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ADVANTAGES OF FORECASTING THE DEMAND FOR TOURISM 2
Introduction
Tourism demand forecasts are of great economic value both for the public and private sector.
Any information concerning the future evolution of tourism flows is of great importance to
hoteliers, tour operators and other industries concerned with tourism or transportation, in order to
adjust their policy and corporate finance. In the last few decades, numerous researchers have
studied international tourism demand and a wide range of the available forecasting techniques
have been tested. Major focus has been given to econometric studies that involve the use of least
squares regression to estimate the quantitative relationship between tourism demand and its
determinants. However, econometric models usually fail to outperform simple time series
extrapolative models. This article introduces a new approach to tourism demand forecasting via
incorporating technical analysis techniques. The proposed model is evaluated versus a range of
classic univariate time series methods in terms of forecasting and directional accuracy [1].
[Despite efforts by social scientist undertaken since the mid-20th century (Kates, 1971; White,
1942; White, 1973; Quarantelli, 1988), the risk assessment seen from perspective of disaster risk
has only been treated fairly recently. Its systematic conception and analysis was practically
assumed by experts and specialists in the natural sciences with studies regarding geodynamics,
mudslides, flooding and industrial accidents. In other words, emphasis was centered on the
knowledge of hazards due to the existing investigative and academic biases and the efforts of
those who first reflected on these issues (Cutter, 1994). It is important to point out here that the
emphasis still remains, particularly in the highly developed countries, where due to their
ADVANTAGES OF FORECASTING THE DEMAND FOR TOURISM 3
technological development people try to find greater detail the generating phenomena of the
threats. This was an evident trend during the first years of the `International Decade of Natural
The tourism industries, and those interested in their success in contributing to the social and
economic welfare of a citizenry, need to reduce the risk of decisions, and that is, reduce the
chances that a decision will fail to achieve desired objectives. One important way to reduce this
risk is by discerning certain future events or environments more clearly. One of the most
important events is the demand for a tourism product, be it good, a service or a bundle of
All industries are interested in such risk reduction. However, this need may be more acute in the
tourism industries than for other industries with other products, for the following reasons [2]:
The tourism product is perishable. Once an airliner has taken off, or a theme park has
closed for the day or morning dawns over a hotel, unsold seats, admissions or sleeping
rooms vanish, along with the revenue opportunity associated with them. This puts a
premium on shaping demand in the short run and anticipating it in the long run, to avoid
both unsold `inventory on the one hand and unfulfilled demand on the other.
People are inseparable from the production-consumption process. To a large extent, the
production of the tourism product takes place at the same time as its consumption. And
and consumers, such as hotel staff, waiters and waitresses, flight attendants and
entertainers. This puts a premium on having enough of the right supply personnel
controls what happens to guests in her or his hotel, the visitors experience depends on
satisfaction with a host of goods and services that make up the visit. A hotels future
demand, therefore, depends on the volume of airline flights and other transport access to
its area, the quality of airport services, the friendliness of taxi drivers, the quality and cost
these elements. Forecasting can help ensure these complementary services are available
when and where future visitors need them, which will rebound to the benefit of the hotel
Much holiday and vacation travel is stimulated by the desire to seek refuge from the
stress of the everyday environment. Moreover, today there are countless alternatives for
spending leisure time pleasantly for residents of most developed nations. As a result,
crises such as war, terrorist attacks, disease outbreaks, crime and extreme weather
conditions can easily dissuade leisure travellers from visiting a destination suffering from
one of these, or from travelling at all. The ability to forecast such events and their
projected impact in tourism demand can help minimize the adverse effects of
place.
Tourism supply requires large, long lead-time investments in plant, equipment and
infrastructure. A new hotel may take three to five years from concept to opening. A new
airport or ski resort may take a decade or so for all planning, approvals and construction.
A new airplane may take five years to may take five years to produce from an airlines
ADVANTAGES OF FORECASTING THE DEMAND FOR TOURISM 5
initial order to final delivery. Future demand must be anticipated correctly if suppliers are
to avoid the financial costs of excess capacity or the opportunity costs of unfilled
demand[3]
Accuracy of monitoring plays an important role in early warning, not only in a technical sense. It
also helps to prevent false alarms and therefore helps to build up trust in the warnings.
Monitoring has to adapt continuously to the changing hazard landscape, especially in light of
climate and environmental change. Examples such as the evacuation of 40,000 people in the
Popocatepetl region, Mexico, in December 2000 just hours before a major eruption are
noteworthy examples of successful early warning from which a lot can be learnt[4].
At the Symposium of the EWC III Third International Conference on Early Warning [5], it was
strongly felt that warning systems must be people-centered: they have to support and empower
people in protecting themselves. In order to go the last mile, an integrated approach to early
warning has to be based on the needs, priorities, capacities, and cultures of those at risk. People
References
[4] Excerpt: Summary of the Scientific and Technical Symposium, Multi-hazard Approaches
Session; 17 (EWC III Third International Conference on Early Warning, 27-29 March 26
[5] www.unisdr-earlywarning.org
[6] Excerpt: Summary of the Scientific and Technical Symposium, (EWC III Third International