There are many definitions of a tourist, which reflect the focus of regulation and certain economic interests of the state of origin. Actually on this definition, experts are working more than 50 years. The first definition of a tourist was formed in 1937. special committee of the League of Nations.

In 1963. at the UN conference on international tourism in Rome (Rome Conference Definition) addressed issues of tourism definitions. Adopted the following definition for the tourist: tourist - temporary visitors staying at least 24 hours in the country visited and the purpose of whose journey can he classified as

In the theory of tourism, in relation to conditions in Russia, this definition in its entirety as follows:

Tourist - a consumer of the tour, the tourist product and tourist services - temporary visitor area, locality, territory or country, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, language or religion, is located in an area not less than 24 hours but not more than 6 months during the calendar year, or is outside their place of residence within the country and performing at least one night in collective or individual accommodation, traveling for pleasure or with cognitive, medical, business purposes and is not engaged in this activity in a place of temporary stay, paid from a local source. This interpretation is somewhat wider, and it should be noted, more precisely the definition contained in the law "About bases of tourist activity in the Russian Federation."