Free time

Faqar Saadoun Hassan
Asst. Lect. Haider Diaa Salman

Free time means the part of the free time available to the individual after completing his basic work and necessary tasks, which the individual controls as he pleases (Abu Zaid, 313: 2008). Jensen defined free time as the time that is not wasted in work, but rather invested to maintain peace of mind. This time is devoted to enjoying the value of the free time that a person obtains. It is known that tourism demand is linked to the leisure time factor, and without it, tourism demand is not achieved. The relationship between them is direct, so the more free time there is, the more demand for tourism increases, and vice versa, while other factors remain constant (Jay, 39, 2007). The importance of free time lies in the fact that tourism is closely linked to each other (Forstier, 28: 1977).
Because tourism demand is only practiced by those who have this time and purchasing power (Salah, 1975: 91). At the present time, societies aim to ease the burden on workers and provide them with sufficient free time in order to invest it in recreational and tourist activities and events. Several types of unpaid vacations have emerged, and long-term vacations are usually granted in the summer season to achieve harmony between free time and the peak tourist season. There is also a relatively long vacation in the Western world granted on Christmas and New Year’s, which is invested in practicing winter tourism (Kushin, 73, 2001).