Unit3  Tourism Industry

TextA  Transportation

Transportationhas always been linked to tourism. It is a component necessary to the entiretourism industry. History shows that, repeatedly, when there is a change intransportation, there is a change in the hospitality services that surround themeans of travel. With the evolution of the vast network of ancient Roman roadscame the need for snack bars at periodic intervals. With the evolution of theautomobile and the network of interstate highways came a proliferation (激增)of fast food at highway exits. Other examples abound. The Transportation Sectorof the tourism industry comprises all modes of transportation regularly used bytourists to get to and from the destination and in the destination itself. Thisincludes airlines, cruise lines, auto-rentals, tourist bus lines and taxis.

AirTransportation Airlines around the world provide an extensive network ofdomestic and international flights. The main advantage of using airline servicesis the time it saves, when compared to ground transportation. The airlineindustry is composed of international carriers, national carriers, commuters (通勤者),and private airplanes and jets. In some parts of the world, the airlineindustry is regulated by governmental bodies, and in some parts it is not. TheUnited States deregulated its airline industry in the late 1970s, removing lawsdetermining ticket prices, and Europe is moving now to deregulate its airlineindustry as well. The competition in the airline industry is fierce, andcarriers compete for every percentage of market share that they can capture.Competition is based on prices and service. The major costs for an airlinecompany are fuel, labor, and equipment. As a marketing effort, many airlinesoffer frequent flyer programs. Frequent passengers can redeem flight points fordiscounted, upgraded, and free flight tickets, hotel rooms, and car rentals.

GroundTransportation Ground transportation includes automobiles, trains, buses,taxis, and private cars such as limousines (豪华轿车). Itis the method of transportation used most frequently, usually the mosteconomical, and available to the greatest number of travelers.

CarRental The car rental industry provides services for both business and leisuretravelers who need to rent a car away from home. The largest car rentalcompanies are international in scope. They provide an extensive network oflocations around the world and operate through a central reservation system.Travelers can find car rental offices in major cities and communities, nearairports, tourist destinations, attractions, and seaports. In addition to therental service, rental car agencies also provide long-term leasing services.

RailCompanies Rail companies provide train services for passengers and goods(freight trains). Most of the modern economies in the world enjoy a widenetwork of railroads that connect domestic and international destinations. Withthe growth of the airline industry, the rail industry has faced tough challenges.The main challenge has been to convince air travel passengers to use trains asan alternate means of transportation. In addition to quality service, many railcompanies have developed and introduced high-speed trains that can compete moreclosely with the overall time of air travel (flight, transportation to theairport; -check-in time, and so on). For example, the flight time between NewYork City and Washington, D. C. is approximately 70 minutes. Adding in 45 to 60minutes to reach the airport from Manhattan, 30 minutes between check-in anddeparture, and 45 minutes for the ride to downtown Washington, the trip comescloser to three hours. Train stations are usually located downtown, eliminatingtravel time to the airport; In this case, the train ride between midtownManhattan and Washington, D. C. is approximately three hours. In some parts ofthe world, train travel is even faster. The French TGV, the Swedish X-2000, andthe Japanese high-speed Bullet Train are all examples of high-speed trains thatare direct competitors to air travel.

MotorCoaches Motor coaches - or bus services offer inexpensive transportationbetween cities, states, and countries. Bus services are more popular in areasthat do not enjoy airline or train services. The customer mix includesstudents, senior citizens, military personnel, tourists, and people who cannotafford to buy an airline ticket. Due to tough competition from the airline andrail industries and the increased use of private or rental cars, many buscompanies were forced to drop prices significantly. In addition to intercitybus services, every city provides local bus transportation for intracityservices.Motorcoaches are also used for sightseeing in many locations.

TaxiService, Private Car Service, and Limousines Taxi companies provide animportant means of local transportation. Taxis serve every place in their localarea, including attractions, airports, hotels, restaurants, train stations, andso on. Local or state regulations may specify boundaries, such as within acertain radius or within a specific set of towns in which taxis may operate.Prices are usually regulated and published. Sometimes taxi drivers are aninformed resource for local information and can be considered a distributionchannel for a restaurant, for example. Taxi services in many cities have becomea famous identification mark of the city. For example, London is well known forits black cabs, and New York City is known for its yellow ones.

Growingin popularity are private car services. These car services providetransportation between two locations, and prices are set in advance, as opposedto taxis, which clock payment on a meter. Private car services are moreexpensive than taxis, but provide a more comfortable ride, and often includecellular phones and fax machines. Corporations often own a fleet of cars, orcontract with a provider, to transport employees to and from the airport ormeetings. At the luxury end of ground transportation are limousines, shuttlingpassengers in total luxury between destinations. One important reason to have aprivate car service or limousine at your disposal is convenience; the travelerdoes not have to wait (sometimes a long time) for a taxi.

WaterTransportation Most major cities in the world can be found on water; therefore,it is no surprise that water transportation is part of the publictransportation network. Water shuttles are particularly helpful at peakcommuting times, when roadways are overtaxed. Good examples of frequently usedwater shuttles can be found in New York City and Bangkok, Thailand. Watershuttles often provide intermediary transportation to another service. InBoston, the downtown water shuttle provides a means for travelers to get to andfrom the airport from a downtown location. (1060 words)

 

Exercises:

A. Readthe passage and answer the following questions.

1. Whatis the major advantage of air transportation?

2. Whatare the major costs of an airline company?

3. Whatis frequent flyer program?

4. Whatkind of transportation is used most frequently and economically?

5. Howdo car rental companies operate?

6. Whatis the main challenge the rail industry has faced?

7. Howlong will a passenger cost to travel from New York city to Washington D.C. bytaking a train?

8. Whydid bus companies drop prices?

9. Whatare regulated in taxi service?

10. Whatdoes “a distribution channel” in Para. 7 mean?

11. Whatare the advantages and disadvantages of private car services?

 

B.Translate the following sentences into Chinese.

1. Withthe evolution of the vast network of ancient Roman roads came the need forsnack bars at periodic intervals.

2. TheUnited States deregulated its airline industry in the late 1970s, removing lawsdetermining ticket prices, and Europe is moving now to deregulate its airlineindustry as well.

3. Inaddition to quality service, many rail companies have developed and introducedhigh-speed trains that can compete more closely with the overall time of airtravel.

4. Sometimestaxi drivers are an informed resource for local information and can beconsidered a distribution channel for a restaurant, for example.

5. Growingin popularity are private car services. These car services providetransportation between two locations, and prices are set in advance, as opposedto taxis, which clock payment on a meter.