taken to create
awareness about a destination among the people, it inflates the popularity of such place by a
significant margin.
Offers and Discounts: The industry offers several discount to its customers but if in case
they fails to deliver effective services to user as per the promises then it might work as negative
factor for company and influence interest of customers towards the industry in negative manner.
This will affect growth of the industry.
M4 Factors affecting popularity of destinations and level of importance to destination's
popularity’
On the basis of above described factors, it can be said that reviews of family and friends,
discounts and social factors are the main which places major influence over the popularity of that
respective destination. By making use of discounts and offers travel industry influences
popularity of the destinations (Baker, 2014). It holds higher level of importance in the popularity
of destinations as if these factors works in positive manner then it attracts customers a lot and
influences growth of industry in rapid on the other if in case customers does not get satisfied
with the same then it could affect popularity of the respective place. This is because, if customers
does not get satisfied with the services then they might not visit the same place again in future.
This would directly hamper its popularity in the near future.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of analysis of above discussion, it can be easily stipulated that travel and
tourism sector is on a high rise over the course of time. This owes to the initiative and efforts
taken up by this sector during the last few decades. It is analysed that this industry is composed
of a number of elements such as accommodation, travel agent, destination and transportation.
These are interrelated and their collaboration leads to the provision of an effective and high

quality experience for travellers while at the tour. In addition to this, it has been analysed that
there are several trends and patterns that tend to influence the operations and functioning of this
sector. In this regard, the current and emergent trends that are paving the way of travel and
tourism sector are recognised to be use of robots, AI, solo travelling, eco tourism, online booking
etc. Furthermore, it has been acknowledged that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs provides aid to the
concerned corporate sector in meeting the demands of tourists and inflating the overall
experience derived by travellers.

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Online
Travel & tourism economic impact 2019 world - WTTC. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic-impact-research/regions-2019/
world2019.pdf>.