Another way to ascertain the type of tourism is to define the purpose of undergoing this wonderful activity. Is it for recreation, business or adventure? What the reason triggering your visit?

Types of tourism (on the basis of purpose).  Here are some of them:

      Recreational tourism: The most common type of tourism is undertaken for the intent of leisure. Touring in this case is meant for rest or a change of environment. Most times exotic places, such as beaches are preferred. It could also include a theme park or any other attraction that elicits a change of environment for the visitor.

      Business Tourism: Usually shorter than other forms of tourism, business tourism is designated for commercial purposes. As the name implies, it concerns businessmen and women, or professionals that leave their country and go to another in order to close business deals, expand the development of a commercial unit, acquire managerial or technical know etc.

     Cultural tourism: This is meant to appease the curiosity of people for the culture and norms of other nations. The willingness of the tourist to acquire explicit knowledge about the history, tradition and rituals of a country triggers him or her to be involved in cultural tourism. This type of tourism can entail trips to festivals, tours to various landmarks and museums.

     Educational tourism: The curiosity of travelling can have a great impact in this type of tourism. Another factor that fuels educational tourism is the need to amplify the academic knowledge or study of one’s discipline. For example, the study of tourism, travel and hospitality management is preferably chosen at a country whose source of income mostly stems from tourism (i.e. Greece, Australia, France etc.). Or it could be that the infrastructure and the wherewithal for a better adoption of one’s profession aren’t available in his/her country.

     Sport tourism: As the name implies, sport tourism is the activity of leaving to another country in order to experience or participate on sports. The Olympics, FIFA World Cup and other athletic events are reasons why people travel from a place to another. It also be that a sport that people want to be involved into is well taught in a place with the required sporting facilities (hiking on mountainous regions).

   Medical Tourism: People with severe ailments are advised to visit countries where specialists doctors can tackle with patients’ health grievances more efficiently than in ones’ home country. One example of such medical tourist destination is India. Another destination renowned for the dexterity of plastic surgeons on cosmetic surgeries is Brazil.

   Religious tourism: Christians, Muslims and others have this reverential habit of visiting place of sacred importance to the god they worship. For example, Nigerian Christians  each year are involved on pilgrimages to visit places temples or cities altogether like Jerusalem. It is meant to complete the religious duties of a worshiper

There are many more types of tourism that have grown to be innovative and interesting.