visitor vs tourist

Tourist Visa vs. Visitor Visa

What's the difference.

A tourist visa and a visitor visa are both types of visas that allow individuals to travel to a foreign country for a temporary period. However, there are some key differences between the two. A tourist visa is typically issued for the purpose of leisure travel, such as sightseeing, visiting friends or family, or engaging in recreational activities. On the other hand, a visitor visa is a broader category that encompasses various purposes, including tourism, business meetings, attending conferences, or receiving medical treatment. Additionally, tourist visas often have shorter validity periods and may restrict the duration of stay, while visitor visas can have longer validity periods and allow for extended stays. The specific requirements and application processes for these visas may vary depending on the country and its immigration policies.

Further Detail

Introduction.

When planning a trip abroad, it is essential to understand the different types of visas available. Two common visa options for travelers are the Tourist Visa and the Visitor Visa. While both visas allow individuals to enter a foreign country for a temporary period, they have distinct attributes that cater to specific travel purposes. In this article, we will explore the similarities and differences between these two visa types, helping you make an informed decision for your next international adventure.

Tourist Visa

A Tourist Visa is designed for individuals who plan to visit a foreign country for leisure, recreation, or tourism purposes. It allows travelers to explore the country's attractions, engage in sightseeing, and experience the local culture. Tourist Visas typically have a limited validity period, ranging from a few weeks to several months, depending on the destination country's regulations.

One of the key features of a Tourist Visa is that it prohibits individuals from engaging in any form of paid work or business activities during their stay. The primary intention is to ensure that tourists do not take away employment opportunities from the local population. However, travelers are usually allowed to participate in volunteer work or attend short-term educational courses that do not lead to formal qualifications.

Obtaining a Tourist Visa often requires providing proof of sufficient funds to cover the travel expenses, such as accommodation, transportation, and daily expenses. Additionally, applicants may need to demonstrate a return ticket or onward travel plans to prove their intention to leave the country before the visa expires. Some countries may also require travelers to have travel insurance to cover any potential medical expenses during their stay.

It is important to note that Tourist Visas do not grant individuals the right to reside or work in the foreign country for an extended period. If someone wishes to stay longer or engage in business activities, they may need to explore other visa options, such as a Business Visa or a Work Visa.

Visitor Visa

A Visitor Visa, also known as a Temporary Resident Visa or a Non-Immigrant Visa, is a broader category that encompasses various travel purposes, including tourism, business, medical treatment, or visiting family and friends. Unlike a Tourist Visa, a Visitor Visa allows individuals to engage in a wider range of activities during their stay, depending on the specific visa subclass and the regulations of the destination country.

Visitor Visas often have longer validity periods compared to Tourist Visas, allowing individuals to stay for several months or even years. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for individuals who plan to visit family members, pursue long-term medical treatments, or engage in business activities that require an extended presence in the foreign country.

Similar to Tourist Visas, Visitor Visas may require applicants to provide proof of sufficient funds to cover their stay, return or onward travel plans, and travel insurance. However, depending on the purpose of the visit, additional documentation may be necessary. For example, individuals applying for a Business Visitor Visa may need to provide an invitation letter from a business partner or a conference registration confirmation.

It is important to note that some countries have specific Visitor Visa subclasses tailored to different purposes. For instance, a Medical Treatment Visa may be required for individuals seeking specialized medical care abroad, while a Business Visitor Visa may be necessary for attending conferences, meetings, or exploring business opportunities. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the specific requirements and restrictions associated with the intended purpose of the visit.

While both Tourist Visas and Visitor Visas serve the purpose of temporary travel, there are several key differences between the two:

1. Permitted Activities

A Tourist Visa generally restricts individuals from engaging in any form of paid work or business activities. On the other hand, a Visitor Visa allows individuals to participate in a wider range of activities, such as attending business meetings, conferences, or seeking medical treatment. The specific activities permitted may vary depending on the purpose of the visit and the regulations of the destination country.

2. Validity Period

Tourist Visas typically have shorter validity periods compared to Visitor Visas. They are often issued for a specific duration, such as 30 days or 90 days, depending on the country's regulations. In contrast, Visitor Visas may have longer validity periods, ranging from several months to several years, allowing individuals to stay for an extended period based on their travel purpose.

3. Documentation Requirements

Both Tourist Visas and Visitor Visas require applicants to provide certain documentation to support their visa application. However, the specific requirements may vary. Tourist Visas usually require proof of sufficient funds, return or onward travel plans, and travel insurance. Visitor Visas may have additional requirements based on the purpose of the visit, such as invitation letters, conference registrations, or medical treatment documentation.

4. Travel Intent

The primary intention behind a Tourist Visa is leisure, recreation, and tourism. It is meant for individuals who plan to explore the country's attractions and experience the local culture. On the other hand, a Visitor Visa caters to a broader range of travel purposes, including business, medical treatment, or visiting family and friends. The travel intent plays a crucial role in determining the appropriate visa type for a specific trip.

5. Long-Term Stay

If someone intends to stay in a foreign country for an extended period, a Visitor Visa is usually the more suitable option. While Tourist Visas have limited validity periods, Visitor Visas may allow individuals to stay for several months or even years, depending on the specific visa subclass and the regulations of the destination country.

Choosing between a Tourist Visa and a Visitor Visa depends on the purpose of your travel and the activities you plan to engage in during your stay. If your primary intention is leisure, recreation, and tourism, a Tourist Visa would be the appropriate choice. However, if you require more flexibility to engage in business activities, seek medical treatment, or visit family and friends, a Visitor Visa would be more suitable.

It is crucial to thoroughly research the visa requirements and regulations of the destination country to ensure a smooth and hassle-free travel experience. Consulting with the respective embassy or consulate can provide you with accurate and up-to-date information regarding the specific visa types, documentation requirements, and permitted activities. By understanding the attributes of Tourist Visas and Visitor Visas, you can make an informed decision and embark on your international adventure with confidence.

Comparisons may contain inaccurate information about people, places, or facts. Please report any issues.

Tourist vs. Visitor — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Tourist and Visitor

Table of contents, key differences, comparison chart, economic impact, typical duration, compare with definitions, common curiosities, what defines a tourist, can a visitor be considered a tourist, do tourists always travel internationally, are all visitors to a country counted as tourists, can someone visiting family be considered a tourist, how do destinations cater to both tourists and visitors, what is the main difference between a tourist and a visitor, can the local culture influence the experience of tourists and visitors differently, can a business trip include tourism activities, what role do accommodations play in distinguishing between tourists and visitors, how do tourists impact local economies, is tourism always associated with positive impacts, how do travel restrictions affect tourists and visitors, what motivates someone to be a tourist rather than a visitor, do visitors need to follow the same regulations as tourists, share your discovery.

Author Spotlight

Popular Comparisons

Trending Comparisons

New Comparisons

Trending Terms

• Misspellings

Tourist vs. Visitor: Difference and Comparison

Difference Between Tourist and Visitor

Tourist vs. Visitor Comparison Chart

Economic impact, duration of stay, general/specific term, tourist vs. visitor definitions.

Tourist vs. Visitor Frequently Asked Questions

What is a visitor, can a visitor be someone visiting for business, what is a tourist, how do tourist and visitor differ in purpose, is every tourist a visitor, in which sectors is distinguishing between tourist and visitor crucial, can someone visiting their family be termed a tourist.

How do tourist and visitor impact the economy

Do tourists always stay in hotels.

Is the term visitor more general than tourist

Content Creators

Popular Comparisons

Trending Comparisons

New Comparisons

Travelling abroad can be an exciting experience, but it can also be a daunting task. One of the most important steps in planning your trip is to make sure you have the correct visa for your destination. Depending on where you are going, you may need to apply for either a tourist visa or a visitor visa. But what is the difference between these two types of visas? This blog post will explore the differences between tourist visas and visitor visas so that you can make sure you have the right one for your trip.

• 1 What Is A Tourist Visa?
• 2 What Is A Visitor Visa?
• 3 Requirements For Obtaining A Tourist Or Visitor Visa
• 4 Conclusion

What Is A Tourist Visa?

A tourist visa is a document issued by a foreign government that allows travellers to enter their country for tourism purposes. It typically allows travellers to stay in the country for up to three months, although some countries may allow longer stays. Tourist visas are usually valid for single or multiple entries, meaning that travellers can leave and re-enter the country during their stay. In order to obtain a tourist visa, travellers must provide evidence of their travel plans, such as hotel reservations and flight itineraries.

What Is A Visitor Visa?

A visitor visa is similar to a tourist visa in that it allows travellers to enter another country for tourism purposes. However, unlike a tourist visa, which typically has an expiration date after three months, a visitor visa is usually valid for longer periods of time—up to six months or even longer depending on the country’s regulations. Additionally, while tourist visas are usually issued on arrival at airports or other ports of entry, visitor visas must be applied for in advance from the foreign government’s embassy or consulate in your home country.

Requirements For Obtaining A Tourist Or Visitor Visa

The requirements for obtaining either type of visa vary from country to country, but there are some common elements that all applicants must fulfil:

• Proof of travel plans: Applicants must provide evidence of their travel plans such as hotel reservations and flight itineraries when applying for either type of visa.
• Financial documents: Applicants must also provide proof of sufficient funds to cover their expenses during their stay in the foreign country. This could include bank statements showing enough money available in savings accounts or credit cards with sufficient credit limits.
• Valid passport: All applicants must have a valid passport with at least six months validity remaining before its expiration date when applying for either type of visa.
• Health insurance: Some countries may require applicants to provide proof of health insurance coverage before they will issue either type of visa.
• Background check: Some countries may also require applicants to undergo background checks before they will issue either type of visa.

When planning your next international trip, it’s important to make sure you have the right type of visa so that you don’t run into any problems upon arrival at your destination. While both tourist visas and visitor visas allow travellers to visit foreign countries for tourism purposes, there are some key differences between them such as length of validity and application process requirements that should be taken into consideration when deciding which one is best suited for your needs.

SMA Solicitors offers a wide range of services to help you with your visa needs. We offer competitive rates and can tailor our representation to meet your specific needs. Contact us  today for more information.

Can I Get a Visa If I Buy Property in the UK?

Jun 13, 2024 | Blog

Buying property in the UK is an attractive prospect for many overseas investors. The stability of the UK property market, coupled with the country’s rich history and vibrant culture, makes it a desirable place to own real estate. However, a common question arises: can...

The Art of Civil Litigation: Navigating Legal Waters

Imagine finding yourself entangled in a legal dispute, unsure of the next step, and the stakes are high. Whether it’s a complex business conflict or a personal matter that’s escalated into a courtroom, civil litigation is the process where these issues are resolved....

Insights into the UK Deportation Process

Deportation refers to the legal process through which an individual is forcibly removed from the UK and returned to their country of origin or another country where they hold citizenship. It is a significant aspect of immigration enforcement and can be triggered by...

What is the difference between a visitor and a tourist?

When it comes to travel and exploring new places, the terms “visitor” and “tourist” are often used interchangeably. While they may appear similar on the surface, there are subtle differences between the two that can help us better understand the intentions and experiences of individuals who embark on journeys.

A visitor can be defined as someone who travels to a destination without necessarily having a specific purpose or itinerary in mind. It is a broader term that encompasses various types of travelers, including tourists. Visitors may be interested in immersing themselves in the local culture, connecting with locals, or exploring off-the-beaten-path locations. They seek experiences that go beyond simply sightseeing and want to engage with the destination at a deeper level. Visitors often have more flexibility in terms of their travel plans and stay longer in a place, allowing them to truly understand its essence.

On the other hand, a tourist is someone who travels to a destination with the primary goal of sightseeing and experiencing the popular attractions and landmarks. Tourists tend to follow guided itineraries, stay in tourist-centric accommodations, and engage in activities that are often advertised as tourist hotspots. Their focus is more on ticking off items from their bucket list and capturing iconic photographs rather than immersing themselves in the local culture. While tourists may spend a considerable amount of time in a destination, their approach to travel is often more structured and focused on hitting the major highlights.

FAQs about the difference between a visitor and a tourist:

1. can a visitor also be a tourist or vice versa.

Yes, a visitor can also be a tourist, and vice versa. The terms are not mutually exclusive, and many individuals who travel may exhibit traits of both visitors and tourists. It largely depends on the mindset and intentions of the traveler at a particular time.

2. Are tourists more interested in popular attractions and landmarks?

Yes, tourists typically prioritize visiting popular attractions and landmarks. They often have a limited time in a destination and want to make the most out of it by exploring the must-see sights. However, this doesn’t mean that tourists cannot engage with the local culture or explore lesser-known locations.

3. Do visitors have a deeper connection with the destination?

Visitors tend to have a deeper connection with the destination as they seek authentic experiences beyond the usual tourist spots. They are more likely to interact with locals, participate in community activities, and embrace the local way of life. This allows them to understand and appreciate the destination on a deeper level.

4. Are tourists focused on ticking off their travel bucket list?

Yes, tourists often have a travel bucket list that includes popular attractions and landmarks they wish to visit. Their travel plans are more structured, and their main goal is to check off items from their list. However, tourists can also engage in activities that are off the beaten path, depending on their interests.

5. Do visitors spend more time in a destination?

Yes, visitors generally spend more time in a destination compared to tourists. They have the luxury of time to explore and experience the place at a slower pace. Visitors often stay in a destination for an extended period, giving them the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local culture and truly understand the essence of the place.

6. Are visitors more likely to interact with locals?

Yes, visitors are more inclined to interact with locals as they seek authentic experiences and connections. They may engage in conversations, participate in local events, or even stay with locals through homestays or community-based tourism initiatives. This interaction allows visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the local culture and way of life.

7. Do tourists rely more on guided tours?

Yes, tourists often rely on guided tours to explore a destination. These tours provide them with a structured itinerary and knowledgeable guides who take them to the popular attractions. This allows tourists to make the most of their time and ensures they don’t miss out on the highlights.

8. Are visitors more likely to explore off-the-beaten-path locations?

Yes, visitors are more likely to explore off-the-beaten-path locations as they seek unique and lesser-known experiences. They might venture into local neighborhoods, hidden gems, or rural areas to discover the authentic essence of a destination. Visitors are open to exploring beyond the typical tourist spots.

9. Can a person transition from being a tourist to a visitor?

Yes, it is possible for a person to transition from being a tourist to a visitor during their trip. Initially, they might focus on ticking off the major attractions but later decide to immerse themselves in the local culture and explore more unconventional aspects of the destination. The transition depends on the traveler’s mindset and willingness to embrace new experiences.

10. Do tourists and visitors have a different impact on the local economy?

Both tourists and visitors can have a positive impact on the local economy, but their contributions may vary. Tourists typically spend more on accommodation, dining, and guided tours, directly benefiting the tourism industry. Visitors, on the other hand, may contribute to the local economy through their engagement with local businesses, such as buying from street vendors, supporting local artisans, or staying in community-based accommodations.

11. Are visitors more likely to return to a destination?

Visitors are more likely to return to a destination, as their travel approach is centered around building connections and experiencing the local culture. Their deeper connection with the place often results in a desire to revisit and further explore. Tourists, on the other hand, may be satisfied with checking off their bucket list and move on to new destinations.

12. Can a destination cater to both tourists and visitors?

Absolutely, a destination can cater to both tourists and visitors by offering a diverse range of experiences and attractions. It is crucial for a destination to strike a balance between popular tourist landmarks and authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences. This ensures that both tourists looking for iconic sights and visitors seeking cultural immersion can find what they are looking for.

About The Author

Abbie Jamieson

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Tourist vs. Visitor: Know the Difference

Key Differences

Comparison Chart

Purpose of visit, economic impact, typical destinations, tourist and visitor definitions, repeatedly asked queries, what activities do tourists typically engage in, do tourists always travel far, what defines a tourist, can a visitor be a tourist, are all visitors tourists, are tourists important for cultural exchange, do tourists contribute to the local economy, is a family member visiting a relative a visitor, do tourists always stay in hotels, can a visitor engage in tourist activities, are hospital patients considered visitors, can a visitor be a local resident, can a business traveler be a visitor, can a visitor stay for an extended period, are there different types of tourists, is tourism a significant industry globally, do tourists need special visas, can a visitor be someone attending a conference, why do people become tourists, is visiting a friend for a day considered a visitor, share this page.

Popular Comparisons

Trending Comparisons

Featured Comparisons

New Comparisons

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Un standards for measuring tourism, share this content.

• Share this article on facebook
• Share this article on twitter
• Share this article on linkedin

Glossary of tourism terms

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which involve tourism expenditure.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Activity/activities : In tourism statistics, the term activities represent the actions and behaviors of people in preparation for and during a trip in their capacity as consumers ( IRTS 2008, 1.2 ).

Activity (principal): The principal activity of a producer unit is the activity whose value added exceeds that of any other activity carried out within the same unit ( SNA 2008, 5.8 ).

Activity (productive): The (productive) activity carried out by a statistical unit is the type of production in which it engages. It has to be understood as a process, i.e. the combination of actions that result in a certain set of products. The classification of productive activities is determined by their principal output.

Administrative data : Administrative data is the set of units and data derived from an administrative source. This is a data holding information collected and maintained for the purpose of implementing one or more administrative regulations.

Adventure tourism : Adventure tourism is a type of tourism which usually takes place in destinations with specific geographic features and landscape and tends to be associated with a physical activity, cultural exchange, interaction and engagement with nature. This experience may involve some kind of real or perceived risk and may require significant physical and/or mental effort. Adventure tourism generally includes outdoor activities such as mountaineering, trekking, bungee jumping, rock climbing, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, canyoning, mountain biking, bush walking, scuba diving. Likewise, some indoor adventure tourism activities may also be practiced.

Aggregated data : The result of transforming unit level data into quantitative measures for a set of characteristics of a population.

Aggregation : A process that transforms microdata into aggregate-level information by using an aggregation function such as count, sum average, standard deviation, etc.

Analytical unit : Entity created by statisticians, by splitting or combining observation units with the help of estimations and imputations.

Balance of payments : The balance of payments is a statistical statement that summarizes transactions between residents and non-residents during a period. It consists of the goods and services account, the primary income account, the secondary income account, the capital account, and the financial account ( BPM6, 2.12 ).

Bias : An effect which deprives a statistical result of representativeness by systematically distorting it, as distinct from a random error which may distort on any one occasion but balances out on the average.

Business and professional purpose (of a tourism trip): The business and professional purpose of a tourism trip includes the activities of the self-employed and employees, as long as they do not correspond to an implicit or explicit employer-employee relationship with a resident producer in the country or place visited, those of investors, businessmen, etc. ( IRTS 2008, 3.17.2 ).

Business tourism : Business tourism is a type of tourism activity in which visitors travel for a specific professional and/or business purpose to a place outside their workplace and residence with the aim of attending a meeting, an activity or an event. The key components of business tourism are meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. The term "meetings industry" within the context of business tourism recognizes the industrial nature of such activities. Business tourism can be combined with any other tourism type during the same trip.

Business visitor : A business visitor is a visitor whose main purpose for a tourism trip corresponds to the business and professional category of purpose ( IRTS 2008, 3.17.2 ).

Central Product Classification : The Central Product Classification (CPC) constitutes a complete product classification covering goods and services. It is intended to serve as an international standard for assembling and tabulating all kinds of data requiring product detail, including industrial production, national accounts, service industries, domestic and foreign commodity trade, international trade in services, balance of payments, consumption and price statistics. Other basic aims are to provide a framework for international comparison and promote harmonization of various types of statistics dealing with goods and services.

Census : A census is the complete enumeration of a population or groups at a point in time with respect to well defined characteristics: for example, Population, Production, Traffic on particular roads.

Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism : Coastal tourism refers to land-based tourism activities such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing and other coastal leisure, recreation and sports activities which take place on the shore of a sea, lake or river. Proximity to the coast is also a condition for services and facilities that support coastal tourism. Maritime tourism refers to sea-based activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports and includes their respective land-based services and infrastructure. Inland water tourism refers to tourism activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports which take place in aquatic- influenced environments located within land boundaries and include lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, groundwater, springs, cave waters and others traditionally grouped as inland wetlands.

Coherence : Adequacy of statistics to be combined in different ways and for various uses.

Competitiveness of a tourism destination : The competitiveness of a tourism destination is the ability of the destination to use its natural, cultural, human, man-made and capital resources efficiently to develop and deliver quality, innovative, ethical and attractive tourism products and services in order to achieve a sustainable growth within its overall vision and strategic goals, increase the added value of the tourism sector, improve and diversify its market components and optimize its attractiveness and benefits both for visitors and the local community in a sustainable perspective.

Consistency : Logical and numerical coherence.

Country of reference : The country of reference refers to the country for which the measurement is done. ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Country of residence : The country of residence of a household is determined according to the centre of predominant economic interest of its members. If a person resides (or intends to reside) for more than one year in a given country and has there his/her centre of economic interest (for example, where the predominant amount of time is spent), he/she is considered as a resident of this country.

Country-specific tourism characteristic products and activities : To be determined by each country by applying the criteria of IRTS 2008, 5.10 in their own context; for these products, the activities producing them will be considered as tourism characteristic, and the industries in which the principal activity is tourism-characteristic will be called tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 5.16 ).

Cultural tourism : Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions.

Data checking : Activity whereby the correctness conditions of the data are verified. It also includes the specification of the type of error or of the condition not met, and the qualification of the data and their division into "error-free data" and "erroneous data".

Data collection : Systematic process of gathering data for official statistics.

Data compilation : Operations performed on data to derive new information according to a given set of rules.

Data confrontation : The process of comparing data that has generally been derived from different surveys or other sources, especially those of different frequencies, in order to assess and possibly improve their coherency, and identify the reasons for any differences.

Data processing : Data processing is the operation performed on data by the organization, institute, agency, etc., responsible for undertaking the collection, tabulation, manipulation and preparation of data and metadata output.

Data reconciliation : The process of adjusting data derived from two different sources to remove, or at least reduce, the impact of differences identified.

Destination (main destination of a trip): The main destination of a tourism trip is defined as the place visited that is central to the decision to take the trip. See also purpose of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.31 ).

Destination management / marketing organization (DMO) : A destination management/marketing organization (DMO) is the leading organizational entity which may encompass the various authorities, stakeholders and professionals and facilitates tourism sector partnerships towards a collective destination vision. The governance structures of DMOs vary from a single public authority to a public/ private partnership model with the key role of initiating, coordinating and managing certain activities such as implementation of tourism policies, strategic planning, product development, promotion and marketing and convention bureau activities. The functions of the DMOs may vary from national to regional and local levels depending on the current and potential needs as well as on the decentralization level of public administration. Not every tourism destination has a DMO.

Documentation: Processes and procedures for imputation,  weighting,  confidentiality  and suppression rules, outlier treatment and data capture should be fully documented by the  survey provider.  Such documentation should be made available to at least  the body financing the survey.

Domestic tourism : Domestic tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor within the country of reference, either as part of a domestic tourism trip or part of an outbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Domestic tourism consumption : Domestic tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Domestic tourism expenditure : Domestic tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor within the economy of reference, (IRTS 2008, 4.15(a)).

Domestic tourism trip : A domestic tourism trip is one with a main destination within the country of residence of the visitor (IRTS 2008, 2.32).

Domestic visitor : As a visitor travels within his/her country of residence, he/she is a domestic visitor and his/her activities are part of domestic tourism.

Durable consumer goods : Durable consumer goods are goods that may be used repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more, assuming a normal or average rate of physical usage. When acquired by producers, these are considered to be capital goods used for production processes, as is the case of vehicles, computers, etc. When acquired by households, they are considered to be consumer durable goods ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.39 ). This definition is identical to the definition of SNA 2008, 9.42 : A consumer durable is a goodthat may be used for purposes of consumption repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more.

Dwellings : Each household has a principal dwelling (sometimes also designated as main or primary home), usually defined with reference to time spent there, whose location defines the country of residence and place of usual residence of this household and of all its members. All other dwellings (owned or leased by the household) are considered secondary dwellings ( IRTS 2008, 2.26 ).

Ecotourism : Ecotourism is a type of nature-based tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to observe, learn, discover, experience and appreciate biological and cultural diversity with a responsible attitude to protect the integrity of the ecosystem and enhance the well-being of the local community. Ecotourism increases awareness towards the conservation of biodiversity, natural environment and cultural assets both among locals and the visitors and requires special management processes to minimize the negative impact on the ecosystem.

Economic analysis : Tourism generates directly and indirectly an increase in economic activity in the places visited (and beyond), mainly due to demand for goods and services thatneed to be produced and provided. In the economic analysis of tourism, one may distinguish between tourism's 'economic contribution' which refers to the direct effect of tourism and is measurable by means of the TSA, and tourism's 'economic impact' which is a much broader concept encapsulating the direct, indirect and induced effects of tourism and which must be estimated by applying models. Economic impact studies aim to quantify economic benefits, that is, the net increase in the wealth of residents resulting from tourism, measured in monetary terms, over and above the levels that would prevail in its absence.

Economic territory : The term "economic territory" is a geographical reference and points to the country for which the measurement is done (country of reference) ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Economically active population : The economically active population or labour force comprises all persons of either sex who furnish the supply of labour for the production of goods and services as defined by the system of national accounts during a specified time-reference period (ILO, Thirteenth ICLS, 6.18).

Economy (of reference): "Economy" (or "economy of reference") is an economic reference defined in the same way as in the balance of payments and in the system of national accounts: it refers to the economic agents that are resident in the country of reference ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Education tourism : Education tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation the tourist's engagement and experience in learning, self-improvement, intellectual growth and skills development. Education Tourism represents a broad range of products and services related to academic studies, skill enhancement holidays, school trips, sports training, career development courses and language courses, among others.

Employees : Employees are all those workers who hold the type of job defined as "paid employment" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employer-employee relationship : An employer-employee relationship exists when there is an agreement, which may be formal or informal, between an entity and an individual, normally entered into voluntarily by both parties, whereby the individual works for the entity in return for remuneration in cash or in kind ( BPM6, 11.11 ).

Employers : Employers are those workers who, working on their own account with one or more partners, hold the type of job defined as a "self-employment job" and, in this capacity, on a continuous basis (including the reference period) have engaged one or more persons to work for them in their business as "employee(s)" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employment : Persons in employment are all persons above a specified age who, during a specified brief period, either one week or one day, were in paid employment or self-employment (OECD GST, p. 170).

Employment in tourism industries : Employment in tourism industries may be measured as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in any of their jobs, as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in their main job, or as a count of the jobs in tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 7.9 ).

Enterprise : An enterprise is an institutional unit engaged in production of goods and/or services. It may be a corporation, a non-profit institution, or an unincorporated enterprise. Corporate enterprises and non-profit institutions are complete institutional units. An unincorporated enterprise, however, refers to an institutional unit —a household or government unit —only in its capacity as a producer of goods and services (OECD BD4, p. 232)

Establishment : An establishment is an enterprise, or part of an enterprise, that is situated in a single location and in which only a single productive activity is carried out or in which the principal productive activity accounts for most of the value added ( SNA 2008, 5.14 ).

Estimation : Estimation is concerned with inference about the numerical value of unknown population values from incomplete data such as a sample. If a single figure is calculated for each unknown parameter the process is called "point estimation". If an interval is calculated within which the parameter is likely, in some sense, to lie, the process is called "interval estimation".

Exports of goods and services : Exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, or gifts or grants, of goods and services from residents to non-residents (OECD GST, p. 194)

Frame : A list, map or other specification of the units which define a population to be completely enumerated or sampled.

Forms of tourism : There are three basic forms of tourism: domestic tourism, inbound tourism, and outbound tourism. These can be combined in various ways to derive the following additional forms of tourism: internal tourism, national tourism and international tourism.

Gastronomy tourism :  Gastronomy tourism is a type of tourism activity which is characterized by the visitor's experience linked with food and related products and activities while travelling. Along with authentic, traditional, and/or innovative culinary experiences, Gastronomy Tourism may also involve other related activities such as visiting the local producers, participating in food festivals and attending cooking classes. Eno-tourism (wine tourism), as a sub-type of gastronomy tourism, refers to tourism whose purpose is visiting vineyards, wineries, tasting, consuming and/or purchasing wine, often at or near the source.

Goods : Goods are physical, produced objects for which a demand exists, over which ownership rights can be established and whose ownership can be transferred from one institutional unit to another by engaging in transactions on markets ( SNA 2008, p. 623 ).

Gross fixed capital formation : Gross fixed capital formation is defined as the value of institutional units' acquisitions less disposals of fixed assets. Fixed assets are produced assets (such as machinery, equipment, buildings or other structures) that are used repeatedly or continuously in production over several accounting periods (more than one year) ( SNA 2008, 1.52 ).

Gross margin : The gross margin of a provider of reservation services is the difference between the value at which the intermediated service is sold and the value accrued to the provider of reservation services for this intermediated service.

Gross value added : Gross value added is the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 3.32 ).

Gross value added of tourism industries : Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI) is the total gross value added of all establishments belonging to tourism industries, regardless of whether all their output is provided to visitors and the degree of specialization of their production process ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.86 ).

Grossing up : Activity aimed at transforming, based on statistical methodology, micro-data from samples into aggregate-level information representative of the target population.

Health tourism : Health tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation, the contribution to physical, mental and/or spiritual health through medical and wellness-based activities which increase the capacity of individuals to satisfy their own needs and function better as individuals in their environment and society. Health tourism is the umbrella term for the subtypes wellness tourism and medical tourism.

Imputation : Procedure for entering a value for a specific data item where the response is missing or unusable.

Inbound tourism : Inbound tourism comprises the activities of a non-resident visitor within the country of reference on an inbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Inbound tourism consumption : Inbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Inbound tourism expenditure : Inbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(b) ).

Innovation in tourism : Innovation in tourism is the introduction of a new or improved component which intends to bring tangible and intangible benefits to tourism stakeholders and the local community, improve the value of the tourism experience and the core competencies of the tourism sector and hence enhance tourism competitiveness and /or sustainability. Innovation in tourism may cover potential areas, such as tourism destinations, tourism products, technology, processes, organizations and business models, skills, architecture, services, tools and/or practices for management, marketing, communication, operation, quality assurance and pricing.

Institutional sector : An aggregation of institutional units on the basis of the type of producer and depending on their principal activity and function, which are considered to be indicative of their economic behaviour.

Institutional unit : The elementary economic decision-making centre characterised by uniformity of behaviour and decision-making autonomy in the exercise of its principal function.

Intermediate consumption : Intermediate consumption consists of the value of the goods and services consumed as inputs by a process of production, excluding fixed assets whose consumption is recorded as consumption of fixed capital ( SNA 2008, 6.213 ).

Internal tourism : Internal tourism comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident and non-resident visitors within the country of reference as part of domestic or international tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(a) ).

Internal tourism consumption : Internal tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of both resident and non-resident visitors within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and inbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Internal tourism expenditure : Internal tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of visitors, both resident and non-resident, within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and inbound tourism expenditure. It includes acquisition of goods and services imported into the country of reference and sold to visitors. This indicator provides the most comprehensive measurement of tourism expenditure in the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(a) ).

International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities : The International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) consists of a coherent and consistent classification structure of economic activities based on a set of internationally agreed concepts, definitions, principles and classification rules. It provides a comprehensive framework within which economic data can be collected and reported in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking. The classification structure represents a standard format to organize detailed information about the state of an economy according to economic principles and perceptions (ISIC, Rev.4, 1).

International tourism : International tourism comprises inbound tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips and the activities of non-resident visitors within the country of reference on inbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(c) ).

International visitor : An international traveller qualifies as an international visitor with respect to the country of reference if: (a) he/she is on a tourism trip and (b) he/she is a non-resident travelling in the country of reference or a resident travelling outside of it ( IRTS 2008, 2.42 ).

Job : The agreement between an employee and the employer defines a job and each self-employed person has a job ( SNA 2008, 19.30 ).

Measurement error : Error in reading, calculating or recording numerical value.

Medical tourism : Medical tourism is a type of tourism activity which involves the use of evidence-based medical healing resources and services (both invasive and non-invasive). This may include diagnosis, treatment, cure, prevention and rehabilitation.

Meetings industry : To highlight purposes relevant to the meetings industry, if a trip's main purpose is business/professional, it can be further subdivided into "attending meetings, conferences or congresses, trade fairs and exhibitions" and "other business and professional purposes". The term meetings industry is preferred by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Reed Travel over the acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) which does not recognize the industrial nature of such activities.

Metadata : Data that defines and describes other data and processes.

MICE : See meetings industry.

Microdata : Non-aggregated observations, or measurements of characteristics of individual units.

Mirror statistics : Mirror statistics are used to conduct bilateral comparisons of two basic measures of a trade flow and are a traditional tool for detecting the causes of asymmetries in statistics (OECD GST, p. 335).

Mountain tourism : Mountain tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in a defined and limited geographical space such as hills or mountains with distinctive characteristics and attributes that are inherent to a specific landscape, topography, climate, biodiversity (flora and fauna) and local community. It encompasses a broad range of outdoor leisure and sports activities.

National tourism : National tourism comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors within and outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(b) ).

National tourism consumption : National tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of resident visitors, within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and outbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

National tourism expenditure : National tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of resident visitors within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and outbound tourism expenditure ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(b) ).

Nationality : The concept of "country of residence" of a traveller is different from that of his/her nationality or citizenship ( IRTS 2008, 2.19 ).

Non-monetary indicators : Data measured in physical or other non-monetary units should not be considered a secondary part of a satellite account. They are essential components, both for the information they provide directly and in order to analyse the monetary data adequately ( SNA 2008, 29.84 ).

Observation unit : entity on which information is received and statistics are compiled.

Outbound tourism : Outbound tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor outside the country of reference, either as part of an outbound tourism trip or as part of a domestic tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39(c) ).

Outbound tourism consumption : Outbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Outbound tourism expenditure : Outbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(c) ).

Output : Output is defined as the goods and services produced by an establishment, a) excluding the value of any goods and services used in an activity for which the establishment does not assume the risk of using the products in production, and b) excluding the value of goods and services consumed by the same establishment except for goods and services used for capital formation (fixed capital or changes in inventories) or own final consumption ( SNA 2008, 6.89 ).

Output (main): The main output of a (productive) activity should be determined by reference to the value added of the goods sold or services rendered (ISIC rev.4, 114).

Pilot survey : The aim of a pilot survey is to test the questionnaire (pertinence of the questions, understanding of questions by those being interviewed, duration of the interview) and to check various potential sources for sampling and non-sampling errors: for instance, the place in which the surveys are carried out and the method used, the identification of any omitted answers and the reason for the omission, problems of communicating in various languages, translation, the mechanics of data collection, the organization of field work, etc.

Place of usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides, and is defined by the location of his/her principal dwelling (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.20 to 2.24).

Probability sample : A sample selected by a method based on the theory of probability (random process), that is, by a method involving knowledge of the likelihood of any unit being selected.

Production account : The production account records the activity of producing goods and services as defined within the SNA. Its balancing item, gross value added, is defined as the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption and is a measure of the contribution to GDP made by an individual producer, industry or sector. Gross value added is the source from which the primary incomes of the SNA are generated and is therefore carried forward into the primary distribution of income account. Value added and GDP may also be measured net by deducting consumption of fixed capital, a figure representing the decline in value during the period of the fixed capital used in a production process ( SNA 2008, 1.17 ).

Production : Economic production may be defined as an activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses inputs of labour, capital, and goods and services to produce outputs of goods or services ( SNA 2008, 6.24. ).

Purpose of a tourism trip (main): The main purpose of a tourism trip is defined as the purpose in the absence of which the trip would not have taken place ( IRTS 2008, 3.10. ). Classification of tourism trips according to the main purpose refers to nine categories: this typology allows the identification of different subsets of visitors (business visitors, transit visitors, etc.) See also destination of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 3.14 ).

Quality of a tourism destination : Quality of a tourism destination is the result of a process which implies the satisfaction of all tourism product and service needs, requirements and expectations of the consumer at an acceptable price, in conformity with mutually accepted contractual conditions and the implicit underlying factors such as safety and security, hygiene, accessibility, communication, infrastructure and public amenities and services. It also involves aspects of ethics, transparency and respect towards the human, natural and cultural environment. Quality, as one of the key drivers of tourism competitiveness, is also a professional tool for organizational, operational and perception purposes for tourism suppliers.

Questionnaire and Questionnaire design : Questionnaire is a group or sequence of questions designed to elicit information on a subject, or sequence of subjects, from a reporting unit or from another producer of official statistics. Questionnaire design is the design (text, order, and conditions for skipping) of the questions used to obtain the data needed for the survey.

Reference period : The period of time or point in time to which the measured observation is intended to refer.

Relevance : The degree to which statistics meet current and potential users' needs.

Reliability : Closeness of the initial estimated value to the subsequent estimated value.

Reporting unit : Unit that supplies the data for a given survey instance, like a questionnaire or interview. Reporting units may, or may not, be the same as the observation unit.

Residents/non-residents : The residents of a country are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located in its economic territory. For a country, the non-residents are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located outside its economic territory.

Response and non-response : Response and non-response to various elements of a survey entail potential errors.

Response error : Response errors may be defined as those arising from the interviewing process. Such errors may be due to a number of circumstances, such as inadequate concepts or questions; inadequate training; interviewer failures; respondent failures.

Rural tourism : Rural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle / culture, angling and sightseeing. Rural tourism activities take place in non-urban (rural) areas with the following characteristics:

• Low population density;
• Landscape and land-use dominated by agriculture and forestry; and
• Traditional social structure and lifestyle

Same-day visitor (or excursionist): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Sample : A subset of a frame where elements are selected based on a process with a known probability of selection.

Sample survey : A survey which is carried out using a sampling method.

Sampling error : That part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated.

Satellite accounts : There are two types of satellite accounts, serving two different functions. The first type, sometimes called an internal satellite, takes the full set of accounting rules and conventions of the SNA but focuses on a particular aspect of interest by moving away from the standard classifications and hierarchies. Examples are tourism, coffee production and environmental protection expenditure. The second type, called an external satellite, may add non-economic data or vary some of the accounting conventions or both. It is a particularly suitable way to explore new areas in a research context. An example may be the role of volunteer labour in the economy ( SNA 2008, 29.85 ).

SDMX, Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange : Set of technical standards and content-oriented guidelines, together with an IT architecture and tools, to be used for the efficient exchange and sharing of statistical data and metadata (SDMX).

Seasonal adjustment : Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique to remove the effects of seasonal calendar influences on a series. Seasonal effects usually reflect the influence of the seasons themselves, either directly or through production series related to them, or social conventions. Other types of calendar variation occur as a result of influences such as number of days in the calendar period, the accounting or recording practices adopted or the incidence of moving holidays.

Self-employment job : Self-employment jobs are those jobs where remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits (or the potential of profits) derived from the goods or services produced.

Self-employed with paid employees : Self-employed with paid employees are classified as employers.

Self-employed without employees : Self-employed without employees are classified as own-account workers.

Services : Services are the result of a production activity that changes the conditions of the consuming units, or facilitates the exchange of products or financial assets. They cannot be traded separately from their production. By the time their production is completed, they must have been provided to the consumers ( SNA 2008, 6.17 ).

Social transfers in kind : A special case of transfers in kind is that of social transfers in kind. These consist of goods and services provided by general government and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISHs) that are delivered to individual households. Health and education services are the prime examples. Rather than provide a specified amount of money to be used to purchase medical and educational services, the services are often provided in kind to make sure that the need for the services is met. (Sometimes the recipient purchases the service and is reimbursed by the insurance or assistance scheme. Such a transaction is still treated as being in kind because the recipient is merely acting as the agent of the insurance scheme) (SNA 2008, 3.83).

Sports tourism : Sports tourism is a type of tourism activity which refers to the travel experience of the tourist who either observes as a spectator or actively participates in a sporting event generally involving commercial and non-commercial activities of a competitive nature.

Standard classification : Classifications that follow prescribed rules and are generally recommended and accepted.

Statistical error : The unknown difference between the retained value and the true value.

Statistical indicator : A data element that represents statistical data for a specified time, place, and other characteristics, and is corrected for at least one dimension (usually size) to allow for meaningful comparisons.

Statistical metadata : Data about statistical data.

Statistical unit : Entity about which information is sought and about which statistics are compiled. Statistical units may be identifiable legal or physical entities or statistical constructs.

Survey : An investigation about the characteristics of a given population by means of collecting data from a sample of that population and estimating their characteristics through the systematic use of statistical methodology.

System of National Accounts : The System of National Accounts (SNA) is the internationally agreed standard set of recommendations on how to compile measures of economic activity in accordance with strict accounting conventions based on economic principles. The recommendations are expressed in terms of a set of concepts, definitions, classifications and accounting rules that comprise the internationally agreed standard for measuring indicators of economic performance. The accounting framework of the SNA allows economic data to be compiled and presented in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking ( SNA 2008, 1.1 ).

Total tourism internal demand : Total tourism internal demand, is the sum of internal tourism consumption, tourism gross fixed capital formation and tourism collective consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.114 ). It does not include outbound tourism consumption.

Tourism : Tourism refers to the activity of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ).

Tourism characteristic activities : Tourism characteristic activities are the activities that typically produce tourism characteristic products. As the industrial origin of a product (the ISIC industry that produces it) is not a criterion for the aggregation of products within a similar CPC category, there is no strict one-to-one relationship between products and the industries producing them as their principal outputs ( IRTS 2008, 5.11 ).

Tourism characteristic products : Tourism characteristic products are those that satisfy one or both of the following criteria: a) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share total tourism expenditure (share-of-expenditure/demand condition); b) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share of the supply of the product in the economy (share-of-supply condition). This criterion implies that the supply of a tourism characteristic product would cease to exist in meaningful quantity in the absence of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 5.10 ).

Tourism connected products : Their significance within tourism analysis for the economy of reference is recognized although their link to tourism is very limited worldwide. Consequently, lists of such products will be country-specific ( IRTS 2008, 5.12 ).

Tourism consumption : Tourism consumption has the same formal definition as tourism expenditure. Nevertheless, the concept of tourism consumption used in the Tourism Satellite Account goes beyond that of tourism expenditure. Besides the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips, which corresponds to monetary transactions (the focus of tourism expenditure), it also includes services associated with vacation accommodation on own account, tourism social transfers in kind and other imputed consumption. These transactions need to be estimated using sources different from information collected directly from the visitors, such as reports on home exchanges, estimations of rents associated with vacation homes, calculations of financial intermediation services indirectly measured (FISIM), etc. ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.25 ).

Tourism destination : A tourism destination is a physical space with or without administrative and/or analytical boundaries in which a visitor can spend an overnight. It is the cluster (co-location) of products and services, and of activities and experiences along the tourism value chain and a basic unit of analysis of tourism. A destination incorporates various stakeholders and can network to form larger destinations. It is also intangible with its image and identity which may influence its market competitiveness.

Tourism direct gross domestic product : Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP) is the sum of the part of gross value added (at basic prices) generated by all industries in response to internal tourism consumption plus the amount of net taxes on products and imports included within the value of this expenditure at purchasers' prices ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.96 ).

Tourism direct gross value added : Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) is the part of gross value added generated by tourism industries and other industries of the economy that directly serve visitors in response to internal tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.88 ).

Tourism expenditure : Tourism expenditure refers to the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables, for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips. It includes expenditures by visitors themselves, as well as expenses that are paid for or reimbursed by others ( IRTS 2008, 4.2 ).

Tourism industries : The tourism industries comprise all establishments for which the principal activity is a tourism characteristic activity. Tourism industries (also referred to as tourism activities) are the activities that typically producetourism characteristic products. The term tourism industries is equivalent to tourism characteristic activities and the two terms are sometimes used synonymously in the IRTS 2008, 5.10, 5.11 and figure 5.1 .

Tourism product : A tourism product is a combination of tangible and intangible elements, such as natural, cultural and man-made resources, attractions, facilities, services and activities around a specific center of interest which represents the core of the destination marketing mix and creates an overall visitor experience including emotional aspects for the potential customers. A tourism product is priced and sold through distribution channels and it has a life-cycle.

Tourism ratio : For each variable of supply in the Tourism Satellite Account, the tourism ratiois the ratio between the total value of tourism share and total value of the corresponding variable in the Tourism Satellite Account expressed in percentage form ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.56 ). (See also Tourism share).

Tourism Satellite Account : The Tourism Satellite Account is the second international standard on tourism statistics (Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework 2008 –TSA:RMF 2008) that has been developed in order to present economic data relative to tourism within a framework of internal and external consistency with the rest of the statistical system through its link to the System of National Accounts. It is the basic reconciliation framework of tourism statistics. As a statistical tool for the economic accounting of tourism, the TSA can be seen as a set of 10 summary tables, each with their underlying data and representing a different aspect of the economic data relative to tourism: inbound, domestic tourism and outbound tourism expenditure, internal tourism expenditure, production accounts of tourism industries, the Gross Value Added (GVA) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) attributable to tourism demand, employment, investment, government consumption, and non-monetary indicators.

Tourism Satellite Account aggregates : The compilation of the following aggregates, which represent a set of relevant indicators of the size of tourism in an economy is recommended ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.81 ):

• Internal tourism expenditure;
• Internal tourism consumption;
• Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI);
• Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA);
• Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP).

Tourism sector : The tourism sector, as contemplated in the TSA, is the cluster of production units in different industries that provide consumption goods and services demanded by visitors. Such industries are called tourism industries because visitor acquisition represents such a significant share of their supply that, in the absence of visitors, their production of these would cease to exist in meaningful quantity.

Tourism share : Tourism share is the share of the corresponding fraction of internal tourism consumption in each component of supply ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.51 ). For each industry, the tourism share of output (in value), is the sum of the tourism share corresponding to each product component of its output ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.55 ). (See also Tourism ratio ).

Tourism single-purpose consumer durable goods : Tourism single-purpose consumer durables is a specific category of consumer durable goods that include durable goods that are used exclusively, or almost exclusively, by individuals while on tourism trips ( TSA:RMF 2008 , 2.41 and Annex 5 ).

Tourism trip : Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.29 ).

Tourist (or overnight visitor): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Tourism value chain : The tourism value chain is the sequence of primary and support activities which are strategically fundamental for the performance of the tourism sector. Linked processes such as policy making and integrated planning, product development and packaging, promotion and marketing, distribution and sales and destination operations and services are the key primary activities of the tourism value chain. Support activities involve transport and infrastructure, human resource development, technology and systems development and other complementary goods and services which may not be related to core tourism businesses but have a high impact on the value of tourism.

Travel / traveller : Travel refers to the activity of travellers. A traveller is someone who moves between different geographic locations, for any purpose and any duration ( IRTS 2008, 2.4 ). The visitor is a particular type of traveller and consequently tourism is a subset of travel.

Travel group : A travel group is made up of individuals or travel parties travelling together: examples are people travelling on the same package tour or youngsters attending a summer camp ( IRTS 2008, 3.5 ).

Travel item (in balance of payments): Travel is an item of the goods and services account of the balance of payments: travel credits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from an economy by non-residents during visits to that economy. Travel debits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from other economies by residents during visits to other economies ( BPM6, 10.86 ).

Travel party : A travel party is defined as visitors travelling together on a trip and whose expenditures are pooled ( IRTS 2008, 3.2 ).

Trip : A trip refers to the travel by a person from the time of departure from his/her usual residence until he/she returns: it thus refers to a round trip. Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips.

Urban/city tourism : Urban/city tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in an urban space with its inherent attributes characterized by non-agricultural based economy such as administration, manufacturing, trade and services and by being nodal points of transport. Urban/city destinations offer a broad and heterogeneous range of cultural, architectural, technological, social and natural experiences and products for leisure and business.

Usual environment: The usual environment of an individual, a key concept in tourism, is defined as the geographical area (though not necessarily a contiguous one) within which an individual conducts his/her regular life routines ( IRTS 2008, 2.21 ).

Usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.16 to 2.18).

Vacation home : A vacation home (sometimes also designated as a holiday home) is a secondary dwelling that is visited by the members of the household mostly for purposes of recreation, vacation or any other form of leisure ( IRTS 2008, 2.27 ).

Valuables : Valuables are produced goods of considerable value that are not used primarily for purposes of production or consumption but are held as stores of value over time ( SNA 2008, 10.13 ).

Visit : A trip is made up of visits to different places.The term "tourism visit" refers to a stay in a place visited during a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.7 and 2.33 ).

Visitor : A visitor is a traveller taking a trip to a main destination outside his/her usual environment, for less than a year, for any main purpose (business, leisure or other personal purpose) other than to be employed by a resident entity in the country or place visited ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ). A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Wellness tourism : Wellness tourism is a type of tourism activity which aims to improve and balance all of the main domains of human life including physical, mental, emotional, occupational, intellectual and spiritual. The primary motivation for the wellness tourist is to engage in preventive, proactive, lifestyle-enhancing activities such as fitness, healthy eating, relaxation, pampering and healing treatments.

• Remember me Not recommended on shared computers

Forgot your password?

Or sign in with one of these services

• US Immigration & Visa Guides

US Visitor Visa Guide: Business, Pleasure, Tourist, Medical Treatment

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), for tourism (visa category B-2), or for a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).

Here are some examples of activities permitted with a visitor visa:

Business (B-1):

• Consult with business associates
• Attend a scientific, educational, professional, or business convention or conference
• Settle an estate
• Negotiate a contract

Business (B-2):

• Vacation (holiday)
• Visit with friends or relatives
• Medical treatment
• Participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations
• Participation by amateurs in musical, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating
• Enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree (for example, a two-day cooking class while on vacation)

Travel Purposes Not Allowed on Visitor Visas:

• Paid performances, or any professional performance before a paying audience
• Arrival as a crewmember on a ship or aircraft
• Work as foreign press, in radio, film, print journalism, or other information media
• Permanent residence in the United States

How to Apply

There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary by U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Please consult the instructions on the  U.S. Embassy or Consulate website .

Complete the Online Visa Application

• Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application,   Form DS-160   –   Learn more   about completing the   DS-160 . You must: 1) complete the online visa application and 2) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
• Photo   – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must be in the format explained in the   Photograph Requirements .

Schedule an Interview

Interviews are generally required for visa applicants with certain limited exceptions below. Consular officers may require an interview of any visa applicant.

You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the  U.S. Embassy or Consulate  in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live. 

Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply for your visa early. Review the interview wait time for the location where you will apply: 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html

Prepare for Your Interview

• Fees - Pay the non-refundable visa application fee , if you are required to pay it before your interview. If your visa is approved, you may also need to pay a visa issuance fee, if applicable to your nationality. Fee information is provided here:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fees/fees-visa-services.html
• Review the instructions available on the website of the  U.S. Embassy or Consulate  where you will apply to learn more about fee payment.

Gather Required Documentation

Gather and prepare the following required documents before your visa interview:

• Passport   valid for travel to the United States – Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by   country-specific agreements ). Each individual who needs a visa must submit a separate application, including any family members listed in your passport.
• Nonimmigrant Visa Application,   Form DS-160   confirmation page.
• Application fee payment receipt,   if you are required to pay before your interview.
• Photo   – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. If the   photo upload fails,   you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the   Photograph Requirements .

Additional Documentation May Be Required

Review the instructions for how to apply for a visa on the website of the   U.S. Embassy or Consulate   where you will apply. Additional documents may be requested to establish if you are qualified. For example, additional requested documents may include evidence of:

• The purpose of your trip,
• Your intent to depart the United States after your trip, and/or
• Your ability to pay all costs of the trip.   

Evidence of your employment and/or your family ties may be sufficient to show the purpose of your trip and your intent to return to your home country. If you cannot cover all the costs for your trip, you may show evidence that another person will cover some or all costs for your trip.

Note:  Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant's residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa.

Attend Your Visa Interview

A consular officer will interview you to determine whether you are qualified to receive a visitor visa. You must establish that you meet the requirements under U.S. law to receive a visa.   Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans are taken as part of the application process. They are usually taken during your interview, but this varies based on location.

After your visa interview, the consular officer may determine that your application requires further  administrative processing .  The consular officer will inform you if this required.

After the visa is approved, you may need to pay a visa issuance fee (if applicable to your nationality), and make arrangements for the return of the passport and visa to you.  Review the  visa processing times  to learn more.

Entering the United States

A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (generally an airport) and request permission to enter the United States. A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the port-of-entry have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States. If you are allowed to enter the United States, the CBP official will provide an admission stamp or a paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. Learn more about admissions and entry requirements, restrictions about bringing food, agricultural products, and other restricted/prohibited goods, and more by reviewing the   CBP website .

Extending Your Stay

See  Extend Your Stay  on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website to learn about requesting to extend your stay beyond the date indicated on your admission stamp or paper Form I-94. 

Failure to depart the United States on time will result in being  out of status . Under U.S. law, visas of individuals who are out of status are automatically voided ( Section 222(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ).  Any multiple entry visa that was voided due to being out of status will not be valid for future entries into the United States. 

Failure to depart the United States on time may also result in you being ineligible for visas in the future. Review  Visa Denials  and  Ineligibilities and Waivers: Laws  to learn more.

Change of Status

If your plans change while in the United States (for example, you marry a U.S. citizen or receive an offer of employment), you may be able to request a change in your nonimmigrant status to another category through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). See  Change My Nonimmigrant Status  on the USCIS website to learn more.

While you are in the United States, receiving a change of status from USCIS does not require you to apply for a new visa.  However, once you depart the United States you must apply for a new visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the appropriate category for your travel.

Additional Information

• An individual on a visitor visa (B1/B2) is not permitted to accept employment or work in the United States.
• There is no guarantee you will be issued a visa. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.
• A valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport. You may use your valid visa in your expired passport along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States. 

Edited November 24, 2019 by Captain Ewok

NOTE: The above information does not address the specific requirements for any given case and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.

• visitor visa
• tourist visa
• chukwuebuka and Hastevenus

User Feedback

Recommended comments.

There are no comments to display.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Already have an account? Sign in here.

• Existing user? Sign In
• Immigration Guides
• Immigration Wiki
• Example Immigration Forms
• Form Downloads
• K1 Fiancé Visa
• CR1 & IR1 Spousal Visa
• US Visa FAQs

Office Reviews & Info

• Consulate & USCIS Office Reviews
• US Port of Entry Reviews
• US Consulate Information
• Processing Times
• Immigration Timelines
• VJ Partners
• Ask a Lawyer
• All Activity
• Popular Topics
• Create New...

• Organizations
• Planning & Activities
• Product & Services
• Structure & Systems
• Career & Education
• Entertainment
• Fashion & Beauty
• Political Institutions
• SmartPhones
• Protocols & Formats
• Communication
• Web Applications
• Household Equipments
• Career and Certifications
• Diet & Fitness
• Mathematics & Statistics
• Processed Foods
• Vegetables & Fruits

Difference Between Travelers and Tourists

• Categorized under Language , Words | Difference Between Travelers and Tourists

Travelers and tourists are both people who travel to different locations. The difference is that they have different connotations and that one is a broader term than the other. All tourists are travelers, but not all travelers are tourists.

The word ‘traveler’ simply means someone who travels. ‘Travelling’ itself means going from one place to the other, but it most often means going on a long journey. It isn’t very common to describe yourself as travelling when all you’re doing is going to get groceries. In the UK and Ireland, it can also mean someone who leads a nomadic lifestyle, always moving from place to place. ‘Tourist’, on the other hand, is a very specific word. It means someone who temporarily travels to another location just to enjoy the new place.

When describing people who travel to other countries, there are a few categories they can fall into. Some people have to travel for business, such as when they go to have a conference. Other people go to a place in transit. For instance, someone who wants to go from the US to Tibet would probably have to change planes in China. They would be travelling to China, but it wouldn’t be their final destination. Other people will go to places for charitable work, such as helping out with relief and aid after a major disaster. The last category is travelling for pleasure. This can mean anything from going to another country to enjoy the landscape to going to a theme park or tourist trap.

Tourists are specifically people who go to another place for pleasure when that’s the main goal of the trip. If a businessman were to take some time on his trip to experience the landscape of the place he’s in, then he wouldn’t be a tourist, since that wasn’t the purpose of the trip. Someone who travels for pleasure and takes some time to do some business work would be a tourist.

There are some who divide people who go somewhere for pleasure into travelers and tourists. According to those definitions, tourists are shallow people who care more about boasting that they were in a place than actually experiencing it, while travelers are people who blaze new trails and experience a much deeper connection with a place by going to the exact same attractions that the tourists go to, but more deeply. This is because the people who created this definition are all self-described travelers.

Tourism has gained a bit of a bad reputation. Some tourists will go to places and become a nuisance. For instance, in the United States, the Quileute reservation was damaged by tourists, though that is an extreme example. Other people will act like the stereotype of tourists. However, the majority of tourists do not – it is just far more common to hear about the horror stories than about the people who don’t do anything worth complaining about. Still, because of those people, some don’t want to be associated with the word ‘tourist’ even if they are doing the exact same things a tourist does.

It could be argued that the two words mean different approaches to travelling abroad: tourists want to have a good time with the “normal” travelling activities while travelers have fun by experiencing the culture. There’s nothing wrong with either mindset, because they’re just personal preferences.

To summarize, travelers are people who go to somewhere else. Tourists are people who go to another place to have fun. Some people prefer not to be called tourists, however, because they do not want to be associated with tourists who have behaved badly in the past.

• Recent Posts
• Differences Between Woods and Forest - August 31, 2016
• Differences between Novel and Novella - August 28, 2016
• Difference Between Sail and Sale - August 13, 2016

Sharing is caring!

Search DifferenceBetween.net :

• Difference Between Voyage and Journey
• Difference Between Visa and Passport
• Differences Between the Words ‘Agenda’ & ‘Itinerary’
• Difference Between Ocean Liner and Cruise Ship
• Differences Between Tourism Management and Hospitality Management

Cite APA 7 , K. (2016, January 29). Difference Between Travelers and Tourists. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-travelers-and-tourists/. MLA 8 , Kianna. "Difference Between Travelers and Tourists." Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 29 January, 2016, http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-travelers-and-tourists/.

This article is just so…. I mean, there are some truths to it, but it is not True with a capital T. Yes, tourists plan every detail of their travels, mapping out which attractions to hit, what museums to go to, what restaurants to eat in, etc. We all know what tourists are, and your definition of them is very accurate. However, your description of travelers is almost totally arbitrary and generalized to the point of laughability. Reading lights are important to travelers, because they read all the time? That’s like saying fishermen like to bring iPods when they go fishing. It might happen, but it’s not “important” or in any way a defining characteristic of a fisherman. Some travelers may carry what you say, some may not. The travelers I’ve met aren’t defined by what they have, but instead defined by what they do.

In any case, most of the travelers I’ve met are too busy meeting people, drinking, wandering around and getting involved with what’s in the area to be be hunkered down in some cheap hostel with a reading light. To me, you missed the point almost entirely. BOTH tourists and travelers LOVE to “pay attention to the sights and sounds” of the area they’re in, and both love to observe the differences in culture between where they currently are and where they’re from. However, the key difference is HOW they pay attention and WHAT they pay attention to. Tourists have a distance/disconnect with the place they are visiting, looking at the architecture/art/monument/people as alien, something to be observed but not necessarily participated in, something to have showcased in picture frames when they go back home. Travelers, on the other hand, are all about trying to find a connection, something of intangible significance, like befriending locals, crashing on couches, learning new languages, participating in events in the area (ex: if there is a political election or civil rights event happening in the town, going to it because you’re genuinely interested, not to take pictures of it and say you did it). True, the overwhelming majority of travelers pack light and don’t buy tons of souvineers, if any. However, it doesn’t mean that they don’t ever make any plans at all and only buy one-way tickets (many take spur-of-the-moment weekend trips and return). It just means they follow their own ebb and flow of traveling, instead of what some Frommer’s guidebook says or planning out everything to be efficient to a time schedule.

Ultimately, in the big picture, tourists are more interested in things and travelers are more interested in people, though the two aren’t mutually exclusive. A traveler can go to an art museum and appreciate what he/she sees, just as a tourist can befriend a local. There are many overlapping grey areas, depending on the travelers or tourist in question, but for the most part, tourists are primarily concerned with seeing, whereas travelers are primarily concerned with connecting.

Tourist, traveler, visitor, explorer, they’re all only labels with definitions that can interpreted many different ways which all intersect at some point.

It’s easy to conjure images of the tourist as being herded like sheep and not taking an active part in shaping their travel experience. It might not be how I would like to experience my journey, but it’s just that, a choice.

Many travelers “tourist” at some point on their journey. Even the most down-and-out backpacker has gazed at some famous monument or building if only from a distance or casually hung at the back of a tour group to catch what the guide was saying.

Travelers take their time to experience a culture more in depth, other travelers like to enjoy sightseeing and local foods. Others, just like to swim in the ocean and have a great nightlife….Tourists are people who travel to other countries, then the travelling starts…

what is difference between character and attitude? what is difference between goal ,ambition and aim? what is difference between sympathy and empathy?

Amazing blog. Nice to see it here. I got very informative information from this blog.

Thanks for sharing it.

I’ve just read BBC news abt Living in Uruguay. When reading a part which has 2 words “travellers and tourists”…I felt confused..Why they had to write the two words instead of using one of them? And I just used Google to search it..and so amazing when finding this page. I read all this article and comments. Awesome that I found out some helpful info. In my country, it also differs these two words “traveller-lữ khách”, “tourist-khách du lịch”. Some differences…very useful. Tks a lot.

It’s amazing to visit this web site and reading the views of all colleagues concerning this paragraph, while I am also eager of getting knowledge.

Leave a Response

Name ( required )

Email ( required )

Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

Written by : Kianna. and updated on 2016, January 29 Articles on DifferenceBetween.net are general information, and are not intended to substitute for professional advice. The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages.

Advertisments

More in 'language'.

• Difference Between IELTS and TOEFL
• Difference Between Fear and Anxiety
• Difference Between Center and Centre
• Difference Between Editing and Proofreading
• Difference Between Then and Than

More in 'Words'

• Difference Between Lodge and Resort
• Difference Between Authoritarian and Fascism
• Difference Between Advocate and Barrister
• Difference Between Advocacy and Lobbying

Top Difference Betweens

Get new comparisons in your inbox:, most emailed comparisons, editor's picks.

• Difference Between MAC and IP Address
• Difference Between Platinum and White Gold
• Difference Between Civil and Criminal Law
• Difference Between GRE and GMAT
• Difference Between Immigrants and Refugees
• Difference Between DNS and DHCP
• Difference Between Computer Engineering and Computer Science
• Difference Between Men and Women
• Difference Between Book value and Market value
• Difference Between Red and White wine
• Difference Between Depreciation and Amortization
• Difference Between Bank and Credit Union
• Difference Between White Eggs and Brown Eggs

• Simplified Chinese (China)

Quality Point(s)

• English (US)

What is the difference between visitor and tourist ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.

• Report copyright infringement

• English (UK)

@FULUYUAN A visitor is someone who is not permanent. You can have a visitor in your house , in your office, in your room, or in a city. A tourist is someone who is there for pleasure normally bring a foreigner. An example is a person from Canada visiting the Great Wall Of China.

Was this answer helpful?

• Why did you respond with "Hmm..."?
• Your feedback will not be shown to other users.

• What is the difference between Tourist and Visitor ?
• What is the difference between tourist and visitor ?
• What is the difference between visitor and tourist ?
• What is the difference between tourist and traveler ?
• What is the difference between tourist and sightseeing ?
• What is the difference between visitor and traveler ?
• What is the difference between Tourists and Foreign visitors ?
• I've been a little busy lately busy preparing for visitor from my university. Does this sound nat...
• visitor route/circulation Does this sound natural?
• The visitors of the three main beaches of Kamakura city this summer were 30% less than last year....
• What is the difference between I’m going to visit my hometown. and I’m to visit my hometown. ?
• What is the difference between cunning and sly ?
• What is the difference between he knows how to deal with it and he has a way with it ?
• What is the difference between a bald man and a balding man ?
• What is the difference between difficult and hard ?
• What is the difference between on the Internet and in the Internet ?
• What is the difference between demonstrate and illustrate and show ?
• What is the difference between mess up and screw up ?
• What is the difference between valley and stream ?
• What is the difference between ground and floor ?
• What is the difference between look into and look up ?
• What is the difference between look through and look around ?
• What is the difference between porcelain and ceramic ?
• What is the difference between reach and achieve ?
• What is the difference between The team put up a great performance and The team put in a great p...
• How do you say this in Japanese? estou indo dormir
• What does When you get mad at someone,then you say "Period", what does it mean? mean?

The Language Level symbol shows a user's proficiency in the languages they're interested in. Setting your Language Level helps other users provide you with answers that aren't too complex or too simple.

Has difficulty understanding even short answers in this language.

Can ask simple questions and can understand simple answers.

Can ask all types of general questions and can understand longer answers.

Can understand long, complex answers.

Show your appreciation in a way that likes and stamps can't.

By sending a gift to someone, they will be more likely to answer your questions again!

If you post a question after sending a gift to someone, your question will be displayed in a special section on that person’s feed.

Ask native speakers questions for free

Solve your problems more easily with the app!

• Find the answer you're looking for from 45 million answers logged!
• Enjoy the auto-translate feature when searching for answers!
• It’s FREE!!

• What is the difference ...

• Forums New posts Search Forums
• Members Registered members Current visitors Recent Activity
• Free Assessment

Difference between Visitor and Tourist Visa - Canada

• Thread starter chinthu
• Start date Jan 7, 2010

Star Member

Hi .. Can somebody expalain me the difference between Canadian Visitor visa and tourist visa?? can i apply for the above mentioned visas even if i dont have any known person in canada?? If i stay with my husband after marriage in visitor visa and during PR processing(Spouse sponsored-Outland),will i be able to extend my visitor visa even if i don't be having my passport but with the PR processing office??? Thanks in advance.  

Karlshammar

Champion member.

Visitor and tourist are the same thing. The correct term is visitor.  

Yes, you can apply for a visit visa even if you don't know anybody in Canada. Most important is to convince them that you will leave at the end of your visit and not overstay your visa. You should apply to extend your visit visa 30 days before it expires if you want to stay longer. You can find the forms here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/visitor.asp If you look at the document checklist, you can see that they want photocopies of your passport for that, not your passport itself. If you are at the point of outland processing that the visa office wants your passport shortly before you want to apply to extend your visitor visa, you should take the copies of your passport before you mail it to the visa office. That way, when you apply to extend your visit status, you will have the copies to send to them.  

boomtravels

Hi.. Can some buddy advise for difference between temporary residence visa and visit visa Thanks  

boomtravels said: Hi.. Can some buddy advise for difference between temporary residence visa and visit visa Thanks Click to expand...

Language selection

• Français fr

What’s the difference between a visitor visa and a visitor record?

A visitor visa (also known as a temporary resident visa) is an official document citizens from visa-required countries need to get to travel to and enter Canada as a visitor for up to 6 months.

• It shows that you meet the requirements to enter Canada.
• The date is not an expiry date for your stay in Canada.
• If you apply for a study or work permit for the first time , you’ll automatically get a visitor visa when we approve your application.

A visitor record is a document that a border services officer may issue to you to extend or restrict your stay in Canada. If you want to stay in Canada for more than 6 months, you have to tell the border services officer.

You may also get a visitor record after we approve your application to extend your stay or restore your status. A visitor record is issued either by the Canada Border Services Agency or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

• you first arrive at the port of entry and you know you want to stay longer than 6 months; or
• You must apply at least 30 days before your authorized stay in Canada expires.
• It’s an independent document (not placed in your passport).
• That’s the date by which you must leave Canada.

Image of a visitor visa

Image of a visitor record

New entry requirement now in effect

Visa-exempt foreign nationals need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to or transit through Canada by air. Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid Canadian visa. Canadian citizens, including dual citizens , and Canadian permanent residents cannot apply for an eTA.

Did you find what you were looking for?

If not, tell us why:

You will not receive a reply. Telephone numbers and email addresses will be removed. Maximum 300 characters

Thank you for your feedback

Answers others found useful

• Do I need a visa to visit Canada?
• Do I need a Canadian visa if I have a United States visa?
• How do I apply for an eTA for travel to Canada?
• I am visiting the U.S. I want to come to Canada. Do I need an eTA?
• Do I need a visa if I am travelling through Canada without stopping or visiting?
• How do I help a family member or friend apply to visit Canada?
• I am travelling with my minor child without my spouse. What documents must I present?
• Do I need to apply for both a visitor visa and an eTA?

Tourist Vs. Traveler: What's the Difference, And Which Travel Type Is Right For You?

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Forget Aspen: Visit This Delightful Colorado Town

7 cutest small towns near denver in 2024, think twice about carrying bear spray this summer.

Tourist or traveler - what's the difference and which is better? For the purpose of this discussion, a tourist is someone on a short trip (up to around four weeks) that is just taking annual leave from work. A traveler is someone who has quit their job, become a digital nomad, or has taken an extended leave off work to travel for much longer.

These modes of travel offer very different perspectives and benefits. Traveling full time is not for many people, but for others, it's a dream come true!

If one is a tourist, then one is on a holiday. With this style of travel, one will typically pick one or two specific countries or locations to visit. One will normally want to make the most of one's time and so will plan one's trip carefully. Or one will just stay at a beach resort and enjoy sunbathing and cocktails.

• Tourist: On Holiday - Often two Weeks
• Budget: Much Higher
• Daily Schedule: Packed With Things To See and Do
• Pics: Tons Of Pics Every Day

The daily budget of a tourist is generally much higher. This is the time to have a good time and live it up. One is likely to stay at nice accommodation, go and see expensive attractions, and enjoy various activities. This is the good life and time to spend and enjoy life.

Related:  10 Dream Jobs For People Who Love To Travel, Revealed

A traveler is someone traveling for an extended period of time. This can be done in many ways. One can take a "gap year" - after finishing high school and before entering university, just travel for a year. Alternatively, it is common to take the gap year after finishing university but before starting a job. This is often on a shoestring budget. The trip can be financed by volunteering in countries around the world. This is often where one is hosted by a family, business, or farm and does some amount of work in extend for bed and board. It is an awesome way to enjoy a cultural exchange.

• Budget: Managed To Last Long Term
• Gap Year: Take A Year Off And Do Something Completely Different Somewhere Else In The World

Often travelers will quit their jobs for a year and travel. This is very common in Europe, but perhaps less common in America. Often employers will reluctantly agree that as they are good workers, their job will be there when they get back.

• Options: Living Off Savings, Volunteering, Working And Traveling, Digital Nomad

One can also become a digital nomad and work online. In theory, any job that can be done from home on a laptop can be done remotely, if it can be done remotely, it can be down anywhere where there is internet (depending on the security and timezones, etc. of the company). Just move one's home office to Bora Bora in Tahiti or to an Air BnB on the Greek islands!

Other travelers look for freelancing work that can be done online - they look for work just made for traveling. This can include data analyst, software engineer, online English (or other) tutoring, content management, online forum community management, proofreading, and much more. There are many ways of making money while traveling .

• Online Jobs: Opportunities Online Are Limitless Now!

Travelers are typically traveling at a much slower pace and will often spend days to months just working or chilling somewhere in the world. They may rent an Airbnb in a country for a couple of months. Or work on a farm for a couple of months. But the pace is different as is the budget.

While a tourist may be spending well over $200.00 daily, a traveler may only be spending $50.00 daily (or even $20.00 or zero for savvy backpackers). This of course varies wildly.

Another difference is that whereas a tourist will often choose a place and see it superficially in a short time period. A traveler will choose a region and will often get to know it much better.

Related:  Happiness Is Packing For An Adventure Somewhere Far: Packing Tips For Solo Backpackers

Which is For You?

Which is better is entirely a matter of opinion and circumstance. A tourist is settled in their own country and just wants a break and to see something different. They are settled and have a family or otherwise are happy where they are.

A traveler seeks traveling to be a lifestyle - a way of life (at least for a while). The road can be someone's home. That is of course not for most folks. Most folks want a sense of a place to call home. One compromise that many travelers come to is choosing a country to live in for a year or two, and then move to another.

This is the lifestyle of many NGOs (non-government organizations - normally non-profit charity and development organizations in developing countries). Other people often in this category are workers for the United Nations seeking international postings, and embassy staff seeking international postings.

Next:  Here's Everything Travelers Shouldn't Be Doing While On Vacation From Work

Tourist vs. Excursionist: Distinguishing Travelers

• January 6, 2024

Distinguishing Travelers: The Difference Between Tourists and Excursionists

Have you ever found yourself in a new city, eager to explore and discover everything it has to offer? You may have noticed that the people around you approach their travels in different ways. Some seem content with ticking off the popular tourist attractions, while others appear determined to immerse themselves in the local culture and go off the beaten path. These two distinct types of travelers can be classified as tourists and excursionists. In this article, we will delve into the key differences between these two categories, shedding light on their unique perspectives and approaches to traveling.

The Tourist: A Conventional Explorer

When we think of a tourist, we often visualize someone equipped with a camera, map, and a checklist of famous landmarks to visit. Tourists prioritize visiting popular tourist attractions , such as world-renowned museums, historical sites, and iconic landmarks. They typically follow established itineraries, seek familiar comforts, and rely on tour guides or guidebooks for information. While there is nothing wrong with being a tourist, and many people enjoy this type of travel, it may limit the opportunity for more authentic and immersive experiences.

Tourists tend to be more concerned with capturing the perfect photo op and collecting souvenirs rather than fully engaging with the local community. They often choose mainstream accommodations, dine at popular restaurants, and stick to well-known tourist areas. The tourist's mindset revolves around seeing and documenting, rather than experiencing and understanding .

Characteristics of Tourists:

• Focused on popular tourist attractions : Tourists prioritize visiting well-known landmarks and attractions.
• Reliance on guidebooks and tours : Tourists often rely on pre-planned itineraries and guided tours for their travel experiences.
• Preference for familiar comforts : Tourists seek out familiar accommodations, food options, and other conveniences.
• Capture monuments and landmarks : Tourists often prioritize capturing iconic landmarks and monuments in their travel photographs.
• Limited interaction with locals : Tourists may have limited interactions with locals, as they tend to stick to tourist hotspots.

The Excursionist: The Adventurous Explorer

On the other side of the travel spectrum, we have the excursionist. Excursionists are characterized by their desire to venture beyond the typical tourist attractions and embrace unique experiences . Instead of following a rigid itinerary, they prefer to go with the flow, allowing serendipity to guide their adventures. Excursionists prioritize authenticity and seek to understand the local culture, traditions, and history of the places they visit.

Excursionists lean towards immersive experiences that allow them to connect with the local community and gain a deeper understanding of the destination . They are more likely to explore lesser-known neighborhoods, try local cuisine, and engage in meaningful conversations with locals. Rather than ticking off a list of famous sights, excursionists are motivated by personal growth and a desire to broaden their horizons.

Characteristics of Excursionists:

• Embrace spontaneity : Excursionists are open to serendipitous experiences and are not bound by strict itineraries.
• Seek authentic experiences : They prioritize immersing themselves in the local culture, traditions, and history of the destination.
• Venture off the beaten path : Excursionists explore lesser-known neighborhoods and attractions to discover hidden gems.
• Interact with locals : They actively engage with locals, seeking insights and recommendations from those who know the destination best.
• Prefer local accommodations and cuisine : Excursionists opt for accommodations and dining options that reflect the local culture and traditions.

The Ultimate Experience: Combining Tourist and Excursionist Approaches

While tourists and excursionists may have different travel preferences, there is no rule stating that you must strictly fall into one category. In fact, combining elements of both approaches can lead to a more enriching and well-rounded travel experience.

By starting your journey with some tourist activities , such as visiting iconic landmarks and museums, you can gain a basic understanding of the destination's history and culture. These experiences can serve as a foundation for deeper exploration later on.

Once you have familiarized yourself with the popular attractions, allow yourself to wander off the beaten path . Seek out local recommendations, visit neighborhood markets, and engage in conversations with residents. This will provide you with a more authentic and immersive experience, allowing you to connect with the destination on a deeper level.

Tips for Combining Tourist and Excursionist Approaches:

• Research before you go : Familiarize yourself with the popular attractions and notable landmarks to get a sense of the destination's history and culture.
• Create a flexible itinerary : Leave room for spontaneity and unexpected discoveries by not planning every minute of your trip.
• Engage with locals : Strike up conversations with locals and seek their recommendations for off-the-beaten-path experiences.
• Try new foods : Step out of your comfort zone and sample the local cuisine, as it often reflects the unique flavors and traditions of the destination.
• Explore beyond the city center : Venture into lesser-known neighborhoods and suburbs to discover hidden gems that are often overlooked by tourists.

Remember, the goal of travel is not just to see famous landmarks but also to immerse yourself in new cultures, broaden your perspective, and create lasting memories . Whether you identify more as a tourist or an excursionist, embracing both approaches can result in a truly unforgettable travel experience.

In conclusion, the distinction between tourists and excursionists lies in their mindset and approach to travel. While tourists focus on visiting popular tourist attractions and collecting souvenirs, excursionists prioritize immersion, authenticity, and local experiences. However, there is no right or wrong way to travel, and a combination of both approaches can lead to a more well-rounded adventure. So, as you embark on your next journey, consider embracing the tourist within you while also letting the excursionist spirit guide you off the beaten path. After all, travel is about discovering the unknown, learning from different cultures, and creating connections that transcend borders.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Borneo vs Bali: Choosing the Best Indonesian Island

From fear to freedom: conquering travel anxiety, you may also like.

British vs French – Cultural Differences

• February 15, 2024

Discovering El Salvador vs. Bolivia: Contrasting Cultures

• February 14, 2024

Mexico vs Nigeria: Exploring Vibrant Cultures of Nations

Filipino vs Chinese: Cultural Contrasts

Navigational Aids: Projected vs. Non-Projected

• February 13, 2024

Pittsburgh vs Chicago: A Tale of Two Iconic American Cities

• More from M-W
• To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Definition of visitor

Examples of visitor in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'visitor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing visitor

• unique visitor

Dictionary Entries Near visitor

visit on/upon

visitors' book

Cite this Entry

“Visitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/visitor. Accessed 28 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of visitor, more from merriam-webster on visitor.

Nglish: Translation of visitor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of visitor for Arabic Speakers

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Plural and possessive names: a guide, your vs. you're: how to use them correctly, every letter is silent, sometimes: a-z list of examples, more commonly mispronounced words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), popular in wordplay, it's a scorcher words for the summer heat, flower etymologies for your spring garden, 12 star wars words, 'swash', 'praya', and 12 more beachy words, 8 words for lesser-known musical instruments, games & quizzes.

Grammar Minds

Visitor’s or Visitors’ or Visitors?

The term visitor’s is the singular possessive form of visitor. For example, “The visitor’s feedback on the exhibit was positive.” Additionally, visitors’ is the plural possessive version of visitor. For instance, “Welcome, and enjoy the visitors’ gallery.” Visitors is the standard plural form of visitor.

Here’s an organized breakdown of the different forms of the word “visitor”:

As shown, visitor has a regular plural formed by adding an s. The singular possessive is created with an apostrophe between the r and s, and the plural possessive has an apostrophe at the end of the word visitors.

Examples in Context:

Singular: The museum guide directed the visitor to the ancient artifacts section.

Plural: The curator welcomed visitors from around the world to the special exhibition.

Singular Possessive : The visitor’s opinion on the artwork added valuable insights to the discussion.

Plural Possessive: The museum staff appreciated the visitors’ contributions to the fundraising campaign.

To avoid mistakes with possessive forms of visitor, continue reading for more information on the different forms and how to use them in your writing.

Visitor’s is the singular possessive form of the word visitor. Use it to denote things that belong to one visitor, whether tangible or intangible.

• The visitor’s dog played happily in the park
• The town guide pointed out the visitor’s favorite spots.
• The visitor’s curiosity led them to explore the town’s history.
• The visitor’s experience at the concert was unforgettable.
• The visitor’s feedback on the guided tour was positive.

Additionally, you can use the singular possessive to refer to physical objects possessed by one visitor:

• The visitor’s umbrella was left behind at the information desk.
• The notes in the visitor’ s travel journal told the story of their gallery exploration.

Visitors’ is the plural possessive form of visitor, used when indicating that something belongs to multiple visitors, whether physical or abstract.

• The visitors’ gallery showcased artworks from various talented individuals.
• The visitors’ comments in the suggestion box highlighted common themes.
• The visitors’ tour guide shared interesting facts about the historical site.
• The visitors’ presence added a lively atmosphere to the cultural event.

Additionally, “visitors’” can be used for non-physical things such as opinions, experiences, or periods of time:

The visitors’ contributions to the local economy were significant.

The visitors’ appreciation for the natural beauty was evident in their comments.

The visitors’ collaboration with local artists enhanced the art exhibition.

The visitors’ enjoyment of the outdoor activities highlighted the appeal of the destination.

Visitors is the plural version of the word visitor. Use it to mention a specified number of visitors or to refer to all visitors.

• The three visitors explored the science museum together.
• The group of visitors admired the architecture of the historic building.
• The two visitors often attended cultural events to broaden their knowledge.
• A team of visitors will be participating in the guided nature walk next week.
• I remember the days when visitors would eagerly attend the annual festival.
• Visitors are encouraged to provide feedback for continuous improvement.

Related posts:

• Luis’ or Luis’s?
• Business’ or Business’s?
• Brother’s or Brothers’ or Brothers?
• Sister’s or Sisters’ or Sisters?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Language selection

Wxt language switcher.

• Français fr
• Search and menus

WxT Search form

Conceptual relationship between travellers, visitors, excursionists and tourists as defined by the frontier counts program.

A traveller is a person making an entry into Canada for any purpose and any duration. Travellers can then be sub-divided into visitors and other travellers.

A visitor is a traveller whose trip purpose is related to tourism, namely personal, business, study, to be a crew member in a private vehicle (private aircraft or private boat) or whose purpose is not known, and whose trip duration is less than one year. Visitors can be split further into excursionists and tourists.

An excursionist is a visitor without an overnight stay, meaning that the arrival and departure occurs in the same calendar day. Also referred to as a "same-day visitor".

A tourist is a visitor with a trip duration of at least one night, meaning that the arrival and departure occur in different calendar days. Also referred to as an "overnight visitor".

An other traveller refers to a traveller whose trip purpose is not related to tourism, namely to be a crew member in a commercial vehicle (commercial aircraft, ferry, cruise ship or other commercial boat, truck, bus or train), a traveller with an other non-tourism related purpose (work, immigration, military service, diplomats or consular staff), or a traveller whose trip purpose is related to tourism, but has a trip duration of 365 or more nights.

Definitions for terms used in Frontier Counts are based on the United Nations World Tourism Organization's International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics 2008 . However, in some cases, they are modified to align with the Canadian context.

Source: Statistics Canada, Frontier Counts program, 2022

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of visitor noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• We've got visitors coming this weekend.
• Do you get many visitors?
• The theme park attracts 2.5 million visitors a year.
• visitor to something She's a frequent visitor to the US.
• We have been regular visitors to the island for 20 years.
• visitor from something The festival draws visitors from all over the world.
• a visitor centre/attraction
• First-time visitors to Spain are often surprised by how late people eat.
• I could see he was expecting visitors.
• Pick up a free map of the town from the visitor centre.
• The college only admits visitors in organized groups.
• The festival brings 5 000 visitors to the town every year.
• The front room was used mainly for entertaining visitors.
• The lack of facilities in the town may deter the casual visitor.
• The latest crime figures are likely to put off prospective visitors to the city.
• The museum gives visitors a glimpse of the composer's life.
• The town has much to interest the visitor.
• Visitors are invited to browse around the farm site.
• Visitors flocked to see the show.
• Visitors from Ireland will find much that reminds them of home.
• He introduced his companion, a visitor from the US.
• He is still in hospital and is not well enough to receive visitors.
• He was a frequent visitor to the house in Wimpole Street.
• I'm expecting visitors this evening.
• The castle is the main attraction for visitors.
• The family rarely had visitors.
• The hotel is popular with business visitors and tourists.
• The mild climate allows visitors to enjoy golf all year round.
• The palace is open to visitors from April to September.
• There has been a drop in visitor numbers.
• There was nowhere in the house for them to entertain visitors.
• They publish a guide to Europe for overseas visitors.
• Visitors flock to the town every summer.
• When I arrived home there was an unexpected visitor waiting for me.
• You can watch a film about the history of the site in the visitor centre.
• You've got a visitor!
• centre/​center
• encourage visitors to do something
• invite visitors to do something
• give visitors something
• visitor from

Join our community to access the latest language learning and assessment tips from Oxford University Press!

• How can we attract more visitors to our website?

Other results

Nearby words.