Committing an Act of Tourism

So, how can you define tourism?

Many people believe that tourism is a service industry that takes care of visitors when they are away from home. Some restrict the definition of tourism by number of miles away from home, overnight stays in paid accommodations, or travel for the purpose of pleasure or leisure. Some people don’t think business travel is a form of tourism. Others think that travel and tourism should not even be referred to as an industry.

Whatever the official definition of tourism may be, from an economic development standpoint, it seems to boil down to one important factor: The ability for a community to capture disposable money from customers who have an option to spend it elsewhere.

So, based on this logic, would it be possible to say that if your favorite restaurant was located in the next town over, each time you went there to dine, you committed an act of tourism?

The answer is “maybe.”

If the trip was made in order to have a “unique experience” then the answer is “probably.”

If the trip was made because there were no dining opportunities in your home town, then the answer is “probably not.”

So, it’s safe to say that the line between tourism and plain old consumer spending is not fine. As a matter of fact, the line is pretty wide, and pretty fuzzy.

But, when tourism is recognized as an “export”, then it becomes a little easier to understand, recognize and accept.

The standard, basic and accepted definition of an export is any good or commodity, transported from one country to another country in a legitimate fashion, typically for use in trade. Export goods or services are provided to foreign consumers by domestic producers. However, it is widely accepted that an “export” can easily describe goods or commodities being traded across state lines or even local municipal lines.

The act of exporting goods and commodities, and the reason for doing it, is to open up the market, or customer base for the items being exported. It’s a way to make more money. Economic developers love exporters. Here are some businesses that create something and then ship it outside the area. The customers don’t even live in the community. Therefore, the local government does not have to worry about taking care of them. These customers don’t need new roads, schools, hospitals or more shopping centers.

So, Tourism should be viewed as an export industry. People travel to a community, make purchases, and leave.