The Concept of Tourism

Tourism in the modern era is no longer the product of circumstances and urgent desires or merely the movement of individuals from one country to another as it was in the past, nor is it a luxury as some others imagine it to be, but rather a human phenomenon and a basic social need and priority in light of the complexity of living conditions. In addition to that, it can be a basic resource that countries rely on in building their economies through its effective role in achieving the desired goals of their development plans ([1]).

As for the word tourism ([2]), it is one of the newly introduced words in Latin languages, but it is one of the familiar words in the Arabic language and clearly, as it was mentioned in the Holy Quran as in the Almighty’s saying: ((So travel freely in the land for four months)) ([3]) in Surat At-Tawbah and in the same Surah it was mentioned the Almighty’s saying ((Those who repent, worship, praise, and travel)) ([4]) and it was also mentioned in Surat At-Tahrim the Almighty’s saying ((Repentant, worshipping, and traveling)) ([5]). As for the Arabic language, tourism means striking the ground as well as flowing, so it is said that the water flowed on the ground, and also saha with an open ya’ meaning it went ([6]).

As for the word tourism in Latin languages ​​and others, it is known as the word tourism, a newly introduced word in these languages, and in English it is derived from the word to tour, meaning to go around or wander, and it is known in French as tourher, and both are taken from the Latin word tournuk, which conveys the same meaning (1).

As for the definition of tourism, it has more than one definition, and each one differs from the other according to the angle from which the book is viewed. Some view tourism as a social phenomenon, others view it as an economic phenomenon, and some focus on its role in developing international relations or as a factor in human relations. There are several definitions of tourism set by some organizations and official bodies.

Tourism was defined by the International Tourism Academy in 1961 as an expression given to recreational trips, which is a group of human activities that work to achieve this type of trip. It is an industry that helps satisfy the desires of the tourist (2).

As for the World Tourism Conference, it defined it in 1963 as the sum of the cultural and economic activity related to the movement of people to a country other than their own and their residence there for a period of not less than 24 hours for any purpose other than the purpose of work for which wages are paid from within the visited country. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development also defined it as an industry that depends on the movement of people more than goods (3).

While the International Alliance of Journalists and Tourism Writers defined tourism as moving for any purpose outside the environment to which one is accustomed, taking advantage of one’s free time to satisfy his desire, whatever its form, in exploration and to meet his need for rest and recreation (4).

([1])النجار , يحيى, دالة استثمار صناعة السياحة , مجلة البحوث الاقتصادية , المجلد الثاني عشر , العدد الاول والثاني , 2001 , ص37 .

([2]) الحميدي, ابو بكر, السياحة والفنادق , ط2 مطبعة نحال , القاهرة, 1968 , ص27.

([3]) ا سورة التوبة , اية 2, ومعناها سيروا أيها المشركون بحسب قول المفسرين

([4]) القرآن الكريم سورة التوبة , اية 112 ومعناها الصائمون بحسب قول المفسرين

([5]) القرآن الكريم, سورة التحريم , ومعناها صائمات , وسمي الصائم سائح لانه يسيح في النهار بلا زاد .

([6]) الرازي , محمد بن ابي بكر , مختار الصحاح , مطبعة دار الرسالة ,1983 , ص3,4 .

(1) الحميدي , ابو بكر , المصدر مذكور سابقاً , ص28 .

(2) الحوري , مثنى طه , الدباغ , اسماعيل محمد , مبادئ السفر والسياحة , مؤسسة الوراق للنشر والتوزيع , عمان , ط1 , 2000 , ص46 .

(3) البكري , علاء الدين , السياحة في العراق , التخطيط العلمي الجديد , مطبعة ثنيان , بغداد , 1972 , ص10 .

(4) الكتاني ,مسعود , علم السياحة والمتنزهات ,دار الحكمة للطباعة والنشر , بغداد,1990 , ص128 .