There are a lot of terms used for different 'types' of tourism, and it's easy to get confused. That's why we've published this no-nonsense guide to the different types of tourism. We hope this helps making everything a little bit clearer!

Geo-tourism

Geo-tourism was developed by the National Geographic Society and is a form of tourism that sustains or even enhances the geographical character of a place – its environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents. Geo-tourism includes all the elements of ecotourism and sustainable tourism, but is more encompassing. But since it does not have a global support network or a broad base of proponents, the term has not become as widely used as some of the others. 

Nature-based tourism

Nature-based tourism is any form of tourism that relies primarily on the natural environment for its attractions or settings. Since it is largely for the purpose of experiencing nature, it therefore, does not incorporate the cultural or economic aspects of ecotourism.

Responsible tourism

Responsible tourism is “tourism that maximises the benefits to local communities, minimizes negative social or environmental impacts, and helps local people conserve fragile cultures, habitats, and species.”

Responsible tourism and ecotourism are often used interchangeably, or in combination (as in “responsible ecotourism”). They share most elements, but responsible tourism “does not only take place in protected natural environments – Any tourism business, whether located in a thriving metropolis, a desert, rural village, sub-tropical island, medieval town – can be a Responsible Tourism operation”. (Wikipedia)

Sustainable tourism

Sustainable tourism is tourism that “meets the needs of present tourist and host regions, while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future”. Essentially, the focus of sustainable tourism is on the local community’s ability to continue as a tourist destination over time. Therefore, taking good care of the natural environment is often a key element, especially in countries like Norway where nature is consistently cited as the number one reason to visit

Adventure tourism

Adventure tourism is a form of tourism that incorporates an element of risk, higher levels of physical exertion, and the need for specialized skill. It usually involves ‘unusual’ tourism activities that often take place in a remote area. Typical adventure tourism activities include rafting, mountaineering, and rock climbing.

Pro-poor tourism

Just as nature-based tourism focuses on the ‘nature’ aspect of travelling, pro-poor tourism focuses on improving the situation for poor people. This could include involving poor people in the tourism industry (for example, as employees) or ensuring that the profits benefit the poor in the community. Pro-poor tourism is not a niche tourism sector but rather an approach aiming to increase the net benefit for the poor people. You can read more about pro-poor tourism on http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/what_is_ppt.html

Mass tourism

When speaking of ‘mass tourism’, we usually mean large-scale tourism, of the kind that is typically associated with ’sea, sand, sun’ resorts and package tours. Common characteristics of mass tourism are transnational ownership, and therefore, minimal direct economic benefit to destination communities. 

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This entry was posted on March 11, 2010 at 12:45 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.