inbound tourism example

What is inbound tourism explained and why does it matter?

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Inbound tourism is an important type of tourism . Many countries rely heavily on the demand from inbound tourists to fuel the development and operations of their tourism economy.

But what does it actually mean to be an inbound tourist? In this article I will explain what is meant by the term inbound tourism, provide definitions of inbound tourism and I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of inbound tourism. Lastly, I will provide examples of destinations which have significantly sized inbound tourism markets.

What is inbound tourism?

Inbound tourism definitions, the importance of inbound tourism, uk inbound tourism, advantages of inbound tourism, disadvantages of inbound tourism, inbound tourism: conclusion, further reading on inbound tourism.

Inbound tourism is the act of someone travelling to a country other than that of where they live for the purpose of tourism.

Many countries around the world rely on inbound tourism.

Inbound tourism is often seasonal, meaning that many destinations will have evident peak, shoulder and low seasons. This is often dependant on weather conditions (for example sun or snow ) and school and public holidays.

The most widely utilised definition of tourism , proposed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and United States (UN) Nations Statistics Division (1994), prescribes that in order to qualify as a tourist one must travel and remain in a place outside of their usual residential environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes.

When considering inbound tourism, it therefore makes sense to simply add in the prerequisite of travelling to another country…

Based on this commonly accepted definition (although this is not without its limits- see this post for more details ), therefore, inbound tourism can be defined as:

‘The act of travelling to another country for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes.’

Inbound tourism is incredibly important in many destinations.

This is largely because of the economic benefits of tourism . Tourism can bring in a lot of money to a country through foreign exchange. This is particularly beneficial in countries where the currency is weaker than the currency of the tourists ‘ home countries.

It is for this reason that many countries will target their advertising towards certain nationalities. China produces one of the largest outbound tourism markets in the world and Chinese tourists tend to spend more on their holidays than any other nationality. Therefore many countries want to attract Chinese inbound tourists due to the economic value of this market.

Click here to see some interesting statistics demonstrating the growth in the Chinese outbound tourism market.

However, over dependance on inbound tourism can be risky business for destinations. There are many destinations, such as the Maldives , Spain and Greece who rely heavily on people travelling from other countries to their country for tourism.

The problem occurs when the travel industry is disrupted. This has never been more true than during the 2020 pandemic, when the impacts of Coronavirus on tourism were devastating.

Inbound tourism can also be negatively effected as a result of other factors, such as political unrest, natural disasters or economic instability.

In order to ensure sustainable tourism principles are adopted, destinations ideally need to diversify their tourism product to appeal to both the domestic tourism market and the inbound tourism market.

In The United Kingdom, we have a sizeable inbound tourism industry.

Here, inbound tourism is worth £127 billion per year to the UK economy. Inbound tourism creates jobs and boosts the economic throughout the country.

According to the UK tourist board, Visit Britain , inbound visitors to the UK spent £24.5 billion in 2017, and £21 billion of that was spent in England.

Inbound tourism attracts tourists from all over the world including Europe, the USA, Australia , China and Japan.

Inbound tourism markets around the world

Inbound tourism is a significant part of the tourism industry in many countries around the world.

The OECD have some useful data, demonstrating the most recent figures for inbound tourism around the world.

To take a look at the most recent OECD inbound tourism figures click here.

Here are a few tourism markets that have a high number of inbound tourists each year-

According to Statistica , Spain ranked second on the World Tourism Organisation’s list of most visited countries in the world, with its number of international visitors amounting to nearly 89.4 million in 2018.

Most travellers to Spain come from Europe, with the largest amount of tourists being British.

Spain is popular for its beach holidays, package holiday market and city breaks to Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, amongst others.

The Maldives has been host to a fast-growing tourism industry in recent years. The archipelago attracts visitors all-year round, especially in hubs like Male which is home to an increasing number of modern hotels. 

Statistica reported in February 2019 that there were sharp increases in economic activity in The Maldives resulting from tourism. Figures showed a 16.8% increase in inbound tourism from the same time the previous year.

In total, 168,583 inbound tourists were recorded in The Maldives in 2019. China accounted for 17.8% and European markets accounted for a further 55% of inbound tourism.

The Maldives is renowned for its luxurious beach holidays.

Inbound tourism is one of the biggest economic activities in Thailand .

The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) stated that in February 2019 the tourism industry accounted for 18.4% of GDP. Chinese visitors make up almost one third of all inbound tourists travelling to Thailand , with 10.99 million visits recorded in 2019.

There are many types of tourism found in Thailand and Thailand attracts a range of types of tourists, from backpackers to luxury travellers to business tourists .

Bali is another destination that is reliant on inbound tourism as a key economic contributor.

In 2018, the number of foreign tourists travelling to Bali was over 5 million. This was an increase of approximately 3.5 million from 2008. Figures taken from Statistica .

The inbound tourism market in Bali is dominated largely by Chinese and Australian tourists.

Bali is well-known for its beach escapes and cultural tourism .

There are many advantages of inbound tourism.

One advantage is that inbound tourism is not reliant on weekends in the way that domestic tourism is because people tend to your their annual leave when they take holidays overseas.

Having an inbound tourism market that attracts tourists from a range of destinations can help to minimise risk and diversify income. This way, if for some reason one country does not send many tourists (for example due to political or economic problems) then the host country still has visitors arriving from other countries.

On average, inbound tourists spend more money than domestic tourists. This money then helps boost the economy of the host country.

When we travel overseas we typically book further in advance than if we booked a domestic trip. This allows tourism organisations more time to plan.

Foreign income can really help to boost the economy of a country. Therefore foreign tourists are often welcomed. This especially applies to tourists who come from destinations where the currency is strong (e.g. Britain, USA, Europe, Australia).

Other posts that you might be interested in: – What is tourism? A definition of tourism – The history of tourism – The structure of the tourism industry – Stakeholders in tourism – Dark tourism explained – What is ABTA and how does it work? – The economic impacts of tourism

There are also some disadvantages of inbound tourism.

The main disadvantage of inbound tourism is that the destination is at the mercy of the transport network.

There are many cases of tourism industries being decimated because an airline has stopped operating a particular route.

Inbound tourism can also lead to culture clashes.

For example, British tourists who travel to Dubai are often not aware of Muslim cultural practices. As such, it is common for the local population to be offended by the tourist’s behaviour. In Dubai there are many signs up in the malls, for instance, that requests tourists cover up and dress appropriately .

In conclusion, it can be seen that inbound tourism is a highly effective way for a country to make money from tourism. Whilst this does take some careful management and planning, there are many countries throughout the world who have successful and thriving inbound tourism industries.

• An Introduction to Tourism : a comprehensive and authoritative introduction to all facets of tourism including: the history of tourism; factors influencing the tourism industry; tourism in developing countries; sustainable tourism; forecasting future trends.
• The Business of Tourism Management : an introduction to key aspects of tourism, and to the practice of managing a tourism business.
• Tourism Management: An Introduction : gives its reader a strong understanding of the dimensions of tourism, the industries of which it is comprised, the issues that affect its success, and the management of its impact on destination economies, environments and communities.

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What is Inbound and Outbound Tourism?

by Hammad Ur Rehman | Oct 25, 2021 | Travel Guide | 6 comments

Don’t you just love traveling around the world and exploring different places? Staying or visiting different countries or states for the sake of fun-filled holidays or work-related visits, are termed tourism. Tourism can be of two types, Inbound tourism or Outbound Tourism. Now the question arises that what is inbound and outbound tourism?

Well, the difference between the two is just a matter of perspective, that is, from where and how you see it. In simple words, if we look from the USA tourism perspective, the outbound tourism would be Robert going to Pakistan, while inbound tourism would be, Ali coming to the USA. Similarly, if we look from a Pakistani tourism perspective, the outbound tourism would be Ali going to the USA, and the inbound tourism would be, Robert coming to Pakistan.

Let’s move on and further elaborate on these two types of tourism.

What is Inbound tourism?

Inbound tourism is economically significant for a country. The tourist countries economically rely on the inbound visitors to drive their maintenance, growth, and development.

What exactly is inbound tourism? In easy words, you can call it incoming tourism. Let’s move further to see the definitions, meanings, significance, drawbacks, and examples of inbound tourism.

Definition of inbound tourism

When someone travels to a country, other than their own country, for tourism, this is called inbound tourism.

Inbound tourism is frequently influenced by certain factors like:

• Season or Weather
• Public holidays
• School’s summer or winter vacations

According to WTO (World Trade Organization) and UN (United States Nation), inbound tourism can be defined as follows:

“ The act of traveling to another country for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, or other purposes .”

Importance of inbound tourism

Through foreign exchange, tourism may bring a lot of wealth into a country. This is especially advantageous in places where the local exchange rate is cheaper as compared to visitors’ native currency. Therefore, inbound tourism has high significance in many countries mainly because of the benefits it provides economically.

Mostly, countries target specific nations for advertising and promoting their inbound tourism. For instance, in today’s era, Chinese people tend to spend more on traveling every year as compared to any other nation, plus, the greatest outbound tourism markets are also produced by China. Therefore, Chinese inbound tourists are highly in demand by many tourist countries.

Drawbacks of inbound tourism

Depending entirely on income from the inbound tourism may cause problems. There are many places like Maldives, Goa, Fairy meadows, Greece, etc., whose economies rely on tourists from other countries.

The primary drawback of inbound tourism is that the place is at the hands of the transportation network. Many tourism industries have been ravaged as a result of airlines ceasing to operate a specific route. Cultural conflicts can also take place due to inbound tourism.

Some other disadvantages of inbound tourism include:

• Disposal, contamination, and emissions are all on the rise.
• Environmental and aquatic habitats are being physically harmed on a daily basis.
• Inappropriate buildings are being built next to historical places and monuments.
• Plenty of resources are being used up.
• Building infrastructure and utilization of land.

Inbound Tourism examples

Now that we have a basic understanding of inbound tourism, let’s look at some practical examples.

If a person from one country travels to another country for tourism, then it’s an inbound tourist. For example, Ali is having a summer break from his university and wants to go abroad. So, he decides to go for tourism to France and enjoys his summer break there. This is an example of inbound tourism because Ali is coming from Pakistan to France for his vacation, and it is a tourist activity for him.

Likewise, Robert is also having a summer break from his school and wants to visit another country. So, he decides to go for tourism to Pakistan and enjoys his summer break there. This is also an example of inbound tourism because Robert is coming from America to Pakistan for his vacation, and it’s a tourist activity for him.

Generally, some of the countries that are renowned for inbound tourism include Maldives, Goa, Greece, etc.

What is outbound tourism?

Leaving your homeland for the sake of gaining international tourism experience has wide importance for many countries.

Let’s jump into detail and find out what is outbound tourism, how do we define it, the importance of outbound tourism has it got any disadvantages, and a few examples of outbound tourism.

Definition of outbound tourism

When a tourist travels or visits outside his or her country for the sake of tourism, but not for more than a year. This type of tourism is called outbound tourism.

The WTO (World Trade Organization) and UN (United States Nation) define outbound tourism as follows, “The act of leaving your home country internationally for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes.”

Throughout the years, the market for outbound tourism has grown significantly. However, different regions of the world have different growth rates of the tourism market, but the factors leading to progress are similar.

Importance of outbound tourism

Outbound tourism also has a positive impact on the economy of the county. It provides economic improvements in a variety of industries such as education, healthcare, business, and retail, etc.

For example, the more people travel to foreign nations, the more their demands for products and services increase. Thus, it is a source of economic growth and prosperity for many countries.

This direction of tourism helps in increasing employment opportunities, foreign currency earnings, and trade balance. Thus, it is a source of economic growth and prosperity for many countries.

Within a very short period, China has become the largest source of outbound tourists. The increasing number of Chinese outbound tourists opens the gate of opportunities for tour group operating companies, hotels, national government ad retailers.

Drawbacks of outbound tourism

Apart from the advantages, there are a few disadvantages of outbound tourism as well. These drawbacks include the following:

• Many outbound tourists spend a huge amount of money on international chains like KFC fast-food chains, which reduces the positive effects of tourism as the tourist is using money that has been taken out of his residence.
• ·Sometimes, a country relies far too much on its outbound tourism market. For example, some Caribbean island nations depend on money from tourists to fund their entire economy and government, but this is a risky move as the tourism market is highly inconsistent, and a small incident can lead to a large drop in tourism.

Outbound tourism examples

Let’s go through an example of outbound tourism from the USA point of view:

John is a US citizen and has a passport to the USA. He wants to go for tourism so he can explore the international culture and experience new things. So, he goes for a tour to Spain with his family and friends. This is an example of outbound tourism because John has applied for a tourist visa and is traveling outside his country, USA.

Another example of outbound tourism from Spain’s perspective:

Robert is a tourist from Spain who wants to go for tourism in the USA, but he has no American visa. So, he goes for a tour to the UK with his family and friends. This is an example of outbound tourism because Robert has applied for a tourist visa and is traveling outside his country, Spain.

What is domestic tourism?

Until here, we discussed international inbound and outbound tourism. However, tourism can also be domestic. Now you would want to ask what is domestic tourism ?

Well, it’s very simple. In domestic tourism, the tourist visits different regions, cities, or towns of the same country where he/she resides. In easy words, domestic tourism is vacations spent within the same country you live in.

Let me give you an example of domestic tourism, Sarah lives in California, USA, and for her vacations, she visits Pennsylvania, USA.

Domestic tourism is used by the government to eradicate poverty, economic development, production of employments, infrastructure upgrades, reduce the load from overcrowding. For instance, If the government of California promotes domestic tourism within its state, then more people would come to visit various places in California, which are less popular, and it would boost the economy of California by providing employment opportunities to the people.

Also Learn: Domestic vs International Travel

Final Thoughts

In general, tourism contributes significantly to international trade and the provision of job opportunities in many nations. I hope this article has provided you with a clear picture of what are the types of tourism and why are they significant. All types of tourism are important for the economic growth of any nation.

Check our article on: What is FIT And GIT in The Tourism

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Understanding Inbound Tourism: A Comprehensive Guide

Welcome to the world of travel and tourism, where the concept of inbound tourism plays a crucial role in shaping the industry. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve deep into the definition, significance, trends, and impact of inbound tourism on destinations around the globe. Whether you are a seasoned travel professional or an enthusiastic traveler, understanding inbound tourism is essential to grasp the dynamics of the travel industry.

What is Inbound Tourism?

Inbound tourism refers to the act of traveling to a destination by individuals who are not residents of that destination. In simpler terms, it involves tourists visiting a country or region that is different from their place of origin. This form of tourism encompasses a wide range of activities, including sightseeing, cultural exploration, leisure travel, business trips, and more.

One of the key characteristics of inbound tourism is that it involves foreign visitors who contribute to the economy of the destination they are visiting. These visitors bring in revenue through various means such as accommodation, dining, transportation, shopping, and other tourism-related activities. Inbound tourism is a significant driver of economic growth and development for many countries, making it a vital component of the global tourism industry.

The Significance of Inbound Tourism

Inbound tourism plays a pivotal role in the economic, social, and cultural development of destinations worldwide. Here are some key reasons why inbound tourism is significant:

• Economic Impact: Inbound tourism generates revenue for the host destination through spending on accommodations, food, transportation, and other services. This revenue contributes to the local economy, creates jobs, and supports small businesses.
• Cultural Exchange: Inbound tourism promotes cultural exchange and understanding between different countries and cultures. Tourists have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local customs, traditions, and way of life, fostering mutual respect and appreciation.
• Infrastructure Development: The influx of foreign tourists often leads to improvements in infrastructure such as airports, roads, hotels, and attractions. These developments benefit both tourists and local residents, enhancing the overall quality of life in the destination.
• Promotion of Heritage and Natural Resources: Inbound tourism can help raise awareness about the importance of preserving heritage sites, natural landscapes, and wildlife. Tourists often visit destinations to experience their unique cultural and natural attractions, creating incentives for conservation efforts.

Trends in Inbound Tourism

The landscape of inbound tourism is constantly evolving, influenced by changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, global events, and economic factors. Here are some notable trends shaping the world of inbound tourism:

• Emerging Destinations: As travelers seek new and authentic experiences, emerging destinations are gaining popularity among tourists. These destinations offer unique attractions, cultural heritage, and natural beauty, attracting visitors looking for off-the-beaten-path experiences.
• Digital Transformation: The rise of digital platforms and online booking systems has transformed the way travelers research, plan, and book their trips. Online travel agencies, review websites, and social media influencers play a significant role in shaping travelers' decisions and preferences.
• Sustainable Tourism: There is a growing emphasis on sustainable tourism practices that minimize the environmental impact of travel and support local communities. Eco-friendly accommodations, responsible tour operators, and conservation initiatives are becoming increasingly important for travelers seeking ethical travel experiences.
• Personalized Experiences: Travelers are increasingly looking for personalized and customized experiences that cater to their interests and preferences. From tailored itineraries to unique accommodations, the demand for personalized travel experiences is driving innovation in the tourism industry.

The Impact of Inbound Tourism

The impact of inbound tourism extends beyond economic benefits, influencing various aspects of destination development and community well-being. Here are some key areas where inbound tourism has a significant impact:

• Employment Opportunities: Inbound tourism creates job opportunities in sectors such as hospitality, transportation, retail, and tour operations. These jobs provide income for local residents and contribute to the overall prosperity of the destination.
• Cultural Preservation: Tourism can help preserve and promote the cultural heritage of a destination by showcasing traditional crafts, performing arts, cuisine, and festivals. Cultural tourism initiatives support local artisans, performers, and cultural institutions, preserving traditions for future generations.
• Infrastructure Development: The demand from tourists drives investments in infrastructure projects such as airports, roads, public transportation, and tourist facilities. These developments benefit both tourists and local residents, improving accessibility and quality of life.
• Environmental Conservation: Sustainable tourism practices promote the protection of natural resources, wildlife habitats, and ecosystems. Responsible tourism initiatives aim to minimize the environmental footprint of travel activities and raise awareness about conservation efforts.

Inbound tourism is a dynamic and multifaceted aspect of the global travel industry, influencing economies, cultures, and communities around the world. By understanding the definition, significance, trends, and impact of inbound tourism, stakeholders in the travel industry can make informed decisions and contribute to sustainable tourism development. As the world continues to evolve, inbound tourism will play a vital role in shaping the future of travel and creating memorable experiences for travelers worldwide.

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8 types of tourism that you need to know

The three tourism categories, domestic tourism, inbound tourism, outbound tourism, the 8 types of tourism according to motivation, business tourism.

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What is Inbound Tourism? And How Our API Solution Boosts It

Inbound tourism, a key driver of economic growth and job creation, has become essential for many countries worldwide. In this article, we will explore what is inbound tourism and how embracing an API platform like Travel Trade Ready can help tourism organisations boost their visitor numbers and revenue.

What is Inbound Tourism?

Inbound tourism involves the various pursuits and events experienced by tourists visiting a foreign country for leisure, work, or other reasons. This includes an array of travel adventures, such as cultural excursions, thrilling expeditions, high-end retreats, and professional gatherings. As a crucial aspect of the worldwide tourism sector, inbound tourism substantially impacts a nation’s economy, job market, and infrastructure growth.

As global tourism sees the number of international visitors return to form, understanding the answer to “ what is inbound tourism ?” and identifying creative methods to improve it has emerged as a primary objective for tourism agencies across the globe.

The Importance of Inbound Tourism

The definition of inbound tourism is international traffic entering a country – so, for example, any non-British citizen entering the UK for the specific purpose of tourism.

Inbound tourism is a significant driver of economic growth, offering multiple benefits to countries and local communities. The influx of international visitors creates employment opportunities, supports local businesses, and generates tax revenue for governments. Additionally, inbound tourism promotes cultural exchange and global understanding, fostering positive relationships between countries and their citizens.

As the global travel market continues to expand, understanding what is inbound tourism and how to increase it is critical for tourism organisations aiming to thrive in this competitive industry.

What is Inbound Tourism? – Travel Trade Ready

The importance of an api platform in inbound tourism.

An API (Application Programming Interface) platform is a game-changer in the travel industry. By embracing an API platform, such as the solution offered by Travel Trade Ready , tourism organisations can streamline their operations, increase data efficiency, and ultimately attract more inbound tourists. Some of the key benefits of using an API platform in inbound tourism include:

Real-Time Availability and Pricing

API platforms offer real-time availability and pricing information, enabling travellers to make informed decisions and tourism organisations to optimise their revenue management strategies.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Via the API methodology of integrating various travel services and offering personalised recommendations, an API platform can significantly enhance the overall customer experience, which is crucial for attracting more inbound tourists and fostering repeat business.

The Benefits of Travel Trade Ready API for Tourism Organisations

Travel Trade Ready is an innovative API platform designed specifically for the travel industry. It offers a wide range of features and benefits that can help tourism organisations increase their inbound tourism numbers. Some of the key advantages of using Travel Trade Ready API include:

Global Distribution

One of the key benefits of the Travel Trade Ready API is its ability to connect tourism organisations with travel trade partners worldwide. By establishing these connections, organisations can expand their global reach and promote their offerings to a larger audience. This increased visibility is crucial in driving inbound tourism growth, as international travellers are more likely to book trips when they have easy access to information and booking options.

Travel Trade Ready API enables tourism organisations to tap into a global network of travel agents, tour operators, and online travel agencies, increasing their visibility and reach to potential customers worldwide.

Advanced Booking Management

Another important aspect of what is inbound tourism and how to increase it involves streamlining the booking process for international travellers. The Travel Trade Ready API simplifies this process by allowing travel trade partners to access real-time availability, pricing, and product information. This enables them to offer seamless booking experiences for their customers, making it easier for travellers to plan and book trips to your destination.

With Travel Trade Ready API, tourism organisations can manage bookings, cancellations, and modifications in real-time, ensuring efficient operations and a smooth customer experience.

Enhancing Your Online Presence

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for attracting inbound tourism. The Travel Trade Ready API helps organisations achieve this by providing high-quality, up-to-date content for their online platforms. This includes detailed product descriptions, images, and videos, ensuring that your offerings are presented in the best possible light to potential visitors.

Comprehensive Inventory

Travel Trade Ready API provides access to an extensive inventory of travel products and services, including accommodation, transportation, tours, and activities. This allows tourism organisations to offer a diverse range of options to their customers, catering to various preferences and budgets, at a far lower cost than traditional networking.

Customisable Solutions

Travel Trade Ready provides dedicated customer support to assist with any technical issues or queries, ensuring a seamless experience for both tourism organisations and their customers.

In conclusion, understanding what is inbound tourism and implementing an API platform like Travel Trade Ready can significantly boost a tourism organisation’s performance and competitiveness in the global market. By simplifying the booking process, providing real-time availability and pricing information, and offering a wide travel service range, Travel Trade Ready can help attract more inbound tourists and drive economic growth in the tourism sector. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to leverage this innovative solution to take your tourism organisation to new heights – check out our demo website section today.

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A compilation of data on inbound tourism by country, including data on international tourist arrivals, international tourism receipts and international tourism exports.

COUNTRY PROFILE – INBOUND TOURISM

In order to better understand inbound tourism, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched a dashboard on country profiles with data on inbound tourism. The dashboard includes data on:

• International tourist arrivals
• International tourism receipts
• International tourism exports
• Comparison of destinations
• Ranking of indicators on inbound tourism

Inbound tourism

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UNWTO defines inbound tourism as all incoming nonresident arrivals to a targeted destination . Evidentially, the literature applies and reflects this interpretation in discourses pertaining to international tourists. The foremost choice of travel mode among inbound tourists is by air, closely followed by road, and, peripherally, by water and rail . While their primary purposes are leisure , recreation , and holidaying, secondary reasons include health, religion, and visiting friends and relatives. Business, conference, and profession-related arrivals account for a further one eighth of global inbound traffic (UNWTO 2013 ). To maximize their use of time and money, inbound tourists prefer all-inclusive packages to multiple destinations. The innumerable options and preferences lend to two forms of inbound tourism: institutionalized (group/individual mass, psychocentric) and noninstitutionalized (informal, drifter, allocentric).

The importance of inbound tourism is acknowledged in the world’s...

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Cortes-Jimenez, I., and M. Pulina 2010 Inbound Tourism and Long-run Economic Growth. Current Issues in Tourism 13:61-74.

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Dwyer, L., and P. Forsyth 1993 Assessing the Benefits and Costs of Inbound Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research 20:751-768.

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Singh, S. (2016). Inbound tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01384-8_563

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What Is Inbound Tourism With Example?

By Michael Ferguson

Inbound tourism is a type of travel where a person or group of people visit a country that is not their home country. The purpose of inbound tourism can vary, from leisure travel to business travel, but the common denominator is that the traveler is visiting a foreign destination.

One example of inbound tourism is when a family from Japan decides to take a trip to New York City. They book flights and accommodations in New York, and plan their itinerary around visiting popular tourist attractions such as the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, and Times Square. During their visit, they may also try local cuisine and shop for souvenirs to take back home.

Another example of inbound tourism could be when a group of international business travelers come to attend a conference or meeting in a different country. They may stay in hotels near the conference venue and spend their free time exploring the local culture and attractions.

Inbound tourism can have significant economic benefits for the destination country. Tourists bring in revenue through spending on accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, shopping, and other activities. This can help boost local businesses and create jobs.

To attract more inbound tourists, destinations often invest in marketing campaigns to showcase their unique culture, history, natural beauty or landmarks. They may also offer incentives such as visa exemptions or discounts on tourist attractions.

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5 Questions Destinations Should Answer to Attract Inbound International Tourism

Feb 22 2022 By Santiago Rodriguez, PhD

The challenge remains:, how to achieve and measure international market access success, year-over-year, in a sustainable way, 5 questions as a process to attract international inbound tourism.

Since this article is conceived as A GUIDE TO TOOLS AND EXAMPLES TO ENHANCE INTERNATIONAL MARKET ACCESS, the order of the questions suggest the order in which steps should be taken to attract the desired type of international inbound tourism.

However, the discussion for each question could be also read independently, as a stand alone post in itself, which in any case will provide you valuable knowledge to reach your destination’s objectives.

In the following sections we answer each question and we provide you with examples and tools to tackle all of the questions by yourself.

However, if you want to learn about an integrated solution to implement the whole process, check the Hermann Global Insights approach.

Let’s dive into the details.

When people, the media, or politicians talk about a destination trying to attract inbound international tourism, they usually think about the importance of building some sort of infrastructure as an attractor, or about the need for a budget to start with marketing campaigns right away.

This phenomenon in tourism is known as the  “Cargo cult” . It explains how destinations tend to imitate the most superficial aspects of other examples, that they deem as “successful”, ignoring the underlying process that actually led to such results.

And while attractions and marketing are part of the process, attracting the desired type of international inbound tourism starts with, and requires, other capabilities.

This is especially true for the case of attracting international visitors, for which it is necessary to involve different actors from the local to the global level. Whereas for potential visitors, who may not be familiar with the destination context, simply seeing an advertisement will not be enough to make them decide to visit a destination abroad.

BARRIERS & PROMISES

​ Scientific research about  “Determinants for tourist destinations’ international markets access” , drawing upon 48 years of data and performed in source market and destination, shows that the 5 top biggest barriers have more to do with internal capacities of the destination, than with the availability of great attractions or marketing budget.

The top 5 biggest barriers for international tourism market access are the lack of capacity to:

Perform collective initiatives;

Define target markets;

Implement and sustain efficient processes;

Innovate for and adapt to the target market;

Have qualified personnel for internationalization.

In order to overcome these barriers, we must first keep in mind that a destination is not only a territory with attractions on it.

On the contrary, destinations are mostly characterized by the presence of different stakeholders that interact in that territory, typically: host communities, service providers, and governments. These stakeholders are the ones who imprint the tone or the quality of the experience on the visitors.

But overall, it is key to remember that such stakeholders aim at developing their destination not only for the sake of receiving tourists. The underlying expectation is the promise of tourism development to SERVE AS A MEANS to improve the host community’s living standards at the destination in a sustainable way.

The value of these expectations is globally recognized and formalized through the  United Nations Sustainable Development Goals , to which tourism has the potential to contribute greatly.

OPPORTUNITIES

At the other end of the destination-visitors relationship, we have the source markets, which have shown an unstoppable desire to travel abroad.

According to the  World Tourism Organization’s Global Tourism Dashboard , international arrivals continuously increased over 19 years, from 673 million in 2000 to 1.4 billion in 2019.

And even in the middle of the pandemic, 2020 reported 440 million international arrivals, with a promising recovery perspective in the near future, thanks to the roll out of different vaccines.

So, considering how the world is connected today, with all sorts of transportation and online communication means, it seems like there has always been and will still be, enough room for any destination to attract the desired type of international inbound tourism.

CHALLENGES ​

Despite the great opportunities for each destination, there are large discrepancies between some “dying of success” due to over-tourism, while, in most cases, other destinations have no idea how and what type of international tourism starts or stops arriving.

But, in any case, this lack of knowledge has negative repercussions in the host communities, since the positive economic impacts that tourism could bring, if any, are diminished in the mid-term by the negative social and environmental implications.

Thus, the main challenge remains: HOW TO ACHIEVE AND MEASURE INTERNATIONAL MARKET ACCESS SUCCESS, YEAR-OVER-YEAR, IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY?

Nowadays, we are not only facing the challenge of attracting the desired number of visitors. The current challenge is, overall, attracting the type of responsible tourism that resonates with the destinations’ needs to improve the host community’s living conditions in a sustainable way.

Therefore, we discuss the 5 QUESTIONS DESTINATIONS SHOULD ANSWER TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL INBOUND TOURISM.

Question 1. WHAT IS THE BEST INTERNATIONAL INBOUND MARKET FOR YOUR DESTINATION IN TERMS OF RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL? ↓

Brief answer:, the one that suits your local development goals..

As previously mentioned, destinations do not aim at attracting tourism just for the sake of receiving visitors. The underlying motivation is the promise of tourism to act as a means to improve the standard of living of host communities and its potential contribution to sustainable development.

Fortunately, given the high number of international travelers, there is plenty of room for everyone to get their share of the pie.

So, currently it is not a matter of “if” there will be enough market for a given destination. The current matter is “what market” a destination wants to attract.

In principle, a destination should target markets that value responsible travel and visitors who are respectful of local values, people and resources.

Therefore, instead of just saying “we want to receive visitors from the USA, Germany or the UK”, destinations should start by determining the profile of visitors they want to receive.

HOW TO PROFILE YOUR DESIRED TYPE OF VISITORS

For example, destinations could decide that the desired visitors should be:

Able to spend between 7 to 12 days available for their visit (based on the average days that the experiences offered at the destination can take);

An experienced traveler who values authenticity and diversity;

Looking for non-massive experiences in non-traditional destinations;

Interested in personalized and flexible tour packages;

Cognizant of context, sustainability, and social responsibility;

In an age range between 30 to 60 years old;

A traveler with a university or professional education;

Able to speak English or Spanish.

These characteristics are only examples, and they can change depending on the case.

The central notion here is that the described profile resonates with the type of tourism that the destination wants to develop locally and promote internationally.

Doing so is fundamental to perform efficient strategic marketing efforts, allowing the offer to reach the desired audience with the right message.

HOW TO LEARN WHAT YOUR DESIRED VISITORS THINK OF YOU ​

Once a destination knows the desired type of visitor to attract, the next step is to find out where they are, what communication channels they use, what type of things they talk about, and most importantly, how they feel about your destination.

One approach to discover all of that is by performing traditional market research. The problem, however, is that this method usually takes several months to present the data, and the results must be continuously updated, which costs a lot of money, not to mention the additional costs if you want to research in different countries of origin.

A better alternative is to use modern online social listening tools, which only need to be set up once, and they provide 24-hour, almost real-time data about your target markets’ level of awareness of your destination, their sentiment towards you, key topics, preferred information outlets, and much, much more.

You can easily share these results online with anyone inside or outside your organization to respond and react in real time, or use them as fresh market intelligence for planning and coordinated product development or strategic marketing actions.

If you want to learn more, you can check  “ What is social listening & why is it important ?” , published by our recommended tool TalkWalker. However, there are several other options that you can easily find by performing a simple Google search with the words “social listening tools”.

On the other hand, if you want Social Listening capabilities already integrated into a complete solution to attract the desired type of international inbound tourism, learn how Hermann Global Insights does it with you.

Question 2. WHY WOULD VISITORS CHOOSE YOUR DESTINATION OVER OTHERS? ↓

Because they are aware that you provide a valuable experience for them..

Even if you have identified where your desired international visitors are, and even when they might be willing to experience what your destination offers, we currently live in a digital world where we have “too much” information and travel influence has become cluttered and often complex.

So, the challenge here is how to let your desired visitors know you are the perfect match for them. As the saying goes, “it is not only necessary to be good , it is also necessary to look good .”

In relation to “ being good ”, destinations need to work internally, integrating the required stakeholders to adjust their offer—to the greatest possible extent—to what the desired target visitor expects.

This process implies an effort of balance between what the destination envisions as the type of desired tourism to develop, and what the desired visitors expect in terms of activities at the destination.

On the other, in relation to “ looking good ”, here is when quality content and strategic marketing have to do their magic.

In that regard, it all comes down to communication using the right tone and message, via the right channels, to let your target markets know that you offer something relevant for them, while you also care about responsible tourism and its contribution to sustainable development.

If you want to learn more about how tourism and your destination can contribute to global sustainable development, while adding value to your offer and for your international target markets, check  “ Tourism for SDGs ”  (Sustainable Development Goals) .

HOW TO REACH YOUR TARGET MARKETS WITH YOUR MESSAGE?

​ A destination does not necessarily have to go through any kind of certification process to stand out, although it is a plus, nor does it have to carry out complex and expensive marketing strategies.

It is simply a matter of being authentic through concrete and quality pieces of content, aiming at providing value and satisfying the need for information of your target international inbound visitors.

We refer to the creation of content pieces with different levels of depth, such as: social media posts, article-like blog posts about your key attractions or experiences, or multi-day itineraries with detailed and practical suggestions on how to visit your destination.

However, creating and amplifying quality content is a task that many destinations overlook. As a result, too often destinations run superficial marketing campaigns, probably with great graphic design, but without a specific target audience in mind, nor any deeper valuable content behind it.

HOW TO CREATE AND DISTRIBUTE RELEVANT CONTENT

​ To start creating, collecting, amplifying, and reusing your online content, we suggest the quality, free website tool Wix.com . This tool will let you build your own professional looking destination blog in a matter of minutes, with integrated social networking functionalities and other content distribution tools, without the need for any coding.

Another option is also to reach out to professional content creators or bloggers, with established travel related platforms. A great example of this is   Untraveled.com , a platform devoted to helping lesser-known destinations reach their international tourism audiences, while highlighting the importance of sustainable development through responsible tourism in uncrowded destinations. ​

Finally, if you are looking for the complete solution, check how Hermann Global Insights integrates your local development goals with online strategic content creation and global marketing strategies, to help your destination attract the desired type of international inbound tourism.

Question 3. HOW DO VISITORS PLAN AND BOOK TRIPS TO YOUR DESTINATION? ↓

Means to book services and activities in your destination have to be in place..

Knowing your audience (discussed in Question 1) and preparing great content (discussed in Question 2) are key previous steps.

However, if in the end no one is able to make a reservation to live the experience you have inspired in your audience, then it is like you have thrown your efforts into the void.

A common mistake by DMOs and tourism government organizations is to think that running marketing campaigns and doing brand positioning is the end of their role.

They take the attitude that “the private sector must do its job to attract customers,” or expect inbound tourists to arrive spontaneously after short-sighted “spray and pray” marketing approaches.

However, the current travel information and reservation landscape is so complex and diversified that leaving everything to chance is not a good idea. Especially if a destination wants to attract a specific type of international visitors and measure results.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “BEING AWARE” AND “BOOKING” A DESTINATION?

First, people become aware of a destination , for example, by reading blog posts, comments on social media, or on websites about attractions and activities, as discussed in the previous Question 2. This is still a more general information level.

While for  booking a destination  people need more  detailed  information, such as itineraries, or concrete conditions and prices offered by online reservation systems and physical travel agencies to book either specific services (at least a flight, hotel, car, etc.) and activities, or a complete tour.

Thus, before running online or printed marketing campaigns, or renting a spot in the next international top trade show, it is important to make sure the destination and its partners provide the means for the desired type of visitors to plan and book their trip.

And, to make effective use of global distribution channels and booking platforms, we need to understand how the type of visitors we want plan and book their trips. This is done by identifying what kind of language or “keywords” they type in when they search for services.

​ HOW TO UNDERSTAND BOOKING BEHAVIOR THROUGH KEYWORDS

There are several solutions online to perform keyword research. They even offer different types of add-ons that might be of interest to you, such as social media integration and more. If you want to learn more, just search for “compare keyword research tools” and you will find many options.

However, Google itself offers a couple of great free solutions. The first is   Google trends , which works better when you already have specific keywords in mind and you only want to know how trendy they are in specific source markets.

Google Keyword Planner (part of   Google Ads ) offers a most useful approach to start from scratch. Only by entering a couple of reference keywords related to your destination, for example “travel to Arizona”, Keyword Planner will provide you with a long list of contextually related keywords that are currently being used in the source market(s) of your choice, including their level of use per month. ​

HOW TO PROVIDE BOOKING MEANS

Once a destination has a better understanding of how its desired type of visitors look for services, it is time to make sure the destination is actually bookable. There are two steps involved at this stage.

First , based on the previous keyword research, the destination can create / improve its content creation, so it can be found when people look for information.

And second , wherever that content is published, either online or printed, it must include links or QR codes to distribution channels with booking capabilities containing the destination’s offer.

Or, if for some reason booking capabilities are not yet available for the destination offering, the published content should at least link to detailed itineraries that provide the potential visitor with enough certainty to visit the destination on their own.

Fortunately, nowadays there are many booking solutions for all sizes of companies and organizations offering tours and activities. Most likely, several tour operators and hotels in any destination already use some type of online booking solution.

If that is not the case, or if you just need to learn more about booking systems for your destination, perform a Google search using the terms “booking system for tours and activities” and you will find many options.

One great option is   Bokun.io . This company is part of Trip Advisor, which is already a great backup. The tool allows tour operators to structure and centralize the information of their products, like itineraries, prices, policies, etc., and distribute it among tens of Online Travel Agencies, including the biggest ones like Expedia, Viator, or Get your Guide from one only platform. Bokun also allows users to embed their offer into any website, and even take offline or phone reservations, among many other powerful features, with an easy-to-use interface and a great support service. ​

However, if you are looking for a complete solution to attract the desired type of international inbound tourism, check how Hermann Global Insights can help you integrate booking and distribution strategies that support your local development goals.

Question 4. WHAT MARKETING BUDGET SHOULD YOU ALLOCATE TO BE COMPETITIVE INTERNATIONALLY? ↓

Less than what you expect, but no budget will suffice without the right capabilities..

Fortunately, given the widely available communication technologies and the current global connectivity, it is not necessary anymore to have a large marketing budget to attract international inbound tourism.

However, DMOs and tourism-related government agencies usually complain about limited budgets for tourism marketing at an international level.

On the other hand, there is also the case of well-funded organizations who launch visually beautiful marketing campaigns, disconnected from the local reality, without a concrete offer behind, and with no booking options in place.

In any case, as mentioned in the introduction, research drawing upon 48 years of data, performed in source market and destination, has demonstrated that among  46 identified barriers for international tourism market access , those related to the lack of budget for promotion do not even make it to the top 10 most critical barriers, falling to positions 20 and 25.

Actually, the top three most critical barriers for international tourism market access refer to a lack of capacity to : 1. Perform collective initiatives, 2. Define target markets, and 3. Implement and sustain efficient processes.

Such scientific findings are also supported by experience. Anyone who has worked in the tourism sector has seen first hand that these three factors are fundamental to attract the desired type of international inbound tourism.

Therefore, the answer to the question “What marketing budget should you allocate to be competitive internationally?” is: no marketing budget will suffice when the required capabilities are not available at the destination.

HOW TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL INBOUND MARKETS IN A BUDGET-EFFICIENT WAY

Here is when key players at the destination should make the difference. We refer to the so-called “Destination orchestrators,” a role usually performed by different forms in DMOs, government organizations, key enterprises, or even community initiatives.

Good orchestrators use their networks and their capacity to reach agreements in order to facilitate coordinated actions that attract the desired type of inbound international tourism.

When skilled enough, destination orchestrators can bring together the visions of the different stakeholders into a more strategic marketing approach. One that reflects the reality of the local offer and connects with booking means in a compelling form.

To understand how to improve a destination’s capacity for collective actions, you might read about the so-called  “ Social Capital at the tourism destination level ” . This theory explains how resources are mobilized for common purposes and the paper presents a structure to reflect about your destination’s specific case.

Another way to acquire these skills is to enlist the external support of specialized tourism marketing agencies. Look for agencies that place the emphasis on first understanding the reality of the destination, and only then conceiving and carrying out efficient international marketing campaigns.

One example is the  Multilingual Digital Marketing campaign performed by Park City, in Utah, USA, with the support of Herrmann Global . In this case study, with a very affordable budget, an increase of 400% international market reach, year over year, was achieved for the winter season.

Finally, if you need an integrated solution to design and perform affordable international marketing strategies that support your local development goals, check how Hermann Global Insights can help you attract the desired type of international inbound tourism.

Question 5. WHO ARRIVES AT YOUR DESTINATION AND WHAT IS YOUR ROI? ↓

Measuring impact is the missing piece for destinations to demonstrate value..

The idea is simple: If a destination can track how many visitors from a given target market arrive and how much they spend during the visit, it is easy to calculate its ROI (Return On Investment).

But, as easy as it sounds, given the complexity of the international tourism distribution landscape, making the connection between the efforts to attract international inbound tourism and results, in terms of ROI, has been a challenging endeavor for the global tourism community for decades.

Nevertheless, reporting such results is fundamental for destination managers (or “orchestrators”) to show decision makers, regulators, and host communities how tourism returns more than what was invested and why efforts must be sustained.

Currently, the typical type of results that destinations report, if any, is the number of people that potentially read a piece of promotional content, or the economic valuation of an article published in a determined information outlet thanks to public relationships efforts.

But destinations cannot yet track the variation of international visitors from a specific target market, how much they spent, nor attribute those variations to the corresponding marketing efforts.

Furthermore, to allow strategic adjustments on time, such data is required as soon as possible after visitation happens. Unfortunately, visitation data, if any, is usually delivered after a year or more, mostly as general statistics at the country level, and without reporting on spending.

HOW TO MEASURE TOURISTS ARRIVAL AND SPENDING (ROI) IN A TIMELY MANNER

Achieving this does not only require a good methodology, but also the capacity to coordinate timely provision of data from multiple sources like ports of arrival, service providers, or even attractions.

For that, in terms of methodology, the United Nations and the World Tourism Organization developed a guide for implementing such measuring capabilities, called: “ Recommended Methodological Framework for Tourism Satellite Accounts ” .

However, in terms of practical implementation, many resources are required to assure the constant flow of information, at least to monitor the number of visitors.

Measuring spending is a much more complex task, as this would require service providers or financial institutions, like credit cards for example, to report on visitors’ spending during their stay. Not to mention that part of the expense could have been incurred prior to arrival to the destination, booking hotels or activities, for example, making it even harder to track spending.

This is why measuring a destination’s ROI, in a timely manner, still remains highly challenging.

To solve this issue, a potential alternative is the implementation of a so-called tourism observatory at the destination level. In that regard, the World Tourism Organization created the  “ International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) ” .

Although the INSTO initiative provides a framework and technical support to implement a tourism observatory, it is still up to the destination to assure the long-term resources for staff, research, outreach, stakeholder engagement, etc.

On the other hand, there is a more pragmatic, affordable and integrated solution developed by Hermann Global Insights to estimate a destination’s ROI in relation to the desired international inbound tourism, using a combination of geolocation and spending tracking technologies.

THE INTEGRATED APPROACH ↓

Tackling the challenge:.

As discussed, destination development is not anymore about increasing the number of visitors. It is mostly about  attracting the type of international visitors  who resonate with your destination development goals.

For that purpose, you can use the different recommended approaches and tools discussed in the previous questions.

It does not matter if you do not clearly know yet how to connect it all. It all comes to how much time you devote to walking the path. With enough consistency expertise will eventually emerge.

Nevertheless, there is a  faster and more efficient way  for a destination to obtain the capacities to answer either all, or one of the previously discussed questions:

Hermann Global Insights  is a  performance-oriented solution  for tourism brands and government organizations to take  data-driven action  for international market access.

The solution aligns online listening, search patterns, social media, tourism impact, and visitor spending through a performance score, along with strategy support to  transform the way you attract international travelers .

The special thing about the  Hermann Global Insights  solution is that the team does not only provide data, but “ walks the talk ” by supporting destinations to: draw insights, make strategic decision-making, implement product development, perform marketing campaigns, and  measure results on attracting international inbound tourism.

And all of this,  within the perspective of the destination’s objectives for sustainable development  through tourism.

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Santiago Rodriguez, PhD

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2 thoughts on “5 questions destinations should answer to attract inbound international tourism”.

I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of your blog. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a developer to create your theme? Great work!

Thank you very much for your comment. It really lights up our day! As a tourism intelligence and marketing agency, we have a team of professionals taking care of every detail, such as design, content creation, functionality, etc. That is how we serve our partner destinations! 🙂 If you want to read other interesting articles, check out here: https://herrmannglobal.com/2024/02/12/five-critical-challenges-to-sustainable-development/ the first piece of the series, “Achieving Sustainable Development and the Roles of Tourism & Technology.” It is part of a seven-article series that will gradually provide you with a strong understanding of the dynamics among all those interesting fields. On the other hand, if you are also interested, you can check out our traveler-oriented platforms: http://www.untraveled.com or http://www.visitusaparks.com . I hope you enjoy them as well!

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Inbound Tourism

Date Last Updated: 04-04-2024

Survey Information

Survey name:, survey purpose:.

The purpose of the Inbound Tourism statistical series is to measure the travel patterns (trips, nights, purpose of trip, type of accommodation, expenditure, etc.) of foreign resident visitors to Ireland.

Legislative Basis National:

Not applicable

Legislative Basis European:

Regulation (EU) No 692/2011

Periodicity:

Statistical population:.

All foreign resident visitors departing Ireland on overseas air and sea routes. Foreign resident visitors who depart Ireland via Northern Ireland are not covered. Foreign resident cruise excursionists who visit Ireland are also not covered.

Sampling Frame:

A hybrid sample of sailings and flights is selected and a systematic sample of passengers on each is surveyed and their country of residence recorded. On selected flights, a 1 in 5 systematic sample of passengers is selected. On sailings, as many passengers as possible are interviewed. Sample results are grossed up to total passenger numbers provided by the airports and ferry companies.

Reference Area:

Time coverage:.

April 2023 - February 2024

Base Period:

Sector coverage:, survey size:.

The overall sample size of the Survey currently varies between 10,000 to 12,000 passenger interviews per month.

Principal Variables:

The travel patterns (trips, nights, purpose of trip, type of accommodation, expenditure, etc.) of foreign resident visitors to Ireland.

Principal External Users:

Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, National Accounts, Balance of Payments, Eurostat, Government, Economists, Academics.

Methodology & Other Quality Information

• Process Summary
• Process Model
• Survey Background Notes
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Contact Details

Contact organisation:.

Central Statistics Office

Business Area:

Business Statistics

Contact Person:

Gregg Patrick

Contact Person Function:

Statistician

Other Business Area Specialists:

James Mahon

Contact email:

Tourism@cso.ie

Contact phone number:

(+353) 21 453 5000

Central Statistics Office Skehard Road, Cork T12 X00E, Ireland

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International travelers to the US will be able to skip proof of COVID vaccine, WH says

The Biden administration will lift the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for inbound international air travelers on Friday.

"As we continue to monitor the evolving state of COVID-19 and the emergence of virus variants, we have the tools to detect and respond to the potential emergence of a variant of high consequence," President Joe Biden said in a proclamation Tuesday. "Considering the progress that we have made, and based on the latest guidance from our public health experts, I have determined that we no longer need the international air travel restrictions that I imposed in October 2021."

Biden announced the change last week , along with the end of vaccine requirements for federal employees and contractors, foreign nationals at the land border and others. The requirement for air travelers will lift at midnight Thursday as the coronavirus public health emergency ends. Biden previously  signed a bill ending the COVID national emergency  in April.

So, what does that mean for travelers? Here's what we know.

Summer travel is expensive: Here's why flight prices heat up when the weather does

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Why are travel refunds taking so long? Here are some tips to get your money back

Is there still a vaccine requirement for international travelers coming to the US?

Not as of later this week.

Currently, all "non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrants traveling to the United States by air" must show proof of vaccination with limited exceptions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's  website .

Industry group the U.S. Travel Association, which had called on the Biden administration to  end the vaccine requirement  for inbound international visitors and argued the rule was an impediment to tourism, applauded the change when it was announced last week.

“Today’s action to lift the vaccine requirement eases a significant entry barrier for many global travelers, moving our industry and country forward," Geoff Freeman, the organization's President and CEO, said in a statement last week. He also called on the federal government to "ensure U.S. airports and other ports of entry are appropriately staffed with Customs and Border Protection officers to meet the growing demand for entry."

The U.S.  lifted a requirement  that air travelers coming from China show proof of a negative COVID test in March. The policy took effect in January amid a surge of cases in China.

The U.S.  dropped its COVID testing rule  for international flyers in June.

Do travelers need a vaccine to cross the Mexico or Canada borders to the US?

The Department of Homeland Security also said in a news release that it will no longer require non-U.S. travelers coming into the country by land or at ferry terminals to be fully vaccinated or show proof of their vaccination status.

Do US travelers need to be vaccinated against COVID to travel internationally?

That depends. Many destinations have dropped their vaccination and testing requirements for travel, though some still have rules in place. The Philippines, for example, still requires travelers to be fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID test in order to visit, according to the  U.S. Embassy in the Philippines .

AI, self-service are taking over travel: Will everything become a DIY experience?

The CDC also recommends travelers be up to date on their COVID vaccinations before leaving the country. The agency defines up to date as having one updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine for people age 6 and up, which "protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5," according to its  website .

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Marina Bay Sands, UOB and Singapore Tourism Board enter next partnership to enhance Marina Bay precinct

The partnership aims to deepen collaborations to drive awareness and visitorship to the precinct, anchoring it as a leading lifestyle and business destination

Marina Bay Sands, UOB and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enliven the Marina Bay precinct. Signatories (Seated, from left): Mr Kenneth Lim, STB’s Assistant Chief Executive (Marketing Group), Ms Irene Lin, Marina Bay Sands’ Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (Resort Marketing) and Ms Jacquelyn Tan, UOB’s Head of Group Personal Financial Services. Witnesses (Standing, from left): Ms Melissa Ow, STB’s Chief Executive, Mr Paul Town, Marina Bay Sands’ Chief Operating Officer, Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations and Mr Wee Ee Cheong, UOB’s Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Singapore (10 May 2024) – Marina Bay Sands, UOB and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today, committing to drive awareness and strengthen visitorship to the Marina Bay precinct. This anchors the tripartite partners’ long-term vision to enhance the precinct into a leading premium lifestyle and business hub, drawing locals and visitors alike. It builds on an earlier first-of-its-kind partnership between the three organisations in the first quarter of the year (January to March 2024), which enlivened the precinct through strong programming and compelling events.

The first partnership was announced in January, headlined by the “Masterpieces. Made in Singapore” marketing campaign 1 and “The Legend of the Dragon Gate - Drone Show by the Bay” drone show over Marina Bay, among other activities. A total of 26 precinct partners – from hotels and attractions to retail shops and dining establishments – also came together to roll out over 50 exclusive experiences for UOB cardholders in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam as part of the partnership. The groundbreaking pilot partnership and its overwhelming response have paved the way for this next partnership.

Witnessed by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, Grace Fu, UOB Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Wee Ee Cheong, Marina Bay Sands’ Chief Operating Officer Paul Town and STB’s Chief Executive Melissa Ow, the MoU signing ceremony took place alongside STB’s Tourism Industry Conference, which was hosted at Sands Expo and Convention Centre. The signatories were Marina Bay Sands’ Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (Resort Marketing) Irene Lin, UOB’s Head of Group Personal Financial Services Jacquelyn Tan and STB’s Assistant Chief Executive (Marketing Group) Kenneth Lim.

The latest partnership comes as STB announced a robust outlook for 2024 tourism receipts and visitor arrivals at the Tourism Industry Conference. Notably, International Visitor Arrivals (IVA) for Q1 2024 were strong, reaching 4.4 million, which accounts for 93 per cent of pre-COVID figures in 2019.

The buoyancy is reflected broadly in the partners’ performance in the first quarter: Marina Bay Sands saw a record performance in the first three months of this year, as travel and tourism spending continues to advance. Revenue surged across the integrated resort (IR), rising 36.6 per cent to US$1.2 billion, from US$848 million in the first quarter of 2023. The IR also saw increased footfall on property, with 12 per cent growth in the first three months, lifting total visitorship since its 2010 opening to more than 470 million. During this period, the IR hosted a spectacular calendar of events and activations, including immersive experiences during Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour, drawing fans from around the world to converge at Marina Bay Sands.

UOB observed increased spend in Singapore from cards issued in the campaign markets during the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in the preceding year. Inbound card spend from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam grew almost 40 per cent, 60 per cent, over 20 per cent and nearly 60 per cent respectively. In terms of total spend nationwide, the week of 4 to 10 March 2024, when international star Taylor Swift held four of her six concerts in Singapore, rang in the highest billings for UOB-acquired merchants in the first quarter of this year. Total billings in Singapore soared over 35 per cent compared to the week before, with spending across almost all tourism-related categories experiencing a marked surge. Spending at clothing retailers leaped 85 per cent, while transportation and travel grew more than 80 per cent, and amusement and entertainment crossed 50 per cent. Hotels rang in nearly 45 per cent growth in billings, and F&B establishment receipts rose more than 30 per cent.

From a geographic perspective, spending across multiple categories in the Downtown district, locations close to the Singapore Sports Hub where the concerts were held, outperformed the national levels. For example, spending at Downtown clothing outlets soared 130 per cent, transportation and travel jumped close to 80 per cent, amusement and entertainment grew nearly 60 per cent and F&B rose 35 per cent.

The “Masterpieces. Made in Singapore” marketing campaign also drew 3.2 million video views and 47 million impressions over a two-month period.

In the next collaboration, the partners will present the Marina Bay precinct as a vibrant must-visit destination with a riveting suite of experiences and explore ways to promote hotels, attractions, entertainment venues, retail and dining establishments in the area. Through the collective efforts of businesses around the Bay, the partners will unlock the precinct’s endless potential to draw world-class events and experiences and stage them in Singapore.

In the coming months, the partners will work on compelling programming around the Bay, in celebration of the Christmas and Chinese New Year festive periods. Marina Bay Sands will continue to enliven the precinct by delivering an exhilarating line-up of world-class experiences, including Broadway hits Hamilton and Miss Saigon at Sands Theatre and The World of Studio Ghibli launching at ArtScience Museum from October, among others.

Marina Bay Sands’ Irene Lin said, “The Marina Bay precinct was enlivened in the first quarter of the year, with multiple partners coming together to bring greater vibrancy to the area and create a stellar experience for guests. This next partnership recognises that the precinct has limitless potential to compete on the world stage as a leading lifestyle and business destination. Our ongoing efforts to elevate Marina Bay Sands signal our commitment to enhance the Bay, and we look forward to working with our partners to create more compelling experiences over the long term.”

UOB’s Jacquelyn Tan said, “We are excited to extend this unique partnership to make the iconic Marina Bay precinct a must-visit destination for both locals and tourists. This unprecedented partnership is the latest in our array of innovative and pioneering entertainment propositions we have acquired for our eight million customers across ASEAN, who have over the past months enjoyed exclusive ticketing access to concerts and festivals featuring internationally-renowned artistes across different genres. We will further leverage our leadership position in the lifestyle space and our unparalleled footprint across the region, to bring more unforgettable retail, dining, travel and entertainment experiences to the precinct for our local and regional cardholders. We look forward to the next partnership with great anticipation, as the possibilities for the period ahead are truly endless.”

STB’s Kenneth Lim said, “We are excited to be embarking on the next Marina Bay precinct partnership with Marina Bay Sands and UOB. Building on the success of the pilot partnership, we look forward to collaborating with the wider Marina Bay precinct partners to curate exciting experiences for both locals and overseas visitors to enjoy. Through this partnership, we aim to inspire exploration of Singapore by promoting unique offerings and programming in the Marina Bay precinct, demonstrating our continued appeal as an attractive and vibrant destination.”

1 The campaign built on the marketing efforts of all three parties – STB’s Made in Singapore global brand campaign, Marina Bay Sands’ Bay Precinct Strategy, and UOB’s strategy to provide exclusive access to the best Travel, Shop, Dine and Entertainment events across ASEAN.

UOB data reveals women are powering spending with their rising affluence over last five years

Singapore Tourism Board, Marina Bay Sands & UOB partner to enliven Marina Bay precinct

About Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd

Marina Bay Sands is Asia’s leading business, leisure and entertainment destination. The integrated resort features Singapore’s largest hotel with approximately 1,850 luxurious rooms and suites, crowned by the spectacular Sands SkyPark and iconic infinity pool. Its stunning architecture and compelling programming, including state-of-the-art convention and exhibition facilities, Asia’s best luxury shopping mall, world-class dining and entertainment, as well as cutting-edge exhibitions at ArtScience Museum, have transformed the country’s skyline and tourism landscape since it opened in 2010.

Marina Bay Sands is dedicated to being a good corporate citizen to serve its people, communities and environment. As one of the largest players in hospitality, it employs more than 11,000 Team Members across the property. It drives social impact through its community engagement programme, Sands Cares, and leads environmental stewardship through its global sustainability programme, Sands ECO360.

For more information, please visit www.marinabaysands.com

About the Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore’s key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions.

More: www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com | Follow us: STB LinkedIn , STB Facebook or STB Instagram

About UOB UOB is a leading bank in Asia. Operating through its head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, UOB has a global network of around 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. Since its incorporation in 1935, UOB has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions. Today, UOB is rated among the world’s top banks: Aa1 by Moody’s Investors Service and AA- by both S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings.

For nearly nine decades, UOB has adopted a customer-centric approach to create long-term value by staying relevant through its enterprising spirit and doing right by its customers. UOB is focused on building the future of ASEAN – for the people and businesses within, and connecting with, ASEAN.

The Bank connects businesses to opportunities in the region with its unparalleled regional footprint and leverages data and insights to innovate and create personalised banking experiences and solutions catering to each customer’s unique needs and evolving preferences. UOB is also committed to forging a sustainable future through working with its stakeholders to create positive environmental impact, fostering social inclusiveness and pursuing economic progress. UOB believes in being a responsible financial services provider and is steadfast in its support of art, social development of children and education, doing right by its communities and stakeholders.

For media queries, please contact [email protected]  

UOB Newsroom

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