tourism
TOOR-rih-zuhm
Tourism (noun) means the activity of traveling to and visiting places for pleasure, especially away from one's home area. Example: “Tourism drops sharply during the rainy season.”
noun
1
The activity of traveling to and visiting places for pleasure, especially away from one's home area.
"Tourism drops sharply during the rainy season."
"Cheap flights have made tourism much more popular among young people."
"Some villages worry that too much tourism will spoil their quiet way of life."
2
The industry that organizes and provides services for travelers, such as hotels, tours, and attractions.
"Tourism is the country's biggest source of foreign income."
"Tourism employs thousands of local people as guides, drivers and hotel staff."
"She works in tourism, arranging coach trips for visitors to the island."
How to use tourism
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTraveling for leisure, or the industry built around that kind of travel.
Common pairings
boost tourism
tourism industry
sustainable tourism
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like tourism.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- tourisms
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ drops sharply during the rainy season.
Etymology
Formed from tour plus the suffix -ism, following the pattern of nouns describing systems or industries.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for tourism
See all rhymes for tourism →Frequently asked questions
What does “tourism” mean?
The word “tourism” means the activity of traveling to and visiting places for pleasure, especially away from one's home area. In plain terms, traveling for leisure, or the industry built around that kind of travel.
How do you pronounce “tourism”?
“Tourism” is pronounced TOOR-rih-zuhm (/ˈtʊɹɪzəm/ in IPA).
How do you use “tourism” in a sentence?
Here is “tourism” used in a sentence: “Tourism drops sharply during the rainy season.”
What part of speech is “tourism”?
“Tourism” is a noun.
Is “tourism” a common word?
“Tourism” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “tourism” have?
“Tourism” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the activity of traveling to and visiting places for pleasure, especially away from one's home area.
What is the difference between tourism and travel?
Travel is the general act of moving from one place to another for any reason, while tourism specifically means traveling to and visiting places for pleasure, usually away from home. Tourism also refers to the industry that serves such travelers, whereas travel does not carry that commercial meaning.
What is the difference between tourism and hospitality?
Tourism is the activity of visiting places for pleasure and the broader industry that organizes travel services. Hospitality is a related but narrower field focused on accommodation, food, and guest services, such as hotels and restaurants that support tourists.
What are common types of tourism?
Because tourism means traveling for pleasure and the industry serving those travelers, it is often described by type, such as ecotourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism, and medical tourism. These labels specify the main purpose or experience the travel centres on.
Is 'tourism' a countable or uncountable noun?
'Tourism' is an uncountable (mass) noun, so it is not normally used with 'a' or in the plural. You would say 'tourism is growing' rather than 'a tourism' or 'tourisms.'
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include tourism:
