Summary of Major Topics:

• Definitions of tourism, the wide range of motivations for travel.
• The types of visitors and travelers, types of tour organizations.
• The tourism industry: its structure, components and organization; tourism products and services.
• Tourist destinations, attractions, amenities and facilities; accessibility to tourism destinations.
• The national and international importance of tourism, its effects on the balance of trade.
• Economic and social consequences of tourism, employment opportunities, effects on culture.
• Income received from tourism, the income multiplier, invisible exports
• Factors to consider in developing tourism.
• Investment in tourism, sources of finance – financial and other factors.
• Reasons for government involvement in tourism development.
• Potential government actions: tax and customs duties policies.
• Measurement of tourism, tourism statistics, SWOT analysis and information provided.
• More on development – the tourism framework: people, markets, destinations, routes.
• The tourism and resorts life cycle; infrastructure and superstructure.
• Structure and organization of the tourism industry.
• Channels of distribution for products, carriers, amenity and attraction providers, accommodation establishments.
• Wholesalers and retailers of tourism products.
• Tourism and travel markets: leisure and activity holidays, business travel.
• Types of tours, sightseeing, cruising and cultural tours.
• VFR travel, cultural, educational, health travel – the increasing range available.
• Inclusive and IT tours.
• Tourism operators: mass market, specialist, domestic, others.
• Economics of tour operations, supplements and surcharges.
• Transport, carriers: air, rail, road, sea, inland.
• Accommodation and catering; the range, types and standards of accommodation.
• Rating and categorization of hotels and other accommodation units.
• Consumer demands and changes in tastes, seasonality, pricing strategies and other issues.
• State promotion of tourism, national, regional and local tourist organizations.
• The roles of tour operators/travel agents and tourist information offices.
• Reservations systems, booking forms, itineraries, fares, tickets. Inclusive and package tours.
• Public and private tourism marketing; communications, the promotional mix.
• Market research, sales planning and forecasting for tourism.
• Advertising and sales promotions campaigns, special offers and merchandising, displays.
• Tour brochures: types, sizes, importance, design and layout.
• Websites: internet marketing, comparison websites, in-line bookings and payments.
• Social media and viral marketing, marketing opportunities on-line.
• A tourism and travel promotional campaign, from planning and review, through to strategy, marketing, advertising, literature, information, website and other promotions, media relations