Tourism

Types of Tourism -Domestic Tourism Residents travel within their own country

-International Tourism Travel that involves the movement of tourists from their own country to another country

Changing nature of tourism -Number of tourists & travel purpose Travel became affordable, & for a variety of purposes (leisure, business, medical)

Causes of change in tourism -Improvement in transport & information technology -Mounting concern of people for ecology & environment -Rise in multicultural societies -Quest for experiences (educational, entertainment) Trends of International Tourism -May be susceptible to unpredictable events, which affects tourism on a regional or even global scale -Impact of the tourism industry is usually temporary and eventually recovers Trends of Domestic Tourism -Has significant contribution to revenue generated in own country

Reason for Growth of Tourism

-Factors that influence tourism Demand factors (willingness & ability to purchase goods & services) Disposable Income The income usage & amount of household savings are influenced by economic conditions of a country As economic conditions improved, people generally earn higher incomes & have more disposable income Increase in disposable income means more money is available to spend on leisure activities. Leisure Time Time available outside the demands of work or duty People with more leisure time is more inclined to travelling Changing Lifestyle A fast-paced lifestyle & the associated stress has given some people reason to travel as a form of relaxation Travel also became an avenue for self-discovery Different form of tourism emerged to suit peoples needs due to changing lifestyle (ancestry tourism & volunteer tourism)

Supply Factors (government supply what is lacking or needed to meet tourists needs) Amenities (encourage growth of tourism) Attractions Facilities (accommodation, shopping & entertainment) Accessibility Well-developed transport network Affordability Budget Airlines Overseas short-range travel Subsidiary Services Marketing, reservation & coordination among the different tour agencies operating within a country Quality Service (assistance & support provided to a customer) Leave a favourable impression on tourists Might prompt tourists to make repeat visits or recommend country to their friends

 Other factors Prevalence of media Attractive advertising Availability of information Ease of making travel bookings Meetings & conventions Reduction of political barriers

Impacts on Economy -Positive (CID) Contribution to revenue Tourist expenditure increases, more revenue is generated for the destination country Development of infrastructure To attract tourists, government will need to further develop the countrys infrastructure Improved accessibility and facilities, benefits both tourists & local people Creation of jobs Tourism industry is labour-intensive, thus requires large number of workers to provide services Tourism industry also creates jobs for other industries (primary & secondary) Contribution to local economies Providing services to tourists help to provide income for local people & improve their standard of living, in turn benefits local people who provide them goods & services Tourism circulates money spent by tourists through the countrys economy & promotes development Diversification of local economies As tourism industry grows, it encourages the growth of supporting industries, which creates an economy with a variety of industries & businesses The tourism industry diversifies the economy of the country & helps reduce overdependence on particular types of industries Increase in foreign investment Further enhance the host countrys attractiveness towards foreign investors

-Negative Loss of income & opportunities The outflow of money & development opportunities from the destination country is known as leakage Although growth of tourism industry can create jobs for local people, not every job will go to them. Foreigners who have more experience or are better qualified may be employed over local people Enclave tourism A controlled tourist environment is created Allows only limited economic benefits to the destination countries & local communities. Widen the cultural & social gaps that already existed between the tourists & local communities High infrastructure cost Requires a large capital input to develop the tourism industry Taxes & revenue used to finance these constructions could been invested in developing important aspects of society (education, health) Unequal development of industries As a result of the emphasis of developing the tourism industry, resources may not be channelled to the primary or secondary industries. As a result, these industries may generate less revenue & create lesser jobs. This creates unequal development of the industries & a possible overdependence of the countrys economy on tourism industry Increase in prices The influx of tourists may result in competition for local demand for basic goods & services. The result is an increase in prices for goods & services. Vulnerability to seasons & unforeseen events Tourism is generally subject to peak & off-peak seasons, which affects businesses that cater only to tourists. Unforeseen events usually take place on a regional or global scale, directly affecting tourists arrivals. Tourism has far-reaching impacts on economy of country; its decline will disrupt the livelihoods of those involved in tourism-related businesses.

Impacts on Society & Culture -Positive Exchange of values Presence of tourists provides an opportunity for interaction between tourists & local people Promotes better understanding of cultures & social practices By learning & exchanging experiences, both tourists & local people are able to enrich their understanding of other cultures Preservation of heritage Due to interaction, local people are more aware of their heritage as tourists show interest in local culture & history Local people will actively preserve customs & practices that are part of their heritage as a result of increase in awareness -Negative Loss of local identity & values Tourism can cause change or loss of local identity & values when the demand for crafts, entertainment or other commodities starts to exert influence on the local people. They may be compelled to discard their traditional activities for tourism-related to make a living Conflict of resource use The growing demand for tourism facilities may result in competition for resources such as water & electricity between tourists & locals. The competition for resources may result in local communities having to pay higher taxes to increase water supply Economic inequality Conflict may arise when higher-paying jobs in tourism industry goes to foreigners, while lower-paying jobs are held by locals Also comes in the form of the large gap in wealth status between tourists & locals Friction may arise from the frequent contact of local people & such tourists

Clash of values Tourists tend to bring with them their own behaviour norms & culture to destination countries Tourists may exhibit behaviour that are perceived as inappropriate by the locals

Crime generation The growth of tourism may encourage vices & inappropriate activities in some countries (drugs, gamble)

Impacts on the environment -Positive Conservation of natural areas Natural environments are potentially valuable tourist destinations, which encourages conservation of these areas by locals & governments Protection & management is made to prevent deterioration -Negative Environment degradation Tourists are not ecologically conscious or aware of how their actions affect the environment Air & noise pollution due to vehicles & aircraft Tourists exceeds the carrying capacity of the area Tourism development in fragile ecosystems can degrade the environment

Sustainable Tourism Principles Make optimal use of environmental resources Strategies Conserving the natural heritage & biodiversity at tourist destinations Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities Conserving the cultural heritage & traditional values of the local people Contributing to inter-cultural understanding & tolerance Provide economic benefits to all stakeholders Distributing economic gains among all stakeholders fairly Ensuring stable employment & income-earning opportunities Contributing to poverty alleviation Roles Planning Authorities (local governments, national government agencies) Crucial in controlling the rate & scale of development in tourists areas Can restrict or control tourism development &visitor numbers Can choose to develop a certain aspect of tourism as part of their national development strategy Often inadequate by themselves to make tourism sustainable, face difficulties in enforcing laws & regulations on proper tourist behaviour Businesses Tourism industry consist of many tourism related businesses, these stakeholders provide employment, generate revenue & act as frequent points of contact between tourists & destination For long-term success of tourism, economic gains should not be the only motivation for businesses They can help by implementing measures to conserve energy & water, educate guests & staff on environmental management, purchase local products, employ locals where possible & provide means for guests to be involved in local community development projects Tour operators can brief tourists on responsible behaviour, act as intermediaries between tourists & service providers, help local communities make preparations, provide feedback on service standards, improve sustainability of activities (maintaining healthy interactions between tourists & locals)

 Tourists Responsibility has been placed upon tourists planning to visit an area to first gather information on the area & its local population before they depart Learning about the culture, traditions & background of a destination would enable tourists better appreciate the locals way of life & the problems they faced Pay attention to local customs Choose not to take part in socially undesirable activities, or intrude into the privacy & everyday life of the locals, minimising the possibility of conflict Refrain from causing disturbances to the wildlife in natural environments Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Realises the threats of & opportunities for tourism in an area Conduct research & evaluate whether an area will be subject to any potential harm by tourists Conduct campaigns, solicit signatures for petition, organise protests to exert pressure against unfavourable plans Approaches Ecotourism Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment & improves the well-being of the locals Aims to let visitors appreciate the scenery of an area & help them understand the local culture Ensures part of the revenue is put back into maintaining & protecting the area Conscious effort to increase employment of locals & minimise the impact on the environment by reducing the volume of waste generated, using recycled materials & conserving resources (water, energy) Normally conducted in small groups in order to be effective Normally revolve around places with natural attractions that are under careful management of planning authorities

Community-based tourism The process of tourism development & management that includes, consults & benefits the local community Giving locals control over tourist activities Enables local community to promote their authentic culture Tourists are able to experience the locals lifestyle, gaining knowledge & appreciation of the place & its heritage Locals can benefit economically when they earn & share the revenue they receive from tourists More jobs for locals are created, more money can be used to improve facilities & living conditions of the people

Tour operators & government authorities may consult local community on tourism projects (agreeing on guidelines to manage impacts on community) Allow local communities to participate actively to make tourism a success With support from the locals, misunderstandings between tour operators & locals can be minimised

Limitations Ecotourism tourism Some profit-driven tour operators attempt to take advantage of ecotourisms popularity by offering nature-based tour packages that appear to be ecotourismrelated to attract potential tourists Nature-based tours are not always environmentally-sustainable, as visits to these areas do not guarantee that care has been taken by tourists & tour operators to minimise negative impacts on the environment Not all ecotourism activities have achieved the objectives of conserving the environment Tourist numbers have to be maintained within the carrying capacity & are accompanied by guides who educate them on protecting the natural environment The effectiveness might suffer in areas where laws are not strictly enforced Tour operators view large numbers as a source of higher income, consequently, visitor numbers are not controlled while many tour operators or guides are reluctant to impose rules of correct behaviour on the tourists, for fear upsetting them There has been concern that as ecotourism continues to become more popular, countries may compete to position themselves as ecotourism destinations Many previously untouched natural environments or places with unique culture & traditions would be opened up as alternatives to mass tourist attractions, & the flood of human activities may threaten the sustainability of these areas Defeats the purpose that ecotourism had set out to achieve in the first place Community-based tourism If certain parties fail to share in the ideals of community-based tourism, the environment & livelihood of others may be jeopardised The local communities may lack the knowledge to manage the development of tourism in a sustainable manner Is conducted on a small scale, relatively less revenue generated for local communities to earn from tourists as compared to mass tourism Only a small portion of a tourists total expenditure goes to the local community, & this revenue may be insufficient to fund certain community-based projects Visitors who embark on community-based tourism without a good understanding may have unrealistic expectations of their trips They may become dissatisfied with the conditions of the rural settings & make unreasonable demands to the locals, resulting in conflicts with the local communities