Tourism

Tourismmeans people traveling for fun and adventure. It includes activities such assightseeingandcamping.People whotravelfor fun are called "tourists". Places where manytouristsstay are sometimes called "resorts". Places that people go to for tourism are called touristdestinations.

There are many reasons why people travel for fun:

Some people travel to learn about thehistoryorcultureof acityorcountry,or about the people who live there, or their ancestors.
People from cold places sometimes like to relax in the sun. Many people fromnorthern EuropeorNorth Americatravel to warmer places and visitbeaches.
Some people travel to do an activity which they cannot do at home. There are manyski resortsin theAlpsofSwitzerlandandAustria,andseaside resortsinGreeceand other warm countries.
People sometimes visit friends and family in another city or country.
Finally, some people enjoy a change inscenery.City people go toforestsordeserts,and vice versa.

The tourism industry

The tourism industry has different parts. Some of these are:

Transport; such asairlines,railways,boats,androadtransport.
Places to stay; such ashotels,campinggrounds or parks, youth hostels, andbed and breakfasts.
Food and drink; such asrestaurants,cafesandbars.
Tour guidesknow a place well, guide tourists to interesting places, and tell them about the place.

Package tour operators can offer all these services to a group who will go together. This can be cheaper than paying for them separately.

Damage tourism can bring

Tourism can bring damage to the local area, and/or the tourists. Litter, scuba-diving anddeforestationare problems for popular places such asSt. Lucia,Hawaiiand others.Scuba-diving can damagecoral reefswhich are home to hundreds of species of sea animals. Tourism can changeculturewhen people learn each other's ways, and certain localtraditionsare being put aside for tourists.

Related pages

Tourist attraction

Other websites

Wikivoyagehas tourism information for the whole world.
Tourism Abbreviations, smartdefine.org