Tourism is today emerging as a leading sector in the world and is now considered by some as the number one industry. Demographic, socio-structural and socio-cultural developments have always led to changes in tourist demands, and service providers in tourism are faced with a substantial need to adjust. These constant challenges have expanded and intensified considerably in the first few years of the new millennium. War and tourism, extreme weather, the ongoing internationalisation of tourism and the ageing of society (increasingly prominent in public awareness) have emphatically demonstrated the latent vulnerability of tourism as a boom industry. The survival of the tourism industry depends decisively on recognising the relevant trends and allowing for them in good time. Development of tourism is a very complex process of interaction among many players, who have the shared responsibility concerning the environmental, social and economic sustainability of this lucrative sector. This process involves the tourism industry, which promotes a sustainable product; the consumer who develops the sustainable consumptions trends; and the public authorities who strive to create the right framework so as to enable the sustainable use of the resources and the creation of a commercial level-playing field among all the different stakeholders. Consumer trends in tourism, which are gradually changing, require an appropriate response in terms of both policy formulation and investment and the survival of the tourism industry depends decisively on recognising the relevant trends and allowing for them in good time.
Anil Varma holds a bachelors degree and masters degree in commerce from Mumbai University. He also holds and MBA from Indira Gandhi National Open University and PGDCS from Datapro Information Technology, Mumbai. He has around 20 years of varied industrial experience. He is currently working as Consulting Editor at Icfai Business School Research Centre, Pune. Prior to joining Icfai, he worked with organisations like SM Dyechem Ltd. Mumbai, Batliboi Ltd., Coimbatore, Voltas Ltd., Pune and Hyundai Electronics India Ltd., Pune. His areas of interest include Accounting, Finance and Commercial.