Generally used together, travel and tourism are separate words with specific meanings. One is part of the other, but they are not the same.

Tourism is part of travel, but not all travel is tourism. When an individual travels for tourism, the purpose of the travel is leisure. For the most part, businesses in popular tourist destinations are set up to receive people and capitalize on their presence. Consequently, in tourist destinations prices are usually higher and amenities are catered for the convenience of tourists.

Travel is broader, as people travel for a larger variety of reasons. An individual might travel in order to visit family members or friends, attend weddings or funerals, commute to and from work, or for business or medical purposes. While tourists travel, not all travelers are tourists. In other words, tourists usually travel, but travelers don't necessarily tour.

Tourism suggests that the individual is traveling for pleasure or recreation. Although people travel to all sorts of locations for recreational purposes, tourism mainly involves locations with tourism potentials, such as national parks, museums, entertainment venues, beaches, mountains, or amenities that can be found in large cities.

There is a symbiotic relationship between travel and tourism. The tourist industry is the business of providing the infrastructure and services to facilitate visits from tourists. Tourists spend money during their travel to a travel destination, and they spend money while they are at their destination, so the tourism industry ensures that the traveler's stay is pleasurable.

For the purposes of categorization in this portion of our guide, this category will focus on tourism and the act of traveling rather than on the transportation industry, as we have a category for Transportation & Logistics in the Business & Industry tree.

It is believed that the popularity of leisure travel first became popular at the time of the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom. Originally, it was the factory owners, traders, and others within the economic oligarchy, who made up the new middle class, who were the most engaged in leisure travel. The first dedicated travel agency was Cox & Kings, which was formed in 1758.

The first privately chartered excursion train was arranged by Thomas Cook, who arranged for a large group of temperance campaigners to travel to a rally in Loughborough in 1841. The agreement made between Cook and the rail company was for each traveler to be charged one shilling, which included the ticket price and food for the journey, and Cook was paid a share of the fares charged to the passengers. Cook went on to found his own travel agency, Thomas Cook & Son.

In order to promote rail travel and other interests of the railroad companies in the United States, it was common for the railroads to encourage or, in many cases, set up travel destinations, usually along lakes or other waterways in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and to provide rail services to and from these new tourist destinations.

Tourism can be domestic or international.

Domestic tourism can serve as a good way for individuals or groups to explore their own country, and learn more about its history, culture, and people. It can also be an enjoyable way for people to spend time with their family and friends. There are several types of domestic tourism, including birdwatching, camping, fishing, hiking, and wine-tasting. Other examples may include visiting such attractions as amusement parks and beaches, exploring new states or provinces, or participating in social or cultural activities.

International tourism includes individuals traveling from one country to another, or non-residents traveling in and through other countries. As might be expected, domestic tourism is generally more affordable than international tourism, but that is not always the case.

Six main categories of tourism have been identified: recreational tourism, cultural tourism, sports or adventure tourism, health tourism, convention tourism, and incentive tourism.

Forms of tourism include adventure tourism, atomic tourism, bicycle tours, beach tourism, cultural tourism, ecotourism, geo-tourism, industrial tourism, medical tourism, religious tourism, rural tourism, sex tourism, space tourism, sports tourism, sustainable tourism, virtual tourism, war tourism, and wildlife tourism.

Tourism and hospitality are major industries throughout the world, today. People travel for business, vacation, pleasure, adventure, and even medical treatments.

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