GCSE Leisure and Tourism
Other Guidance:
• Key Terms from the Leisure and Tourism Industry
Teacher Resource Bank / GCSE Leisure and Tourism / Key Terms in the Leisure and Tourism Industry / Version 1.0
Key term
Meaning
Attractions (Built & Natural)
An attraction is a feature or facility that makes tourists go to
a place. Tourist destinations may include a range of
attractions.
Attractions may be natural (beaches & waterfalls) or built
(theme parks & zoos).
Some buildings and places (castles and cathedrals) were
not built as tourist attractions but have become attractions
over time. Other attractions may be historic sites, theme
parks or major sports/entertainment venues
Domestic tourists
Domestic tourists travel within their own country. They do
not cross international borders.
Economic impacts
Impacts upon the economy result in changes to jobs,
income and prices These may be negative or positive,
seasonal or long-term.
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is visiting a leisure and tourism destination
because of the appeal of its natural environment while
negatively affecting the environment as little as possible.
Ecotourism is normally tourism on a small scale because
mass tourism is likely to affect a destination’s natural
environment. Ecotourists try to be responsible tourists and
to benefit the local communities they visit socially and
economically.
Environmental impacts
These can be positive or negative changes to a location
(environment) due to the presence of tourism in an area,
e.g. vegetation trampling is a negative environmental
impact.
Facility
Facilities are places, sites or buildings that are provided to
allow customers to access leisure & tourism products and
services. Examples of leisure and tourism facilities include:
z
z
z
z
z
z
Sports centres
Libraries
Country parks
Art galleries
Travel agencies
Hotels
Leisure and tourism facilities usually provide a range of
products and services.
Gateways
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These are the international entry and exit points to a
country. In the UK, London Heathrow airport, the port of
Dover and Eurostar’s St Pancras International are examples
of gateways.
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Teacher Resource Bank / GCSE Leisure and Tourism / Key Terms in the Leisure and Tourism Industry / Version 1.0
Historic site
A historic site is an attraction known for its intrinsic historic
or heritage value- e.g. Stonehenge and Canterbury
Cathedral in the UK, Machu Picchu and The Pantheon
(Rome) overseas
Impacts
The effects that tourists have upon the environment, society
and economy of a destination. They can be positive and / or
negative.
International tourists
These are tourists who travel across borders between
different countries. (international borders). All tourists who
enter or leave the UK are international tourists.
Leisure
Leisure is the term used to describe those free-time
activities people choose when they are not at work or in
education.
Long-haul
Flights or trips to destinations beyond Europe and the
Mediterranean Basin, usually with a flight time of 6-7 hours
or more.
Major sports/entertainment
venues
A place (venue) where major sporting / entertainment events
may be held. Many major sports venues also host
entertainment events, e.g. pop concerts at Old Trafford,
home of Manchester United Football Club. Major sports /
entertainment venues such as Madison Square Gardens,
New York also combine these joint purposes.
Product
A product is sold by the organisation. It can be tangible such
as a souvenir from an attraction, or intangible, such as riding
a roller coaster in a theme park.
Resort
Resorts are places tourists visit for holidays or recreation
and where tourism is an important part of the local economy
Responsible tourism
Responsible tourism is visiting destinations in ways that
harm the environment and local people as little as possible.
Tourism that is responsible is therefore sustainable.
Responsible tourists act in destinations in ways that
maximise the positive impact of tourism. For example, UK
visitors to long-haul destinations in the Less Economically
Developed World (LEDW) can act responsibly by buying
products and services directly from local people.
Routes
A transport pathway between two places; for example the
route by road from central London to Bath travels along the
A4 to the M4, then the A46 south into Bath.
Service
Many leisure and tourism businesses provide services such
as hiring of sports equipment in leisure centres or catering
services in a range of businesses.
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Teacher Resource Bank / GCSE Leisure and Tourism / Key Terms in the Leisure and Tourism Industry / Version 1.0
Short-haul
Flights or trips to destinations within Europe and the
Mediterranean Basin, usually with a flight time of 4 hours or
less.
Social impacts
The impacts of tourism in a social context might be negative
such as second home ownership leading to loss of
affordable homes for local communities in National Parks.
They may also be positive such as the development of
facilities in destinations that local community residents may
use as well as tourists.
Sustainability
Sustainability in tourism means meeting the needs of the
present tourists and their host communities and
environments whilst protecting and enhancing tourist,
community and environmental needs in the future
Terminals
The beginning and end points of transport links, for example
railway stations such as London Paddington and Edinburgh
Waverley
Theme Park
These are purpose-built tourist attractions containing rides
and amusements as well as a range of other products and
services, such as fast food outlets. They appeal mainly to
younger people and families. Theme Parks usually feature
‘white-knuckle rides’ which give people an exciting
experience.
Tour operator
Tour operators are organisations that put together(‘build’)
holidays (accommodation, transport, excursions, transfers)
and sell them through travel agents or directly to the public.
Tour operators commonly produce brochures that people
can choose and buy their holiday from.
Transport modes
The means of travel available to tourists such as road, rail,
air and sea.
Travel agents
High street and online travel agents give advice to
customers and sell holidays on behalf of tour operators as
well as other products such as insurance, currency and carhire.
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