What do the terms leisure, travel and tourism mean, and what are the main types of tourism?
The concepts of leisure, travel and tourism: definitions of leisure time, travel and a tourist, and the main types of tourism (domestic, inbound and outbound) and reasons for travel (leisure, visiting friends and relatives, and business).
A CCEA GCSE Leisure, Travel and Tourism guide to the basic concepts. Covers what leisure, travel and tourism mean, the definition of a tourist, the three main types of tourism (domestic, inbound and outbound), and the main reasons people travel: leisure, visiting friends and relatives, and business.
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What this dot point is asking
This dot point sets up the whole course. You need to know what the words leisure, travel and tourism actually mean, who counts as a tourist, the three main types of tourism (domestic, inbound and outbound), and the main reasons people travel (leisure, visiting friends and relatives, and business). CCEA examiners reward precise definitions and the ability to read a short scenario and classify a trip correctly. Everything else in Unit 1 builds on these ideas.
Leisure, travel and tourism
The three words are linked but mean different things.
Leisure can happen at home or close by, while tourism always involves going away from home. Travel is simply the journey that links a person to the place they want to visit.
What makes someone a tourist
A tourist is a person who travels away from their normal home and surroundings for a limited time.
The three main types of tourism
CCEA expects you to classify tourism into three types, based on where the tourist lives and where they go.
- Domestic tourism - people travelling within their own country, for example someone from Derry-Londonderry visiting Belfast or the Mourne Mountains.
- Inbound tourism - overseas visitors coming into a country, for example tourists from the United States or France visiting Northern Ireland.
- Outbound tourism - residents leaving their own country to visit another, for example a UK family flying to Spain or the United States.
The same place can be different types for different people: a French tourist at the Giant's Causeway is inbound to Northern Ireland, while a Belfast resident there is a domestic tourist.
Why people travel
Tourism is also classified by the reason for the trip.
- Leisure tourism - holidays, short breaks, sightseeing, sport and entertainment.
- Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) - staying with family or friends, weddings and reunions.
- Business tourism - work-related travel such as meetings, conferences and exhibitions.
Worked example: classifying a trip
A common exam task gives a short scenario and asks you to classify the tourism.
Why this matters
These concepts are the language of the whole specification. Every later topic, from the components of the industry to destinations and customer service, assumes you can define the key terms and classify a tourist correctly. In the exam, definition marks are won on exact wording, and many application questions begin by asking you to place a described trip into the right type and reason. Getting the basics precise here makes the rest of Unit 1 far easier.
Try this
Q1. Define the term tourist. [2 marks]
- Cue. Someone who travels away from their normal home for a limited time (at least an overnight stay, or a day trip), intending to return home.
Q2. Name the three main types of tourism. [3 marks]
- Cue. Domestic (within your own country), inbound (overseas visitors coming in) and outbound (residents leaving for another country).
Q3. Give the three main reasons people travel. [3 marks]
- Cue. Leisure (holidays and sightseeing), visiting friends and relatives, and business (meetings and conferences).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of CCEA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
CCEA Unit 1 (style)4 marksDefine the term tourism and explain the difference between domestic and inbound tourism. Give one example of each.Show worked answer →
A definition and contrast question testing AO1. Define the key term, then contrast the two types with an example of each.
Tourism means travelling away from home and staying for at least one night (or visiting for the day) for leisure, to visit friends and relatives, or for business, then returning home.
Domestic tourism is people travelling within their own country, for example someone from Belfast holidaying on the north coast at Portrush. Inbound tourism is overseas visitors coming into a country, for example an American family visiting the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.
The marks are for an accurate definition, a clear contrast (within your own country versus coming in from abroad), and a correct example of each.
CCEA Unit 1 (style)6 marksA family from Belfast is choosing between a week in Spain and a week in County Donegal. Using the types of tourism, explain how each trip would be classified and why people choose such trips.Show worked answer →
An application question testing AO2, asking you to classify real trips and give reasons.
Classify each trip: a week in Spain is outbound tourism for the family (they leave the United Kingdom to visit another country), while a week in County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland is also outbound for a Belfast family because Donegal is in a different country; a week in County Antrim instead would have been domestic tourism within the United Kingdom.
Give reasons people choose such trips: leisure and a change of scene, better weather, beaches and attractions abroad, or staying closer to home to save money and travel time.
A strong answer names the type correctly, notes that the same destination can be domestic for one person and inbound or outbound for another depending on where they live, and links the choice to clear reasons such as cost, weather and distance.
Related dot points
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