Hello, IGCSE Travel and Tourism Students!

Welcome to one of the most important chapters in your IGCSE Travel and Tourism course: understanding the "Characteristics" of the industry. Don't worry if this sounds a bit abstract!

Think of it like this: selling a travel experience is very different from selling a physical object, like a book or a sandwich. Because of these differences, the industry has unique characteristics. Understanding these traits is key to knowing how travel organisations operate and market their services.

1.4 Characteristics of Travel and Tourism

The travel and tourism industry is defined by several unique characteristics. We can group these into two main types of components (Products and Services) and six key traits.


The Components: Products and Services

Products

In tourism, a product usually refers to a physical, tangible item that a tourist buys or uses.

  • Example: A souvenir T-shirt, a map, a specific meal in a restaurant, or the physical structure of a hotel building.
Services

A service is an action or an experience provided to the customer. This is the heart of the tourism industry.

  • Example: The welcome you receive at the hotel check-in desk, a guided sightseeing tour, the actual flight from one country to another, or the advice given by a travel agent.

Quick Note: Most tourism purchases are a mix of both products and services (e.g., buying a full-board package holiday includes the service of a flight and the product of the meals provided).

The Six Key Characteristics of Tourism Services

The following characteristics define why the travel industry operates differently from other industries. Focus especially on Intangible and Perishable, as these are frequently tested!


1. Intangible (Cannot be touched or felt)

Definition: Tourism services are intangible, meaning they cannot be physically held, seen, or tested before they are purchased and consumed.

Why this matters:

  • You are buying a *promise* of an experience, not a physical object.
  • Example: You cannot "test drive" a week in a hotel or a safari experience before you pay for it. You rely heavily on photos, reviews, and advertisements.

Analogy: Buying insurance is intangible. You pay for peace of mind, not a physical item. Tourism is the same—you buy the experience.

2. Perishable (Use it or Lose it!)

Definition: Tourism services are perishable, meaning they cannot be stored for later sale. If they are not used immediately, the opportunity to sell them is gone forever.

Why this matters:

  • An empty hotel room tonight is revenue permanently lost.
  • An unsold seat on a flight that takes off cannot be sold the next day.

Common Mistake to Avoid: A perishable service is *not* a food item that spoils! It means the opportunity to earn revenue has "spoiled."

3. Seasonal (Demand changes with the calendar)

Definition: Demand for travel and tourism products often changes drastically depending on the time of year, weather, and specific events.

The Three Seasons:

  • Peak Season: Highest demand (e.g., summer holidays for beach destinations; Christmas break). Prices are highest.
  • Shoulder Season: Moderate demand (e.g., spring or autumn). Prices are moderate.
  • Off-Peak Season: Lowest demand (e.g., mid-winter). Prices are lowest; some facilities may close.

Challenges of Seasonality: This leads to challenges like seasonal employment (hiring staff only during busy months) and issues with managing facilities that sit empty for half the year.

4. Dynamic (Constantly changing)

Definition: The tourism industry is dynamic, meaning it is constantly evolving and reacting to external factors and new trends.

  • Example: New technologies (like online booking apps or virtual reality), changing consumer tastes (e.g., demand for adventure travel replacing traditional beach holidays), or political shifts all force the industry to change quickly.
  • It must be flexible to survive and meet new customer expectations.
5. Increasingly Sustainable (Protecting the future)

Definition: There is a massive global shift toward making travel practices sustainable. This means managing tourism to meet the needs of tourists and host regions while protecting opportunities for the future.

  • This involves minimizing negative environmental impact (e.g., reducing carbon emissions) and maximizing positive socio-cultural impacts (e.g., supporting local communities).
  • Did you know? Many modern tourists actively seek out "green" hotels and responsible tour operators.
6. Resilient (Bouncing back after a crisis)

Definition: The industry must be resilient—the ability to recover quickly from negative shocks and crises.

  • Shocks can include natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, floods), economic recession, political unrest, or health crises (like pandemics).
  • Example: If a major earthquake damages a destination, resilience means rebuilding the infrastructure quickly and implementing effective marketing strategies to reassure tourists it is safe to return.

Quick Review Summary: The 'I P S D R S' of Travel

Use this simple mnemonic (memory aid) to remember the core characteristics:

I – Intangible (Can't touch it)
P – Perishable (Can't store it)
S – Seasonal (Demand changes)
D – Dynamic (Always changing)
R – Resilient (Can bounce back)
S – Sustainable (Must protect the future)

Key Takeaway: Because travel experiences are intangible and perishable, travel organisations must work harder on marketing, customer service, and careful planning to sell their products before the moment is lost.