Special Interest Tourism: Characteristics, Examples, and Impacts

This document provides an overview of special interest tourism, including its characteristics, examples of experiences and providers, and the impacts on selected destinations. It explores the motivations, expectations, and needs of customers in special interest tourism and analyzes relevant data and statistics on the scale and scope of the market. The document also examines the emerging special interest markets and provides recommendations for future development.

Special Interest
Tourism

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Defining and differentiation of characteristics of special interest tourism and mainstream
mass tourism................................................................................................................................1
P2. Examining examples of special interest tourism experiences, products, services and
providers in distinct market.........................................................................................................3
P3. Assessment of ways customer motivations, expectations and needs influence special
interest tourism.............................................................................................................................4
M1. Analyse of relationship among customer motivation, influences and special interest
tourism products and services......................................................................................................5
D1. Critical analyse of ways diverse customer motivations along with experiences are met via
special interest as well as niche tourism experiences, commodities and markets.......................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P4. Interpreting and assessing relevant data along with statistics on scale and scope of selected
special interest market..................................................................................................................5
P5. Analyse of impacts that special interest tourism have on selected destination as well as the
ways tourism providers responds towards needs addition to expectations of customer..............6
M2. Critical analyse of impacts that special interest tourism have on selected destination,
application of suitable data and statistics.....................................................................................8
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P6. Examining new as well as emerging special interest markets, products and providers........9
M3. Evaluating impacts that market forces as well as trends have on development of special
interest tourism markets.............................................................................................................10
D2. Critical evaluation of impacts and development of special interest tourism in selected
destination and justified recommendations for development in future......................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................11
Covered in PPT..........................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Special interest tourism refers to provision of tailored tourism activities which caters to
particular interest of people. It is the type of tourism that emphasis on activities that grab
attention of small number of highly dedicated travellers that may have unusual activities along
with hobbies practised by few population only. In existing tourism sector, special interest
tourism is essential part as present tourist are more interested, confident, encouraged and
motivated for travelling to totally new locations where they finds uniqueness different from
traditional mass tourism (Balderas-Cejudo, Patterson and Leeson, 2019). For gaining information
for special interest tourism, Holiday Architects is chosen. It is a small and special interest tour
operator which was established in 2010 for meeting travellers needs as well as design accurate
holiday to match. The entity is planning to expand its portfolio of products for tailor made
holiday as well as capableness to deal with enhancing demand so to achieve growth. In this
context, Thailand is the selected emerging destination for the project.
The assessment demonstrates understanding about special interest tourism services,
products as well as customer motivation. It further analyse scale, scope along with impacts of
special interest tourism markets and the ways tourism providers meets needs and expectations of
customer. It also assesses emerging special interest tourism markets along with products and
providers.

TASK 1

P1 Defining and differentiation of characteristics of special interest tourism and mainstream
mass tourism
Special interest tourism is defined to a kind of holiday which replaces traditional or
mainstream mass market tourism packages as well as allows tourist to select holidays that
appeals to their personal addition to individual needs or choices (Cho, Bonn and Brymer, 2017).
It is specialised tourism which comprises group addition to individual tours by those population
that have wishes or preferences for developing given interests, visiting places which have
connection with particular interest or subject. Holiday Architects designs and organises special
interest tourism and tailor made travel as per conversation with customers and understanding
their needs. The entity also expands huge in staff training so to attract as well as retain best
talents that communicate with vacationers and understand their prime motivation to enjoy
special interest. Clients that engages with special interest tourism seeks to enrich awareness,
express themselves and learn more. Along with this, they expects higher service standards along
with individualised focus.
Mainstream mass tourism is tourism type that includes movement or travelling of
large number of organised tourists for specific holiday destination for purposes of recreation
and leisure. It is said to the phenomenon which that is characterised by utilisation of
standardised package commodities addition to mass consumption. There are various tour
operators that organise mass tourism. This is well known type of tourism as it is inexpensive
method to go on vacation. It involves locations including tourist business districts, resort towns
etc that are mostly crowded. It generates huge income and also develops local areas.
The differentiation of characteristics of special interest tourism from mainstream mass
tourism are as follows:
Involvement of tourist: Special interest tourism have characteristic of involvement of
individuals in organised tours for searching first hand information about environment, place,
local culture etc (Cicero, 2018). For instance, Holiday architects have organised biking tour as
per demand of special tourists. In this, limited number of people involve in the tour and to travel
places which are not well known tourist destination. In contrary, mainstream mass tourism
involves masses of population for popular tourist destinations or places in peak holiday season.
Mass tourism is mandatory highly seasonal in which tourist buys access for specific seasonal
environment along with space time packages. Tourists visiting religious places, resort towns,

theme parks etc are mass tourism.
Package: In context to special interest tourism, travel packages are designed as per
customer preferences. It is traditional way wherein travel programs are set after understanding
needs of individual or limited group of people. Holiday Architects set out travel packages by
knowing travel needs and designs customised tourism activities that are decided by tourist. On
other hand, mass tourism is characterised as designing packages by communicating with mass
populations. It is traditional way in which daily programs are fixed by tour organisers as per
needs of mass travellers. It majorly involves package deals.
Pollution: Mass tourism comprises assemblage of huge number of vacationers in small
area that create intense environmental pollutions (Dangi, 2017). For instance, when large
number of people visits historic places or other popular destination then it results in huge
damages and lot of garbage that creates huge pollution. However, special interest tourisms
includes limited tourist that are characterised as nature friendly people. They takes part in huge
activities and do not result in lots of garbage as well as damages to places.
P2. Examining examples of special interest tourism experiences, products, services and
providers in distinct market
Special interest tourism comprises wide number of products, services and experiences.
In different market, different types of products and services are offered to individuals that have
preferences for visiting not so popular locations with the motive of learning more, expressing
themselves addition to enriching awareness (Ellis and et.al., 2018). It is provision of customised
recreational experiences as well as leisure that are driven by specific expressed groups of
individuals. In different markets, wide kinds of products, experiences, services and providers
are available for meeting needs of particular individuals in context to special interest tourism.
Holiday Architects works in different markets and the examples of products, providers, services
related to special interest tourism are as follows:
Health and wellness: The market is quite popular are individuals are becoming huge
health conscious and selected those products and services that enhances well being via travel
experiences. For example, special interest tourism products available in the market are natural
tourism product that includes accommodation, amenities, transportation mode and many more.
In context to special interest tourism services, these includes customer delights, quick response,
behaviour and courtesy. Holiday architects is the main special interest tourism provider in

health and wellness market that designs products as well as services in accordance with
expectations of travellers for their heath. Tourists attains favourable experiences such as relive
pains, managing stress, losing weight and looking as well as feeling better.
Sporting: The market motivates individual or groups to take holidays from busy
schedule and participate in some sports activities (Everett, 2016). In this market, Bothanist
Cheltenham is the provider of special interest tourism experiences and products to individuals.
The tour provider have organised various sports tour as per needs of sport vacationers. For
example, sports related special interest tourism products are transportation modes, rooms, food
and business centre. At same time, services includes service style, courtesy, assistance and
online facilities. Learning experiences and adventurous are certain experiences that are more are
more in demand within the market.
P3. Assessment of ways customer motivations, expectations and needs influence special interest
tourism
Special interest tourism is among fastest growing segment within tourism sector. In
present era, more mature travelling citizens are progressively looking experiences that satisfy
entire spectrum of curiosity and interest. In tourism industry, customers have distinct needs,
motivations addition to expectations that widely influence special interest tourism that are as
assessed:
Customer motivation: Motivation is defined to internal and external dimensions which
excite desire together with energy in people for continually interested in exerting persistent
attempts for accomplishing objectives (Frantál and Urbánková, 2017). Customers motivations
plays significant function in influencing special interest tourism. For instance, present tourists
of Holiday Architects are motivated as well as interested in travelling at location in which they
finds or gets some new experiences. It is assessed that special interest travellers goes at different
location as they wants to learn something new, express themselves and many more. When they
are no longer motivated from the different tourist place or package that it leads to influencing
special interest tourisms as the packages are particular designed for limited number of travellers
and when they do not buy them then it negatively impacts on its sales and demand.
Expectations of customers: When special interest tourism provider organises
adventurous trips, it is necessary to assure that all the things and activities they do is geared
towards increasing expectations of customers, otherwise it negatively influences special interest

tourism. For instance, The major expectations of travellers from Holiday Architects such
tourism are safety, care and attention, values, physical preparedness and so on. In past years, it
is analysed that enhancement of individual or small group of travellers searching local
experiences have began. In communication with quarter of sole travellers, it is analysed that
customers are looking towards good local food, effective accommodation, guided travel
experience etc which influence special interest tourism positively as the facilities and activities
are arranged by the tour operators by considering expectations of their individual traveller
having special interest. .
Needs of customers: Customer have diverse needs in tourism industry. They looks for
right tourism products and service for solving problems related to need satisfaction. In context
to special interest tourism, customers needs are for food, clothing, shelter, self preservation and
self actualisation while travelling to some of unpopular destinations (Frisvoll, Forbord and
Blekesaune, 2016). When tour operators understands all the needs and makes proper
arrangement that meets needs of customers from tailor made packages, it results in influencing
tourist with special interest in the industry.
M1. Analyse of relationship among customer motivation, influences and special interest tourism
products and services
Influences, motivations and products addition to services of special interest tourism have
direct relationship as all are interrelated to each other. For example, products are services of
such tourism have potentials to meet needs of customers that motivates and influences travellers
to buy and make holiday trip (Henama and Sifolo, 2018). Holiday Architect communicates with
its key travellers which have special interest in travelling and accordingly designs and offers
them special interest tourism products that motivates them for enjoying the services. With this,
they meets needs of customers and influences staff members to coordinate efforts with other
local tour operators that provides effective experiences to customers.
D1. Critical analyse of ways diverse customer motivations along with experiences are met via
special interest as well as niche tourism experiences, commodities and markets
According to Jovicic (2016), it is critically analysed that experiences and motivations of
customers are met through offering tailor made packages accordance to interest, choices and
budgets of customers. In relevance to Holiday Architects, it have handled practices for

recognising commodities, experiences and services that are more in demand among customers.
The entire information are properly recorded on paper and further packages are prepared that
addresses each demands and wants of niche tourism experience and markets at affordable
prices.
TASK 2
P4. Interpreting and assessing relevant data along with statistics on scale and scope of selected
special interest market
Number of travellers visiting Thailand have increased from 35.5 million to 39.80 million
between 2017 to 2019. Moreover, the enhancement in visitors from 2018 and 2019 was restricted
to 4.24% that is less than expectations of Thailand Tourism Authorities. It is seen that tourisms
plays essential role in Thai Economy as it accounts to around 6-7% of GDP (McKercher, 2016).
It has huge number of resorts, seamounts etc that have capacity of proving accommodation to
large travellers at a time. The market is developing as during the years, Thailand is gaining
intense competitive advantages from surrounding countries including Vietnam, Myanmar and so
on.

(Source: Yearly tourist arrival in Thailand between 2004 to 2019. 2020)
The above graph shows that the number of tourist arrival in Thailand has increased from
11.74 million to 39.8 million between 2004 to 2019 (Yearly tourist arrival in Thailand between
2004 to 2019, 2020). Moreover, Wide number of changes are also analysed in the market in
terms of infrastructural development, hospitality services, tourism product and so on.
Furthermore, government of the destination is also making huge attempts for attracting travellers
from different parts of world and maintains beauty of the location through implementing various
programmes.
P5. Analyse of impacts that special interest tourism have on selected destination as well as the
ways tourism providers responds towards needs addition to expectations of customer
Diverse number of factors impacts special interest tourism which further impacts tourism
in Thailand. Tourism is undoubtedly one of foremost sector across world that generates jobs,
offers opportunities and contributes in GDP of nation (Normelani., 2017). Thailand is most
popular tourist destination on globe. Special interest tourism have preferred ways to attract high
value travellers to the destination. Holiday Architects requires to meet demands and choices of
Illustration 1: Yearly tourist arrival in Thailand
between 2004 to 2019. 2020

special interest tourist and requires to ensure that it supports tourism sector of Thailand. The
impacts of Special Interest Tourism of Thailand are as follows:
 Creating demand: Special interest tourism generates demand among individual or
groups to visit the destination so to find and express themselves, learns ways to remain
happy and so on. Special interest tourism generates demand among travellers to visit
Thailand and participate in preferred sporting activities along with enhance learning that
impacts positively in the destination by improving its image for creating and meeting
demands. Moreover, special interest tourist are friendly for destinations and do not create
damages or garbage at places that impacts positively on the destination to keep it clean
and more attractive.
 Offering customised services: Special Interest Tourism offers customised services as per
consultation with travellers and devising suitable travel service or package that motivate
individuals to make purchase of travel package and enjoy their holidays (Novotná and
et.al., 2019). Through offering customised services, Special Interest Tourism impacts
travel market of Thailand in positive manner as these services encourages tour operators
to meet experiences and needs. Because of enhancement of traveller visitation from
different geographical regions ion Thailand, positive impacts are seen in its development
and meeting of wide experiences on groups.
In tourism sector of Thailand, tourism providers responds towards expectations and needs
through making effective relationship with customers and understanding their requirements,
choices, needs, preferences, motivations and expectations. Accordingly, they devise customised
travel activities and other essentials, but prior to developing Special interest tourism, tourism
operator such as Holiday Architects are required to focus on aspects including target audience,
products and services available in market, prices for packages and so on. Moreover, by proving
quality of services is also one of way that meets travellers expectations and needs. It assist in
recognising individual needs for the tour and fulfilling increasing wants with higher service
delivery. The other way through which tourism providers meets expectations of customers is
through online facilities in which the company posts all the relevant information about the
customised packages and takes feedbacks from customers for the package (Robinson and Getz,
2016). It assist them to make certain modifications in the package as per needs and expectation
of travellers and providing the same. By providing training and development sessions to

employees, tour operators meets needs of customers. It is as employees provide necessary
services to customers and also are responsible to make available the demanded aspects. When all
the things are provided by employees on time with gratitude and values, then it meets their
expectations to desired level.
M2. Critical analyse of impacts that special interest tourism have on selected destination,
application of suitable data and statistics
Special interest tourism is increasing demand among individual or groups for Thailand
destination. Thailand tourism industry have become huge bid to fail. At same time, it requires
total restructuring.
Illustration 2: International Visitor arrival to Thailand. 2020
(Source: International Visitor arrival to Thailand. 2020)
From the above graph, it is interpreted that in starting of year 2018, the recorded
International visitor arrival in Thailand was around 3544528 which has increased to 3845811 till
end of the year (International Visitor arrival to Thailand, 2020). It is also analysed that special
interest tourism have favourable impacts on Thailand as these creates huge demand among
travellers to visit the place for seeking information, learning and expressing themselves. The
other impacts of such tourism is that it do not create pollutions of garbage in the location that
keeps the city clean and attractive.

TASK 3
P6. Examining new as well as emerging special interest markets, products and providers
Tourism consumption patterns as well as development of special interest are ideas
towards reflecting growth diversity of interests of leisure in modern society. With changes in
society and travellers preferences, various number of markets, products and providers have
emerged in the special interest tourism. In the modern era, travel towards emergency economies
one of new and emerging trend in special interest tourism (Thanh and Kirova, 2018). Moreover,
according to research done by managers of Holiday Architects, following are some of new and
emerging trends in special interest tourisms providers, products and market:
 Domestic as well as regional travel: In special Interest tourism, it is one of new trend in
which individuals and groups are more preferring to visit or make holidays in their
domestic or regional cities. For example, Thailand is a destination in which Contiki Tour
makes arrangements for citizens for travelling in nearby regions at domestic level. In this,
the new tourism products that they offers are adventure, sustainable, paragliding and so
on in Bulgaria market as it is safe nations and free from any military conflicts or have
lower crime rates.
 Individual travelling: It is one of emerging trends in special interest tourism in which
individuals are more prone to hit vacations in the search of peace, expressing themselves,
gaining knowledge and so on. Travelling alone is one of things that most of holiday
makers are looking as opportunity to go at their favourite destinations, without
confinement of itineraries of other tourers. For example, Intrepid travel is one on
emerging tour operator that is planning for solo travelling for special interest tourism. In
this aspect, the emerging market in which they are planning is Thailand and products
includes heath and beauty, arts and entertainment and so on.
 Mobility trends: Emergence of Covid- 19 have resulted in travelling in different
perspective. Because of it, 93% decrease in air passengers and ground transportation have
been recorded (Thrane, 2016). Private mobility is new as well as emerging trends within
special interest tourism as travellers are more interested ion travelling in their individual
vehicles. Thailand is one of emerging market in which Tru Travel is new tour providers
making arrangements for private vehicles for travellers in the market.

M3. Evaluating impacts that market forces as well as trends have on development of special
interest tourism markets
In development of special interest tourism, various market forces along with trends
impacts. According to Vasileiou, Tsartas and Stogiannidou (2016), it is evaluated that market
forces such as political decision, technological advancement, high competition, customer desires
and maximising awareness for environment protection impacts growth of special interest
tourism. Moreover, it is analysed that technological advancement and dynamics in decision of
government for travel industry impacts negatively of special interest tourism. Trends are possible
directions of developing something. Various trends are evaluated that impacts directly on special
interest tourism. One is individual travelling as solo travellings are making choices or
expectation to visit location alone that impacts drastically on special interest tourism as it
becomes quite impossible to offer wide services in minimum cost to individuals. Domestic and
regional travel is new trends that impacts special interest tourism in positive manner.
D2. Critical evaluation of impacts and development of special interest tourism in selected
destination and justified recommendations for development in future
From the views of WATSON (2017), it is critically evaluated that special interest tourism
have huge impacts on Thailand destination. As special interest travellers are friendly in nature
and do not believes in polluting surroundings and damaging historic buildings that impacts
positively on Thailand tourism to maintain its beauty and attractiveness. Moreover, it also
impacts negatively by offering customised services that only limited vacationers purchase and
this limits arrival on tourist in the destination ad reduces its visitors. In context to development,
special interest tourism, contributes in infrastructural development of the location and generate
huge employment.
It is recommended to Holiday Architects that they must emphasis towards multi
generational travellers in order to offer packages to population of different generation according
to needs. This will enhance their profits as well as assist in attaining development of special
interest tourism. The company is also recommended to use social media platforms, relationship
marketing and other forms to promote its customised packages and making sustainable position
for future developments.

TASK 4
Covered in PPT
CONCLUSION
From the mentioned assessment, it is concluded that tourism industry is attaining growth
from special interest tourism which is provision of customised travelling activities and facilities
which meets specific interest of people. It is characterised as friendly nature, involvement of
limited travellers and maintaining attractiveness of location that are different from features of
mainstream mass tourism. Health and wellness, education, arts and entertainment, sporting and
lot more are certain types of special interest tourism market that offers products including mode
of transportation, service style, amenities, suites and so on. Demand creation, offering of
customised services and others are some impacts that special interest tourism creates on Thailand
destination. The new and emerging trends such as individual travelling, mobility trends and
travelling in domestic and regional areas are developing special interest tourism.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Balderas-Cejudo, A., Patterson, I. and Leeson, G. W., 2019. Senior Foodies: A developing niche
market in gastronomic tourism. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science.
16. p.100152.
Cho, M., Bonn, M. A. and Brymer, R. A., 2017. A constraint-based approach to wine tourism
market segmentation. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. 41(4). pp.415-444.
Cicero, L., 2018. Special Interest Tourism. Concepts, Contexts and Cases. European Journal of
Tourism Research. 20. pp.153-155.
Dangi, V., 2017. Heritage and tourism: Issues and challenges. Research Journal of Humanities
and Social Sciences. 8(2). pp.217-222.
Ellis, A. and et.al., 2018. What is food tourism?. Tourism Management. 68. pp.250-263.
Everett, S., 2016. Food and drink tourism: Principles and practices. People. 10.
Frantál, B. and Urbánková, R., 2017. Energy tourism: An emerging field of study. Current Issues
in Tourism. 20(13). pp.1395-1412.
Frisvoll, S., Forbord, M. and Blekesaune, A., 2016. An empirical investigation of tourists’
consumption of local food in rural tourism. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and
Tourism. 16(1). pp.76-93.
Henama, U. S. and Sifolo, P. P. S., 2018. Religious Tourism in South Africa: Challenges,
Prospects, and Opportunities. In Global Perspectives on Religious Tourism and
Pilgrimage (pp. 104-128). IGI Global.
Jovicic, D., 2016. Cultural tourism in the context of relations between mass and alternative
tourism. Current Issues in Tourism. 19(6). pp.605-612.
McKercher, B., 2016. Towards a taxonomy of tourism products. Tourism Management. 54.
pp.196-208.
Normelani, E., 2017. The Potentiality of Tourism Resources in Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency,
South Kalimantan. Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Development Studies. 5(1). pp.1-
8.
Novotná, M. and et.al., 2019. Special Interest Tourism in the Czech Republic: Introduction and
Overview. Czech Journal of Tourism. 8(1). pp.49-63.
Robinson, R. N. and Getz, D., 2016. Food enthusiasts and tourism: Exploring food involvement
dimensions. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. 40(4). pp.432-455.
Thanh, T. V. and Kirova, V., 2018. Wine tourism experience: A netnography study. Journal of
Business Research. 83. pp.30-37.
Thrane, C., 2016. Students' summer tourism: Determinants of length of stay (LOS). Tourism
Management. 54. pp.178-184.
Vasileiou, M., Tsartas, P. and Stogiannidou, M., 2016. Wellness tourism: integrating special
interest tourism within the Greek tourism market. Tourismos. 11(3).
WATSON, A., 2017. Music tourism. Special interest tourism: concepts, contexts and cases,
pp.73-84.
Online
International Visitor arrival to Thailand. 2020. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.travel-impact-newswire.com/2019/02/the-best-analysis-of-thailands-
2018-record-breaking-visitor-arrivals/>

Yearly tourist arrival in Thailand between 2004 to 2019. 2020. [Online]. Available through:
https://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourism.asp>