The terms tourist and excursionist are used in tourism studies to classify visitors based on how long they stay at a destination.
1. Tourist
- A tourist is a person who travels to a place outside their usual environment and stays at least one night (24 hours or more).
- They usually use accommodation such as hotels, resorts, or guesthouses.
- Tourists may travel for leisure, business, pilgrimage, education, or other purposes.
Example:
Someone from Mumbai visiting Kochi and staying in a hotel for 3 days is a tourist.
2. Excursionist (Same-day visitor)
- An excursionist is a person who travels to a destination but does not stay overnight.
- They return to their home or another place the same day.
- Also called a same-day visitor.
Example:
A person from Thiruvananthapuram visiting Kovalam Beach for a few hours and returning home the same evening is an excursionist.
✅ Main Difference:
- Tourist: stays at least one night at the destination.
- Excursionist: does not stay overnight (same-day visit).