The Concept of the Tourist

There are several definitions that explain the concept of the tourist, despite the difference in the party that issued the definitions. The tourist is the main driver of tourism work and without him there is no tourism. We will review the definitions of the tourist from some organizations and official bodies. In 1932, the Committee of Tourism Experts of the League of Nations highlighted several concepts of the tourist (1). They are:

– People who travel for rest and pleasure or for family or health purposes.

– People who travel to attend international meetings.

– People traveling on sea trips even if their stay is less than 24 hours.

In 1937, the Committee of Statistical Experts of the League of Nations approved the following definition ((Any person who visits a country other than the country in which he usually resides for more than 24 hours)) (2)

This applies to people traveling for pleasure, treatment, conferences, business purposes, or taking a sea trip even if it is less than 24 hours.

Iuoto, the International Federation of Tourism and Travel, agreed to the definition of the United Nations Statistical Experts Committee, but suggested the following amendments after its meetings in Berlin in 1950 and London in 1957, which are (3):

– Youth and students residing abroad in paid accommodation or in boarding schools were considered tourists.

– People who spend a vacation or for the purpose of education or for the purpose of work or for the purpose of visiting were considered tourists.

(1) عبد الوهاب , صلاح الدين , السياحة الدولية , دار الهنا للطباعة , القاهرة ,1987 ,ص24

(2) OECD , tourism policy and international tourism in OECD member countries , paris, 1974 ,p.7.8 .

(3) الجلاد , احمد, التنمية السياحية المتواصلة , ط1 , مطبعة عالم الكتب , القاهرة , 2000 ,ص16