Costs and Revenues of Residential Tourism
Residential tourism is one of the most prominent types of tourism, playing a vital role in boosting both local and global economies. In this context, this type of tourism involves visitors staying for a specified period in a particular tourist destination, whether it is in hotels, apartments, or even traditional guesthouses. Therefore, the costs and revenues of residential tourism represent a key element in studying the impacts of this sector on the economy.
First: Costs Associated with Residential Tourism The costs related to residential tourism are diverse and cover various aspects, ranging from daily operational costs to the costs of constructing and developing tourist facilities. Some of the main costs include:
Infrastructure Costs: Residential tourism requires substantial investments in infrastructure development, such as building hotels, equipping accommodation rooms, and developing public transport systems and tourist facilities. This also includes improving roads, water and sewage networks, and electricity.
Daily Operational Costs: These include wages paid to employees, maintenance of facilities, providing food and beverages, and equipping rooms with basic services. It also includes costs for providing amenities like the internet, security, and entertainment activities.
Marketing and Advertising: Hotels and tourist facilities strive to attract visitors through various marketing campaigns. These campaigns require significant budgets for promoting brands on digital platforms, participating in tourism exhibitions, and paying fees to online travel agencies.
Environmental Costs: With increasing attention to sustainability, environmental costs are rising, including the use of renewable energy, waste reduction, and the adoption of eco-friendly technologies like smart buildings that help conserve energy and water.
Second: Revenues from Residential Tourism In contrast, residential tourism can generate substantial revenues for tourist destinations and local communities. These revenues include:
Accommodation Revenues: Revenues from accommodation services are one of the main sources of income in residential tourism. This includes returns from hotels, furnished apartments, and other accommodation types. Prices vary depending on the service type and location, leading to different income levels.
Food and Beverage Revenues: Providing food and beverages is an important revenue source. In hotels and tourist facilities, restaurants and cafés are an integral part of the tourist experience, and luxurious offerings like fine dining and specialty cafés contribute to increased revenues.
Revenues from Recreational Activities: Recreational activities and organized sightseeing tours form a large part of the revenues. These activities include city tours, amusement parks, boat trips, and adventure activities. All of these contribute directly to supporting the local economy.
Transport Revenues: Tourists visiting tourist destinations heavily rely on transportation, whether by planes, trains, or buses, which contributes to increasing revenues for transportation companies. Residential tourism can also generate income from car rentals or local transportation.
Local Trade Revenues: The increase in visitor numbers stimulates local trade, including shops and markets that offer souvenirs, clothing, and local food. Many tourists also visit local cafés and restaurants, boosting local commerce.
Third: Impacts of Residential Tourism on the Local Economy
Job Creation: Residential tourism leads to the creation of numerous job opportunities in hotels, restaurants, transport centers, tour guide services, and entertainment industries, helping to reduce unemployment rates.
Investment in Small and Medium Enterprises: Local businesses such as small stores, family-run restaurants, and craft shops thrive due to the increased demand from tourists.
Achieving Economic Balance: The revenues generated by tourism contribute to achieving economic balance in tourist areas, providing the financial resources needed for the development of other regions and improving the quality of local services.
Conclusion Residential tourism is not just a means of recreation but a powerful economic driver that positively impacts the local economy through the costs and revenues it generates. Although there are many challenges and costs associated with managing this sector, the returns it produces can be immense. Therefore, investing in infrastructure improvements and providing high-quality services are essential for success in this sector.