What is Tourism Geography?

Geography involves studying places on the earths surface and how the characteristics of these places influence and are influenced by human beings. Since tourism is all about visiting places around the world, there are some obvious links between tourism and geography. In this video we will explore these links and try to explain what tourism geography means.

The term "geography" comes from the Greek words "geo" (meaning "earth") and "graphia" (meaning "description" or "writing"). It follows that geography is concerned with describing the earths features. It was first used by the ancient Greek scholar Eratosthenes in the third century before the Common Era.

 

The first studies of the relationships between geography and tourism emerged about a hundred years ago. A long-standing interest in geography among students and practitioners of tourism is not surprising, as experiencing the unique characteristics of different places is one of the main motives of leisure tourism. 

 

According to the Geography Department at the University of Oregon, geography is the science of place and space. They also provide a definition that can be adapted to serve our purposes:

 

Geography involves the study of the physical and cultural characteristics of different regions and the ways in which they influence and are influenced by human behavior.

 

With some minor alterations, we get a useful definition of tourism geography:

 

Tourism geography involves the study of the physical and cultural characteristics of different places and the ways in which they influence and are influenced by tourism.

 

Depending on your initial perspective it may be regarded as a subfield of geography or a subfield of tourism. 

 

Note in the definition above that geography is concerned with both physical and cultural characteristics. Accordingly the study of geography is commonly approached from two different perspectives: physical geography and human geography.

2 perspectives

 

Physical geography is the branch of geography that studies the natural environment and its physical processes, including climate, geomorphology, hydrology, and biogeography. The main areas of interest in physical geography are related to tourism in several ways:

 

·      Climate: Climate is a key factor that influences tourism demand and seasonality. Physical geography provides insights into the patterns and variations in temperature, precipitation, and other climatic variables that affect tourism destinations. This area is of particular interest as it provides insight into the relationships between tourism and climate change.

 

·      Geomorphology. Geomorphology is the study of landforms and the processes that shape them. Physical geography provides insights into the formation and evolution of landforms that are important for tourism, including mountains, canyons, deserts, and karst landscapes. It may also provide insights into geological hazards that may provide obstacles to tourism.

 

·      Hydrology. Hydrology is the study of water in the environment, including rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Physical geography provides insights into the hydrological processes that are important for tourism, including the formation of water-related tourist attractions and the availability of water resources for tourism.

 

·      Biogeography. Biogeography is the study of the distribution of living organisms and it provides insights into the distribution of endemic and endangered species, the ecology of forests and other natural habitats, and the impacts of human activity on biodiversity. Biogeography can also provide guidance to where flora and fauna can be safely exploited as tourist attractions.

 Physical Geography

Human geography is the branch of geography that focuses on the study of human activities, including their spatial distribution, relationships, and impacts on the natural and built environment. The main areas of interest in human geography are related to tourism in several ways:

 

·      Population dynamics. Human geography provides the tools and methods for analyzing and understanding the characteristics of tourist populations, including their age, gender, income, and cultural backgrounds. This information is essential for developing effective tourism marketing strategies and for understanding the impacts of tourism on local populations.

 

·      Urbanization. Tourism is often concentrated in urban areas, which provide access to cultural, recreational, and entertainment activities. Human geography can contribute to a better understanding of urban tourism, including its impacts on local communities as well as the attractions associated with city tourism.

 

·      Cultural landscapes. Cultural landscapes are the visible expressions of human activity on the natural environment, including architecture, land use, and local traditions. Human geography can contribute insights into the significance of cultural landscapes, and their potential as tourist attractions.

 

·      Economic geography. Economic geography is concerned with the geographic spread of economic activities. Human geography provides a framework for understanding the economic impacts of tourism on different regions and communities, and for designing effective tourism policies and strategies.

 

Human Geography

 

There are several reasons why everyone involved in tourism should have a solid grasp of geography:

 

1. Tourist destination analysis. Tourism is intimately connected with the physical and cultural characteristics of destinations. Geography provides the tools and methods for understanding these characteristics, including their location, accessibility, and ecological and cultural significance. This is useful knowledge for anyone providing tourism services at the destination.

 

2. Identifying tourism opportunities. Tourism often arises from the interaction between people and their environment. Geography helps tourism entrepreneurs identify areas with unique natural or cultural resources that have potential for tourism development.

 

3. Tourism planning. Tourism development often involves land-use planning, transportation planning, and spatial planning. Geography provides the conceptual framework and tools for tourism planning, including Geographic Information Systems, mapping, and spatial analysis.

 

4. Sustainable tourism development. Sustainable tourism development seeks to balance economic, social, and environmental objectives. Geography provides the tools and methods for analyzing and understanding the impacts of tourism on destinations and for designing sustainable tourism strategies.

 

5. Tourism sales and marketing. Tourism marketing involves identifying and targeting specific markets based on demographic, geographic, and psychographic factors. Geography provides tools for analyzing the spatial dimensions of tourist markets and for designing effective tourism marketing strategies. Anyone involved in selling or marketing tourism products must have a good understanding both of the characteristics of the tourist generating region as well as the tourist destination.

 

6. Tourist information. The provision of accurate and reliable tourist information is the domain of anyone who has contact with tourists. For people working in visitor centers or as tourist guides, this is a main responsibility that requires a thorough understanding of the natural and cultural characteristics of the destination and its nearby regions. Travel agents and tour operators must be knowledgeable about tourism geography on a global scale.

Overall, tourism geography provides the scientific understanding and tools for analyzing and managing the natural and cultural environment of tourism destinations. By understanding these aspects, tourism professionals can develop sustainable tourism practices that conserve local resources, protect communities and ecosystems, and enhance the tourist experience.