Alternative tourism combines tourist products or individual tourist services, different from mass tourism by means of supply, organization and the human resources involved. It is often referred to as “trendy,” replacing other semantical terms such as “different” or “other tourism.” Other examples of different terms include “intelligent” or “motivated tourism.” In addition, “anti-tourism” or “participative tourism” are some others. That was just to name few of them.
Basic Formats
The importance of alternative tourism to the development of a tourist country should be emphasized. The promotion of such a possible product provides additional income to the state coffers.
Spa tourism (SPA) – associated with visits to tourist sites to treat various diseases (e.g., the treatment of anxiety, psychotherapy, physiotherapy, relaxation, diet, beauty, etc.), And to rest and revitalize the body and the soul.
Athletic leisure tourism – associated with all forms of active and passive participation in sporting events. Participation can be either random or even organized, can be done for business purposes or for other reasons. It is divided into two categories:
active participation in sports events or competitions such as golf, tennis, football, basketball, rowing, etc.
watching European and world cups and championships, the Olympic Games and major international tournaments.
Agrotourism – developed, as its name implies mainly in rural areas of the country and is related to the social, environmental and cultural values of the region.
Religious tourism – is connected with the visit to the Byzantine monuments, monuments of ecclesiastical architecture, churches and monasteries.
Sea tourism – includes a range of activities centered on the sea (charter boats, popular trips to cruises, etc.).
Cultural tourism – an ideal form of tourism for those who wish to discover and learn about the culture and culture of different regions, take active part in seminars and workshops, as well as knowledge of traditional art – Byzantine painting, photography, pottery, sculptures, frescoes, musical instruments, etc.
Educational tourism – mainly targeted at young people. The main purpose is learning (trainer’s professional training, acquiring expertise, gaining new experiences).
Conference tourism – tourist destination, directly linked to the organization and participation in conferences, seminars and exhibitions. In recent years, conference tourism has grown rapidly and is an important part of the tourism market at an international level.
Ecotourism – a form of tourism developed using environmental resources: mountains, lakes, lagoons, valleys, caves, rich flora and fauna. In sum, there are areas of high geological interest.
Medical tourism – a direction of tourism, the aim of which is to organize an economically competitive medical care of the patient abroad.
Mining / geological tourism – a form of exploratory or geological exploration in areas with present and past mining activity.
Urban exploration – a form associated with the exploration of old buildings and unexplored aspects of city life.
Adventure tourism – a form that is related to the need of people to experience some adventure.
Characteristics
Whereas mass tourism, which mainly satisfies the needs of relaxation and recreation with the use of high-standard hospitality and associated facilities, does not require any effort and effort from tourists, alternative tourism forces them to physical and mental effort, which makes it similar to qualified tourism.
Recently, there are more and more critical voices in terms of mass tourism and its negative impact on the environment and local communities of tourist destinations. There are also negative phenomena related to contemporary tourism, such as alcohol abuse, drugs, illegal trade, prostitution, etc. This tourism does not lead participants to get to know the country of residence more closely. It is often only a superficial encounter with enclaves prepared for foreigners. Too many tourists lead to the degradation of unique natural and historical places. Crimes and antagonisms increase between tourists and indigenous people.
Alternative tourism tries to find and disseminate other possibilities of different, unconventional forms of tourism. It is based on sightseeing themes. Grown mainly in small informal groups. It is an attempt to escape from the typical mass forms of spending free time.
The main postulates of alternative tourism are:
presentation of good and possible solutions different from mass forms of tourism,
fair distribution of profits between residents of tourist areas and serving this tourist movement,
enabling such contact between tourists and local people to enrich both sides, as well as guaranteeing a sense of dignity and rights to both parties,
respect for the population of the visited areas, for their religion, culture and mentality,
resignation from all symptoms of colonialism in tourism.
Types:
The term “alternative tourism” tries to include the concepts of active tourism as well as explorer and encounter travel even with the concept of committed tourism. The following lists try to enumerate some of the styles of alternative tourism. Sources that state a number of different styles are and
Active tourism
rambling
hiking
trekking
biking
“Adventure”-traveling
snowshoeing
ski mountaineering
rafting
diving
caving
climbing
horseback riding
Explore and encounter travel
historical places
archeological sites
foreign communities
foreign cultures
rural tourism
ecotourism
cultural and historical heritage
wine
traditional cuisine
ethnography
traditional music
handicrafts
Committed tourism
Voluntary service overseas
Aid and assistance
Archeological digs
International work camps
justice
solidarity tourism
religion
Faith tourism
voluntary activity
helping
archaeological excavations
international camps
justice tourism
solidarity tourism
religion
Terminology critiques
Since the term alternative is ambiguous, there are numerous critical remarks stating that the concept is only ” (…) a fashionable idea among those who are dissatisfied with the nature of mass tourism (…)”. The critics state, that alternative tourism lacks a clear definition of what is the tourism style alternative to. The origins of the term can be found in two alternating concepts:
Rejection of modern mass consumerism
Concern about the social impact in third-world countries
Others express their critical opinions regarding the term as fetish-adjective, miracle-word, mythical-term.
Organizations for alternative tourism
Those responsible for the management and marketing of tourist destinations are the.Destination Management Organisations (DMOs). Their role is important as:
contribute to the competitiveness of destinations
ensure viability in small-medium-sized tourism enterprises
provide a credible position among players of the international level
They are divided into 2 categories based on 1) their geographical coverage and 2) their legal form. Although they are the authorities, their role is limited: coordination and guidance.
Internet and alternative tourism
The internet is a useful and profitable tool for the tourism industry. The perception of tourism businesses about the necessity of their presence on the Web is becoming clearer. Specifically, the results of Eurostat (Information Society Statistics 2008) have demonstrated the prominent position of the Internet in tourism.
Mobile platform
Mobile m-tourism or mobile tourism. It is a new trend, which is imposed on the market and gradually accepted by society. The original purpose of the platform was to make it easier for professionals, but it was very successful and extended to leisure travel. This technology is mainly used to promote alternative forms of tourism. The tourist services offered by an Organized Destination Management System are also found on the mobile platform, with the only difference being the use of the mobile phone.
Examples of some revolutionary applications are as follows:
SmartMuseum – digital cultural platform.
WI-BIKE – one of the pioneering multimedia (integrated GPS) for cycling lovers
Wikitude Browser World – an augmented reality browser
Hungary Tourism App – rich database, entertainment sites and a wide range of accommodation across Hungary
The new form of tourism, called “m-tourism”, is expected to bring about technological developments in the field of tourism.
Modern forms museums
The museums are confronted with their main competitors – the Media. Due to global developments, in order to be competitive and serve the purpose for which they are intended, they are called to “modernize” to satisfy the demanding modern citizen. The purpose of the modern museum is to attract new visitors and to offer unique experiences. A huge asset to them is the abundance of valuable information and accumulated knowledge. Their purpose is:
eradication of borders
offering experiences to the community
Modern museums and internet
A more modern form of museums is presented on the Internet. There are conflicting views on the usefulness of digital museums. There are many advantages, such as the protection of exhibits from wear and the ease of exposure to works that are unlikely to appear in natural museums but can not replace the uniqueness of the experience of real contact with works of art. Many modern museum sites offer a virtual tour of the site, have hyperlinks to other museums of the same philosophy, offering visitors a range of services. Today, digital museums have been extended to modern mobile m-tourism platforms.
Museum
Original exhibitions – (the so-called blind museums). They enable blind people to touch artwork. Visually impaired people are suggested to experience an original experience in the same way a blind (closed eyes) experience.
Children’s museums – have an educational and entertaining purpose. It is particularly popular in many countries. They offer lots of experiences to children.
Museums with interactive (angl.interactive) exhibits. A new means of deeper understanding of the objects exhibited in museums.
Source from Wikipedia