The Travel and Tourism Sector in the UK in Response to Changes in the Assignment

The Travel and Tourism Sector in the UK in Response to Changes in the Industry and Society - Assignment Example The paper tells that in 2012, the United Nations World Tourism Organization reported that 1.035 billion international visits were made in 2011, resulting in expenditure in excess of $1 trillion.In the UK, 134 billion Sterling pounds were spent on tourism. This figure represented an increase of 6.9% in 2011. Demand for tourist goods and services in the UK has increased substantially during the past few decades. The growth has been so steady that even in the aftermath of the worldwide economic downturn of 2008, tourism earning grew by 6.9% to reach 134 billion Sterling pounds in 2012, compared to 2011 earnings. In absolute terms, the sector earned 9 billion pounds more than it did in 2011. This amount of money is enough to create 180,000 new jobs in the UK. The following paragraphs explain the factors behind this growth. Growing disposable incomes: The disposable of the average British worker has grown tremendously since the Second World War. Disposable income is the income that an ind ividual or a household is left after paying taxes and meeting their basic needs. With more disposable incomes, more and more people can now afford a vacation once in a while. Changing perceptions: Until recently, many citizens of the UK saw tourism as a luxury product that was reserved for the rich in society. This perception has since changed. More and more Britons are coming to appreciate tourism as a basic necessity of today's life. Of course, tourism has not reached the same level of necessity as food, shelter, education, and healthcare. Nevertheless, increasingly more Britons are embracing tourism. Government tourism policy: In 2011, the government of the United Kingdom enacted a tourism policy. The policy seeks to promote domestic tourism. The goal was pursued out of the realization that most Britons are more likely to travel abroad for a holiday rather than spend it in the country.