Tourism is one of the most growing industries in the world, has become one of the most important sectors in international trade, as the value of tourism exports in 1998 about 532 billion dollars, followed by a direct product of vehicles worth 522 billion dollars. The tourism from an economic perspective is the productive sector plays an important role in increasing the national income and improve the balance of payments, and a source of hard currency, and the chance to run the workforce, and a goal to achieve development programs.
From the perspective of social and cultural, tourism is a dynamic movement linked to aspects of culture and civilization of man; sense that it is a message in a civilized and a bridge of communication between cultures and human knowledge of nations and peoples, and a natural outcome of the development of communities, tourism and high standard of living of the individual.
And on the level of environmental tourism is an attractive factor for tourists and satisfy their desires in terms of the natural places to visit and learn about the different terrain and vegetation and wildlife, in addition to visiting local communities to learn about the customs and traditions.
Components of tourism
Tourism activities overlap with many areas, and in what follows the basic components of tourism which must be taken into account in any planning process:
§ factors and elements attract visitors: include natural elements such as climate, terrain, beaches and seas, rivers, forests and parks, and human motives, such as historical sites, cultural and archaeological, religious, amusement parks and games.
§ facilities and accommodation and hospitality services: such as hotels, lodges and guest houses, restaurants and restrooms.
§ different services: such as tourist information centers and travel and tourism agencies, the Centers for manufacture and sale of crafts, banks, medical centers, mail and police and tour guides.
§ Transportation Services: includes transportation, different types of tourism to the region.
§ infrastructure services: include the provision of potable water, electric power and the disposal of waste water and solid waste, and to provide a network of roads and communications.
§ institutional elements: plans include marketing and promotion of tourism programs, such as enacting legislation and organizational structures of the public, and the motives of attracting investment in the tourism sector, and education programs and staff training in the tourism sector.
Relationships with the tourism industry, the environment, society and economy
Based tourism sites most successful at the present time on the physical environment clean and protected environments and cultural patterns characteristic of local communities. The areas that do not offer these features are suffering from a decrease in the numbers and quality of tourists, which consequently leads to a decrease in economic benefits to local communities.
It is possible that tourism will be a significant factor in the protection of the environment when they are adapted to the local environment, and the local community, through planning and sound management. This is available when there is an environment of natural beauty and interesting terrain, and wild plant life and abundant fresh air and clean water, which helps to attract tourists.
And even all of the planning and development of tourism in importance for the protection of the cultural heritage of the area. The areas of archaeological, historical, and designs of architecture characteristic and methods of folk dance, music, drama and traditional arts and crafts and traditional clothing, customs and traditions, culture and heritage of the region factors that attract visitors, especially if they are in the form of protected frequented by tourists regularly, Vtaatazz position or remain less important, and all this is due for the way in which they are tourism development and management.
