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Tourism exists in many forms and appeals to different types of travelers. The typology below (Smith 1989) is helpful in understanding the potential appeal of natural and cultural regions in sustainable tourism studies.
| Ethnic tourism: |
- Marketed in terms of “quaint” customs of indigenous people
- Destinations include native homes, hamlets, villages.
- Tourists are few, motivated by curiosity and elite-group approval
- Host-guest stress is minimal
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| Cultural Tourism: |
- Marketed by the images and scenes of the "picturesque"
- Destinations include meals in rustic inns, Wild West rodeos
- Visitors are moderate in number, due to higher accessibility
- Host-guest stress is moderate
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| Historical Tourism: |
- The Museum/Cathedral circuit stressing glories of the Past
- Destinations include monuments, ruins, light–sound performances
- Tourists are education-oriented
- Host-guest relations are impersonal and economic
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| Environmental Tourism: |
- Driven by the allure of remote places and truly alien landscapes
- Attractions include Antarctica, Northern Japan, Alaska
- Again, visitors are intellectually motivated
- Host-guest relationships vary widely
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| Recreational Tourism: |
- Marketed by the "three s's"-sand, sea, and sex
- Travelers range from middle to upper-class backgrounds
- Represents escapism, and the freedom to indulge in sensory experiences
- Host-guest relations vary according to seasonality
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