Abstract: Times are changing and so are the demands and expectations of the 'new' traveller, the search for different experiences, different adventures, different lifestyles has paved the way for this concept called the 'new tourism' Attention is being turned to exploring new frontiers or daring to go where traditional thought did not allow. "New" tourists however, are increasingly being seen to be environmentally sensitive, displaying respect for the culture of host nations and looking to experience and learn rather than merely stand back and gaze. "New" tourists are participators not spectators. Things that would never appear on the list of the "mass" tourist such as adventure, getting of the beaten track and mingling with the locals are now the foundations of the new tourist experiences. Responding to the shift in market dynamics towards a "New" style of tourist, a number of initiatives have or are likely to fuel the growth of experiential tourism, these include: network tourism initiatives; the development of interpretive highways; the explosion of interpretive centers;the latest trend towards regional base camps. A new era has arrived, and a new kind of tourism is emerging, sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible, and characterized by flexibility and choice. A new type of tourist is driving it: more educated, experienced, independent, conservation-minded, respectful of cultures, and insistent on value for money. Typically these tourists are turning away from travel and prefer to have a high level of involvement in the organisation of their trip.

Bunghez Magdalena

Molnar Elisabeta

Stanciulescu Gabriela Cecilia

English

Research Papers in Economics

245 
TOURISM'S CHANGING FACE: NEW AGE TOURISM VERSUS OLD TOURISM 
Stănciulescu Gabriela Cecilia 
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania  
Molnar Elisabeta 
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania  
Bunghez Magdalena 
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania  
 
Abstract: Times are changing and so are the demands and expectations of the 'new' traveller, the 
search for different experiences, different adventures, different lifestyles has paved the way for this 
concept called the 'new tourism' Attention is being turned to exploring new frontiers or daring to go 
where traditional thought did not allow.  
"New" tourists however, are increasingly being seen to be environmentally sensitive, displaying 
respect for the culture of host nations and looking to experience and learn rather than merely stand 
back and gaze. "New" tourists are participators not spectators. Things that would never appear on 
the list of the "mass" tourist such as adventure, getting of the beaten track and mingling with the 
locals are now the foundations of the new tourist experiences.  
Responding to the shift in market dynamics towards a "New" style of tourist, a number of initiatives 
have  or  are  likely  to  fuel  the  growth  of  experiential  tourism,  these  include:  network  tourism 
initiatives; the development of interpretive highways; the explosion of interpretive centers;the latest 
trend towards regional base camps.     A new era has  arrived, and a new kind of tourism is 
emerging, sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible, and characterized by  flexibility 
and  choice.  A  new  type  of  tourist  is  driving  it:  more  educated,  experienced,  independent, 
conservation-minded,  respectful  of  cultures,  and  insistent  on  value  for  money.  Typically  these 
tourists  are  turning  away  from  travel  and  prefer  to  have  a  high  level  of  involvement  in  the 
organisation of their trip.  
 
Key words: old tourism,new tourism, market, changes, strategies 
 
Introduction 
Until 19th century, travel for recreation was 
only undertaken by the elite. With the advent 
of rail, mass travel was available for the first 
time and destinations such as Brighton, UK 
and Coney Island, NY developed. Status was 
then defined by the mode of travel. In 20th 
century status was revealed by the nature of 
the destinations. Travel and tourism has been 
going on since time immemorial, and for the 
'twentieth  century  tourist,  the  world  has 
become  one  large  department  store  of 
countrysides  and  cities'.  By  21st  century, 
travel  became  a  new  economy  -  tourism  - 
available  to  all  with  enough  money.                                              
The focus in the tourism industry has shifted 
from air travel, overnights, meals and so on to 
total experiences or fantasy worlds associated 
with specific. This new tourism phenomenon 
is  not  only  influenced  by  economic  factors 
but  also  by  new  cultures  and  a  new 
generation  of  tourists.  In  tourism,  the 
different  destinations  compete  worldwide 
through globalisation.        The  paradigm  shift 
from  mass  tourism  (also  known  as Fordian 
Tourism), which was the norm for more than 
three decades, no longer suffices to achieve 
competitiveness  in  tourism  enterprises  and 
regions. A new paradigm, or new tourism, is 
gathering momentum owing to its ability to 
face prevailing circumstances.  
Modern  information  and  communication 
technology  development  in  symbiosis  with 
the  transformation  of  tourism  demand  gave 
rise to a new tourism. This paradigm shift is 
not easy to define but is indicative of a new 246 
type of tourist who wants a new or different 
product.  The  new  tourists  are  more 
experienced,  more  educated,  more  "green", 
more  flexible,  more  independent,  more 
quality-conscious and "harder to please" than 
ever before. Furthermore, they are well read 
and  know  what  they  want  and  where  they 
want to go     The different approach of the 
new  tourist's  creates  a  demand  for  new 
products.  The  small,  medium  and  micro 
entrepreneurs within the tourism industry are 
dependent on major tourism developments. It 
is essential role of these small entrepreneurs 
be  increased  to  deal  with  the  changing 
demands of the new tourists. In Canada, 20% 
of  the  population  is  truly  entrepreneurial 
while  in  South  Africa  the  role  of 
entrepreneurs  is  still  extremely  small.  Only 
about 4% of the South African population is 
truly entrepreneurial. 
 
What is New Tourism?  
New  Tourism  is  characterised  mainly  by 
supersegmentation  of  demand,  the  need  for 
flexibility  of  supply  and  distribution,  and 
achieving  profitability  through  diagonal 
integration and subsequent system economies 
and  integrated  values,  instead  of  economies 
of scale. This paradigm permits the tourism 
industry  to  offer  products  adapted  to  the 
increasingly  complex  and  diverse  needs  of 
demand, while being competitive with the old 
standardized  products.  These  markets  of 
experience have become global, affecting the 
demand  as  well  as  the  supply  side  of  the 
tourism  industry.  The  tourism  industry  has 
undergone  profound  changes,  which  have 
been  categorized  by  Poon  (1993)  in  the 
following  groups:  (a)  new  consumers,  (b) 
new  technologies,  (c)  new  forms  of 
production, (d) new management styles, and 
(e) new prevailing circumstances. As result of 
the super segmentation of demand there is a 
very  strong  need  for  in-depth  knowledge  of 
the market in order to identify the clusters of 
consumer  traits  and  needs.  This  knowledge 
will enable the tourism enterprises to develop 
those  products  that  will  give  a  greater 
competitive edge, and to place them on the 
market  using  efficient  methods  of 
communication and distribution. Flexibility is 
also a very relevant factor since it can assist 
the enterprise in adapting to the new demand 
requirements.  This  factor  is  relevant  in 
several  areas:  flexibility  in  the  organisation 
and  in  the  production  and  distribution  of 
tourism  products;  flexibility  in  reservation, 
purchasing  and  payment  systems;  and 
flexibility  in  ways  in  which  the  tourism 
product  is  consumed.  New  technologies  are 
fundamental in this respect and, in particular, 
in  the  expansion  and  development  of  new 
systems of tourism  information.  Diagonal 
integration  is  the  final  basic  element. 
Compared  with  vertical  and  horizontal 
integration,  which  characterise  the  mass-
standardised  production  paradigm,  this  is  a 
process by which the tourism enterprise can 
develop and compete not only in one activity, 
but also within a wider framework, seeking 
profitability  on  the  basis  of  system 
economies,  obtaining  synergies  between 
different products and offering services well 
integrated in the value systems of consumers. 
Key shifts in global tourism market trends are 
as follows: 
In  the  long  term,  the  average  standard  of 
living  in  western  developed  countries  will 
increase, as will the amount of discretionary 
money available for travel; 
Rising affluence will bring with it increases 
in the amount of free time available. Longer 
weekends  and  increased  paid  holidays  have 
helped  to  stimulate  expansion  in  attraction 
visitation; 
There is a shift in emphasis from passive fun 
to active learning; 
Activity or special interest holidays are likely 
to  gain  at  the  expense  of  conventional 
sightseeing,  visiting  and  other  passive 
experiences; 
There is growing concern about the impact of 
modern  industry,  including  tourism,  on  the 
physical and social environment; 
There  is  growing  awareness  of  risks  to 
personal health and safety; 247 
Leisure time will be used more actively, for 
mental  development  as  well  as  physical 
exercise; 
People  aged  45  to  64  years  of  age  will  be 
growing significantly in number to the year 
2010.  In  the  United  States  alone,  this  age 
group is forecasted to grow by 31% by the 
year 2000; 
The  potential  visitor  of  the  future  will  be: 
older, more affluent; more demanding; more 
thoughtful  and  discriminating;  and  more 
active physically and mentally; 
Timeframes  for  decision-making  windows 
will be smaller. Hence, one-stop-shopping for 
all-inclusive  packages  will  continue  to  be 
appealing; and 
Consumers will increasingly seek low impact 
tourism  facilities,  consistent  with 
environmental  values  and  the  desire  not  to 
contribute to negative impacts. 
 
   248 
The New Tourist  
The travelling consumer of today (let alone in 
the  future)  is  very  different  from  any  other 
time  in  history.  The  most  successful 
businesses in the travel industry are those that 
respond to the challenge through the use of 
technology,  innovative  marketing  programs, 
better  training  of  staff  and  by  developing  a 
closeness  and  understanding  of  its 
customers/guests.  The  differences  in  travel 
patterns  in  the  next  century  will  be  more 
related  to  what  consumers  are  seeking  in  a 
travel experience than in how they travel. 
Today's traveller, the well-heeled or footloose 
back-packer,  is  usually  informed,  educated, 
and more often than not, fully aware of what 
he or she wants from their travels. For them 
the optimisation of time and money is the key 
and they prepare for their trip by researching 
their  destination  through  the  Web  and  the 
experiences of friends and fellow travellers. 
Mass media has responded to this shift and 
further  fuelled  the  search  for  experiences 
through  the  promotion  of  a  vast  range  of 
lifestyle/adventure  programs  which  have 
evolved  more  recently  into  experiential 
voyeuristic docu-dramas referred to as reality 
programmes.  Attention  is  being  turned  to 
exploring new frontiers or daring to go where 
traditional thought did not allow.  
In  Tourism,  Technology  and  Competitive 
Strategies, author Auliana Poon speaks about 
the  changes  in  consumer  behaviour  and 
values which are the critical driving forces for 
the  new  tourism.  The  new  tourist  is 
experienced,  more  flexible,  independent, 
quality conscious and harder to please. 
"New"  tourists  however,  are  increasingly 
being  seen  to  be  environmentally  sensitive, 
displaying  respect  for  the  culture  of  host 
nations and looking to experience and learn 
rather  than  merely  stand  back  and  gaze. 
"New"  tourists  are  participators  not 
spectators. Things that would never appear on 
the  list  of  the  "mass"  tourist  such  as 
adventure,  getting  of  the  beaten  track  and 
mingling  with  the  locals  are  now  the 
foundations  of  the  new  tourist  experiences. 
Typically  these  tourists  are  turning  away 
from travel and prefer to have a high level of 
involvement in the organisation of their trip.  
 
 
Comparison of Old and New Tourists 
   New Tourists 
Search for the sun  =>  Experience something different 
Follow the masses  =>  Want to be in charge 
Here today, gone tomorrow  =>  See and enjoy but not destroy 
Just to show that you had been  =>  Just for the fun of it 
Having  =>  Being 
Superiority  =>  Understanding 
Like attractions  =>  Like sports 
Precautions  =>  Adventurous 
Eat in hotel  =>  Try local fare 
Homogeneous  =>  Hybrid 
Source: Tourism, Technology and Competitive Strategies, Auliana Poon   
 
   249 
Travel  is  no  longer  a  novelty  to  the  new 
tourist.  Studies  support  what  industry 
executives have been noticing for the last few 
years.  People  expect  more  out  of  their 
vacations than they used to and they are more 
adventuresome.  Surveys  done  by  the 
Canadian Tourism Research Institute indicate 
a  high  degree  of  interest  in  getaway 
vacations,  ecotourism,  cultural  tourism  and 
combining a business trip with a pleasure trip. 
Over the next ten years, tourism products and 
attractions will have to cater to visitors who 
are  more  demanding  and  discriminating,  as 
well as more active and more purposeful in 
their  choice  of  destination.  There  will  be  a 
shift in emphasis from passive fun to active 
learning, and the quality and genuineness of 
visitor  experiences  will  be  crucial  to  future 
success in a competitive market. An Acronym 
that is relevant to describe the 'new' tourist is 
REAL,  which  stands  for:Rewarding 
Enriching  Adventuresome  Learning 
Experience. 
A  key  underpinning  concept  for  REAL 
tourism is authenticity of experience, which is 
often related to the environment and culture 
and seen to be unaffected by "mass" tourism. 
The  New  Tourists  prefer  to  be  regarded  as 
travellers  and  not  tourists.  Some  specific 
points which need to be kept in mind while 
dealing with the New Tourist are:   
This  type  of  traveller  requires  a  completely 
different marketing approach.  
They  avoid  conventional  glossy  marketing 
mechanisms and prefer to use reliable sources 
such  as word of  mouth  referrals,  their  own 
independent  research  and  trusted 
publications; 
They  desire  experiences  as  opposed  to 
products and services; 
They  can  be  called  experiential  traveller  s, 
they  extend  across  all  age  groups  and 
traditional market segments;  
 
New Tourism for the New Tourist  
To enable new tourism attractions to stand the 
test  of  time  and  satisfy  the  demanding 
requirements of the evolving 'new' tourist, the 
following  criteria  should  be  applied  to 
existing and proposed attractions: 
-  That  the  attraction  offers  a  distinct, 
unique experience that cannot easily 
be replicated by competitors; 
-  That  the  attraction  is  value  added 
through 'best practice' interpretation, 
which  preferably  utilises  a  'human 
element' such as interpretive guides, 
seasoned  veterans  and/or  local 
characters; 
-  That, where possible, the experience 
is  externalised  within  the 
natural/actual  setting  rather  than 
internalised within a false/reproduced 
setting; 
-  That the attraction offers an exciting, 
authentic, interactive and educational 
experience; 
-  That  'comfort'  should  not 
compromise  the  authenticity  of  the 
experience; 
-  That  the  attraction  adheres  to 
ecologically sustainable development 
principles; 
-  That  the  attraction  avoids  the  over 
reliance on technological interpretive 
devices  that  will  become  quickly 
outdated; and 
-  That the attraction offers a choice in 
the form of interpretation offered.  
Responding to the shift in market dynamics 
towards a "New" style of tourist, a number of 
initiatives need to be taken so as to fuel the 
growth of experiential tourism these include: 
-  Network tourism initiatives; 
-  The development of interpretive 
highways; 
-  The explosion of interpretive centers  
-  The latest trend towards regional 
base camps.  
 

TOURISM'S CHANGING FACE: NEW AGE TOURISM VERSUS OLD TOURISM

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TOURISM'S CHANGING FACE: NEW AGE TOURISM VERSUS OLD TOURISM

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