Tourism is the activity of traveling to places away from home for enjoyment, relaxation, or learning. When your family visits the Grand Canyon or explores a new city, you're participating in tourism.

Tourism has become one of the world's largest industries. Millions of people work as tour guides, hotel managers, restaurant staff, and museum curators serving travelers. Some places depend heavily on tourism: think of Orlando, Florida, with its theme parks, or small mountain towns that thrive when skiers arrive each winter.

Different types of tourism exist. Cultural tourism means visiting places to experience their history, art, or traditions, like touring ancient Roman ruins or attending a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Ecotourism focuses on experiencing nature while protecting it. Medical tourism means traveling to another place specifically for healthcare.

Tourism brings both benefits and challenges to communities. It creates jobs and helps people from different places understand each other better. But popular destinations can become overcrowded, and local residents sometimes feel their towns have changed too much to accommodate visitors. Venice, Italy, receives so many tourists that the city has introduced limits to protect its historic character.

A tourist is someone engaged in tourism, and touristy describes places packed with souvenir shops and attractions aimed at visitors rather than at local residents.