INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

•OBJECTIVES•1.1 understand value of geography•1.2 overview of international travel industry•1.3 explain why people travel•1.4 influences on travel and tourism•1.5 various health issues related to travel

LEARNING THE TRAVEL PROFESSION

•Travel experience is the best tool for educating travel professionals•The lack of geographical knowledge is the biggest obstacle in selling travel•You should know about geography, climate, and culture of a region to sell travel

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•Why is Travel Experience (going places, seeing things) the best tool for a Travel Professional?•Why would lack of geographical knowledge be a problem for a Travel Professional?•Would knowledge of climate

THE TRAVELER

•Someone who makes a journey of some length

INTERNATIONAL VISITOR

•Any person who travels to a country other than that in which he or she has usual residence, staying for one year or less

INTERNATIONAL TOURIST

•International visitor that is staying at least one night

HISTORICAL REASONS TO TRAVEL

•Need for Food•To fight wars•Expand trade with other civilizations•Industrial Revolution in the 18th century gave people more free time•The railroads in the early 1800’s made travel easier and faster•The automobile and airplane made travel common place

GROWTH OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM•At the beginning of WWII there were only 70 recognized independent countries in the world•Today there are about 200 nations in the world with about 70% offering great travel experiences

REASONS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

•Necessity: business, work, health, weddings, funerals, religious pilgrimages•Leisure: experience destinations, learn new cultures, see natural environments, climates, relax, see manmade attractions, major cities, shrines, cathedrals, pyramids, bridges, buildings, beaches, arenas, markets

WTO•World Tourism Organization (WTO)

•Most widely used source of worldwide travel and tourism statistical information•Divides international travel into 6 regions

•Africa•The Americas•East Asia/Pacific•Europe•The Middle East•South Asia

THE LEADERS IN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM•The Americas•Europe

ACCOUNT FOR 80% OF TOURIST ARRIVALS

SECOND HIGHEST GROWTH IN TOURISM

•East Asia•Pacific

These share 14% of the total world

travel industry.

THE AMERICAS

•Have 20% of the world’s travel industry•South American and Caribbean nations enjoyed the most increased tourism

EUROPE

•Receives the greatest number of international tourists•75% of the world totals

AFRICA

•Tourism is important to the economy of Africa•International Tourism had only a small increase over the years in Africa

TRAVEL EMPLOYMENT•There are over 117 million jobs in the travel industry world wide•The United States needs over 16.8 million people to fill jobs in the industry•The need for good employees will grow even more over the next ten years in the U.S.

The Top Tourism Destinations for 2001

•France•Spain•United States•Italy •China

•United Kingdom•Russia•Mexico•Canada•Austria

MOST VISITED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD – JANUARY

20111. France 76.8 million visitors2. United States 59.7 million visitors3. China 55.7 million visitors (BIGGEST JUMP)4. Spain 52.7 million visitors5. Italy 43.6 million visitors6. United Kingdom 28.1 million visitors7. Turkey 27 million visitors8. Germany 26.9 million visitors9. Malaysia 24.6 million visitors10. Mexico 22.4 million visitors

HEALTH ISSUES WHEN TRAVELING

•Jet Lag•happens when travelers cross several time zones quickly, their internal clocks which control body temperature and eating patterns, become disturbed, sleep time altered•It is best to follow the clock of the destination as soon as possible•Match eating and sleeping with the destination time, get plenty of sleep, adapt to time, climate, culture, and surrounds

ALTITUDE SICKNESS•Traveling to mountain destinations, there will be low oxygen levels, you may become breathless, tired, lightheaded, dizzy, dehydrated-drink lots of water-when you return to sea level you may have severe headaches because of the high humidity

MOTION SICKNESS•Happens when the senses of balance and movement in the body are disturbed•Motions are caused by ships, cars, trains, and airplanes•Symptoms are cold sweat, queasiness, headaches, drowsiness, maybe vomiting (empty stomach tends to worsen motion sickness)

FOOD AND WATER•Traveler’s Diarrhea: most common illness for travelers, caused by bacteria in food and water•May last a day or a week•Countries with warm climates have more•Contaminated water is the source of many diarrhea illnesses-

BAD WATER•Avoid drinking and using water in rural areas at all times•Including brushing teeth•Avoid food made with water, rinsed in water, grown in water, salads, uncooked vegetables, fruits, ice cubes, ice cream, milk products•Best practice: eat only well cooked food-boil water-heat kills bacteria

YELLOW FEVER•Caused by a virus in animals •Found in certain tropical areas-usually real wet portions of Africa•Main symptom-high fever•Immunizations are good for 10 years and must be given 10 days prior to travel

CHOLERA•Caused by contaminated food and water•Common in less developed areas with low health standards•symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting•Low risk if you stay in popular tourist areas because person-to-person transmission is rare•Cannot give immunizations to infants because of side effects or reactions

TYPHOID FEVER•Stomach infection caused by poor hygiene or contaminated food and water•Symptoms: diarrhea and fever•Traveling in rural areas away from usual tourist areas or eating out frequently are at higher risk•Immunization provides up to 70% protection

HEPATITIS•2 types•Hepatitis A: virus, spread by contaminated food and water•symptoms: fever, chills, fatigue, ache and pains, loss of appetite, darkened urine, yellowing of the whites of the eyes•Rest and lots of water, vaccination is available

HEPATITIS•Hepatitis B: virus spread through skin penetration-tattoos, ear piercing, injections, mostly poor hygiene and sanitation•Symptoms: fever, chills, fatigue, aches, pains, loss of appetite, darkened urine, yellowing of whites of eyes•Rest, lots of water, eating light meals\•Vaccine may not be as effective

TETANUS•Found in tropical and less developed countries•Germ grows in infected wound•Symptoms: stiffening of the jaw and neck, painful seizures of all muscles, leads to death if there is no immunization

MENINGITIS•Bacteria•Found all over the world•Serious because it affects the brain and can be fatal if not immunized•Symptoms: sever headaches, neck stiffness, light sensitivity•Some areas of the Sahara region have epidemics-Nepal, India, Kenya

MALARIA•Disease caused by bite of infected mosquito•Widespread in Africa•Common in tropical areas•Symptoms: flu-like, fever, shivers, lasting more than 2 days•No current vaccine•Malaria tablets must be taken before departure, during trip and after trip

TRAVEL TIPS•Leave early for airport, avoid stress•On short trips crossing time zones, keep your regular sleeping and eating patterns•On international travel, try to allow a full day for resting and adjusting to local time•Learn local culture

QUESTIONS: TRUE OR FALSE

1. The stress of traveling may induce jet lag.2. Dehydration, shortness of breath and dizziness are signs of motion sickness.3. Jet lag is basically a disturbance of the

body’s internal clock.4. The most common illness in developing countries is yellow fever.5. Immunizations are required to travel to Australia.

QUESTIONS: TRUE OR FALSE

6. Malaria is common in high-altitude destinations.7. Contaminated food is the source of many illness abroad.8. Immunizations are more important to a traveler on an escorted tour than to an independent traveler.

QUESTIONS: TRUE OR FALSE

9. Cholera is a stomach infection.10. Malaria is caused by the bite of an infected mosquito.