MOTELS
Hotels
Dictionary meaning of motel literally means a lodging establishment that has a series of rooms that is next to a parking lot, from where one can easily access one’s automobile and which is mostly located near a major highway. Motel is a combination of two words ‘motorists’ and ‘hotel’. Motels came into existence because the United States highway system allowed easy cross-country travel. Therefore, the motorists needed a place to stay whilst traveling and thus bloomed the concept.
Difference between a motel and hotel lies in the interaction between the owner and occupant. Motels are always situated on the highways and have their entrances facing the parking lot whereas hotels have their doors facing the hallway. Motels are mostly family owned. Motels are used by people who have lost their belongings or cannot afford an apartment, so for long stay motels prove to be the best choice.
Structure
Motel rooms were usually in an I- or U- or L shaped structure
Tourism
World Tourism Organization defines tourism as an act of travel for the purpose of recreation. Tourism industry in USA is very lucrative and the Federal Government set visa regulations. Tourism is classified on three norms:
Domestic tourism : where tourists tour within the country
Inbound tourism : where NRI’s visit the given country
Outbound tourism : where tourists visit other countries
Tourism is an organized industry now. Economic growth of a country has grown by leaps and bounds because of tourism. All the countries in the world now promote their culture, heritage and places of tourist interest to the people globally. Tourism has caught on in a big way as people are getting value for their money with tourist operators giving the most competitive pricing to customers.
Major tourist attractions in Illinois are Lincoln’s Home and Presidential Library and museum and Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio. In the state of California it is the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and San Diego Aerospace Museum. NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre and Florida’s Natural Museum and the beaches in Miami, Florida are the famous tourist places in Florida.
Concept of ecotourism is also fast catching up among the environmentally and socially conscious people who give a lot of importance to preserving culture, nature Ecotourism dwells on the importance of recycling and conserving of natural resources.
Concept of medical tourism is also fast gaining popularity as tourism procedures are becoming increasingly simplified due to technology and health care industries in the other parts of the world is now on par with the developed nations. The added advantage of reduced costs and waiting time is an incentive.
Pilgrimage Tourism
Tourism undertaken for religious purposes is known as pilgrimage tourism although pilgrimage tourism does combine holidays undertaken for recreational purpose too.
Winter Tourism
Tourism undertaken during winter in the form of watching or taking part in winter sports in called winter tourism. The Fun ski and Snow festival organized by the Korean tourism organization attracts visitors from many parts of the world especially people from warm countries where there is no snowfall.
Other niche tourisms include:
Bookstore tourism, where tourists visit bookshops, creative tourism workshop, ancestry tourism to visit birth places, cultural and heritage tourism.
Some other tourism includes gay tourism, health tourism, gourmet tourism, shopping tourism like the Dubai shopping festival.
Upcoming Trends In Tourism
The World Tourism Organization predicts that tourism industry will continue to grow at 4% p.a. and Europe will remain the most favored destinations. With the advent of e-commerce, online booking and reservations, the tourism industry has got a boost in terms of accessibility. More number of people is able to access the places and do their reservations at their convenience, though the conventional method of booking through agents and airlines is still popular. The way each country promotes tourism in the global context directly signifies the impact the country is going to create in the global scenario. The promotion of tourism is directly related to the per capita income of the country.
By the 21st century, Space tourism is likely to take-off although the number of tourists in orbit is likely to remain small until the costs come down and technologies develop a space elevator. Technology is going to take tourism to unheard of heights. Underwater hotels will be constructed thus giving a fillip to underwater tourism where people can combine their adventurous nature of scuba-diving and other under-water and water related adventurous sports with the added advantage of staying under-water and having an altogether different experience.
Back-packing tourism is referred to tourism on low-budget, traveling longer distances, using public transport and accommodation and generally being mobile and flexible.
