Travel and Tourism

Brianna Renaas

Research and Technical Writing

Mrs. L Olson
January 11, 2016

Renaas 2
Abstract
This research paper informs readers about the travel industry. It relates to my senior
project through travel. The paper educates its audience with information about the
history of travel, the tourism industry, travelers, different type of trips, travel
transportation, dangers and precautions of travel, the planning process of travel, and the
future of the industry. This research highlights the importance of the travel industry
locally, nationally, and internationally. Using different sources, I was able to find statistics
to prove facts and analyze the industry. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics was used
as an information hub not only because it was able to provide data, but also because it
was credible and reliable. Other valid sources included the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Forbes Magazine, the U.S. Travel Association, and the National Museum
of American History. Throughout the research process I was able to find that even though
the travel and tourism industry has changed it remains the same today in several aspects
including but not limited to reasons why people travel. The research was also able to
showcase the numerous amounts of data that travel has to offer including the economical
numbers of the industry, differences between the genders and ages of travelers, and how
much the government is involved in our nations traveling industry. Vast research
preformed by various sources provides us with factual numbers to brief readers about
different areas of the travel and tourism industry. It is important to note that in an industry
that we think we know so much about, we actually only know a fraction of all the details.

Renaas 3

Travel has been around since the beginning of time. People must get from point
A to point B for various reasons. The travel and tourism industry is very beneficial to
the United States of America. Their industries create employment opportunities, a stable
economy, support people and the government. There are a plethora of options when it
comes to how many kinds of trips there are; including business, pleasure, and mission
trips. Not only does the kind of trip matter when it comes to traveling but also the
location of the trip is important to travel. In order to get from one location to the next
location there must be some mode of transportation. While traveling one must be aware
of their surroundings and the danger that can be involved with travel. There are also
several ways to plan travel. Despite some risks in traveling, the travel and tourism
industries continue to be important components of economies, governments, and peoples
lives; technology advances continue to better travel in multiple aspects.
Travel has evolved throughout history; changes including the way people travel,
why they travel, and how often people can travel. Before the 18th century wealthy people
were the only travelers because they were the only ones who could afford to travel. In the
medieval area, people only traveled between their multiple castles for different kinds of
business. This might have included reasons such as their personal safety and trips to
different lands they had conquered. It was also to their different lands that had been
conquered so that they could keep an eye and rule over their people with more ease than
if they would have stayed in one place. Marc von Lpke-Schwarz writes that, At that
time [18th Century], going on vacation was a burdensome and, above all else, an
expensive undertaking. People traveled by carriage and suffered greatly on poor roads,

Renaas 4
often made impassable by bad weather. Expense wasnt the only thing stopping people
from traveling.
Travel then became an option trans-Atlantic when the Americas were found by
Christopher Columbus and when the British colonies were established. The only option at
that time to travel across the Atlantic Ocean was by boat. The trip was long and
exhausting, many people died making the passage. (Danzer et al. 42-43) Travel across the
Atlantic was typically not for pleasure as once again the cost and time consumption often
deterred people from making the trip. People that would make the long trip were coming
to live in the Americas, traveling back and forth as politicians and diplomats, or coming
as soldiers. As the colonists were establishing themselves as a new country, some had to
make the long voyage between New England and Great Britain. (Danzer et al. 42-43)
Forbes Magazine tells us that in 1938, after taking off about 25 hours earlier from Berlin
on a 3,728-mile flight the first commercial flight landed in New York. Although it
continues to change and advance, this was the beginning of modern travel as we know it
today. An increase in travel was sparked by the ease of travel and the countless
opportunities it has to offer.
Employment and economy impacts the travel and tourism industry both directly
and indirectly. As the tourism industry brings people to different states and countries it
creates revenue at both levels. Travel and tourism is one of Americas largest industries
(US Travel Association). Between travel and tourism, the industry generates trillions of
dollars in economic output. In 2013, the economic output was nearly $1.5 trillion (US
Travel Association). That number has continued to climb reaching $2.1 trillion dollars of
output in 2015 (US Travel Association). The US Travel Association also says that travel

Renaas 5
now accounts for 10% of all U.S. exports of goods and services. In 2014, travel and
tourism generated $74 billion in trade surplus for the economy (US Travel
Association).
The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 established the corporation for travel
promotion (CTP). The public-private partnership in travel and tourism is known for doing
business as Brand USA. Brand USA enhances the distribution for information on U.S.
entry policies and promotes leisure, business, and scholarly travel to and within the
United States.
The tourism industry creates 15 million jobs in the United States. Eight million of
those jobs are direct tourism jobs and the other seven million are indirect (US Travel
Association). From the US Travel Association, travel and tourism is one of Americas
largest employers. The Government of Northwest Territories categorizes four levels of
jobs in tourism as entry level, skilled and technical jobs, entrepreneurial, and
management and supervisory jobs. In the tourism industry, there are three sectors, food
services, travel, and accommodation (Government of Northwest Territories). One in
every 9 American jobs depends on travel. According to Ten great jobs in travel and
tourism it states that jobs in travel and tourism, provide workers with an enjoyable
atmosphere, flexible hours, and opportunities to meet new people (CNN). Jobs in
tourism include, but are not limited to, cruise ship director, lifeguard, taxi driver, tour
guide, and concierge.
The government also plays an important role in travel and tourism industries. In
order to keep the industry afloat the government must plan for tourism. The government
must provide services, such as, law enforcement and emergency services, from police

Renaas 6
officers, to hospitals and emergency responders. These courtesies must be provided to
ensure travelers safety and health. In travel and tourism, the government is also involved
with methods of transportation including the roadways. The national parks and services
within the United States are a great example of how government involvements in the
industry help create 15 million jobs and $74 billion in trade surplus for travel and tourism
(US Travel Association).
The National Park Service was created several decades ago to preserve national
parks. It has evolved to so much more today, including helping communities preserve
their heritage and history. Under the Act of March 1, 1872, Congress established
Yellowstone National Park. It was placed under the Secretary of the Interior. The creation
of Yellowstone National Park sparked a worldwide movement formation of national
parks. On August 25, 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act creating
the National Park Service (NPS). An executive order in 1933 transferred 56 national
monuments and military sites from the Forest Service and the War Department to the
National Park Service.
Known as the guardian of diverse cultural and recreational resources (National
Park Service), the National Park Service is an advocate of the environment. It preserves
unimpaired natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration
of this and future generations (National Park Service). The parks create opportunities for
kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun. They serve over 275 million
visitors every year (National Park Service). They also celebrate local heritage and
preserve local history.

Renaas 7
The National Park Service of the United States consists of over 400 parks
covering more than 84 million acres in the 50 United States, Washington D.C., American
Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the Virgin Islands and employs more than
20,000 staff members. Some of the parks include the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns,
Crater Lake, the Everglades, Mesa Verde, the Petrified Forest, the Rocky Mountains,
Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, and the Badlands. Today additions to the National Park
Service are made through acts of Congress.
Income of a household, age, gender, and state of mind all affect the statistics of
travelers and tourists. Psychological reasons people travel include a change of scenery,
relaxation, adventure, meet new people, exposure to new cultures, education, work
(Strategic Travel Action Resource). Other reasons people choose to travel could include
incentives, promotions, and industry growth. Incentives could be rewards through work
and include promotions. Industry growth affects the how people travel because the lower
the prices the more opportunities there are for more people to travel.
The amount of income of a household can influence travel for those involved.
Naturally those who make more are able to travel more often because travel households
have more income than non-traveling households. The higher the income of a household
the more opportunity they have for different means of travel and the quality of their mode
of transportation. Lower income households made more trips by bus than any other mode
in 2001 while higher incomes were able to purchase plane tickets for more luxurious
transportation.
The age of travelers also varies. Business travelers are younger than leisure
travels. (U.S. Travel Association) The average age of a leisure traveler is 48 while the

Renaas 8
average age of a business traveler is 46 (U.S. Travel Association). According to the
Bureaus of Transportation Statistics, people travel most in their middle years. Men make
up the majority of business trip takers with 77% (Bureaus of Transportation Statistics).
For non-business travelers, women make up 46% (Bureaus of Transportation Statistics).
With 57%, men are again the majority, this time for long distance excursionists.
The location of a trip can be determined on the type of trip a traveler takes and is
an important factor to traveling. Location is an important factor to traveling. It can be
decided on based on what it can offer and the goals of the trip. The goals of the trip need
to be met by the location. Volunteering trips intend to help natural disaster victims or
third world countries. In the 2014 Official Volunteer Abroad Trends Report, Go
Overseas reported that the number one country for volunteer was the Philippines to help
victims of Typhoon Haiyan. The location for pleasure trips depends on various factors
including who is going, what is relaxing or important to them, when they want to travel,
and new cultures they want to experience, just to name a few. For a leisure vacation,
location is key to satisfying the traveler. There must be things that it offers the traveler
including personal interests and needs that must be met. A reasonable location should be
chosen for a business trip. The location could also depend on what kind of business trip;
incentive or reward trips would have a different location than a training event. It could
also depend on what kind of business is taking the trip. A surf shop might need to travel
to the beach; if an office executive traveled to the beach it could possibly be an
ineffective trip.
Long distance travel transportation has changed throughout history from staying
close to waterways to the technological advances of airplanes. People choose their mode

Renaas 9
of transportation based on variables including cost, distance, and kind of trip. Long
distance travel was hard to do before the 1800s because there were not many kinds of
transportation and the amenities we enjoy today. Roads were few and the conditions of
the roads that were established were not exceptional. Travel by road was also time
consuming and difficult. The only means of road transportation were by horses or
walking.
By the mid 1800s railroads were invented and established. Thousands of miles of
railroad track were entrenched and provided another way to travel long distances. People
were able to travel more, farther and quicker than they ever had before. The railroad was
able to open new regions to travelers, creating more opportunities. Different styles of
trains including luxury trains and trams today offer passengers different options. In the
20th century a new mode of transportation was invented; the airplane was introduced in
the 1920s. Air travel became popular and an affordable way to travel in the 1960s
(National Museum of American History).
Today, different methods of long distance transit include airplanes, buses, trains,
boats, and personal vehicle. Airplanes and boats are both ways to travel transatlantic.
Personal vehicles are also a popular option for long voyages because of their
accessibility. A majority of long distance trips today are made by personal vehicle, almost
90% (Bureau of Transportation Statistics). Although the cost of gas can vary, trips by
personal vehicles are more common because households with an income of at least
$25,000 are more likely to have a vehicle (U.S. Travel Association).
People decide their method of transportation based on several reasons. Key
reasons include, but are not limited to, the travelers income, the kind of trip, and how far

Renaas 10
they are going. Factors that are linked to income include the price of gas for personal
vehicles. If prices for gas go down, the opportunity for lower income households to travel
increases. The number of trips by driving decreases dramatically for households with an
annual income more than $75,000 (Bureau of Transportation Statistics). Cost, time
constraints, practicality, and geographical obstacles all play roles in the decision for what
mode of transportation for a trip to take. A traveler couldnt cross the Pacific Ocean by a
car or use a boat to travel Route 66 because there wouldnt be water.
Awareness of danger while traveling is important because there are things like a
travelers health, conflicts of a country within or with other countries, and weather
precautions that can put someone at risk. Every time someone travels they are putting
their own health and the health of others at risk. Outbreak epidemics are just one way
health can be put at risk and fatal to not only a specific area but can become widespread
due to travel. Another common health issue for travelers is rabies. Dr. Phyllis Kozarsky,
M.D., travel health expert for the Center for Disease Control says, Rabies is an issue we
feel strongly educating people about because inevitably its a fatal disease. Parasitic
illnesses locally spread in places can also create high chances for health risks.
Cyclosporiasis, cryptosporidiosis, and giardiasis are all parasitic illnesses common
among travelers and tourists (Center for Disease Control). Sickness is spread so easily in
travelers through bodily fluids (Center for Disease Control). Contaminated water and
food are other common ways that travelers become sick are at an even higher risk in
underdeveloped countries. Preventative medicine can thwart sickness and lower the
chance of obtaining infections, illnesses, and diseases.

Renaas 11
One must also take precautions when traveling through high-risk areas at high
danger of conflict. At the Department of State website, trip takers can check before
traveling, for travel alerts and warnings. There are five levels of awareness and risk: take
normal security precautions, exercise high degree of caution, avoid some areas, avoid
nonessential travel, and avoid all travel. High risk for countries could mean war or
terrorism efforts. There can be significant numbers of casualties and/or damage to
buildings and the infrastructure following a terrorist attack (Red Cross). No matter where
a traveler is headed, one should always be aware of their surroundings.
Weather can also affect the risks and dangers of a trip. The weather risk level can
depend on your destination; different reasons belong in different seasons. Winter in South
Dakota and winter in Louisiana mean two completely opposite things. During the spring
and summer, rain and scorching temperatures are commonly found. In winter, depending
on where you are, travelers might face snow, freezing temperatures, and icy roads.
When planning a trip people may hire a travel agent to make the plans for them,
plan every detail themselves, or travel with no agenda at all. A travel agents job includes
selling transportation, lodging, and admission to activities, offer advice on destinations,
and make all travel arrangements for clients. Travel agents have access to offers not made
available to the public. The work environment of a travel agent includes a typical office
space. They spend most of their workday on the phone and computer. Travel agents are
hired by agencies or are self-employed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job
prospects should be best for travel agents who specialize in specific destinations or
particular types of travelers, such as groups with a special interest or corporate travelers.

Renaas 12
Another popular option for planning trips is to self-plan them. Personally planning
a trip includes personally calling, aligning, and booking everything for their trip. Today
websites make self-planning trips quite easy. Kayak, Expedia, TripAdvisor, and Hotwire
are all popular websites used in planning trips.
An on the rise planning choice is the no-plan plan. This option may include
going to an airport, booking a random flight and destination, and upon arrival finding
things along the way to do. Some people may do the same thing but instead of flying,
getting in the car, picking somewhere on the map, and find new routes and things to do
along the way. The no-plan plan can be very spontaneous and creates more flexibility
in traveling.
Paid work vacation days are important for employed travelers and are important
to take into consideration when planning trips. The use of work vacation time has
declined as well as the amount of paid vacation time offered by employees. In 2003 the
average use of paid work vacation days was 20.3 (No-Vacation Nation Revisited). In
2013 that number declined to an average of 16 days (No-Vacation Nation Revisited).
Not everyone has access to paid vacation days either. The United States is the only
advanced economy that does not require employers to provide paid vacation time (NoVacation Nation Revisited). Roger Dow, the president and chief executive of the U.S.
Travel Association, states that, All work and no play is not going to get you ahead- its
only going to get you more stress. Employees who leave the most paid time off unused
are more stressed than those that use their paid time off (U.S. Travel Association).
Travel and tourism are ever evolving due to new and increasing technology and
new travel ideas among travelers. Technology has changed the way people travel and will

Renaas 13
continue to do so. Cars have changed and now are able to run on gas or electricity. Coal
trains have been replaced with faster magnetic trains. From the first flight, airplane travel
has changed and now has shorter flight times with more advanced planes and technology.
It took fewer than 100 years to go from the first flight at Kitty Hawk to the first
supersonic trip across the Atlantic (CNN: Future of Travel). In the future, we can also
include space travel. Space travel has evolved from the first NASA shuttle to private
spaceships in the near future.
Travel changes because the numbers of people traveling is increasing and
travelers are going more places. People are going more places because long distances are
more achievable than ever. Continuous changes to travel include people spending less
time planning, more efficient itineraries, increased transit connectivity, and travelers
going beyond traditional boundaries. Increased transit connectivity includes better, faster,
more efficient modes of transportation. Traditional boundaries consist of pre-planned,
packaged deals.
The United States government and economy benefits greatly from the travel and
tour industry including 15 million generated jobs and $74 billion in trade surplus.
Peoples lives are affected both directly and indirectly by travel and tourism and inversely
the travel and tourism industries affect peoples lives by creating income, jobs, and
entertainment. Although there can be many dangers encountered when traveling, they can
also be prevented and avoided. Educated travelers make the best travelers. As it continues
to grow, the travel and tourism has changed and evolved over time; creating an industry
like no other.

Renaas 14
Works Cited
Danzer, Gerald A. "The American Colonies Emerge." The Americans. Evanston:
McDougal Littell, 2007. 42-43. Print.
"Long Distance Transportation Patterns: Mode Choice." Bureau of Transportation
Statistics. U.S. Department of Transportation. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
Reed, Ted. "First Trans-Atlantic Commercial Flight Landed 75 Years Ago Sunday."
Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 10 Aug. 2013. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
"Talking Points and Facts." U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION. U.S. TRAVEL
ASSOCIATION. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
"Transportation History." America on the Move. National Museum of American History.
Web. 17 Nov. 2015.
"The Psychology of Travel Economic Behavior." Strategic Travel Action Resource,
2003. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.
United States. National Park Service. "History." National Parks Service. U.S. Department
of the Interior, 9 Dec. 2015. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.
Von Lpke-Schwarz, Marc. "A Brief History of Travel: From Elite Hobby to Mass
Tourism." DW.COM. 8 Apr. 2013. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
"What Jobs Will There Be in Tourism?" Jobs in Tourism: 5-9. Print.
Zupek, Rachel. "Ten Great Jobs in Travel and Tourism." CNN. Cable News Network, 11
Aug. 2008. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.