International Tourism Development - Assignment Example

One of the most notable projects of WTO is The Silk Road Project which revitalizes the ancient highways used by Marco Polo through tourism. This project was adhered to by 22 countries and stretches 12,000 km. Another is the creation of Task Force for Destination management which is a move to further decentralize tourism administration on a global scale. Some concerns of the task force include management of congestion at coastal destinations; economic measurement of tourism at the local level; destination marketing for cities; information and communication technologies; human resource development; and risk and crisis management at individual tourism destinations.

This has significantly improved tourism destinations, especially in emerging economies. It is irrefutable that tourism depends on the economic conditions of different nations. Currently, this is reflected by the tourism activities of the growing economies like China, India, and Brazil. As economies grow, it is often expected that the level of disposable income also rises and a significant portion of this increase in income will be spent on tourism. This fact is mirrored by the current trend in tourism.

As more emerging economies are growing, there is a stronger demand for tourism. According to the World Tourism Organization, tourism for leisure surpasses tourism for business purposes in 2005. Sociocultural factors specifically the perceived importance of taking holidays and vacations are improving demand for tourism. The global mentality which is the current trend also increases the attractiveness of travel. Technological innovation also has a significant impact on the tourism industry specifically on how tourism business is conducted.

The advent of internet technology proved to be highly beneficial in the marketing efforts of tourism companies. Consequently, firms are able to market at a lower cost, reaching more geographic locations and market at a faster and more efficient way. Another role of technology is the facilitation of e-conferences for the benefit of members.