Tourism Planning & Development PDF

TH1907 THE NEED FOR TOURISM PLANNING Why Tourism Needs Planning A destination’s image as a tourism site is neither guaranteed nor permanent. The normal occurrence of a developed destination for tourism begins with gathering few visitors. As soon as they feel the...

TH1907 THE NEED FOR TOURISM PLANNING Why Tourism Needs Planning A destination’s image as a tourism site is neither guaranteed nor permanent. The normal occurrence of a developed destination for tourism begins with gathering few visitors. As soon as they feel the increase in the number of visitors, development programs and construction of facilities start to meet the demand. Developments in the destination will continue; when the destination finally reaches its limit in capacity, it starts to decline and lose its charm to tourists. This is a normal occurrence in destinations being groomed for tourism, which is evident in the research of Professor Richard W. Butler, known as the Tourism Life Cycle. The main point of the cycle is that a destination’s decline is inevitable. However, the eventual decline of a tourism destination can be avoided if responsible planning and management are practiced by those who are in charge of tourism development. Several destinations were able to practice responsible tourism planning and management. According to Lansangan-Cruz (2015), the Disneyland Theme Park in both California and Florida in the United States of America were able to maintain its success by undergoing thorough planning and strong commitments to attain their objectives. Their commitment is to provide guests an experience that makes them feel like they’re the main character of the story. They were able to stay true to that commitment by being innovative, promoting leadership among their staff, educating themselves on how to give good experience to their guests, and giving entertainment. On the other hand, some tourism destinations started good but failed because of poor planning. One example is the Six Flags Theme Park in New Orleans, USA. It was supposed to be the city’s biggest theme park, but it was never profitable due to its location. Since it is located at a low level of land, the damage was extensive when Hurricane Katrina devastated the area (Templeton, 2018). This example provides the idea that planning and commitment, along with a suitable destination, are elements that will determine the success or decline of a tourism destination. The Essence of Tourism Plan Tourism is a very complex industry as services from several sectors such as the government, private companies, non-government organizations, and local communities are often involved in delivering a certain level of experience to tourists. A tourism plan is useful for the following reasons: Sectors that have little experience and knowledge of the basic principles of tourism can use the tourism plan as a guideline in carrying out the needed tasks for development. The tourism plan can be used as a tool for coordination between the sectors involved to provide better services to tourists. Lansangan-Cruz (2015) also pointed out the following benefits of proper tourism planning: Develop tourist attractions, facilities, and infrastructure with the objective of conserving the environment. It can conserve culture and provide sociocultural benefits. Maintain the natural and cultural resources in the development process. It can be used as a means to improve poorly developed destinations. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 4  TH1907 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOURISM DESTINATION Destinations both possess tangible (such as its physical attributes – landscape, attractions, facilities, buildings, etc.) and intangible characteristics (such as the emotions that a destination invokes to visitors through experiences – hospitality of local people, atmosphere of a cultural event, etc.). Though all destinations possess these characteristics, they also have different appeals to tourists. The differences between destinations can be based on what they can specifically offer or on their uniqueness. This can be referred to as “types of tourism destination,” which include the following (Camilleri, 2019): Adventure Tourism – These destinations mostly offer active holidays or vacations that involve physical activities such as recreational sports, extreme sports, etc. Culinary Tourism – These destinations have cuisines found only in the area. Activities in these destinations involve the exploration of the food or delicacies it may offer. This is often done by visiting local restaurants and experiencing the local type of service. Cultural Tourism – This type of destination is where visitors immerse themselves with the culture. The objective of the visit is to learn the lifestyle of the local community which often involves its history, art, and architecture and the people’s way of living. Ecotourism – This type of destination is often attractive to responsible tourists where they get to visit undisturbed natural areas. The objective of the visit is to let the visitors know the importance of conservation and improving the well-being of the local community. Educational Tourism – This is often marketed to tourists whose objective in traveling is for educational purposes, such as exchange and foreign students. Wellness Tourism – This is mostly based on rural, seaside, or natural areas by resorts and spas where the main reason for traveling is to relax and reinvigorate the human body and senses. Medical Tourism – This involves destinations specializing in specific medical capabilities where people travel to obtain medical treatment. MICE – This stands for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions/events. This involves destinations that cater to large groups of travelers gathered for a single purpose (usually about business). Religious Tourism – Destinations usually fall under this type when the purpose of travel is related to religion, such as pilgrimage, fellowship, and religious festivals. Rural Tourism – This category includes provincial destinations and has a more laid back atmosphere. Tourists visiting rural destinations may enjoy activities such as agri-tourism, fruit picking, farming, etc. Seaside Tourism – These are destinations that are near coastal areas where visitors can enjoy activities mostly associated with bodies of water (scuba diving, riding jet ski and boats, surfing, etc.). Sports Tourism – These destinations are capable of accommodating a huge number of visitors whose objective is to observe or participate in sporting events. Urban Tourism – This category includes destinations that are more developed in terms of infrastructure and facilities. Some examples are major cities and national capitals. Wine Tourism – These are destinations that boast of wineries and vineyards where world-class wine can be produced. Visits to these destinations may include wine tasting, consumption and purchase of aged wine, etc. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 4  TH1907 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE KEY PLAYERS IN TOURISM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT There are four (4) main key players in tourism: tourists, host community, public sector or government, and tourism industry. Each of these key players plays a vital role in tourism planning and development. These are the following: Tourists’ Rights and Responsibilities Tourists are considered as the most significant player in tourism planning, but they are also viewed as causes of problems in tourism. Some argue that though tourists do have their rights, they also have responsibilities. According to Swarbrooke (as cited in Mason, 2016), these are the following rights of the tourists: Be safe and secure from crime, terrorism, and disease Not discriminated against on the grounds of race, sex, or disability Not exploited by local businesses and individuals Fair marketing of products through honest travel brochures and advertisements Safe and clean physical environment Free and unrestricted movement, provided that they cause no damage Meet local people freely Courteous and competent service. Swarbrooke (as cited in Mason, 2016) also presented the basic responsibilities of tourists concerning tourism planning and development, which are the following: Obedience to local laws and regulations Not taking part in activities which, while not illegal or where the laws are not enforced by local authorities, are nevertheless widely condemned by society Not offending local religious beliefs or cultural norms of behavior Not deliberately harming the local physical environment Minimizing the use of scarce local resources. The Involvement of Host Community in Tourism Planning A host community is defined as “a diverse set of people in geographical and political boundaries.” This description may leave an impression that its relation to tourist is more of a passive approach—that is, majority of the time, the host community just acts as the recipient of whatever tourists bring—but that is not exactly the case. According to Swarbrooke (as cited in Mason, 2016), the involvement of host communities in tourism planning has its positive effects on development. The involvement of host communities depends on the following number of factors (Mason, 2016): The nature of the political system at the national and local level The degree of political literacy of the local residents The nature of the particular tourism issue The awareness of the host community regarding the tourism issue The perception of the host community regarding the tourism issue The history of the local community’s involvement in tourism planning and development The attitudes and behavior of different media sectors. Public Sector’s Regulation and Marketing of Tourism The public sector or government is an organization that represents the taxpayers and electors. Their funds come from the taxes paid by the citizens of the area they govern. Most governments, especially in developed countries, have departments or government bodies that specialize in tourism planning and management. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 4  TH1907 In general, the public sector’s involvement in tourism planning and management is through its function of regulating and marketing. Regulation and marketing of tourism are theoretically two (2) separate functions. However, there are instances that both functions work together, in which marketing is used as a regulating measure for tourism. The following are some of the specifics of the public sector’s function in tourism planning and development (Mason, 2016): There are restrictions on the public sector’s ability to regulate tourism through the available legislations or laws directly affecting tourism. Government bodies specializing in tourism planning and development are usually separated into sub- departments that focus on different levels (national to regional down to local). The government can also designate specific areas for environmental protection and cultural preservation. The public sector can educate tourists in order to control their behavior when visiting the area. The Influence of the Tourism Industry in Tourism Planning and Development The tourism industry by definition is very complex and contains different sectors that make it as a whole. The sectors and industries involved in tourism are often correlated in the sense that they are usually linked together to form a tourism product. For example, tour operators may have stakes in specific hotels and transportation companies that they strongly market these companies over others. These are common occurrences in the tourism industry. Even competing organizations may be linked as well in order to meet demand (e.g., two (2) international airlines forming a partnership to have a wider reach of the global market). The tourism industry manages its operations through the marketing mix, which is also known as the 4P’s: product, price, promotion, and place. An additional P, which is people, is also added to the mix as it is also influential in tourism planning and development. These are elaborated in the following (Mason, 2016): Product – The tourism industry is mostly composed of the private sector in which they provide the bulk of most tourism products. Price – This is the strongest influence of the tourism industry because it can dictate the price of tourism products depending on the level of demand. Promotion – Commercial operators often use promotion as a tool to influence tourist behavior in purchasing and product awareness. Place – This is often used as a means for providing information about what a destination has to offer to visitors. People – This emphasizes the influence of a visitor’s view of a destination through its relationship with the people that provides tourist services. References: Camilleri, M. A. (2019). Tourism planning and destination marketing. United Kingdom: Emerald Publishing LTD. Economy, P. (2015, May 22). 4 powerful secrets to Disneyland’s success at 60. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/4-powerful-secrets-to-disneyland-s-success-at-60.html on October 16, 2019 Lansangan-Cruz, Z. (2015). Tourism: Planning and development. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store. Mason, P. (2016). Tourism impacts, planning, and management. New York: Routledge. Templeton, J. (2018, August 1). 20 Once-popular tourist attractions that all travelers avoid now. The Travel. Retrieved from https://www.thetravel.com/20-once-popular-tourist-attractions-that-all-travelers- avoid-now/ on October 16, 2019 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 4