Development Of A “new Tourism Geography” Under The Impact Of The World Crisis In Education

DEVELOPMENT OF A “NEW TOURISM GEOGRAPHY” UNDER THE IMPACT OF THE WORLD CRISIS IN EDUCATION

Prof. Mirela Mazilu, Ph.D – University of Craiova

Email: [anonimizat]

Abstract

The world crisis in education determines the increase of the demand for education (despite the financial humiliations from the national education system).

Hence the occurrence of new types of education that complete the traditional (pentagonal) model comprising: the intellectual education, the moral education, the aesthetic education, the professional education and the physical education.

The establishment of the need to change (through adjustment, adaptation, completion, etc.) in the practice of teaching, learning and evaluation of tourism geography is supported by the developments recorded by the specialized university education, by the ecological trend (launching optional subjects as well) and by the methodological enrichment, which have produced the transfer of geography from the category of natural sciences into that of social, economic, analytical, statistical sciences, shaping even “a new geography” in line with the geopolitical changes.

Hence, any teacher is bound to a continuous or ongoing learning process of new elements (and there are enough in geography and tourism, thank God).

Moreover, the teacher of tourism geography must find that the new elements within the geography field occur as an inevitable effect of the world changes as a whole, as well as an effect of radical changes from various branches of human activity. For the latter, the most obvious example is mass-media.

Information sources, which are more and more performing and exciting (especially for young people), make the daily building of a “unique world” and a “world geography” possible due to the televisions that, immediately and without an obvious effort, bring images from all the corners of the planet” (B. Mérenne Schoumaker, Didactica geografiei, vol. I, Editura All, București, 1998, p. 5).

Key words: tourism, education, sustainability, crisis, geography.

INTRODUCTION:

After the 80’ it was an expansion of academic articles and texts on the subject of tourism education, ranging from general texts such as Cooper et al. (1994), curriculum studies such as Stear (1981), and reviews of tourism education programs such as Parsons (1991). There are also currently three important journals in this field: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education, Journal of Teaching in Travel and Tourism, Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport, and Tourism Education

Studentii calatori- un segment ce nu trebuie neglijat

Stiai ca in ziua de azi turistii studenti reprezinta 1/5 din numarul total al turistilor?

Acestia reprezinta o nisa foarte interesanta in domeniul turismului, cautand mai ales sa experimenteze in calatoriile lor mai mult decat a petrece in diverse cluburi. Faptul ca la nivel mondial aproximativ 20% dintre turisti sunt studenți reprezinta o afacere ce trebuie luata din ce in ce mai in serios.

Un nou raport facut de Skift pe aceasta tema, ne dezvaluie lucruri foarte interesante. Ti le rezum in randurile de mai jos.
Noile studii inlatura vechea conceptie cum ca studentii calatoresc pentru a petrece, acestia calatoresc acum cu un scop si tind sa stea din ce in ce mai mult in locul pe care il viziteaza.

Tinerii calatori se diferentiaza de cei mai in varsta, acestia dorindu-si sa participe la diverse activitati de voluntariat sau de studiu in zona pe care o viziteaza sau chiar sa si lucreze acolo. Astfel, reusesc sa si viziteze noi locuri, dar sa se si intoarca acasa cu experiente de lucru ce constituie un plus pentru viitoarea cariera. Pentru a intelege mai bine comportamentul studentilor in calatorii trebuie sa analizam mai bine hobby-urile, dar si ceea ce studiaza, destinatia pe care au ales-o si ce aleg sa faca acolo.

Tinerii calatoresc din ce in ce mai mult pentru a-si imbunatati abilitatile lingvistice,pentru autenticiate si pentru a trai noi experiente nu ca simpli vizitatori ai unei locatii, ci chiar ca localnici pentru o anumita perioada de timp.

Foto Skift

Trebuie de asemenea sa luam in considerare faptul ca studentii calatori de acum, vor fi afaceristii de maine ce vor calatori in interes de serviciu. China este tara care a inceput deja sa promoveze turismul in randul studentilor.
In plus, a fost demonstrat ca studentii calatori descopera locuri noi ce poate nu pareau atat de atractive inainte si, povestind in mediul online despre experientele petrecute acolo cresc atractivitatea acelor zone.

De la 15% din turismul global in anii ’90, la 20% in anii 2000, numarul studentilor calatori este asteptat sa creasca la 25% din turismul global in viitorul apropiat.

In continuare voi puncta cateva din tendintele de baza in turismul studentesc in viitor:

Mediul online va fi din ce in ce mai folosit. Studentii sunt deja dependenti de tehnologie asa ca pe viitor trebuie sa ne asteptam ca acestia sa conduca la inlocuirea experientelor offline cu cele online – vor cumpara online, se vor interesa de destinatii online, vor face rezervari online.

Tinerii de astazi imbatranesc si ei. De aici si investitiile facute de marii jucatori de pe piata pe acest segment reprezentat de afaceristii si familistii ce vor calatori “maine”.

Tiparele de calatorie si destinatiile se vor schimba. Studentii de azi cauta in mod constant experiente globale, calatorind astfel in toate colturile lumii. Ceea ce considera acum aventuros va fi in scurt timp ceva comun, iar acestia vor cauta alte si alte experiente.

 Experientele vor lua locul obiectivelor turistice locale. Studentii vor calatori pentru experiente unice si autentice care le vor grabi dezolvarea personala si profesionala. Si angajatorii de astazi sunt interesati de experiente globale, de aceea turismul in scopuri de voluntariat, de aventura sau educationale va fi intr-o continua crestere.

Populatia tanara va fi online. Foarte multe natiuni cum ar fi Japonia, Vietnam sau Thailanda au grupuri mari de tineri ce au patruns deja in mediul online. Cand spun online ma refer online pe laptop-uri, pe telefoane, dar si online calatorind in jurul lumii.

Consumatorii vor fi din ce in ce mai informati. Brand-urile care nu vor reusi sa tina pasul cu cerintele din ce in ce mai exigente ale clasei tinere vor fi sortite esecului. Oamenii sunt din ce in ce mai pasionati de tehnolgie si se asteapta ca aplicatia preferata sa functioneze, cautand mereu un brand carora sa ii fie loiali.

The youth, student and educational travel market accounts for over 20% of all international arrivals (equals to 207 million arrivals and US$194 billion in 2012).

Youth travellers stay longer (average 53 days), spend more (US$1,000 to US$6,000 per trip) and travel more frequently (1.44 trip pa) than the average tourist and more often than not, they use their money with local retailers.

Youth, student and educational travel is a stable ongoingly growing industry. Boasting continued to growth also during and despite the global economic downturn – outperforming global tourism (e.g. 28.8% 5YTD in Higher Education).

Youth Travel influences the size and patterns of Global Tourism development. Young travellers form their future purchasing and travelling patterns often based on their youth travel experiences (estimated long-life travel budget US$40,000 – 120,000 per traveller). 

A conservative estimate predicts that the youth, student and educational travel market will reach 300 million arrivals by 2020 and represent US$320 billion in market value.

Governments, destinations, investment capital, international brands are all increasingly looking into youth and student travel, interest, investments, buyouts, mergers and acquisitions in youth and student travel increased significantly in recent years. 

Market value (selected sectors):

Market Trends

Youth, student and educational travel is becoming increasingly more important within global tourism. In the in 1990’s, it represented 15% of the tourism market, with it increasing to 20% in the last decade, and expected to reach 25% in the near future.

Rapidly rising middle class (from current 2 billion to 5 billion in 2030) and increased access to more disposable income, means more purchasing power – the number of youth travellers is on the rise.

Increased appetite for more international experiences, more affordable transportation prices, fewer political and cultural barriers and ease of travel, are only some of the drivers influencing the youth, student and educational travel market.

As a result of globalisation businesses are more and more seeking employees with international experience. This has in turn, influenced all sectors within youth, student and educational travel. A trend confirmed by the increasing frequency of travel and number of trips taken by young travellers and our market polls.

Longer stays (on average over 50 days) and higher spends (on average US$1,000 to US$6,000 per trip compared to US$1,450 for average tourist) among youth travellers, deliver a significant business opportunity for destinations and suppliers.

Higher Education continues as a high revenue generator

Language Travel presents a 4.9% market increase despite the present economic downturn

Backpacking and budget travel on an unprecedented increase, out-performing the global hotel industry – total market value almost doubling in the last 5 years

Diversification in destinations and source markets is seeing growth at the expense of developed countries across all youth, student and educational travel sectors.

BRIC and emerging countries are the markets that look interesting for development and expansion and will define the industry. They are recovering and rising faster than developed countries – gaining an increasingly more global market share.

Internet is used more for reference, social content (reviews, rankings, sharing, recommendations) and travel planning (destination research) than for actual online shopping  and booking. This slower growth of online booking in youth travel as opposed to Global Tourism confirms the importance of tour operators and agencies to the youth market

http://www.student-market.com/sites/default/files/article_image/map_colors_1273.jpg

Costurile in domeniul educatiei sunt din ce in ce mai mari. Tinerii platesc din ce in ce mai mult pentru educatie in ciuda faptului ca salariile au ramas neschimbate. Potrivit raportului, tot mai multi studenti absolva facultatile cu datorii, ceea ce va avea un impact mare asupra cheltuielilor acestora si, astfel, si asupra industriei turismului

Ocupații posibile conform COR:

Administrator de risc – 241240; Administrator hotel – 141104; Administrator pensiune turistica – 515203; Agent de transport internațional – 422105; Agent de transport turistic intern – 422104; Agent de turism – 422102; Agent de turism tour-operator – 422103; Agent transporturi externe – 422108; Agent transporturi interne – 422109; Analist în turism – 263204; Asistent de cercetare în geografie – 263213; Cartograf -216501; Geograf -263202; Ghid de turism -511301; Ghid de turism montan, drumeție montană -511304; Ghid galerii de artă/interpret -511305; Ghid habitat natural floră, faună -511306; Ghid montan -511311; Ghid montan -511311; Ghid obiectiv cultural -511312; Ghid turism ecvestru -511309; Ghid turism ornitologic -511307; Ghid turism speologic -511308; Organizator activitate turism (studii medii) -511314; Organizator activitate turism (studii superioare)-243102; Profesor în învatamântul gimnazial – 233002;

Licenta

Ghid de turism -511301

Agent de turism – 422102

Profesor în învatamântul gimnazial -233002

Analist în turism – 263204 în loc de Ghid

Master – Turism și dezvoltare durabilă

Agent de turism tour-operator – 422103

Organizator activitate turism (studii superioare)-243102

Analist în turism – 263204

HE tourism studies in Romania appeared in the late 80’, firstly only as simple programs attached to some economic curriculum (commercial, services) .

the first tourism related individual bachelor program was launched in 1991 at Sibiu (Geography of Tourism) by a private university.

in 1994 appeared the first public university program at the University of Bucharest (Geography of Tourism).

Interference fields in Geography of Tourism

Nowadays, there are 89 tourism undergraduate programs in the Romanian universities.

53 economical tourism studies

18 geographical tourism studies

18 agronomic tourism studies

Public/privat undergraduate tourism Programs in Romania

Even if there are a lot of differences between the curricula of the 3 main approaches in HE tourism studies, we can observe that some topics are covered by all of them:

tourism management

tourism marketing

economy of tourism

tourism statistics

ecotourism/rural tourism/agri-tourism

economic geography/geography of resources

Number ofstaff employed in the Tourism sector of hospitality

Totodată, conform Organizației Mondiale a Turismului (2013), contribuția directă a turismului la produsul intern brut este de doar 1.5% în România, în raport cu 5.2% la nivel mondial. Totodată, ponderea turismului în PIB este semnificativ mai mică decât în cazul altor state din regiune: 11.9% în Croația, 4.2% în Ungaria, respectiv 3.8% în Bulgaria.

În ceea ce privește contribuția directă a turismului la ocuparea forței de muncă, aceasta este de doar 2.3% în România (193.000 locuri de muncă), în comparație cu 5.4% media la nivel mondial, 13.1% în Croația, 5.8% în Ungaria, respectiv 3.8% în Bulgaria.

Statisticile sunt cu atât mai îngrijorătoare cu cât o parte din statele care înregistrează o contribuție mai mare a turismului în PIB și ocuparea forței de muncă nu dispun de un potențial turistic la fel de bogat și variat ca cel al României. Un exemplu în acest sens îl constituie Ungaria, unde impactul turismului în economie este superior României, cu toate că țara nu dispune de relief montan și litoral.