TOURISMOS is an international, multi-disciplinary, refereed (peer ...
TOURISMOS is an international, multi-disciplinary, refereed (peer ...
TOURISMOS is an international, multi-disciplinary, refereed (peer ...
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<strong>TOURISMOS</strong>: AN INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF TOURISM<br />
Volume 6, Number 1, Spring 2011, pp. 165-191<br />
UDC: 338.48+640(050)<br />
The Barometer (2009, p. 6) goes on to say that “The global situation<br />
was underst<strong>an</strong>dably the main focus of attention in 2008, with the fin<strong>an</strong>cial<br />
cr<strong>is</strong><strong>is</strong> <strong>an</strong>d economic cr<strong>is</strong><strong>is</strong> (including the credit crunch, high oil prices for<br />
much of the year, <strong>an</strong>d volatile commodity <strong>an</strong>d currency markets) being<br />
the main factor influencing tour<strong>is</strong>m trends”. And in 2009 a stagnating or<br />
declining trend <strong>is</strong> expected to continue.<br />
The WTTC (World Travel <strong>an</strong>d Tour<strong>is</strong>m Council) (2009) has already<br />
noted the impact on tour<strong>is</strong>m from present economic decline:<br />
"Th<strong>is</strong> year, the task of assessing Travel & Tour<strong>is</strong>m<br />
trends <strong>an</strong>d drawing up forecasts has been more<br />
challenging th<strong>an</strong> ever because of all the<br />
uncertainties," Je<strong>an</strong>-Claude Baumgarten, WTTC<br />
President & CEO, <strong>an</strong>nounced …<br />
“Given the signific<strong>an</strong>t deterioration in Travel &<br />
Tour<strong>is</strong>m activity through the second half of 2008<br />
<strong>an</strong>d the bleak macroeconomic forecast for 2009,<br />
WTTC's latest research shows that Travel &<br />
Tour<strong>is</strong>m Economy GDP will contract by 3.6% in<br />
2009. And it <strong>is</strong> expected to remain weak in 2010<br />
with only marginal growth, of less th<strong>an</strong> 0.3%,<br />
currently predicted - on what will already be a<br />
weak 2009.”<br />
THE NEW TOURISM<br />
Tour<strong>is</strong>m functions as a hum<strong>an</strong> activity within the overall society. For<br />
example, economic development in the last fifty years, built upon cheap<br />
energy, has brought forth a consumer<strong>is</strong>tic society with machinery,<br />
technology, services, wealth, paid holidays, <strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong> inqu<strong>is</strong>itive attitude for<br />
exotic adventure, fuelled by information technology <strong>an</strong>d the entertainment<br />
industry. M<strong>an</strong>y of these largely post World War Two societal<br />
character<strong>is</strong>tics will be curtailed <strong>an</strong>d rech<strong>an</strong>neled into new more frugal<br />
activities due to generally less wealth <strong>an</strong>d higher prices.<br />
Tour<strong>is</strong>m will eventually have to be modified to fit within society’s<br />
new context – the lifestyle <strong>an</strong>d limits of that society.<br />
With the combined trends of more scarce oil <strong>an</strong>d more expensive oil,<br />
there will be signific<strong>an</strong>t knock-on effects for all hum<strong>an</strong> activities, with<br />
m<strong>an</strong>y goods <strong>an</strong>d services increasingly scarce <strong>an</strong>d more expensive. Those<br />
activities with the greatest need for high levels of energy input will be hit<br />
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