Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the principal conflict in Noosa's history that has shaped its current environmental and human landscape?
What is the principal conflict in Noosa's history that has shaped its current environmental and human landscape?
- Disputes over water resources between agricultural and urban users.
- Arguments about the allocation of funds for infrastructure projects.
- Battles among residents, organizations, councils, local developers and multinationals over the area's values and uses. (correct)
- Conflicts between the local fishing industry and tourism operators.
What does the acronym TBL refer to in the context of Noosa's community planning?
What does the acronym TBL refer to in the context of Noosa's community planning?
- Town Budget Legislation.
- Triple Bottom Line, encompassing social, economic, and environmental sustainability. (correct)
- Tourism Benefit Levy.
- Total Business Licenses.
The proposal to develop a marina near Noosa Main Beach is presented as a case scenario to explore what broader theme?
The proposal to develop a marina near Noosa Main Beach is presented as a case scenario to explore what broader theme?
- The challenges of managing marine ecosystems.
- The importance of tourism in coastal economies.
- The Meaning of Progress, weighing economic advancement against environmental protection. (correct)
- The role of local councils in urban planning.
The name 'Noosa' is speculated to originate from an First Nations word referring to what characteristic of the area?
The name 'Noosa' is speculated to originate from an First Nations word referring to what characteristic of the area?
What was a primary economic activity in the Noosa region from the early 1860s?
What was a primary economic activity in the Noosa region from the early 1860s?
What key event in 1954 marked the beginning of significant human intervention in Noosa's coastal environment?
What key event in 1954 marked the beginning of significant human intervention in Noosa's coastal environment?
What was the main outcome of the Leisuremark development proposal in 1988?
What was the main outcome of the Leisuremark development proposal in 1988?
How did the council's introduction of a population cap for the Noosa Shire impact the local property market?
How did the council's introduction of a population cap for the Noosa Shire impact the local property market?
What was the primary purpose of the Noosa River Plan adopted in 2004?
What was the primary purpose of the Noosa River Plan adopted in 2004?
What action was undertaken in 1978 to protect Noosa Sound from potential cyclonic damage?
What action was undertaken in 1978 to protect Noosa Sound from potential cyclonic damage?
What was the main reason for Noosa Council's decision in 2003 to implement a sand nourishment program instead of constructing an offshore artificial reef?
What was the main reason for Noosa Council's decision in 2003 to implement a sand nourishment program instead of constructing an offshore artificial reef?
What was the primary reason for Noosa Shire's de-amalgamation from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in 2013?
What was the primary reason for Noosa Shire's de-amalgamation from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in 2013?
What is one of the strategies outlined in the New Noosa Plan (2020) to manage the growing population and their needs?
What is one of the strategies outlined in the New Noosa Plan (2020) to manage the growing population and their needs?
What is a key focus of the Corporate Plan (2017-2037) for Noosa Shire?
What is a key focus of the Corporate Plan (2017-2037) for Noosa Shire?
The Noosa River is one of QLD's busiest waterways and historically ranks in the top how many best quality rivers in the state?
The Noosa River is one of QLD's busiest waterways and historically ranks in the top how many best quality rivers in the state?
What is one of the key recreational opportunities does the Spit provide?
What is one of the key recreational opportunities does the Spit provide?
What is one focus of the New Noosa Plan regarding the well being of the community?
What is one focus of the New Noosa Plan regarding the well being of the community?
Which of the following is likely to surface in Noosa in the next decade?
Which of the following is likely to surface in Noosa in the next decade?
Approximately how much of the Noosa Shire is green?
Approximately how much of the Noosa Shire is green?
Approximately how many visitors does the town of Noosa attract annually?
Approximately how many visitors does the town of Noosa attract annually?
When was Noosa designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve?
When was Noosa designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve?
When was Noosa Shire amalgamated into the Sunshine Coast Regional Council?
When was Noosa Shire amalgamated into the Sunshine Coast Regional Council?
When did the new Noosa Council take office after de-amalgamation?
When did the new Noosa Council take office after de-amalgamation?
When did Captain Cook fail to detect the mouth of the Moosa River?
When did Captain Cook fail to detect the mouth of the Moosa River?
When was gold discovered in the Noosa region?
When was gold discovered in the Noosa region?
When did the QLD State Government development lease for Noosa Sound commence?
When did the QLD State Government development lease for Noosa Sound commence?
When was Noosa's first Strategic Plan released?
When was Noosa's first Strategic Plan released?
When did Council begin staged construction of channel training walls using sand filled geotextile mega containers?
When did Council begin staged construction of channel training walls using sand filled geotextile mega containers?
When was the New Noosa Plan released?
When was the New Noosa Plan released?
When was the Corporate plan created?
When was the Corporate plan created?
What capped the population in 1995?
What capped the population in 1995?
When was a rock wall constructed on the beach?
When was a rock wall constructed on the beach?
Who acquired a lease for Crown Land in Noosa Heads in 1958?
Who acquired a lease for Crown Land in Noosa Heads in 1958?
What were some of the reasons for original settlement to slow?
What were some of the reasons for original settlement to slow?
What issue would require improving Noosa's resilience to natural hazards?
What issue would require improving Noosa's resilience to natural hazards?
What did the Council purchase from Leisuremark for protection values?
What did the Council purchase from Leisuremark for protection values?
How many Community Sector Boards were representing the TBL?
How many Community Sector Boards were representing the TBL?
What document guides strategic and long-term planning of the Noosa region?
What document guides strategic and long-term planning of the Noosa region?
What design is encouraged in Noosa plans?
What design is encouraged in Noosa plans?
Flashcards
Noosa Shire
Noosa Shire
The government administrative area covering 872 km, 37% of which is green space.
Triple Bottom Line (TBL)
Triple Bottom Line (TBL)
Balancing social, economic, and environmental factors in community development.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
A designation recognizing the balance between residents and environmental protection in Noosa.
Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi)
Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi)
Signup and view all the flashcards
"noothera" or "gnuthuru"
"noothera" or "gnuthuru"
Signup and view all the flashcards
Population Cap
Population Cap
Signup and view all the flashcards
Noosa Strategic Plan
Noosa Strategic Plan
Signup and view all the flashcards
Noosa River Plan
Noosa River Plan
Signup and view all the flashcards
Australian Local Councils
Australian Local Councils
Signup and view all the flashcards
The New Noosa Plan
The New Noosa Plan
Signup and view all the flashcards
Corporate Plan (Noosa)
Corporate Plan (Noosa)
Signup and view all the flashcards
Study Notes
- Noosa Shire covers 872 km, with 37% designated as green space (Crown land, national park, or council conservation estate).
- The town attracts about 2.3 million visitors annually.
- The natural and human environments are the result of battles to protect values and uses of the area.
- Since the 1950s, residents have shaped the community with an emphasis on social, economic, and environmental sustainability (TBL).
- Local efforts led to Noosa's designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2007 and the creation of Noosa National Park.
- Many residents are highly engaged in local politics.
- A progressive community engages the local community in decisions that consider the socio-cultural, economic, and environmental ramifications.
- A proposed marina development near Noosa Main Beach on the Spit a public park, poses a conflict between stakeholders.
- The marina project highlights the discussion of progress as either economic (jobs, income, tourists) or environmental (resource protection, reduced pollution).
- Noosa's sense of space (living, working, and playing) must be assessed to understand how people can live with nature, maintaining environmental, economic, and social communities.
- For thousands of years the Noosa region the Kabi Kabi (or Gubbi Gubbi), the Dalla (or Dalungbara), Undumbi, and the Nalbo First Nations tribes inhabited the area with dependencies on the waterways.
- The name Noosa may come from "noothera" or "gnuthuru," an First Nations word meaning shade, shadow, or ghost, referencing large trees.
- Captain Cook (1770) and Matthew Flinders (1802) didn't see the Noosa River mouth; white visitors arrived later via shipwrecks and penal convicts in the 1820s.
- Explorers and surveyors arrived in the 1840s.
- Disagreements caused decimation of Indigenous Australians and their culture, exacerbated by smallpox and the 'Spanish Flu'.
- Timber logging was important from the early 1860s, gold was discovered in 1867, and tourism began around the turn of the 20th century (first lifesaving club in 1927).
- Limited sand mining occurred in the 1950s, followed by public opposition to further development.
- In 1954, property owners built the first protective wall on Noosa Main Beach.
- A state government development lease for Noosa Sound in 1971 led to dredging, a concrete retaining wall, and a bridge to the Spit.
- Several tourism development schemes failed in the 1960s-80s.
- Leisuremark proposed a mega resort on Noosa's North Shore in 1988 which included a jet airport, bridge, golf course, and hotel, but was rejected, leading to building height restrictions.
- In 1995, a population cap was introduced, which, combined with other restrictions, increased property prices.
- In 1997, Noosa published a strategic plan which successfully defended appeals by developers.
- The strategic plan provided guidelines for council to purchase 500 ha on the North Shore and established Community Sector Boards
- In 2007, Noosa became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
- In 2008, Noosa Shire was amalgamated into the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, until in 2013 when the amalgamation was reversed and Noosa Shire is now independent.
- Development proposals require strong guidance.
- Plans require Noosa design styles with limited signage, single level car parking, limited traffic lights, and no parking meters.
- Destination Management Plan is needed to manage tourism capacities, encourage sustainable living consistent with the Biosphere designation.
- Transport and parking options (especially along Hastings Street), expansion of the Sunshine Coast airport, affordable housing for an ageing population and review of population cap needs to be addressed.
- Noosa has experienced intense community support and conflict for environmental planning.
- The Noosa River rises from the Great Sandy region in QLD and flows through two shallow coastal lakes (Lake Cootharaba and Lake Cooroibah).
- The river passes through Tewantin, Noosaville, Noosa Sounds, and Noosa Heads.
- The Noosa River is one of QLD's busiest waterways and ranks in the top 5 best quality rivers in the state.
- A Noosa River Plan was adopted in 2004 and set out Desired Environmental Outcomes (DEOs) relating to waterways issues.
- The Plan is now outdated and needs to be revised.
- Noosa's sand mass is similar to sand dune formations of QLD's Southeast Coast other offshore islands (eg Moreton, Stradbroke, and Fraser) which have been subject to coastal sand drift
- Business developers built protective sea walls in 1954.
- In the 1950s, companies applied for permits to mine sand but were met with local opposition.
- In 1958, T.M. Burke acquired a lease for 200 ha of Crown Land and Hastings Street was surveyed and sealed.
- Further beach erosion in 1967 prompted the placement of rock fill and in 1968-1969 a rock wall was constructed.
- A QLD State Government development lease came into force in 1971 and led to the development of Noosa Sound.
- An artificially created peninsula of the Noosa Spit was constructed in 1978 to separate the river flow protecting Noosa Sound, and resulted in shifting the river mouth.
- Noosa's first Strategic Plan in 1988 helped prevent moves by Leisuremark Development Group and Council purchased the 500 hectares of Noosa North Shore from Leisuremark.
- Today, the Noosa Spit peninsula protects Noosa Sound.
- Dredging kept the river channel clear until 2003 when it was discontinued.
- In 2003, Council decided against an offshore artificial reef in favor of a sand nourishment program.
- In 2006 and 2008, Council constructed emergency rock retaining walls.
- In March 2012, a staged construction of channel training walls using sand filled geotextile mega containers in combination with beach nourishment began.
- The possible breach of the Spit by the Noosa River makes it necessary to actively manage the channel.
- Groups like the Noosa Parks Association oppose restoration of the Spit.
- The Spit provides recreational opportunities including swimming, kayaking, boat launching, a dog beach, hiking trails, birding, and car parking.
- Local Noosa council was forced to amalgamate with the more pro-development Maroochy and Caloundra into the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in 2008.
- Noosa values of limited development did not agree with Maroochy and Caloundra.
- In 2013, Noosa Council de-amalgamated from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council
- The New Noosa Plan (2020) sets down the guiding framework for its future
- The plan manages a growing population, and improves access to suitable housing.
- Noosa is reliant on tourism, but diversifying to other areas (e.g., health and wellbeing, education, etc) will protect the local economy
- Ways to improve the existing transport network including biking, walking, and shared public transport to decrease private car use and increase public and active transport use.
- The New Noosa Plan manages ongoing threats to biodiversity and the natural environment.
- It also aims to improve Noosa's resilience to natural hazards (especially COVID-19 and future climate conditions) through education, better planning avoiding development in natural hazard areas, and design to mitigate risks.
- A Corporate Plan (2017-2037) has been created that sets out Council's long-term business-related strategies and priorities
- The Plan identifies five key themes that Council will address for their 20-year corporate goals:
- To protect the Noosa environment.
- To ensure the Noosa community is connected, safe and happy.
- To create a diverse and resilient Noosa economy.
- To sustain long term planning for Noosa Shire. • To be proud of the Noosa Council. Finally, the Noosa Shire Local Economic Plan (2015) is directed toward creating a dynamic and resilient economy for generations to come. The plan is designed to be consistent with the Noosa Council's sustainability principles and follows on from a series of focus groups (made up of representatives from the community, business, and industry), two public involvement workshops, and an online community engagement portal known as, Your Say Noosa. The purpose was to identify areas of "smart" growth-industrial sectors that yield high economic value and low environmental value, whilst being compatible with the social aims of the community. Noosa Biosphere Reserve A biosphere reserve is an international conservation listing, recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as an area that demonstrates innovative approaches to sustainable development. In declaring Noosa a Biosphere Reserve in 2007, UNESCO noted the strong sense . of community involvement in relation to human settlement within a natural environment that positioned Noosa, of the 507 sites worldwide across 102 countries, as a benchmark. The Noosa community nominated the area for biosphere reserve designation "as part of its response to the challenge of maintaining the existing conservation-oriented culture and to provide the basis for achieving sustainable use of the area's natural and cultural resources." Noosa National Park viewed from the river mouth The Noosa Biosphere promotes harmony between people and nature through three specific activities: 1. Conservation: To contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species, and genetic variation. Sustainable development: To foster economic and human development that is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable, and therefore compatible with the first function. Logistical support: To support demonstration projects, environmental education and training, research and monitoring related to local, regional, national, and global issues, in support of the first two functions. The Original Eumundi Market During the program you may get an opportunity to visit the Original Eumundi Market (OEM), which receives ~1.8 m visitors per annum, making it the largest arts and crafts market in Australia. The EOM (one of five markets now operating) started as three stalls in 1979 and was in response to economic changes due to change in a new highway segment that bypassed Eumundi, nearly killing the economy of the town. The OEM grew exponentially and was handed over to the local historical association to manage so that funds could be used for local community projects such as maintain the 20 fig trees on Main Street (commemorating the 20 fallen soldiers from Eumundi in World War I). Today the OEM is open twice a week (Wednesday/~200 stalls and Saturday/~300 stalls) and functions as a business incubator, for local vendors to trial their products before further investing. To assist with this, OEM management has created a stallholder mentorship program, in conjunction with the University of the Sunshine Coast (which also includes a scholarship for USC students to start their own business). There are ~200 stall holders on a Wednesday (when a larger proportion of locals visit) and ~300 on a Saturday (when there is more of a tourism market). A 5-vat worm farm located at the nearby school is supplied by market waste and the resulting worm juice is sold by the schoolchildren, providing a good example of the circular economy. The carbon footprint is limited by focusing on locally produced goods and services (e.g., selling only local juices, liquids-no coca cola products, no bottled water). All stallholders are assessed on five criteria (developed in 2011) to protect the core values: 1. Originality of product. 2. Quality of product. 3. Level of stallholder involvement (how much of their production is outsourced versus artisan). 4. Environmental business practices. a. Compostable, biodegradable, and plastic-free packaging? b. Work with local school which has a worm farm (check it out!), the kids produce the worm juice/whizz (from 8 large containers), use it on their garden, but also sell it c. How sustainable is the production chain? 5. Localness-eye on reducing carbon footprint. Their core value is experiential shopping-as a contrast to shopping malls-the focus is on the entire experience of interacting with local market traders who produce their own goods, with the motto: make it, bake it, sow it, and/or grow it. Market traders are grouped into one of three categories: A (make their own goods, e.g., furniture using timber harvested and made locally within the Shire), B (create new goods from non-original goods or import some of their product, e.g., clothing sourced from overseas but sewn locally), and C (imported goods). Only Grade A vendors are permitted in the OEM and they receive subsidized rent for their stalls. Eumundi Market is set up as a non-profit; revenue goes back into local community (through charities, schools, arts, scouts, research/development). Auditors come out every week to ensure that stallholders continue to meet OEM's philosophy and criteria. The selection and location/placement of stallholders is a controversial issue. Competing stall holders are not located close to one another, including stalls that sell different products but attract a similar market audience (e.g., young person's jewellery is not located next to young person's clothing because visitors are less likely to spend at two consecutive stalls). OEM has a percent breakdown for types of goods sold; e.g., 30% ceramics, 20% jewellery, etc., meaning that if a breakdown has been reached, no more vendors of that product will be accepted. This breakdown changes slightly on a Wednesday, when more locals tend to visit, resulting in a higher proportion of fruit/vegetable stalls. Ongoing/current issues concern (1) conflicts between stallholders over prime locations, (2) providing power to all stallholders (for heat in the winter and lighting), and (3) visitors being able to distinguish between the OEM and other markets. OEM is the second major tourist attraction on the Sunshine Coast (after Australia Zoo) and a lifestyle movement toward "sea change" and "tree change" (where lifestyle given priority over employment—a work to live instead of live to work) has led to increased residents in Eumundi. The town is part of Sunshine Coast Council, though the majority of Eumundi's residents would prefer to be within the greener Noosa Shire (which would prioritize the OEM and hinterland region). Visitor Capacities: Does Over-Tourism Exist in Noosa? Noosa, like other tourism-dependent communities around the world, is facing a crisis of "being loved to death." Too many tourists impacting the residential lifestyle, eroding the values of why residents chose to live there in the first place. Daytrippers to Venice, Italy for example, now have to book and pay an entry fee after the mayor claimed, "we're a city, not a theme park." Such over-tourism has spurred anti-tourism demonstrations by residents, especially throughout Europe. Despite residents' calls to curb visitation, local governments/councils are finding it difficult to stem the hordes of tourists who diminish housing supplies (in part through a conversion of long-term rentals into AirBnB), impact infrastructure (clogging roads, reducing parking availability), and crowd out popular areas. Adopting Aesop's Fables, has over-tourism killed the goose that laid the golden eggs? Moreover, when residents leave a community and tourists take over, what is left behind is very different than the place that initially motivated people to visit. As a counter, local businesses are keen to point out that tourism is a boom-bust (and seasonal) industry and fear that limits on visitor capacities would affect their bottom line. Likewise, not all areas within a specific locale face the same pressures from tourism and "hotspots" (or sacrifice areas often exist. For example, the Noosa Hinterland (interior country of the Shire) does not experience the same level of tourism demand as Noosa Heads (Main Beach and Hastings Street). Stakeholders in a community often have very different perspectives on what level of tourism is acceptable-local business owners often seek higher visitor capacities than residents, while residents who have recently moved into a community typically have higher tolerance levels for the number of acceptable tourists than long-term residents. A 2018 study of Noosa's Hinterland (i.e., Cooroy, Kin Kin, Pomona) residents suggests they are quite sceptical of increasing visitor capacities to their region because they fear further tourism development will erode their social lifestyle (sense of place) and the natural environment (the two main reasons for moving to the Hinterland in the first place). The greatest challenges that hinterland residents perceive over the next few years are (in order of importance): (1) impact of population growth, (2) balancing environment and development, and (3) traffic congestion. Several years ago, Noosa passed a town planning scheme restricting population within its Shire to 56,000 (now increased to 62,000) permanent residents-likewise, should a cap be developed for visitors? The decision to create a population cap was based on a need to retain 30% Greenspace throughout the Shire, ensure that buildings were no higher than the tallest tree, limit the number of traffic lights (currently there are only two, both next to one of the local schools), and maintain individual suburbs with a village-like atmosphere (i.e., the communities of Tewantin, Noosaville, Noosa, Sunshine Beach, Sunrise Beach, and Peregian Beach are all separated by parks and greenspace). In essence, is there a sustainable level of tourism for Noosa? Tourism Noosa (TN) is the organization that markets Noosa (domestically and overseas). Their vision (2022) is for Noosa to be "the most desirable and sustainable tourism destination for our visitors, provide economic benefit and value for our members, our community, and tourism sectors." TN's primary goals are to (1) focus on value over volume by targeting high-spending (especially overnight) visitors particularly from interstate and international markets and (2) reduce the impacts of seasonality through increased off-peak and mid-week visitation. Their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) include increasing the average length of visitor stay and increasing the dispersal of visitors off-peak, mid-week and geographically. Below are some of the issues that Noosa will need to consider when developing a tourism cap: • What will be the impact of population growth (and local airport expansion) on visitor numbers? • While Noosa's population is capped, the population of the Sunshine Coast (adjoining region) is more than 300,000 growing at an annual rate of 2.5% (projected to be over 500,000 by 2041). The local Sunshine Coast airport (only 30 minutes south of Noosa) was expanded in 2020 to include direct international flights from Asia. Many are concerned that direct flights from China will have dramatic impacts on the tourism industry in Noosa. What is the difference between day-trippers and overnight visitors (in terms of social, environmental, and economic impacts) and how should each group be managed? There were 2.2 M overnight and day trip visitors to Noosa in 2022, growing at an average annual rate of 6% (compared to only 4% in QLD overall). • Strongest international visitor growth is from Asia-Pacific. • Domestic day visitors comprise 50% of all visitors (approx. 1.1 M) up 20% since 2015. The rise in domestic day visitors is especially problematic as they have a relatively high in pact on the Shire's infrastructure (especially roads and parking) but spend considerably less than overnight visitors (who typically park their vehicles at resort accommodations). The average overnight spend is ~A$1600 per visitor/night while the average day visitor spend is less than $150/day. • Total visitor expenditure is A$1.7 Bn pa (2022). • Value over volume: What values are altered by increasing (or decreasing) visitor capacities to a community such as Noosa (i.e., does it become the domain of the only the wealthy)? • How does a community increase overnight visitors but decrease the number of domestic day-trippers? For example, should a visitor entrance fee be established for Noosa Biosphere Reserve (which comprises the Noosa Shire and beyond into the waters)? • What will be the environmental impacts of increasing visitor numbers to Noosa's protected areas (including Noosa Biosphere, Noosa National Park, and Great Sandy National Park)? • Should sacrifice areas be created for Noosa's main tourism hotspots (i.e., Main Beach, Noosa National Park, Gympie Terrace)? As you address your module questions, consider what sustainable tourism for Noosa would look like? Tourism is sustainable to the extent that it meets acceptable (or desired) limits for environmental, social, and economic conditions. For example, if Noosa proclaims itself as The Relaxation Capital of Australia (Tourism Noosa 2020), one might expect that it should fall toward the more relaxing (less developed?) end of a continuum from "highly developed" to "highly undeveloped." One tool that can be used to address this question is the Tourism Opportunity Spectrum. Tourism Opportunity Spectrum The Tourism Opportunity Spectrum (TOS) assumes that a range of tourism opportunities should be available within an entire region, but not all specific geographic locations within the region should provide a full range of opportunities, i.e., one area may provide undeveloped tourism opportunities while another may focus on developed opportunities. Accordingly, different opportunities will be associated with different visitor capacities, i.e., less nature-dependent tourism areas can accommodate far more visitors than more nature-dependent tourism areas. The TOS uses several indicators (e.g., shopping/entertainment, accommodations, convenience of travel, human elements, physical impacts, etc.) to rate specific locations within a tourism region along a continuum from "More nature-dependent tourism" (i.e., nature immersed tourism) to "Less nature-dependent tourism" (i.e., nature-packaged tourism). (An example of a TOS Assessment Form is in the Appendix.) The visitor capacity for each tourism opportunity is often defined as the maximum number of tourists that can be accommodated in an area, without damaging the environmental or social conditions. Butler (1980) has suggested that tourism destinations evolve through a 7-stage lifecycle from exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, and stagnation followed by either decline or rejuvenation: Rejuvenation # of Tourists Stagnation Consolidation Decline Development Involvement Exploring Time Tourism Life Cycle, taken from Butler, 1980 The assumption behind Butler's model is that as the number of tourists increases over time, the tourism opportunity itself changes and the destination attracts a different type of tourist (from explorers and drifters in the early stages of tourism development to mass tourism in the later stages). At each stage, residents (as well as repeat visitors) are likely to be less tolerant of increasing numbers of tourists than new residents and first-time visitors. As development proceeds (i.e., increasing facilities and attractions), marketing increases its visibility, businesses respond accordingly with promoting further services, and the destination area changes (meeting the needs of a new latent market). It is important to note that it's very difficult to reverse this process-once tourism development begins, it's difficult (if not near impossible) to go back to a less developed state. Each stage in Butler's tourism life cycle is dependent on a range of six conditions (taken from Carroll & Hessian, 2015): site access, compatibility of other uses, regimentation, tourism impacts, onsite management, and social perceptions of visitors and hosts. In essence, TOS places each tourism site along a continuum from developed to undeveloped by classifying different attributes (conditions) of the site. One advantage of the TOS is that the findings can be displayed on a (color-coded) map showing the different tourism opportunities available in a tourism destination. Such information can be used by planners and managers to help diversify the range of tourism opportunities provided by a destination and/or identify where changes are necessary to meet desired tourism goals. For example, if Noosa is to be the Relaxation Capital of Australia (as self-proclaimed by Tourism Noosa) it should provide tourism opportunities that reflect a relaxing and undeveloped experience. TOS information can also be used to help market a destination to a target audience by highlighting site characteristics that existing users seek. Ultimately, from the perspective of visitor capacity, TOS information that is collected over time can be used to determine if a tourism destination is stable or moving in an acceptable (or unacceptable) direction.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
