The tourism industry today brings considerable revenues to those states that are actively developing it. Today, about 8% of the total able-bodied population of the planet is involved in it. Tourist resources are all that helps in its development: mountains and seas, forests and lakes, historical monuments and cultural objects. In this article, we will tell you in detail about the classifications and main types of recreational and tourist resources.
Tourism resources are …
What is meant by the concept of "tourist" or "recreational and tourist" (from the Latin word recreatio - recreation) resources? What is the essence of the term? Let's try to understand these issues.
Tourism resources are objects and specific features of the environment (natural, climatic, historical, sociocultural, etc.) that are (or may be) the subject of interest of tourists and are able to encourage them to travel. These include not only beautiful landscapes and architectural monuments, but also clean air, the availability of entertainment, the hospitality of local residents and more.
From the point of view of recreational geography (one of the young scientific disciplines), tourism resources are some artifacts of natural or anthropogenic origin that possess a certain recreational and tourist value and can be used to organize recreation, recreation or cultural enrichment of people. Where there are no tourism resources, tourism simply cannot develop. However, there are few such territories on our planet, although some experts claim that they do not exist at all, because on any patch of the globe you can find something interesting and worthwhile for a tourist.
The degree of development and development of tourist resources in a given territory is largely determined by their features. These include, first of all, the following properties:
- Attractivity (attractiveness) of the resource.
- Availability (primarily transport).
- Scientific, cultural and sightseeing significance.
- Potential reserve (capacity) of a resource.
- Landscape and environmental characteristics.
- Methods and intensity of resource use.
Tourism Resource Classification
In modern geography, the classification proposed by the Polish economist M. Truasa in 1963 is widely used. He identifies three categories of tourism resources:
- Natural tourist resources (climate, relief, landscapes, hydrological objects, forests, parks, beach areas, protected areas, natural monuments, etc.).
- Historical and cultural resources (architectural structures, palace ensembles, fortresses, museums, sculptural monuments, historical necropolises, works of art, etc.).
- Socio-economic or infrastructure resources (hotels, cafes and restaurants, excursion bureaus, campsites, motels, entertainment complexes, etc.).
In addition, the following types of tourist resources are allocated:
- Direct (or direct) are natural and historical-cultural objects that are directly used in the organization of tourism activities.
- Indirect (additional) - material, financial, labor and information resources that are involved in the development of direct tourist resources.
Further, we will examine in more detail the main and most popular groups of recreational and tourist resources, namely balneological, climatic, landscape, beach, historical, cultural and event.
Balneological resources
Balneological resources include drinking mineral water, healing mud with natural medicinal substances, as well as ozokerite. They are used both for treatment purposes and for general healing of the body. Among the mineral waters, scientists distinguish several dozen balneological groups, including ferruginous, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen carbonate, radon and others.
Perhaps the most famous balneological resort on the planet is the famous Dead Sea. Here, three medical factors act on the human body at once: the salty sea water itself (the concentration of salts and minerals reaches 33%), mineral mud, as well as clean and saturated air with many useful substances. The second most popular and intensive use of balneological center can be called the resort "Secheni" in Hungary. Here, in the vicinity of Budapest, over 500 mineral springs break out from the ground.
Climate resources
Climate is an important aspect of the successful development of recreational and resort facilities. In some cases, the climatic conditions of the region directly affect its resort specialization. So, for example, the healing air of the southern coast of Crimea, infused with phytoncides of the local vegetation, is ideal for treating diseases of the human respiratory system. It is worth noting that the climatic resources of the same area may be contraindicated for some people, but at the same time ideal for others.
Landscape resources
Scientists have long proved that the surrounding landscape affects the mental and mental state of a person, and can also contribute to recovery and recovery of the body after a long illness.
Among the landscape tourism resources, mountainous areas stand out. After all, they create the conditions for the development of the most diverse types of recreational and tourist activities - from extreme sports to spa treatment. The absolute leader in this regard is the Alpine mountain region. At least 150 million tourists and vacationers visit it annually.
Beach resources
An important place in the list of recreational and tourist resources is occupied by beach resources. According to statistics, more than 50% of all tourists in the world somehow associate their vacation with being on the seashore, ocean or other body of water. It's no secret that staying on the beach is especially beneficial for the human body. Indeed, in this case, it simultaneously affects three natural factors at once: water, sun and air.
The most popular beach recreation area on the planet is the Cote d'Azur. It is located in France and stretches 180 kilometers from Toulon to Monaco. A magnificent beach holiday is also famous for such countries as Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Malta, Cyprus, Tunisia, Turkey.
Cultural and historical resources
Various cultural monuments of history, architecture and art are ranked as cultural and tourist resources. These include palace and park ensembles, castles, citadels, ancient fortifications, archaeological sites, memorial complexes, places of worship, monasteries, museums, art galleries, ancient necropolises, preserved fragments of historical buildings in cities, etc.
Which countries have the greatest historical and cultural tourism resources? Fans of magnificent architecture and museums should go to Italy, France or Austria, fans of medieval castles - to Germany or Great Britain, admirers of antiquities - to Egypt, Turkey, Greece. If you are attracted to exotic architecture - feel free to go to one of the countries of East Asia.
Event Tourism Resources
The so-called event tourism has recently gained more and more popularity around the world. The purpose of such a tourist trip is dedicated to any event - a festival or a national holiday. Many travel agencies offer their customers special tours that combine traditional relaxation, as well as attending the most spectacular events.
Event resources can be divided into several thematic groups:
- National holidays and parades.
- Theatrical shows.
- Film festivals.
- Gastronomic festivals (including wine and beer).
- Musical, literary and theatrical festivals.
- Fashion shows.
- Auctions.
- Sport events.
Tourism in the modern world
Tourism today is one of the most dynamic sectors of the global economy. In many countries, it is developing at an incredibly rapid pace. First of all, it is worth highlighting Italy, France, Austria, the Czech Republic, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Egypt, the UAE. These states are leaders in the modern tourism industry. Annually, the total income of all countries of the world from tourism is about 800-900 billion US dollars.
The concept of "tourism industry" means a combination of various subjects of tourism and health-resort activities, providing accommodation and services for tourists and vacationers. These include the following enterprises and institutions:
- hotels, campsites, boarding houses, tourist complexes;
- tourism organizers (travel agencies, agencies, excursion bureaus);
- transport services and private carriers;
- sports and health centers;
- catering establishments;
- entertainment centers and institutions;
- banking and insurance companies;
- information services.
A tourist operator is an economic entity that performs intermediary functions between a producer and a consumer of a tourist product. The complex of tourist services usually includes:
- hotel and restaurant services;
- travel agency services;
- tour desk services and private guides;
- other services.
