noun
Etymology
Origin of tourism
Explanation
Tourism is the travel business — it caters to people who are visiting a place. Tourism turns a destination into a vacation spot. Tourism is also a word for the act of traveling, especially abroad. Fanny packs are not required. If you’re visiting a new place, stop by the office of tourism and they’ll give you the lowdown on the local hotspots. If you’ve visited somewhere because it has beautiful sights, great museums, or interesting history, you were a tourist. Tourism is the business that makes money from tourists. As the word implies, tourism often involves actual tours, which could be on foot, in a bus, or even on the back of a llama.
Vocabulary lists containing tourism
The United States
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Eastern Europe - Introductory
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Pacific Islands - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Welsh government said the legislation allowed for decisions to be taken at a local level, with councils able to introduce the levy "to support investment in tourism services and facilities".
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
Last year, Beijing loosened regulations to allow couples to register their marriages anywhere, not just in their hometown, igniting competition among local governments for a slice of the wedding tourism pie.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
It said a public consultation received more than 2,000 responses, including from residents, businesses and tourism stakeholders, with concerns voiced about increased costs for visitors, and the island's "competitiveness" as a holiday destination.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
After the initial outcry over its safari plans, Kenya’s national tourism regulator clarified that the service would only use licensed guides and approved vehicles, according to the safari guide association.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
My mom pulled me out of school and switched me to homeschooling with a side of international hospital tourism when I got diagnosed with B. cepacia eight months ago.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
