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Travel:
Travel is the change in location of people on a trip through the means of transport from one location to another. Travel is most commonly for recreation (as part of tourism or to visit friends and family), for business or for commuting; but may be for numerous other reasons, such as migration, fleeing war, etc. Travel may occur by walking or human-powered mode, or through mechanical vehicles, either as private or public transport.

Travel may be local, regional, national or international. In some countries, non-local internal travel may require an internal passport, while international travel typically requires a passport and visa.

The word originates from the Middle English word travailen ("to toil"), which comes from the Anglo-French word travailler ("travail"). A person who travels is called a traveler (US) or traveller (UK).

Business Travel:
Business travel, or travel management as it is often referred to, is on the rise especially with foreign business markets opening up. Business travel is generally accepted as being a corporation's 3rd or 4th biggest expense after staffing, rent and rates and possibly IT and communications.

Many airlines began to concentrate on providing premium service on long haul flights especially for the first and business class business traveler with the development of more sophisticated business traveler needs over the last 15 years.

Airlines have also been working on tools that benefit the business travellers such as: Improved and competitive mileage programs, quick check in and online check in, lounges with broadband connection, etc. Hotels are not far behind. They are also on the competition for the business travellers by offering flexible points programs, broadband connection in all rooms and fast check in and check out services.

While internet booking engines have become the first destination for around 60% of leisure travelers, business travelers, especially with the need for itineraries that may include more than one destination, have still found that a knowledgeable travel agent may be their best resource for better ticket pricing, less hassle and better air and land travel planning. For larger business travel accounts these travel agents take on a travel management role, and are referred to as Travel Management Companies (TMCs), providing services such as consultancy, traveller tracking, data and negotiation assistance and policy advice.

Recent trends in this market have extended to the implementation of Self Booking Tools (SBTs) which allow automated booking of trips within company policy, an increase in the inclusion of Duty of care practices in the booking and monitoring process and more consideration for the environmental impact of business travel.

Tourism:
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four (24) hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited". Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2008, there were over 922 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 1.9% as compared to 2007. International tourism receipts grew to US$944 billion (euro 642 billion) in 2008, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 1.8% on 2007.

Despite the recent global recession, international tourist arrivals during the first four months of 2008 followed a similar growth trend than the same period in 2007. However, as a result of the economic crisis of 2008, international travel demand suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008, with growth in international tourism arrivals worldwide falling to 2% during the boreal summer months, while growth from January to April 2008 had reached an average 5.7% compared to its 2007 level. Growth from 2006 to 2007 was only 3.7%, as total international tourism arrivals from January to August were 641 million tourists, up from 618 million in the same period in 2007.

Tourism is vital for many countries, such as the U.A.E, Egypt, Greece and Thailand, and many island nations, such as The Bahamas, Fiji, Maldives and the Seychelles, due to the large intake of money for businesses with their goods and services and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism. These service industries include transportation services, such as airlines, cruise ships and taxis, hospitality services, such as accommodations, including hotels and resorts, and entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, casinos, shopping malls, various music venues and the theatre.

Hunziker and Krapf, in 1941, defined tourism as people who travel "the sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and stay of non-residents, insofar as they do not lead to permanent residence and are not connected with any earning activity." In 1976, the Tourism Society of England's definition was: "Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destination outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all purposes."[citation needed] In 1981, the International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism defined tourism in terms of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home.

The United Nations classified three forms of tourism in 1994, in its "Recommendations on Tourism Statistics: Domestic tourism", which involves residents of the given country traveling only within this country; Inbound tourism, involving non-residents traveling in the given country; and Outbound tourism, involving residents traveling in another country. The UN also derived different categories of tourism by combining the three basic forms of tourism: Internal tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism; National tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism; and International tourism, which consists of inbound tourism and outbound tourism. Intrabound tourism is a term coined by the Korea Tourism Organization and widely accepted in Korea.[citation needed] Intrabound tourism differs from domestic tourism in that the former encompasses policymaking and implementation of national tourism policies.

Recently, the tourism industry has shifted from the promotion of inbound tourism to the promotion of intrabound tourism, because many countries are experiencing tough competition for inbound tourists. Some national policymakers have shifted their priority to the promotion of intrabound tourism to contribute to the local economy. Examples of such campaigns include: "See America" in Singapore" in Singapore; "100% Pure New Zealand" in New Zealand; Croatia - "The Mediterranean As It Once Was"; "Amazing Thailand" in Thailand; "Incredible India" in India; and "The Hidden Charm" in Vietnam.

History of Tourism:
Wealthy people have always traveled to distant parts of the world, to see great buildings, works of art, learn new languages, experience new cultures and to taste different cuisines. Long ago, at the time of the Roman Republic, places such as Baiae, were popular coastal resorts for the rich. The word tourism was used by 1811 and tourist by 1840. In 1936, the League of Nations defined foreign tourist as "someone travelling abroad for at least twenty-four hours". Its successor, the United Nations, amended this definition in 1945, by including a maximum stay of six months.

Leisure Travel:
Leisure travel was associated with the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom – the first European country to promote leisure time to the increasing industrial population. Initially, this applied to the owners of the machinery of production, the economic oligarchy, the factory owners and the traders. These comprised the new middle class. Cox & Kings was the first official travel company to be formed in 1758.

The British origin of this new industry is reflected in many place names. In Nice, France, one of the first and best-established holiday resorts on the French Riviera, the long esplanade along the seafront is known to this day as the Promenade des Anglais; in many other historic resorts in continental Europe, old, well-established palace hotels have names like the Hotel Bristol, the Hotel Carlton or the Hotel Majestic – reflecting the dominance of English customers.

Many leisure-oriented tourists travel to the tropics, both in the summer and winter. Places often visited are: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, North Queensland in Australia and Florida in the United States.

Winter Tourism:
Major ski resorts are located in the various European countries (e.g. Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland), Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Chile and Argentina.

Mass Tourism:
Mass tourism could only have developed with the improvements in technology, allowing the transport of large numbers of people in a short space of time to places of leisure interest, so that greater numbers of people began to enjoy the benefits of leisure time.

In the United States, the first great seaside resort, in the European style, was Atlantic City, New Jersey and Long Island, New York.

In continental Europe, early resorts included: Ostend, popularized by the people of Brussels; Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais) and Deauville (Calvados) for the Parisians; and Heiligendamm, founded in 1797, as the first seaside resort at the Baltic Sea.

Adjectival Tourisms:
Adjectival tourism refers to the numerous niche or specialty travel forms of tourism that have emerged over the years, each with its own adjective. Many of these have come into common use by the tourism industry and academics. Others are emerging concepts that may or may not gain popular usage. Examples of the more common niche tourism markets include:
Agritourism is a style of vacation that normally takes place on a farm or ranch. This may include the chance to help with farming and ranching tasks during the visit. Agritourism is considered to be a niche or uniquely adapted form of tourism and is often practiced in wine growing regions such as Australia, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and North America.[citation needed]. Tourists engage in farm activities ranging from picking fruit or feeding animals, or planting crops.

Culinary Tourism - Judging by the surge since 2001 in the number of times "culinary tourism" has appeared as a subject matter or in a session title in tourism industry conferences and programs, we can see that Culinary Tourism is valued by tourism industry professionals as one of the most popular niches in the world's tourism industry. This makes sense, given recent consumer focus on healthy and organic eating, culinary/food pedigrees, and the simple fact that all travelers must eat. Not every visitor goes shopping or visits museums, but all travelers eat. For anyone who doubts, look at the increase in cooking shows featured on The Travel Channel [Anthony Bourdain No Reservations] or travel shows featured on The Food Network [Rachel Ray's $40 a Day series], as examples.

Culinary Tourism is defined as the pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences, according to the International Culinary Tourism Association. Culinary Tourism differs from agritourism in that culinary tourism is considered a subset of cultural tourism (cuisine is a manifestation of culture) whereas agritourism is considered a subset of rural tourism, according to Culinary Tourism: The Hidden Harvest [Wolf, Erik. Culinary Tourism: The Hidden Harvest.Kendall/Hunt Publishing, 2006, ISBN 978-0757526770). That said, culinary tourism and agritourism are inextricably linked, as the seeds of cuisine can be found in agriculture.

Culinary Tourism is not just experiences of the highest caliber - that would be gourmet tourism. This is perhaps best illustrated by the notion that Culinary Tourism is about what is "unique and memorable, not what is necessarily pretentious and exclusive". Similarly, wine tourism, beer tourism and spa tourism are also regarded as subsets of culinary tourism.

Cultural Tourism - (or culture tourism) is the subset of tourism concerned with a country or region's culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those geographical areas, the history of those peoples, their art, architecture, religion(s), and other elements that helped shape their way of life. Cultural tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres. It can also include tourism in rural areas showcasing the traditions of indigenous cultural communities (i.e. festivals, rituals), and their values and lifestyle. It is generally agreed that cultural tourists spend substantially more than standard tourists do. This form of tourism is also becoming generally more popular throughout the world, and a recent OECD report has highlighted the role that cultural tourism can play in regional development in different world regions.

Cultural tourism has been defined as 'the movement of persons to cultural attractions away from their normal place of residence, with the intention to gather new information and experiences to satisfy their cultural needs'.

Ecotourism - (also known as ecological tourism) is travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strives to be low impact and (often) small scale. It helps educate the traveler; provides funds for conservation; directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities; and fosters respect for different cultures and for human rights. As defined by the co-founder of the Center for Responsible Travel, Martha Honey, Ph.D., in her book Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, Second Edition: Who Owns Paradise?. Most serious studies of ecotourism including several university programs now use this as the working definition.

Ecotourism appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals. Generally speaking, it focuses on volunteering, personal growth and learning new ways to live on the planet. It typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Ecotourism is a conceptual experience, enriching those who delve into researching and understanding the environment around them. It gives us insight into our impacts as human beings and also a greater appreciation of our own natural habitats.

Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of ecotourism is the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation and creation of economic opportunities for the local communities.

Cultural Heritage Tourism - (or just heritage tourism) is a branch of tourism oriented towards the cultural heritage of the location where tourism is occurring.

Culture has always been a major object of travel, as the development of the Grand Tour from the 16th century onwards attests. In the 20th century, some people have claimed, culture ceased to be the objective of tourism: tourism is now culture. Cultural attractions play an important role in tourism at all levels, from the global highlights of world culture to attractions that underpin local identities. (Richards, 1996).

According to the Weiler and Hall, culture, heritage and the arts have long contributed to appeal of tourist destination. However, in recent years ‘culture’ has been rediscovered as an important marketing tool to attract those travellers with special interests in heritage and arts. According to the Hollinshead, cultural heritage tourism defines as cultural heritage tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry because there is a trend toward an increase specialization among tourists. This trend is evident in the rise in the volume of tourists who seek adventure, culture, history, archaeology and interaction with local people.

Cultural heritage tourism is important for various reasons; it has a positive economic and social impact, it establishes and reinforces identity, it helps preserve the cultural heritage, with culture as an instrument it facilitates harmony and understanding among people, it supports culture and helps renew tourism (Richards, 1996). Putangina Cultural heritage tourism has a number of objectives that must be met within the context of sustainable development such as; the conservation of cultural resources, accurate interpretation of resources, authentic visitors experience, and the stimulation of the earned revenues of cultural resources. We can see, therefore, that cultural heritage tourism is not only concerned with identification, management and protection of the heritage values but it must also be involved in understanding the impact of tourism on communities and regions, achieving economic and social benefits, providing financial resources for protection, as well as marketing and promotion. (J. M. Fladmark, 1994).

Heritage tourism involves visiting historical or industrial sites that may include old canals, railways, battlegrounds, etc. The overall purpose is to gain an appreciation of the past. It also refers to the marketing of a location to members of a diaspora who have distant family roots there.

Decolonization and immigration form the major background of much contemporary heritage tourism. Falling travel costs have also made heritage tourism possible for more people.

Another possible form involves religious travel or pilgrimages. Many Catholics from around the world come to the Vatican and other sites such as Lourdes or Fátima. Large numbers of Jews have both visited Israel and emigrated there. Many have also gone to Holocaust sites and memorials. Islam commands its followers to take the hajj to Mecca, thus differentiating it somewhat from tourism in the usual sense, though the trip can also be a culturally important event for the pilgrim.

Heritage Tourism can also be attributed to historical events that have been dramatised to make them more entertaining. For example a historical tour of a town or city using a theme such as ghosts or vikings.

LGBT Tourism - Gay tourism or LGBT tourism is a form of niche tourism marketed to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. They are usually open about their sexual orientation and gender identity but may be more or less open when traveling; for instance they may be closeted at home or if they have come out, may be more discreet in areas known for violence against LGBT people. The main components of LGBT tourism is for cities and countries wishing to attract LGBT tourists; people looking to travel to LGBT-friendly destinations; people wanting travel with other LGBT people when traveling regardless of the destination and LGBT travelers who are mainly concerned with cultural and safety issues. The slang term gaycation has come to imply a version of a vacation that includes a pronounced aspect of LGBT culture, either in the journey or destination. The LGBT tourism industry includes travel agents, tour companies, cruise lines and travel advertising and promotions companies who market these destinations to the gay community. Coinciding with the increased visibility of LGBT people raising children in the 1990s, an increase in family-friendly LGBT tourism has emerged in the 2000s, for instance R Family Vacations which includes activities and entertainment geared towards couples including same-sex weddings. R Family's first cruise was held aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines's Norwegian Dawn with 1600 passengers including 600 children.

Major companies in the travel industry have become aware of the substantial money (also known as the "pink dollar" or "pink pound") generated by this marketing niche, and have made it a point to align themselves with the gay community and gay tourism campaigns. According to a 2000 Tourism Intelligence International report 10% of international tourists were gay and lesbian accounting for more than 70 million arrivals worldwide. This market segment is expected to continue to grow as a result ongoing acceptance of LGBT people and changing attitudes towards sexual and gender minorities. The gay and lesbian segment is estimated at $55 billion annual market as of 2007. Outside larger companies, LGBT tourists are offered other traditional tourism tools, such as LGBT hospitality networks of LGBT individuals who offer each other hospitality during their travels and even home swaps where people live in each others homes. Also available are social groups for resident and visiting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender expatriates and friends exist worldwide.

Medical Tourism - (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare) is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of traveling across international borders to obtain health care.

Such services typically include elective procedures as well as complex specialized surgeries such as joint replacement (knee/hip), cardiac surgery, dental surgery, and cosmetic surgeries. However, virtually every type of health care, including psychiatry, alternative treatments, convalescent care and even burial services are available. As a practical matter, providers and customers commonly use informal channels of communication-connection-contract, and in such cases this tends to mean less regulatory or legal oversight to assure quality and less formal recourse to reimbursement or redress, if needed.

Over 50 countries have identified medical tourism as a national industry. However, accreditation and other measures of quality vary widely across the globe, and there are risks and ethical issues that make this method of accessing medical care controversial. Also, some destinations may become hazardous or even dangerous for medical tourists to contemplate.

Nautical Tourism - Nautical tourism is an increasingly popular way to combine love of sailing and boating with vacation and holiday activities. First defined as an industry segment in Europe and South America, it has since caught on in the United States and the Pacific Rim.

Not only is nautical tourism an enjoyable way to see unique parts of the world, it is also a very profitable industry. Many tourists who enjoy sailing combine water travel with other activities. Supplying the equipment and accessories for those activities has spawned businesses for those purposes. With many nautical enthusiasts living on board their vessels even in port, nautical tourists bring demand for a variety of goods and services. Marinas developed especially for nautical tourists have been built in Europe, South America and Australia.

Tourist services available at marinas catering to nautical tourists include:
Leasing of berths for sailing vessels and nautical tourists who live on board.
Leasing of sailing vessels for holiday and recreational use (charter, cruising and similar).
Reception, safe-guarding and maintenance of sailing vessels.
Provision of stock (water, fuel, supplies, spare parts, equipment and similar).
Preparation and keeping sailing vessels in order.
Providing information to nautical enthusiasts (weather forecasts, nautical guides etc.).
Leasing of water scooters, jet skis, and other water equipment.

Religious Tourism - Religious tourism, also commonly referred to as faith tourism, is a form of tourism, whereby people of faith travel individually or in groups for pilgrimage, missionary, or leisure (fellowship) purposes. North American religious tourists comprise an estimated $10 billion of this industry.

Space Tourism - Space tourism is the recent phenomenon of tourists paying for flights into space pioneered by Russia. As of 2009, orbital space tourism opportunities are limited and expensive, with only the Russian Space Agency providing transport. The price for a flight brokered by Space Adventures to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft is $20–35 million.

Infrastructure for a suborbital space tourism industry is being developed through the construction of spaceports in numerous locations, including California, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, Alaska, Wisconsin, Esrange in Sweden as well as the United Arab Emirates. Some use the term "personal spaceflight" as in the case of the Personal Spaceflight Federation.

A number of startup companies have sprung up in recent years, hoping to create a space tourism industry. For a list of such companies, and the spacecraft they are currently building, see list of space tourism companies.

War Tourism - is a term the media uses describe the idea of recreational travel to war zones for purposes of sightseeing and superficial voyeurism. War tourist is also a pejorative term to describe thrill seeking in dangerous and forbidden places. There has been no proof of the concept in real life but the idea has gained currency in a number of media reports, none of which have actually interviewed or found a tourist who have visited active combat areas as a tourist.

There have been a number of tourists caught up in war torn regions, many who visit active war zones like Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Algeria, Colombia and other regions at war. There are many freelance journalists who describe themselves humorously as "war tourists" (P.J. O'Rourke is the most famous) and mercenaries who have pretended to be tourists to avoid discovery as in Michael Hoare's attempt to take over the Seychelles disguised as "The Royal Order of Frothblowers".

During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis, for example, Beirut was full of tourists who were forced to leave when fighting with Israel broke out. Tourists have also been targeted in Kenya, the Philippines and other regions due to their media value and damage to the country's tourist industry. It could be argued that continued tourism to these regions is war tourism, even though active combat is free from tourist access.

The initial myth of war tourism was actually started by a collection of stories by P.J. O'Rourke. His mocking and cynical view of journalism in conflict areas entitled 'Holidays in Hell: In Which Our Intrepid Reporter Travels to the World's Worst Places and Asks, "What's Funny About This" planted the idea that maybe journalists are after all tourists on an expense account.

The PBS TV show, Frontline, used the phrase war tourism to describe a practice in Iraq of US troops going on daylight patrols and returning in the evening to heavily defended large bases.

A book on this topic is Dark Tourism (Tourism, Leisure & Recreation) by Malcolm Foley and John Lennon. The authors explore the idea that people are attracted to regions and sites where "inhuman acts" have occurred. They claim that motivation is driven by media coverage and a desire to see for themselves, and that there is a symbiotic relationship between the attraction and the visitor, whether it be a death camp or site of a celebrity's death. Much of their focus in on ancient sites where "acts of inhumanity are celebrated as heritage sites in Britain (for example, the Tower of London, Edinburgh Castle), and the Berlin Wall"

War tourism is also confused with "Battlefield tourism": going to places of historic importance or famous battle sites such as the German WW2 fortification, Ground Zero in New York, the Atlantic Wall or the Maginot Line in France.

Wildlife Tourism - Wildlife tourism can be an eco and animal friendly tourism in both captive and wild environments. It has experienced a dramatic and rapid growth in recent years world wide. Wildlife tourism, in its simplest sense, is watching wild animals in their natural habitat.

Wildlife tourism is also a multi-million dollar industry offering customized tour packages and safaris.

Recent Developments:
There has been an upmarket trend in the tourism over the last few decades, especially in Europe, where international travel for short breaks is common. Tourists have higher levels of disposable income and greater leisure time and they are also better-educated and have more sophisticated tastes.[citation needed] There is now a demand for a better quality products, which has resulted in a fragmenting of the mass market for beach vacations; people want more specialised versions, such as Club 18-30, quieter resorts, family-oriented holidays or niche market-targeted destination hotels.

The developments in technology and transport infrastructure, such as jumbo jets, low-cost airlines and more accessible airports have made many types of tourism more affordable. WHO estimates that up to 500,000 people are on planes at any time. There have also been changes in lifestyle, such as retiree-age people who sustain year round tourism. This is facilitated by internet sales of tourism products. Some sites have now started to offer dynamic packaging, in which an inclusive price is quoted for a tailor-made package requested by the customer upon impulse.

There have been a few setbacks in tourism, such as the September 11 attacks and terrorist threats to tourist destinations, such as in Bali and several European cities. Also, on December 26, 2004, a tsunami, caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, hit the Asian countries on the Indian Ocean, including the Maldives. Thousands of lives were lost and many tourists died. This, together with the vast clean-up operation in place, has stopped or severely hampered tourism to the area.

The terms tourism and travel are sometimes used interchangeably. In this context, travel has a similar definition to tourism, but implies a more purposeful journey. The terms tourism and tourist are sometimes used pejoratively, to imply a shallow interest in the cultures or locations visited by tourists.

Sustainable Tourism:
"Sustainable tourism is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems." (World Tourism Organization).

Sustainable development implies "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987).

Eco-Tourism:
Ecotourism (also known as ecological tourism) is travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strives to be low impact and (often) small scale. It helps educate the traveler; provides funds for conservation; directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities; and fosters respect for different cultures and for human rights. As defined by the co-founder of the Center for Responsible Travel, Martha Honey, Ph.D., in her book Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, Second Edition: Who Owns Paradise?. Most serious studies of ecotourism including several university programs now use this as the working definition.

Ecotourism appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals. Generally speaking, it focuses on volunteering, personal growth and learning new ways to live on the planet. It typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Ecotourism is a conceptual experience, enriching those who delve into researching and understanding the environment around them. It gives us insight into our impacts as human beings and also a greater appreciation of our own natural habitats.

Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of ecotourism is the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation and creation of economic opportunities for the local communities.

Educational Tourism:
Educational tourism developed, because of the growing popularity of teaching and learning of knowledge and the enhancing of technical competency outside of the classroom environment. In educational tourism, the main focus of the tour or leisure activity includes visiting another country to learn about the culture, such as in Student Exchange Programs and Study Tours, or to work and apply skills learned inside the classroom in a different environment, such as in the International Practicum Training Program.

Other Developments:

Creative Tourism:
Creative tourism has existed as a form of cultural tourism, since the early beginnings of tourism itself. Its European roots date back to the time of the Grand Tour, which saw the sons of aristocratic families traveling for the purpose of mostly interactive, educational experiences. More recently, creative tourism has been given its own name by Crispin Raymond and Greg Richards, who as members of the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS), have directed a number of projects for the European Commission, including cultural and crafts tourism, known as sustainable tourism. They have defined "creative tourism" as tourism related to the active participation of travelers in the culture of the host community, through interactive workshops and informal learning experiences.

Meanwhile, the concept of creative tourism has been picked up by high-profile organizations such as UNESCO, who through the Creative Cities Network, have endorsed creative tourism as an engaged, authentic experience that promotes an active understanding of the specific cultural features of a place.

More recently, creative tourism has gained popularity as a form of cultural tourism, drawing on active participation by travelers in the culture of the host communities they visit. Several countries offer examples of this type of tourism development, including the United Kingdom, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Spain, Italy and New Zealand.

Dark Tourism:
One emerging area of special interest tourism has been identified by Lennon and Foley (2000) as "dark" tourism. This type of tourism involves visits to "dark" sites, such as battlegrounds, scenes of horrific crimes or acts of genocide, for example: concentration camps. Dark tourism poses severe ethical and moral dilemmas: should these sites be available for visitation and, if so, what should the nature of the publicity involved be. Dark tourism remains a small niche market, driven by varied motivations, such as mourning, remembrance, macabre curiosity or even entertainment. Its early origins are rooted in fairgrounds and medieval fairs.

Growth:
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) forecasts that international tourism will continue growing at the average annual rate of 4 %. By 2020, Europe will remain the most popular destination, but its share will drop from 60% in 1995 to 46%. Long-haul will grow slightly faster than intraregional travel and by 2020 its share will increase from 18% in 1995 to 24%.

With the advent of e-commerce, tourism products have become one of the most traded items on the internet. Tourism products and services have been made available through intermediaries, although tourism providers (hotels, airlines, etc.) can sell their services directly. This has put pressure on intermediaries from both on-line and traditional shops.

It has been suggested there is a strong correlation between Tourism expenditure per capita and the degree to which countries play in the global context. Not only as a result of the important economic contribution of the tourism industry, but also as an indicator of the degree of confidence with which global citizens leverage the resources of the globe for the benefit of their local economies. This is why any projections of growth in tourism may serve as an indication of the relative influence that each country will exercise in the future.

Space tourism is expected to "take off" in the first quarter of the 21st century, although compared with traditional destinations the number of tourists in orbit will remain low until technologies such as a space elevator make space travel cheap.

Technological improvement is likely to make possible air-ship hotels, based either on solar-powered airplanes or large dirigibles. Underwater hotels, such as Hydropolis, expected to open in Dubai in 2009, will be built. On the ocean, tourists will be welcomed by ever larger cruise ships and perhaps floating cities.

Latest Trends:
As a result of the economic crisis of 2008, international arrivals suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008. Growth from 2007 to 2008 was only 3.7% during the first eight months of 2008. The Asian and Pacific markets were affected and Europe stagnated during the boreal summer months, while the Americas performed better, reducing their expansion rate but keeping a 6% growth from January to August 2008. Only the Middle East continued its rapid growth during the same period, reaching a 17% growth as compared to the same period in 2007. This slowdown on international tourism demand was also reflected in the air transport industry, with a negative growth in September 2008 and a 3.3% growth in passenger traffic through September. The hotel industry also reports a slowdown, as room occupancy continues to decline. As the global economic situation deteriorated dramatically during September and October as a result of the global financial crisis, growth of international tourism is expected to slow even further for the remaining of 2008, and this slowdown in demand growth is forecasted to continue into 2009 as recession has already hit most of the top spender countries, with long-haul travel expected to be the most affected by the economic crisis. However, some travel destinations have experienced growth during hard economic times, drawing on low costs of living, accessibility, and friendly immigration laws permitting tourists to stay for extended periods of time. Recession tourism, a phrase coined by Matt Landau in his research about Panama, has evolved as an alternative escape option for nervous crisis-goers in 2009.

Excursion:
An excursion is a trip by a group of people, usually made for leisure or educational purposes. It is often an adjunct to a longer journey or visit to a place, sometimes for other (typically work-related) purposes.

Public transportation companies issue reduced price excursion tickets to attract business of this type. Often these tickets are restricted to off-peak days or times for the destination concerned.

Short excursions for education or for observations of natural phenomena are called field trips. One-day educational field studies are often made by classes as extracurricular exercises, e.g. to visit a natural or geographical feature.

The term is also used for short military movements into foreign territory, without a formal announcement of war.

Harvest Excursion:
A harvest excursion was a common practice in Canada in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century where large numbers of workers from eastern Canada and the British Isles would travel to the Canadian prairies to participate in the fall harvest.

There were long severe labour shortages on the Canadian prairies and these became extreme during the weeks of the fall harvest when millions of acres of crops needed to be brought in during a short period of time from September to October. Thus in 1890 harvest excursions were organized by the Canadian Pacific Railway in which special trains would transport workers from Eastern Canada to the prairie centres. There they be hired by agents and travel to farms across the prairies. The labourers were given low fares by the CPR as the railway knew that they would later earn a great deal from transporting the harvest. The CPR was also the largest landholder in the west and it hoped that some of the excursioners would decide to settle in the west and buy some railway land.

The bulk of the labourers came from Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes but as demand increased workers began to be pulled from British Columbia, the United States, and Great Britain. Wages were high, the highest a labourer could earn in Canada. A seasons work could pull in up to three hundred dollars. As room and board were normally provided the only expense was the thirty to forty dollars for the train trip west.

While wages were high conditions were poor. The trains that carried the workers were crowded and unsanitary, with few stops on the way. There was rarely enough accommodation for the workers in the west and many were forced into crowded, substandard housing. In years with a poor harvest too many people could be brought west and some would find themselves out of work. In 1928 a mass of thousands of British workers who could not find work threatened to become violent and were shipped back across the Atlantic at government expense. For the western towns the annual arrival of the raucous excursioners was a major disruption with violence, drunkenness and theft common.

During the First World War the need for labour in the west was even more pressing as thousands of young men had enlisted. An extended campaign drawing on patriotism saw an unprecedented number travel west. The excursion peaked in the mid-1920s with over 50,000 workers a season travelling west. By the late 1920s the development of the combine harvester and other equipment dramatically cut the need for labour. The onset of the Great Depression ended the practice completely as high excess production and unemployment affected the prairies.

Backpacking:
is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel and/or budget travel are often used interchangeably with backpacking. The factors that traditionally differentiate backpacking from other forms of tourism include but are not limited to the following: use of public transport as a means of travel, preference of youth hostels to traditional hotels, length of the trip vs. conventional vacations, use of a backpack, an interest in meeting the locals as well as seeing the sights.

The definition of a backpacker has evolved as travelers from different cultures and regions participate and will continue to do so, preventing an air-tight definition. Recent research has found that, "...backpackers constituted a heterogeneous group with respect to the diversity of rationales and meanings attached to their travel experiences. ...They also displayed a common commitment to a non-institutionalised form of travel, which was central to their self-identification as backpackers." Backpacking as a lifestyle and as a business has grown considerably in the 2000's as the commonplace of low-cost airlines, hostels or budget accommodation in many parts of the world, and digital communication and resources make planning, executing, and continuing a long-term backpacking trip easier than ever before.

Green Travel:
Green travel is a travel method utilized to reduce environmental impact. The concept of green travel involves a wide range of options that are typically centered around the idea of preserving natural resources and reducing environmental pollution.

Some examples of Green traveling include:
Use of walking, cycling, and public transport instead of car use, when possible.
Renting Hybrid vehicles.
Use of biodiesel fuels.
Taking advantage of ridesharing and carpools.
Staying at green-scored hotels or lodges.
Booking with a green organization or green travel provider.
Volunteer Travel - volunteering some time giving back to the community you visit.
Offsetting your carbon footprint - making a donation to offset the amount of carbon that your trip expels into the atmosphere.

Hostel Travel:
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, sometimes a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available. Hostels are generally cheaper for both the operator and the occupants; many hostels have long-term residents whom they employ as desk clerks or housekeeping staff in exchange for free accommodation.

In a few countries, such as the UK, Ireland, India, and Australia, the word hostel sometimes also refers to establishments providing longer-term accommodation (often to specific classes of clientèle such as nurses, students, drug addicts, court defendants on bail) where the hostels are sometimes run by Housing Associations and charities. In the rest of the world, the word hostel refers only to properties offering accommodation to travellers or backpackers.

Within the 'traveller' category, another distinction can be drawn between hostels which are members of Hostelling International (HI), a non-profit organization encouraging outdoor activities and cultural exchange for the young, and independently operated hostels. Hostels for travellers are sometimes called backpackers' hostels, particularly in Australia and New Zealand (often abbreviated to just "backpackers").

Hypermobility:
Hypermobility is a term coined by Professor John Adams of University College London, to describe the societal changes that have happened in the latter part of the 20th century when humans have increasingly gained the ability to travel much greater distances with ease than in previous generations, and frequently do so.

Although the amount of time people have spent in motion has remained constant since 1950, the shift from feet and bicycles to cars and planes has increased the speed of travel fivefold. This results in the twin effects of wider and shallower regions of social activity around each person (further exacerbated by electronic communication which is a form of virtual mobility), and a degradation of the social and physical environment brought about by the high speed traffic (as documented by Donald Appleyard).

The changes are brought about locally due to the use of cars and motorways, and internationally by aeroplanes. Some of the threats of hypermobility include:
more polarisation between rich and poor
more anonymous and less convivial communities
less cultural variation
increased risk to pedestrians
reduced health and fitness
Widespread internet use is seen as a contributory factor towards hypermobility due to the increased ease which it enables travel to be desired and organized.

Some governments promote private hypermobility through their road-building policies, and public hypermobility though mass transit..Punitive car taxation has been proposed to limit the environmental impact of hypermobility.

Travel Agency:
A travel agency is a retail business, that sells travel related products and services to customers, on behalf of suppliers, such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours and package holidays that combine several products. In addition to dealing with ordinary tourists, most travel agencies have a separate department devoted to making travel arrangements for business travelers and some travel agencies specialize in commercial and business travel only. There are also travel agencies that serve as general sales agents for foreign travel companies, allowing them to have offices in countries other than where their headquarters are located.

Volunteer Vacation:
Volunteer travel, volunteer vacations or voluntourism is travel which includes volunteering for a charitable cause. Voluntourism often involves extended stays in remote destinations, with significant price tags. With these high barriers to access, many travellers may consider volunteer vacations out of reach. In recent years, "bite-sized" volunteer vacations have grown in popularity. The types of volunteer vacations are diverse, from low-skill work cleaning up local wildlife areas to providing high-skill medical aid in a foreign country. Volunteer vacations participants are diverse but typically share a desire to “do something good” while also experiencing new places and challenges in locales they might not otherwise visit.

There are also other types of travelling that engage people with scientific research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Participants cover a fee that would include expenses on the different sites worldwide, and engage in projects according to their interest or location.

Wanderlust - is a loanword from German to English that designates a strong desire for or impulse to wander, or, in modern usage, to travel and to explore the world.

Travel Advisory:
A travel advisory is a public notice issued by a government agency to provide information about the relative safety of traveling to or visiting one or more specific destinations. The purpose is to enable travelers make an informed decision about a particular travel destination, and to help them prepare adequately for what may be encountered on their trip.

Travel advisories may relate to issues such as inclement weather, security matters, civil unrest or disease.

The United States State Department web site has current information about U.S. and world travel requirements and recommended precautions. In addition, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration web site has useful information for those traveling by commercial airline, and tracks travel security measures imposed on air travelers.

Overview of the Travel Search Engine Market:
Travel remains the single largest component of e-commerce according to Forrester Research, a consulting firm in Cambridge, Mass. But despite the dominance of such online travel agency heavyweights, most users consult multiple Web sites when shopping online for travel. The average consumer visits 3.6 sites when shopping for an airline ticket online, according to PhoCusWright, a Sherman, CT-based travel technology firm. Yahoo claims 76% of all online travel purchases are preceded by some sort of search function, according to Malcolmson, director of product development for Yahoo Travel. The 2004 Travel Consumer Survey published Jupiter Research noted that "nearly two in five online travel consumers say they believe that no one site has the lowest rates or fares." Thus a niche was created for aggregate travel search which seek to find the lowest rates from multiple travel sites, obviating the need for consumers to cross-shop from site to site.

Within the class of travel search engines are several subcategories of sites that offer a range of services and search methods:

Portal Sites:
Several of the leading generic search and information aggregator sites also offer travel components. In the broadest sense, virtually any search engine could be considered a travel search engine. However, some generic search engines also should be ranked as TSEs, since they include both paid and unpaid links to travel sites and maintain "travel" pages, often accompanied by original editorial content.

Aggregate Sites:
These sites use technological tools generate an aggregate result from other travel sites, including third-party travel agency sites and branded sites maintained by individual travel companies. Examples of aggregate sites are Kayak.com, Mobissimo, SideStep, Cheapflights, Momondo, Skyscanner and Dohop.

Consolidators and Bargain Sites:
These sites collect and publish bargain rates by advising consumers where to find them online (sometimes but not always through a direct link). Rather than providing detailed search tools, these sites generally focus on offering advertised specials, such as last-minute sales from travel suppliers eager to deplete unused inventory; therefore, these sites often work best for consumers who are flexible about destinations and other key itinerary components.

Travel Services:
Kiwi Travel International Airlines was a New Zealand based airline which pioneered discount flights between secondary airports in Australia and New Zealand in the mid 1990s. The airline was established by Ewan Wilson and several associates. Ewan Wilson served as CEO and was later convicted on five counts of fraud. The Securities Commission went further and banned Wilson for a period of five years from holding a Directorship or Senior Management position. at the time the Commissioner took the unusual step of publicly annoucing that Wilson acted without moral regard.

Hotwire is a discount travel website that offers low-prices on airfare, hotel, rental car, and vacation packages by selling off unsold travel inventory at a discounted price.

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Hotwire, Inc. is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ : EXPE). Expedia also operates Hotels.com, ClassicVacations.com, and TripAdvisor.com.

Interline Travel (or offline travel) refers to airline employee discounts for travel. Interline is a term used in the airline industry indicating travel between airlines. Though it would sound that the travel involving multiple airlines is interline, the actual interline travel when it comes to employee (staff) travel would mean that staff of one airline is travelling on another airline. The interline travel benefits are often available for employees, spouse, parents, dependent children and retirees of the airlines.

Airline employees often travel on discounted airfare with other airlines. These benefits are often negotiated by a select department at the airline, called the pass bureau. (This is a term specific to the American region. There are regions that call this department as staff travel or rebates office). Generally the applicable fares are called ZED fares. ZED stands for "Zonal Employee Discount". These are mileage based prices that various airlines have agreed will be the cost for any airline employee with one of the participating airlines can purchase for travel. Sometimes the Zone fares can be based on city pairs as well.

The ZED program was designed to make it easier for airine employees travelling on other carriers with their leisure travel arrangements. The old system of ID discounts (ID90, ID50, etc.) was based on a percentage discount off the published full fare price (either coach or first class) for a route given a specific origin and destination for each ticket. To allow for more predictable fares, easier trip planning and ticketing for employees and their families, the ZED program created travel zones with specific pricing.

Interline travel discounts on other suppliers varies by the supplier and travel time. Interline discounts on cruises and hotels can be booked by the employees, parents and retirees thru select interline travel agencies which are authorized by the various suppliers. To qualify for these discounts the employee, parent or retiree must provide proof of eligibility such as a copy of their airline ID badge or letter of employment on airline letterhead.

There are only a handful of fully qualified interline travel agencies in the world and most are in North America.

Some interline agencies also offer military travel discounts for active and retired military.

Usually defunct airline employees, (Ozark Airlines, Braniff Airlines, Hughes Air West, etc) do not qualify for any discounts. The exception is typically TWA as they were merged with American Airlines before they went out of business.

Interline discounts are typically offered close in to departure dates, however some vendors (hotels) will offer them farther in advance, sometimes as much as a year in advance.

When airline employees are flying on their interline travel discounts, they often are flying "Standby" which means they only get on the plane if there are any seats left after all paying passengers and those flying on frequent flyer miles have been boarded on the plane. For this reason in the recent years this benefit has become less valuable as many flights run full and thus employees cannot get on the plane.

E-ticketing for interline travel however, still remains unsolved from a technical point of view. There are a few solutions in the market who try to solve this problem.

Concessionary Fares on the British Railway Network: In addition to the large number and variety of short-term or localised promotional fares that have been available to passengers on the British railway network in recent decades (especially since privatisation), there are many permanent concessionary fare schemes available to passengers. Some of these take the form of Railcards, which can be purchased by people who qualify according to the conditions, and which give discounts for all journeys over a period of time; other concessions are available for individual journeys. In all cases, details of the type of concession will be printed on the passenger's travel ticket, to distinguish reduced-rate tickets from those sold at the standard full fare.

Opaque Travel Inventory: Opaque inventory is a term used to describe the market of selling unsold travel inventory at a discounted price. The inventory is called "opaque" because the specific supplier (i.e. hotel, airline, etc) remain hidden until after the purchase has been completed. This is done to prevent sales of unsold inventory from cannibalizing full-price retail sales.

The primary consumer of opaque inventory is very price conscious and is less concerned with the specifics of their travel plans. Buying opaque travel inventory is best for price-conscious travelers whose primary aim is the cheapest travel possible. Hotel discounts of 30-60% are typical, and bargains are stronger at a higher star hotel. While one has control over the dates and times of a travel itinerary, the downside is these purchases are absolutely non-refundable and non-changeable, and as noted above, the specific hotel or airline is not revealed until after purchase.

The main sources of opaque inventory are Hotwire.com and Priceline.com. Priceline functions with a bidding model, while Hotwire has a fixed pricing model, meaning it sells at a fixed price and travelers do not bid for inventory. Typically hotel deals are greater than airline discounts on opaque travel sites, namely because airlines have limited seating and also take monetary cuts when publishing discounted fares, whereas a hotel sells to opaque sites to fill empty rooms.

Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN) is company that operates a commercial website that helps users obtain discount rates for travel-related items such as airline tickets and hotel stays. The company is not a direct supplier of these services; instead it provides comparative pricing from an assortment of service companies. It is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States. Priceline was the brainchild of venture capitalist Jesse Fink and of digital entrepreneur Jay Walker; the company's origins were closely tied with Walker's company Walker Digital. Hong Kong company Cheung Kong Holdings later purchased a significant portion of Priceline's stock.

It first gained prominence for its Name Your Own Price system, where travelers would name their price for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and Vacation Packages. The price would be compared to undisclosed prices in the Priceline database, with the purchaser knowing the location and name of the rental car company, airline, or hotel only after the purchase had gone through, with no rights to cancel. (According to the web site, the no-cancellation no-refund policy is because Priceline offers the price to the hotel, airline, or car rental agency with the promise that the service would be sold and the seat or hotel will be filled, or the car will be rented.) Priceline's cut of the proceeds was the difference between the price an individual named and the price charged by the service establishment. More recently, it has moved to a more traditional model where travelers are presented prices and are also told the name of the establishment. Travelers can still choose to name their price for airline tickets, hotel rooms, and rental cars. The number of airlines, hotels, can car rental company participants in the name your own price program has increased as these suppliers utilize this opaque market Priceline created to sell their perishable inventory without lowering prices through other traditional sales channels. Priceline now also sells discounted Cruises, as well as Tours & Attractions.

Priceline.com also experimented with selling gasoline and groceries under the Name Your Own Price model in 2000, at the height of the dot-com bubble, through a partially owned affiliate, WebHouse Club. Priceline also got into the online auction business with Priceline Yard Sales, where individuals would use the Priceline system to haggle for various second hand items and trade them in person. Priceline also sold long distance telephone service and automobiles under the Name Your Own Price model. All of these experiments were terminated in 2002. Another experiment, the Name Your Own Rate system for home loans, continues under a license with EverBank. In 2002, Priceline licensed its “Name Your Own Price” travel system to eBay.

Priceline returned to its original focus on travel products, such airfares and rental cars, with the addition of cruise sales and a special emphasis on hotel bookings in its commercials. During November 2007, Priceline “permanently” eliminated all booking fees on published airfares.

For years, Priceline's official spokesperson was William Shatner, who agreed to do the spots for free in exchange for stock in the company.[citation needed] The arrangement turned out to be quite profitable for Shatner, who sold much of the stock shortly before its value plummeted in the dot-com bust. An early ad campaign featuring Shatner had him belt out popular songs in spoken word, in the style of his album, The Transformed Man. He was "replaced" in 2004 by his Star Trek co-star, Leonard Nimoy. Shatner still appeared in spots for Priceline, running into Nimoy as his replacement. When that campaign ended, Shatner again became Priceline's sole spokesperson. In 2007 a new ad campaign by Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners had Shatner take on the role of Priceline's "Negotiator". In September 2008 in a Saturday Night Live skit during the opening monologue by Olympian Michael Phelps, Shatner rose from the audience to give Phelps tips on product endorsements. Priceline has been parodied in other Saturday Night Live skits and on the Tonight Show by Jay Leno.

The Federation of American Consumers and Travelers (FACT) is a not-for-profit consumer group based in Edwardsville, Illinois, United States. They provide disaster aid, continuing education scholarships, community and classroom grants, assistance for small business owners, travel discounts and a consumer hotline/library. They have about 1 million members.

StudentUniverse is one of the two largest discount student travel sellers in the world. It was founded in 2000, and is based in Waltham, Massachusetts. The company currently has 29 airline partners. The company's value proposition is to offer student discounts, and flexibility, with an average discount over published rates, based on a sampl survey, of 14%. The company has proprietary verification technology that allows it to verify student status and says airlines that participate in its program are satisfied that the system works. The company markets directly to the college student market using "campus ambassadors".

Hotel Consolidator (also called a hotel broker or discounter) is a travel company or business that buys up blocks of hotel rooms in top destinations and then resells them at discounted rates to the final customer. Hotel consolidators’ seemingly to brokers buy in bulk and then resell at a predetermined discount thus creating a big push search for discounted hotel deals online and passing the savings on to their customers.

Global hotel consolidators usually offer discounted rooms in almost every major tourist destination, big city or popular resort while local consolidators focus only on a particular geographic area trying to be most competitive on a key for the company market. Hotel consolidator’s activity can be separated into two main operations: 1) Buying blocks of rooms at volume discounts in certain major cities 2) Distributing “excess rooms” offered by hotels not anticipating full occupancy for given dates.

The Strength in Numbers:
In comparison to individuals who contact hotels directly and ask for discounts, the consolidators are able to achieve deep discounts due to their buying power. Hotels are willing to offer dramatically reduced room rates to consolidators because they know it will yield a greater number of reservations. Many hotels are interested in selling room blocks (allotments) to consolidators, because they know that discounted rooms mean more business in the long run and subsequently a greater profit for them.

Final Client Benefits:
When booking through a hotel consolidator or from hotel consolidator’s retailer you can either get the least appealing room in the hotel, or you can get a surprising free upgrade to a higher class room if all other standard rooms have been sold out. The key advantage of booking a hotel room through a hotel consolidator is that just one call or just one website visit can get you a room at a 20 to 35 % discounted price. The key disadvantage is that prices are not negotiable and the cancellation and amendment charges can be pretty harsh. Additional benefit of hotel consolidators is that they have rooms available when all other hotels are sold out during conventions and trade fairs.

Zonal Employee Discount (ZED) is a multilateral agreement for reduced rate personal travel by airline employees and other travelers. Airlines may bilaterally agree to apply one of three fare levels (Low, Medium, High), space-available/subload and/or positive space/firm reservation status, as well as eligibility for travel in the economy and/or business class cabins.

ZED is half of a larger organization known as the ZED/MIBA Forum. The Forum is made up of over 175 member airlines from all parts of the globe, participating in the ZED and/or the MIBA (Multilateral Interline Business Agreement) programs. ZED and MIBA conditions may be applied for travel on and by other airlines, as bilaterally agreed, or by the airline's own employees traveling on its own flights.

WEXAS is a travel company in the form of a multinational travel club. It was founded in 1970 as a travel club for student and expeditionary travel, the acronym WEXAS standing for World Expeditionary Association. WEXAS specializes in business and individual tailor-made travel and holidays worldwide.

WEXAS sells many travel publications, offers travel advice on the strength of their industry experience, significant discounts on airfares, holidays, cruises as well as other travel services and further benefits including a VIP airport lounge service. The Traveller’s Handbook is an all purpose directory for travelers of all ages, including advice on many aspects of travel, such as airfare discounts, off-road driving, traveling in a Muslim country and receiving tropical disease.

The Senior Railcard is an annual card available to people aged 60 and over, which gives discounts on certain types of railway ticket in Britain. The Railcard has existed in various forms since 1975; the current version is priced at £24.00 and is valid for one year. It is one of a wide variety of discounted and concessionary fare schemes available on Britain's railway network.

The Tea Room is a new student service at Queen's University that is striving to incorporate environmental sustainability and education into the world of coffee, tea and cafes. The Tea Room opened October 5, 2006.

The broad goal is to create a welcoming and engaging student environment. This would be a stage for the education of patron on their worldly ecological footprint, and empowerment to take manageable, proactive steps to minimize our daily negative impacts.

Opening initiatives include a vermi-composter program, an energy monitoring program as well as a "carry your travel mug" campaign, where discounts were and still are provided to those who bring a travel mug to be filled.

BahnCard (German Bahn – Rail) is a loyalty card offered by Deutsche Bahn, the German national railway company. Unlike airline loyalty programs, but similarly to the UK Young Persons Railcard, the BahnCard entitles the passenger to a discount price and must be purchased prior to travel. The BahnCard is valid for a year, all passengers are eligible, and it is non-transferrable. Three variants are sold by Deutsche Bahn: The BahnCard 25, the BahnCard 50, and the Mobility BahnCard 100. The first two variants allow passengers to get 25% and 50% discount respectively on standard rail fares, while the Mobility BahnCard 100 is a type of annual ticket that allows free unlimited travel on most of the German railway network for a fixed price.

In 2007 there were 4.01 million BahnCard holders in Germany. More than half of the passenger revenue of Deutsche Bahn comes from tickets sold to BahnCard holders.

Apart from entitling the holder to discounts, the BahnCard also functions as an ID card for the validation of online tickets, mobile phone tickets, and for purchasing tickets on vending machines. Bahncard holders can also call a discounted hotline printed on the cards, and an optional travel insurance can be included.Joel Widzer (born August 25, 1961) is an American author of travel-related literature, consultant, and travel strategist. In 1999 he wrote The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel. He is currently the managing partner of JlwConsulting a division of JetReady LLC.

Widzer writes about luxury travel at a discount. His efforts in seeking the value proposition of travel were precursors to what eventually evolved into a new body of travel discussing luxury at a discount. Most notable are his strategies for obtaining first class upgrades which has been profiled in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and the TV show Inside Edition.

The Family and Friends Railcard is an annual card available to all adults in Britain. It gives discounts on certain types of railway ticket when the Railcard holder travels with at least one child. The Railcard is valid for one year and currently costs £24.00 (£26.00 from 17th May 2009). It is one of a wide variety of discounted and concessionary fare schemes available on Britain's railway network. Before 18 May 2008 it was known as the Family Railcard, but the name was changed to reflect the fact that discounted travel is not restricted to adults and children who are related.

The Network Railcard is a discount card introduced in 1986 by British Rail, upon the creation of their Network SouthEast area around London, England.The card is intended to encourage leisure travel by rail by offering discounts for adults and accompanying children on a wide range of off-peak fares. The range of discounts available, and the price of the card, have varied since that time, but the card has always been valid for a year's unlimited use.

It can be purchased by any person aged 16 or over from any staffed National Rail station or Rail Appointed Travel Agent, by completing an application form - no photographic identification or other documentation is needed to buy or use the card. It is one of a number of concessionary fare schemes available on the British railway system.

The Alberta Motor Association (AMA) is a non-profit membership organization serving Alberta & NWT affiliated with the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and the AAA (formerly American Automobile Association). Founded in 1926, it has over 855,000 members as of October 2008 and provides them with roadside assistance service, a complete range of auto touring and leisure travel services, insurance services, and member discounts with preferred companies. AMA Financial has also begun offering a variety of mortgage and Guaranteed Investment Certificate products to members. AMA provides extensive and superior range of products and services promoting quality service, safety and protection for the members. AMA is also Alberta's leading advocate for motoring and related consumer issues and the premier supplier of automotive and other travel services.

The association also owns Bridgewater Bank, a Calgary-based chartered bank.

Airline Staff Travel: One of the perquisites that the airline industry provides to its employees is free or discounted travel. Since the traveller in this case is the "staff" of a particular airline, the benefit is widely known as "staff travel". By and large, staff travel doesn't bring much revenue to the airline and is hence referred to as nonrev in some parts of the world.

The airline industry sees staff travel to be one of the most sought after motivational and retention strategies. On the flip side, most of the staff travel that happens in the industry is standby. This would mean that, a confirmed seat is not given to the staff member for this travel. (Rather, a listing and no booking happens for staff travel). This makes staff travel hight unpredictable and there are chances of the staff being "bumped off" from the flight, in case the flight is full and there are revenue passengers to be catered to.

Since the staff travel is a previlege given to the employee, most airlines also maintain a policy for administering staff travel. The staff travel function generally comes under Human Resources (HR) and in some cases under Customer Services or Marketing. If the airline's employee size is big enough, a separate department is also maintained to cater to this process.

In most airlines the staff travel department (also referred to as Pass Bureau) also handles all the activities related to staff travel . Leisure travel (standby & confirmed) for employees, spouse and dependants, companions and or domestic partners, Leisure travel for executives, Furlough travel, retiree travel, travel for dependants of deceased employees - all of this comprise the regular activities of staff travel department.

Yet another major activities that comes under the purview of staff travel department is duty travel (also referred to as business travel). This would involve arrangement of flight, accommodation and car rentals (at times) for employees who travel on company business. These travel may be on own airlines of another airline depending on the travel destination. Unlike leisure travel that the employee does at their own will, business travel is more critical because (a) employees are travelling on business purposes and ensuring a smooth service to them becomes important (b) there is a cost involved and optimising it is critical.

Apart from this, the staff travel department also becomes responsible for consultant travel (arrangements for visiting consultants to the airline - which may be grouped along with business travel) and travel of temporary employees.

Other activities that may be done by the staff travel department include, Jumpseat Travel, Vendor Travel, Travel agency travel, Deadhead travel.

At times, the responsibilities related to staff travel for a partner airline may also be handled by the main airline's staff travel desk.

The touch points of the staff travel team within an airline organisation includes, HR team, Payroll, Revenue accounting, Finance and IT. The staff travel services get used by almost everyone in the organistaion and the retirees too.

Being an internal service department, the staff travel team is often evaluated based on the feedback from the staff. Maintaining positive public relations and keeping the employees happy remains one of the key goals of this team.

Some of the challenges that staff travel team faces include, the high Volume manual process, cost, resources (manpower & materials), having a proper form of payment, revenue analysis, employee relations and communication, and limited operating hours.

Some of the serious challenges where the team still tries to find out a solution include: The cumbersome Refund processes associated with staff travel, Assessing Eligibility (or Lack of), Assessing applicable Taxes Taking Credit Card and security issues sounding Form of Payment(FoP), Record Keeping, Interline Pricing and taxes, Interline billing, Accruing IT help to automate the process and the development Cost in automating staff travel.

American Automobile Association: The AAA (pronounced "triple-A"), formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a 50 million member North American not-for-profit automobile lobby group, service organization, and seller of vehicle insurance. Its national headquarters are in Heathrow, Florida.

Australian Automobile Association The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) was established in 1924; it supports and coordinates the activities of its constituent motoring clubs, and aims to represent the interests of Australian motorists both nationally and internationally.

The PediaCard™ Travel Discounts Affinity Program: the Everything You Want and More™ discount card. A PediaCard™ is the ultimate bond between education, business and the community. It is the traditional affinity discount card taken to the nth degree, generating desperately needed funds for education, effective and efficient marketing for business, and all the benefits that this brings to the community at-large. Learn more about the PediaCard™ program by visiting the FAQ's page. Merchants around the globe can join the PediaCard™ program.

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