Tourism Management

The new millennium has witnessed the continued growth of interest in how people spend their spare time, especially their leisure time and non-work time. Some commentators have gone as far as to suggest that it is leisure time – how we use it and its meaning to individuals and families – that defines our lives, as a focus for non-work activity. This reflects a growing interest in what people consume in these non-work periods, particularly those times that are dedicated to travel and holidays which are more concentrated periods of leisure time. This interest is becoming an international phenomenon known as ‘tourism’: the use of this leisure time to visit different places, destinations and localities which often (but not exclusively) feature in the holidays and trips people take in. For example, in 2005 the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimated that travel and tourism as economic activities generated US$6201 billion which is expected to grow to US$10678.5 billion by 2015. [4] [5]
The number of U.S. citizens who will spend time away from home for a variety of reasons, including both recreational and business purposes, has increased significantly during the past three decades and will continue to do so. As many travel within the nation they will encounter increased numbers of individuals who are visiting the U.S.A. from their native country. Minimal familiarity with the places they are visiting and the mix of hazards represented places such transitory populations at extreme risk. …