The Tertiary Sector: Trade, Transport, and Tourism

Posted on Sep 12, 2024 in Geography

The Tertiary Sector

The tertiary sector comprises activities not engaged in the production of goods, but services: transport, trade, tourism, health, education, etc.

Classification of Services

  1. Public Services: Managed by the state to meet the needs of the population and ensure better organization of the territory.
  2. Private Services: Offered by private companies to make a profit. They may be classified according to their role:
    • Social
    • Administrative
    • Financial
    • Cultural
    • Personal
    • Information and communication
    • Commercial
    • Shipping
    • Leisure and tourism

Trade

Commerce includes all activities related to buying and selling products and services.

Internal Trade

Conducted within the limits of a country to supply its inhabitants. It is divided into two parts:

  1. Wholesale: Sale conducted by a commercial company that acquires goods in large quantities directly from the producer to sell to small retailers.
  2. Retail: The retail trading company purchases goods in small quantities from wholesalers for resale to consumers.

Forms of Domestic Trade

  1. Small commerce or traditional commerce
  2. Large areas: Supermarket, Hypermarket, Department store
  3. Shopping Center
  4. Sale by mail, television, and Internet

Foreign Trade

Foreign trade is the exchange of goods and services between countries. This trade includes imports (purchase of goods and services a country makes overseas) and exports (sales of goods and services a country makes abroad).

Geographical Distribution of Foreign Trade

  1. Developed Countries: Export industrial products and import raw materials and energy sources.
  2. Industrial Countries of Southeast Asia: They have specialized in manufacturing exports at low prices in recent years.
  3. Underdeveloped Countries: Major exporters of raw materials and energy sources.

Transport

Transportation is moving people and goods from one place to another. The main transport systems are:

Ground Transportation

  1. Road Transport: Uses means of transport like buses, cars, and motorcycles. These means of transport operate on roads, highways, and motorways. Developed countries have a hierarchical road network while in underdeveloped countries, the road network is inadequate.
  2. Rail: Operates on trains on railways. Ongoing operations are performed in train stations, including platforms, ticket outlets, and cargo reception areas. The railway is widely used for transporting large volumes and weights.

River Transport

River transport uses navigable rivers and lakes. This means of transportation is suitable for heavy or bulky goods and passengers, using barges and even large vessels.

Shipping

The sea is used to transport goods of high volume and weight. At present, this system offers many advantages: carrying capacity per ship, the use of containers for goods, a variety of vessels fitted with specific features, and lower cost. The drawback is that they require additional transportation. Passenger transport is limited to cruise and ferry services.

Aviation

The aircraft is a major means of transport. Airports are the facilities needed to accommodate aircraft on the ground. Air transport is organized by airlines, which can be private or state-owned. The advantages of air transport are its speed for passenger travel over medium and long distances, as well as for transporting high-value and low-volume goods. Its drawbacks are primarily environmental.

Tourism

Tourism is any movement made from a place of residence to another for a limited time. It is a leisure activity that involves spending at least one night away from home.

Features and Factors of Tourism

Tourism often has a seasonal character. The development of tourism is influenced by:

  1. Physical Factors: The spatial characteristics and climate of a place.
  2. Human Factors: Facilities and infrastructure.
  3. Tourist movement occurs from one zone to other receiving stations.

Types of Tourism

  1. Beach or Shoreline Tourism: The most popular type. It is practiced in areas that have low sandy shores and mild weather.
  2. Sports Tourism: Focuses on the conduct of sports, like skiing in the mountains.
  3. Nature Tourism: Its purpose is the enjoyment of natural areas and is divided into ecotourism and rural tourism.
  4. Artistic and Cultural Tourism: The tourist attractions of this method are the heritage, customs, traditions, etc.
  5. Seaside Tourism: Practiced in areas with springs of medicinal mineral waters.
  6. MICE Tourism: Involves assistance to places where conferences, courses, and conventions are held.