Traveling is a great way to discover new places and make memories with family and friends. It is also a great way to unwind and relax, and it helps reduce stress levels.
Hotels, hostels and camp sites are the main types of accommodation available in most parts of the world. They provide basic shelter for overnight stays, with some extending their facilities to include additional services and amenities.
A hotel is a type of establishment that provides lodging for travellers, usually in private rooms. These can range from simple beds in a small room to luxury suites with round-the-clock staff, priced accordingly.
Some hotels are more than just rooms; they have a variety of services that distinguish them from other accommodation options, including dining, spa and wellness facilities, business centres, fax machines (at a fee) and currency exchange. These can be accessed directly by the guest or by intermediaries such as travel agents and travel websites (aggregators).
Tourism organisations, tour operators, tourist information services and shopping are other types of businesses that are part of the tourism industry. These may be offline or online, and are responsible for promoting tourism and its interests in their area.
The travel industry is one of the largest service industries in the world, with a significant percentage of jobs being linked to it. It also makes a huge contribution to the economy, with 8.9 trillion contributions to GDP worldwide in 2019. In the UK, 25% of jobs are associated with tourism, and travel-related industries employ 330 million people.