Special Interest Tourism: Exploring Unique Travel Experiences

Special Interest Tourism: Exploring Unique Travel Experiences

Assignment Breif

The learner should produce a definition of specialist tourism together with a description of different types of specialist tourism, which may include volunteer, adventure, sporting, dark, health, spiritual,  etc. 

Pick 2 examples of providers of specialist tourism services and provide an overview of their products and services, which should include an overview of the activities they offer and where they can be done (around the world). The learners should include a map of locations, times of year, specialist equipment needed, etc.

Grade Critreia 

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you will: 

- Understand LO1

- understand the grade criteria 

- Understand the relationship between special interests and tourism 

- understand the development of special interest tourism

What do you already know about special interest tourism?

Definition of Special Interest Tourism

A type of travel designed to cater to the specific interests of small groups or individuals, often involving unique, tailored experiences.

The term ‘special interest tourism’ embraces a vast

selection of holidays, ranging from activity holidays,

through religious and cultural trips, to trekking and

cruising

Characteristics of Special Interest Tourism

Focuses on unique experiences related to specific interests - Tailored activities and excursions - Added value services

The types of trip described as ‘special interest trips’ tend to be aimed at small groups or

individuals who share similar interests. Due to the typically small number of participants or the

generally remote locations of these holidays, they tend to be more expensive. 

People choose such holidays not because of price but to pursue their interests. 

Characteristics of Special Interest Tourism

Higher Price: 

The high price may also be justified by a rich programme of excursions and

activities incorporated into this type of holiday. The price may also be high due to the inclusion of extras such as admissions, meals and tour guide services.

Comparison with Mass-Market Holidays

Niche trips vs. general leisure 

Destinations chosen for activity suitability -

 Distinctive accommodations vs. generic hotels

Comparison with Mass-Market Holidays

General leisure 

Typical mass-market holidays of one or two

weeks somewhere hot by the sea – such as a family’s

annual holiday in Majorca, Spain or Greece

Comparison with Mass-Market Holidays

Niche trips

special interest holidays,often called niche market holidays, 

tend not to be to everyone’s liking and are chosen

 by a relatively small number of the travelling public.

Importance of Destination in Special Interest Tourism

Destinations chosen for activity suitability - Emphasis on unique experiences related to interests.

 The destination of special interest holidays is important only if it lends itself well to the pursuit of the chosen activity. For example, Kenya is perfect for safaris while the Gambia, also in Africa and also offering hot weather throughout the year, is not, as there are no wild animals there.

Accommodation Preferences in Special Interest Tourism

Distinctive accommodations - Avoiding large, generic hotels

Special interest operators, because of the nature of their product, tend to steer away from large hotels occupied by mass-market holidaymakers, choosing accommodation characteristic of the destination – for example, a riad in Morocco or a luxurious B&B in the Bahamas.

Task

Using evidence from websites and

brochures of special interest holiday

operators, form your own definition of

a special interest holiday.

Definition List

Special Interest Tourism: A type of travel designed to cater to the specific interests of small groups or individuals, often involving unique, tailored experiences. 

Mass-Market Holidays: Vacations designed for the general public, usually to popular destinations with standard accommodations, emphasizing leisure and relaxation.

Development of special interest tourism

The growth of special interest tourism is a natural stage in the development of the tourism industry. Unlike 50 years ago, large numbers of people in Britain now have experience of travelling to various destinations, often long haul. Travelling itself has become more common and accepted as a part of ourlives, with increasing numbers of people taking more than one or two holidays a year. According to

National Statistics:  

History

As the tourism industry developed, companies soon realised that holidaymakers would want more than a week or two of the ‘sun, sea and sand’ type of holiday and so they devised holidays offering greater variety.  

As early as the 1980s, some variation was introduced to our holidays: like City Breaks, All-inclusive holidays, and long haul destinations with packages. 

By the 1990s, holidaymakers had grown more discerning, leading to the emergence of special interest holidays. These were brought onto the market by niche operators.

Since the 1990s, the special interest holiday market has been enjoying steady growth. Despite the well established operators getting stronger, a number of newly created operators came on the market. The big industry players such as Thomas Cook and First Choice have also noticed the growing demand for special interest holidays. For example, following the purchase of Laterooms.com by First Choice Holidays for £120m, First Choice now wants to focus on other, specialist operations, including its activity holidays division, clearly recognising the significance of the special interest holiday market

Why?

One possible explanation for the desire to travel – the need to seek and pursue individual interests – is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. 

The theory contends that as humans meet their ‘basic needs’, also referred to as deficiency needs – these being physiological, safety, love/belonging and esteem needs – they seek to satisfy successively their ‘higher needs’, which occupy a set hierarchy. 

These lead people to make the most of their unique abilities and to be the best they can be. 

This means that people wish to spend their leisure

time in search of activities that will satisfy their

‘higher needs’, as they no longer need to worry about

meeting their ‘basic needs’.

Why?

One possible explanation for the desire to travel – the need to seek and pursue individual interests – is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. 

The theory contends that as humans meet their ‘basic needs’, also referred to as deficiency needs – these being physiological, safety, love/belonging and esteem needs – they seek to satisfy successively their ‘higher needs’, which occupy a set hierarchy. 

These lead people to make the most of their unique abilities and to be the best they can be. 

This means that people wish to spend their leisure

time in search of activities that will satisfy their

‘higher needs’, as they no longer need to worry about

meeting their ‘basic needs’.

Why?

Part of the trend to pursue one’s own interests is to  want to travel when one finds it convenient, to stay in the accommodation of one’s choice and effectively create one’s own package according to one’s own requirements. Through websites holidaymakers booking services independently using different accommodation and transport providers. They often select only services such as transportation and transfers, as accommodation may be provided by friends, instead of booking the whole package. This is called an ‘unpackaged’ package.

 Travel agents are also involved in the process of ‘unpackaging’ packages as well as helping customers put together a holiday by selecting services not necessarily offered by one provider or operator. Forming packages in this way is referred to as ‘dynamic packaging’. This is now a growing trend, according to ABTA. low cost airlines have played a huge role development of so-called independent travel

Part of the trend to pursue one’s own interests is to want to travel when one finds it convenient, to stay in the accommodation of one’s choice and effectively create one’s own package according to one’s own requirements. Through websites holidaymakers booking services independently using different accommodation and transport providers. They often select only services such as transportation and transfers, as accommodation may be provided by friends, instead of booking the whole package. This is called an ‘unpackaged’ package.

 Travel agents are also involved in the process of ‘unpackaging’ packages as well as helping customers put together a holiday by selecting services not necessarily offered by one provider or operator. Forming packages in this way is referred to as ‘dynamic packaging’. This is now a growing trend, according to ABTA. low cost airlines have played a huge role development of so-called independent travel

Special interests

There is a wide variety of so-called special interest holidays on offer. Some of them require an active involvement in the activities they offer (such as diving or skiing) while others do not entail actual participation in events but simply involve travelling to events and being a spectator.  

Examples include:

• Watching sports events
• Cultural events
• Pilgrimages
• Educational Holidays
• Yoga Holidays

Task

● Via Ferrata & Rock Climbing

● Walking Holidays.

Investigate the range of active holidays listed below using the websites provided. 

● www.explore.co.uk

● www.neilson.co.uk

● www.longwoodholidays.co.uk

● www.inthesaddle.co.uk

● www.sunsail.com

● www.golfbreak.com 

What type of holidays do they provide? 

● Learn to Paraglide

● Intro to Alpine Flying

● Fly Guiding Plus

● Activity Holidays

● Mountain Biking

● Cycling Holidays

● Canyoning & Rafting

Task:

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.