PRESIDENT RAMON MAGSAYSAY STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
Iba Zambales
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT
OUTCOMES BASED MACRO CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK
2nd Semester, A.Y. 2020 - 2021
GLOBAL TOURISM,
GEOGRAPHY AND CULTURE
Prepared by:
Juan A. Asuncion Jr., DBA
Assistant Professor I
Table of Contents
Page
Chapter I: INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY AND TOURISM
What is Geography?
Elements of Geography
Roles of Geography in Tourism
Types of Maps
World’s Continents
International Tourism
Reference
Summary
Travel Tips
Activity
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY AND TOURISM
Traveling has been one of the most sought-after activities to escape from daily
routine. For many, it is the best way to relax, unwind, and rejuvenate before returning to
their usual activities. Others would find it as an opportunity to acquire new knowledge, to
understand other peoples’ ways of living, or just to satisfy their craving for some
adventure. Whatever the reason might be, it involves traveling of an individual outside his
or her usual environment. This tourism activity can be propelled by the destination’s
location and its geographical features.
A concrete understanding of the importance of geography in relation to tourism
industry is essential to the practitioners in the tourism industry—how geography is linked
to tourism and its roles and contribution to the industry.
In this chapter, the definition, roles, and features of geography; the kinds of map;
and the continents of the world will be discussed. At the end of this chapter, the students
will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
define geography;
explain the roles of geography in tourism;
identify the different geographical features; differentiate the kinds of map;
locate the seven continents of the world; and
identify the requirements for traveling abroad.
What is Geography?
Geography came from the Greek words “geo,” meaning “earth” and “graphy” that
means “to write.” In contemporary geography, it is a science more than writing
(Rubenstein, et al., 2013). Literally, it means “description of the Earth” (Hobbs, 2007).
According to the Royal Geographical Society, geography is defined as “the study of
Earth’s landscape, people, places and environment.”
Elements of Geography
The National Geographic Society identified six essential elements of geography
(Hobbs, 2007), proving that geography is broad and encompassing. These are:
1. World in Spatial Terms - Geography studies the relationships between people,
places, and environments by mapping information about them into a spatial
context.
2. Places and Regions - The identities and lives of individuals and people are rooted
in particular places and in those human constructs called regions.
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3. Physical Systems - Physical processes shape Earth’s surface and interact with
plant and animal life to create, sustain, and modify ecosystems.
4. Human Systems - People are central to geography. Human activities, settlements,
and structures help shape Earth’s surface, and humans compete for control of
Earth’s surface.
5. Environment and Society - The physical environment is influenced by the ways in
which human societies value and use Earth’s physical features and processes.
6. Uses of Geography - Knowledge of geography enables people to develop an
understanding of the relationships between people, places, and environments over
time -that is of Earth’s as it was, is, and as it might be.
Roles of Geography in Tourism
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) states that “tourism
comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual
environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other
purposes.” The definition revealed the geographical characteristics of tourism as. it covers
people and its activities, places, destinations, and environment. This simply gives us an
idea on the roles of geography in tourism, such as the following:

Product of Tourism and Travel Motivator - Attractions are the most important pillar of
tourism, which serves as a pull factor that brings tourists to the destination, or it creates
a visit (Bonafice et al., 2016). It also serves as the major travel motivator that drives
tourists to seek new destinations. Understanding tourist motivations for traveling is
essential to the business aspect of the tourism industry. Mainly, physical and cultural
features of the place often catch the interest of travelers. The desire to travel is ignited
by the idea of discovering the world’s wonders. Every country in the world boasts its
resources. These can be landforms, bodies of water, climate, people, and culture.

Climate refers to the existing weather condition in a region. In the Philippines, people
only experience wet (rainy) and dry (summer) seasons. This could probably be one of
the many reasons why Filipinos have a strong desire to experience different weather
conditions such as winter, spring, or autumn. In this sense, the climate becomes an
attraction that pulls travelers to visit a certain country.

Bodies of water account for rivers, waterfalls, seas, lakes, lagoons, and oceans to
name a few.
o Rivers are made of freshwater running toward larger bodies of water like
oceans or seas. Cruising is one of the activities tourists enjoy and get
excited about. Some of the most popular rivers in the world are the Nile
River, Africa; Amazon River, Brazil; Mississippi River, United States of
America (USA); and Danube River, Germany.
o Waterfalls are cascades of water running down to a natural basin. This body
of water draws tourists due to its extraordinary beauty. Famous waterfalls
are Niagara Falls, Iguazu Falls, and Angel Falls, which is the highest
waterfall in the world.
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o Seas are bodies of salt water. Apart from their charm, various activities also
draw tourists to seas.
o Lakes are large inland bodies of water. Lagoons are shallow sea waters
divided by a sandbar or coral reef. Snorkeling activities can be best
experienced in these.
o Oceans are enormous body of water. There are four major oceans in the
world, and these are the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic
Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean.

Landforms are formations on the earth’s surface. These are mountains, valleys, and
plateaus.
o Mountains are land formations attracting travelers with great interests in
hiking and climbing. Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Mt. Everest, Nepal; and
Andes, Peru are some of the popular mountains in the world that mostly get
the mountaineers’ attention.
o Valleys are lowland areas between hills or mountains. Sometimes a river
runs through it. Its majestic scenery draws tourists to places with rather
picturesque beauty such as the Valley of Geysers, Napa Valley in California;
Logar Valley, Slovenia; and Haa Valley, Bhutan.
o Plateaus or high plains are remarkable land formations where the top of
highest point of elevation is flat or plain. There are amazing plateaus worth
visiting, like Kukenan Tepui, Venezuela, and Tibetan Plateau, also known
as the “roof top of the world,” as it is considered as the highest plateau in
the world.
Other landforms are continents, huge land masses on the earths’ surface, Islands,
Cays, Peninsula, and Panhandles.
Apart from the earth’s physical features, travelers are also motivated by the cultural
attributes of the destinations. People’s way of life: manifested in their food, politics,
language, religion, and economic activities play a significant role in encouraging tourists
to visit a specific place or country. The experiences this can bring to tourists create a
deeper understanding and appreciation of how the local people live.
Apparently, there is a link between the country’s physical features and its culture.
Climate, for instance, explains the architectural design of the country (e.g., bahay kubo in
the Philippines) and how people dress (e.g., lighter clothing is usually worn in tropical
countries). Bodies of water influences people’s form of livelihood and traditions (e.g.,
ivatan fishing traditions) as well as their cuisine (e.g., Maldivian cuisine: major ingredients
are fish, coconut, and starches), Landforms contribute in the development of the cultural
activities in one’s nation; an example of this is the country’s economic activity like
agriculture.
Travel or Itinerary Planning - Tourism practitioners and tourists find geography
significant in tourism in terms of traveling or itinerary planning. Often having limited time,
tourists find geography essential, as it helps in maximizing travel experience. In this
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sense, geography is seen as a tool in locating places and identifying distance, the
common notion of some about geography. However, tourism and travel trade
professionals view geography beyond location and distance. It goes beyond the
purchasing of flight tickets, obtaining tour packages, and booking hotel rooms. It is the
confluence of the totality of the travel experience hinged on the beauty and uniqueness
of the destination. Professionals in the field are highly expected to be knowledgeable in
the world’s geography and a country’s physical and cultural attributes. Let us look at the
perspective of a practitioner on the importance of geography in the field of tourism:
Practitioners Perspective:
“As an International flight attendant, have to know the different time zones, weather
conditions and the popular places to visit in each country of destination: In this regard, I
was able to apply the discipline and training | received from my geography course in my
profession.
Jet Cabrera Ang, Flight Attendant Supervisor, Qatar Airways
In locating places of interest, tourists and tourism professionals are guided and
utilize the earth’s geographical representation of the world, the map, a helpful tool in
identifying location.
Types of Maps
A map is a flat representation of the world. It contains pertinent information about
a particular area. However, the earth is inherently complex that it is impossible to put all
the details in a map. In tourism, maps are often used to locate a destination and ascertain
distance from origin to destination.
There are various types of maps you can use. A road map shows main roads and
access to points of interest such as city landmarks and parks. A political map focuses on
the boundary of a certain nation. A physical map generally shows mountains and bodies
of water in a certain place. A climate map presents information pertaining to the climate
of a particular area. An economic map is a type of map showing the economic resources
available in the area like corn, tobacco, and iron. A mental map is our personal geographic
collection of information and facts about a certain place or location (Hobbs, 2007).
The commonly used map by tourists in exploring tourist destinations and
attractions is the tourist map, a type of map used to show the different points of interest
and attractions of a particular city or town. It can be acquired in the airport, tourist’
information counters, and places of accommodation. Although not all are gifted in reading
maps, what makes these easy to understand are the symbols and the legend.
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World’s Continents
The world is full of attractions scattered all over the seven continents, located in
197 countries.
Source: https://www.worldatlas.com/img/ncore/world_map.jpg
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The seven continents are (1) North America, (2) South America, (3) Europe, (4)
Africa, (5) Asia, (6) Australia, and (7) Antarctica.
Half of Earth’s sphere is called a hemisphere. The Northern and Southern
Hemispheres are separated by the Equator, an imaginary horizontal line at zero degrees
latitude. The Eastern and Western Hemispheres are separated by the Prime Meridian, a
vertical imaginary line at zero-degree longitude, and it is also the reference of time in the
world. Longitude has a great role in time calculation wherein a 360 degrees longitude is
equivalent to 24 hours. The imaginary line toward west of Prime Meridian indicates a time
behind; every 15 degrees is equivalent to 1 hour. Earth’s eastward rotation from the Prime
Meridian is ahead in time. Time zones of east hemisphere show a plus (+) sign prior to
each number.
International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary longitudinal line that lies at about 180
degrees of the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian is the line that divides western and
eastern hemispheres. This longitude zero degrees’ line runs through Greenwich,
England; that is why it is also called Greenwich Meridian. It serves as a point of reference
to measure the distance of any place on Earth from east or west.
International Tourism
The UNWTO defines, “Tourism comprises the activities of persons traveling to and
staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year
for leisure, business and other purposes.” The person in this definition is referred to as a
visitor and can be classified as:
 Excursionist or Same-day Visitor or Day Tripper is a person who stays at the
destination for less than a day or more than 24 hours.
 Tourist stay at the destination for at least 24 hours or overnight, but the stay does
not exceed a year.
Tourists engaged in International tourism are residents visiting places outside their
home country. This type of travel requires documents such as a passport and a visa
before leaving the country and permitted entry into the foreign country.

Passport is a major requirement in traveling outside one’s country. It is an official
and legal document issued by the government to its citizens. There are different
types of passports in the Philippines issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs:
1. Regular passports issued to Filipinos traveling Internationally;
2. Diplomatic passports are provided to diplomatic officials of the country; and
3. Official Passport issued for official business to the employees of the Philippine
government.
In securing a Philippine passport, one is required to: (1) appear personally at the
Department of Foreign Affairs or any of their satellite offices. You cannot just wait in their
office any time you want; (2) have a confirmed appointment made before the appearance
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to the department. You can set an appointment through their website (http:/ www.dfa.
gov.ph); (3) accomplish a printed application form that can be downloaded from the DFA
appointment system. The necessary documents required include a birth certificate issued
by the Philippine Statistics Office, valid 1D pictures, and other supporting documents to
prove your identity.
Documents needed in traveling abroad are not limited to passports. Entry in other
countries needs an endorsement issued by the consular office of the country to be visited,
which allows the bearer an entry, otherwise known as a visa. Visa requirements Vary per
country, and not all nations require a visa from their visitors.
Reference:
Donesa, Lynn U. and Aragon, Lilibeth (2020). Global Culture and Tourism Geography.
Rex Bookstore Inc.
Summary:
● Geography is defined as the study of Earth’s landscape, people, places, and
environment. The term comes from the Greek words “geo,” meaning “earth” and
“graphy,” meaning “to write.”
● Majority of tourist attractions are geographical in its features. For tourism
practitioners and tourists, geography plays a vital role understanding a country’s
physical features and attributes.
● Physical and cultural attractions can be landform, bodies of water, climate, people,
and culture.
● There are seven major continents in the world: North America, South America,
Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica.
● International tourism is defined as the travel of residents visiting places outside
their home country.
● Travel documents such as a passport and a visa are required before leaving the
country and being accepted in a foreign country.
Travel Tips
1. Always keep a copy of your passport. Take a picture of it and email it to yourself.
2. When traveling abroad, bring a set of clothing in your carry on, in case there is a
delay in your luggage.
3. Make sure your passport is valid before you leave.
4. You should know the hotel or the address you will be staying or billeted.
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