Human Geography Chapter 3: Tourism

Chapter 3.1: The Global Tourism Industry

1. Tourism refers to the activities of tourists and the industry that cater to their needs. a. A tourist is someone who travels to and stay in a place outside his/her usual environment for more than a year regardless of travel purpose. b. A tourist destination area refers to the area where tourists travel to c. A tourist generating area refers to where tourists come from 2. Types of Tourism: a. Domestic Tourism: Occurs when residents choose to travel within their own country and is able to experience something different from their usual lifestyle. b. International Tourism: Travel which involves the movement of tourists from country to country

a. A fast paced lifestyle and stress of modern living encourages people to travel to relax. b. As people become more educated, there will also be encouraged to travel to see places they learnt before in books/mass media. c. In addition, different forms of tourism have emerged to suit peoples needs. E.g. Ancestry Tourism (Helps tourist to trace his/her ancestry, visit birth places of ancestors) and volunteer tourism (Tourists spend their vacation doing volunteer work) 7. Supply Factors (5) refers to the factors that affect the willingness and ability of businesses to provide goods and services to satisfy a demand for tourists. 8. Amenities consists of attractions and facilities a. The presence of attractions generally encourages international and domestic tourism. b. E.g. The Great Wall in Beijing and Mount Everest in Tibet. This allows the Chinese to gain varied experiences by travelling within their country and attract visitors from other countries. c. The facilities in a country like hotels, restaurants and shops also play a part in attracting tourists. d. Accommodation is 1 key component of facilities. A range of accommodation is made available to suit tourists on different budgets. Large shopping malls (facility) can also provide a shopping experience that is attractive to tourists. 9. Accessibility: Refers to the ease with which tourists can reach the attractions. A place which is easily accessible is more attractive to tourists. a. A well-developed transport network comprising of roads, tracks, railways, etc. will have better accessibility as they facilitate movement from place to place. b. For e.g. in Singapore, the MRT and the large fleets of buses make it easy to travel round the country. c. In addition, good accessibility via air travel from any part of the world encourages tourism and helps bring in tourists. d. For example, Changi Airport plays host to 80 airlines serving over 50 countries. In addition, it could accommodate the Airbus A380, which not many airports cam accommodate. This will ensure that Singapore is on the list of available destinations for passengers travelling on the A380. 10. Affordability: The cost of travel can influence an individual travel plan. In recent years, overseas short range travel has become more affordable. a. Cheaper costs encourages tourists to travel to that area.

Chapter 3.2: Reasons for the Growth of Tourism

3. Demand Factors (3): Refer to the factors that affect the demand for goods and services provided by the tourism industry. These factors include a. Disposable Income b. Leisure Time c. Changing Lifestyle 4. Disposable Income: Refers to the amount of money left for an individual to spend or put aside as savings after taxes. a. Generally people who earn higher incomes have more disposable incomes, thus there is more money to spend on leisure activities and tourism will increase. b. On the other hand, tourism may decline in countries as a result of low disposable income which may be due to high taxes or high unemployment rates. 5. Leisure Time: Refers to the time available outside the demands of work or duty. a. People with more leisure time may be more inclined to travel. b. E.g. In Singapore, all government ministries have adopted the 5 day work week since 2004; thus allowing people to go on weekend trips to neighbouring countries during the weekends. 6. Changing Lifestyles: Lifestyle refers to the way a person chooses to live. It includes patterns of social relations, consumption, work, entertainment and dressing.

1. The Global Tourism Industry. Trends in the global tourism industry: (Domestic tourism | International tourism) Reasons for the growth of global tourism: (Demand factors (disposable income, leisure time and changing lifestyle) | Supply factors (investment in infrastructure and services) | Others (media, transport networks and conventions)

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11. Ancillary/Subsidiary Services: This services include marketing, reservation and coordination among the different tour agencies in a country. a. An example of a service directly provided to tourists is the setting up of visitors centres at major attractions. b. In China, the China National Tourism Administration is responsible for developing, promoting and regulating Chinas tourism industry. The Singapore Visitors Centre in Orchard Road provides information like travel routes, transport modes and attractions in Singapore. 12. Quality Service: Service refers to the assistance and support provided to a customer. Quality service would leave a favourable impression on tourists which might prompt them to make repeated visits or recommend the country to their peers. a. In Singapore, the Singapore Tourism Board started the Go-the-Extra-Mile-for-Service (GEMS) movement in 2003, which is a national effort aimed at improving service levels among service providers in the country. b. Everyone has a part to play to improve Singapores service levels. 13. Other Factors include: a. Prevalence of media, b. Ease of making travel bookings, c. Meeting/convections, and d. Reduction of political barriers. 14. Prevalence of Media: Media refers to the means of communication used to reach or influence people widely. Media like radio/television/internet helps to encourage the growth of tourism through attractive advertising and making information readily available. a. Attractive Advertising: A country may promote itself as a favoured tourist destination by advertising through the various media. b. Other places may market themselves using their association with popular shows/movies and become tourist destinations as fans of these shows/movies may be interested in visiting these locations. c. For e.g., the filming location in Yangjoo was turned into a theme park to draw fans of Jewel of the Palace. d. Availability of Information: Through the media, people get more information on places and their attractions. e. With the advancement of Information Technology, it has helped to make information more accessible. Useful Information such as local weather/cuisine may be found and places of interest/eating spots are also recommended. 15. Ease of making Travel Bookings: Travel arrangements can be easily made via phone

bookings/fax. Transportations/accommodation can also be arranged through Internet Bookings. 16. Meetings/Convections: Business travel in the form of attending meetings and convections has made an impact on the growth of global tourism. a. It is also known as Meetings, Incentives, Convections and Exhibitions (MICE) travel. b. Business travellers may make use of this opportunity to take a holiday. c. Convection is a large formal meeting of people with similar agenda. An example is the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting and World Bank convection held annually. d. Such an event is a major boost for the tourism industry of the host industry as many hotels expect to be fully booked and other tourism related industries experience better sales. 17. Reduction of political barriers: The erosion of political barriers has boosted tourists travel into and out of countries which previously had strict travel restrictions. a. For e.g. The collapse of the Iron Curtain has led to increased tourism in countries of Eastern Europe as tourists can now explore Eastern Europe more freely. b. The European Union (EU) established in 1993 is made up of 27 European countries. It has a single market with a common trade policy/currency. Citizens of these states can freely travel and work in other member states Encouraged domestic travel within Europe.

Chapter 3.2 3.4: Impact of the Growth of Tourism

Chapter 3.2a: Economic Impacts (Positive) (6)
1. Contribution to revenue: When tourists visit a country, they spend money in the country which would allow the relevant industries to earn profits. a. Thus if tourist expenditure increases, more revenue is generated for the destination country. b. In Singapore, the tourism industry generated about S$11 billion which is about 5% of Singapores GDP. 2. Development of Infrastructure: To attract more tourists, the government need to further develop the countrys infrastructure, like the building of more and better roads and railways. a. This can help to improve the accessibility in the country. b. The government can also use the revenue to upgrade attractions and facilities or build more schools/hospitals. 3. Creation of Jobs: The tourism industry is labour intensive as it requires a large number of workers to provide services for the tourists.

1. The Global Tourism Industry. Trends in the global tourism industry: (Domestic tourism | International tourism) Reasons for the growth of global tourism: (Demand factors (disposable income, leisure time and changing lifestyle) | Supply factors (investment in infrastructure and services) | Others (media, transport networks and conventions)

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a. For example, hotels employ chefs/receptionists and tour agencies employ tour guides and bus drivers.

1. The Global Tourism Industry. Trends in the global tourism industry: (Domestic tourism | International tourism) Reasons for the growth of global tourism: (Demand factors (disposable income, leisure time and changing lifestyle) | Supply factors (investment in infrastructure and services) | Others (media, transport networks and conventions)

Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission from the author.

b. In addition, the tourism industry can create jobs in primary and secondary industries. E.g. Hotels buy food from local farmers increase demand for local products. c. Tourists also purchase goods and services provided by destination country. 4. Contribution to local economies: When tourists visit a city, they spend on goods and services. a. For example, tourists who go to Cairo, Eygpt to visit the pyramids help create demand for local tour guides or transport services. b. Tourism in Cairo generates nearly US$4 billion, accounting about 52% of Egypts tourism revenue. c. Providing services to tourists helps to provide income for the local people and improve their standard of living which in turn benefits others d. Thus tourism circulates money spent by tourists through the countrys economy and promote development known as the Multiplier Effect. 5. Diversification of local economies: As the tourism industry grows, it encourages the growth of supporting industries, which creates an economy with a variety of industries and businesses. a. Thus, the tourism industry diversifies the economy of the country and helps to reduce overdependence on a particular type of industry. b. For example, many rural Tibetans have benefited economically from the growth of tourism (Earth Our Home pg 87) 6. Increase in Foreign Investment: The tourist industry also attracts foreign investment as investors in the tourism industry may set up new hotel businesses, which will further enhance the countrys attractiveness to other foreign investors. a. However, unregulated foreign investment can result in the loss of development opportunities in the destination country.

income to the local economy. 8. Enclave Tourism: Refers to people staying in resorts or taking cruise packages. a. Such tourism actually creates a controlled tourist environment where they only allow limited economic benefits to the destination countries. b. Tourists have less time to interact with the people living in the destination country, thus it may also widen the cultural/social gaps preexistent between the tourists and local communities. 9. High Infrastructure Cost: A large capital input is required to develop the industry. a. Hotels and resorts need to be built, supporting infrastructure like transport networks need to be set up b. The opportunity cost (next best use for the capital) is investing other importing aspects of the society like education and health, which can be more sustainable in the long run. 10. Unequal Development of Industries: In the midst of developing the tourism industry, resources may not be channeled to the primary or secondary industries. a. More people may choose to reap more benefits from the tourism industry and move away from primary/secondary industries. b. Thus the primary/secondary industries may generate less revenue and create fewer jobs Unequal development of industry and overdependence of countrys economy on tourism industry. 11. Increase in prices: The influx of tourists may result in competition for local demand of basic goods and services. a. This will increase the price of goods for both tourists and local people. b. However it does not affect the tourists as they have higher purchasing power compared to the locals. 12. Vulnerability to seasons and unforeseen events: a. Tourism is generally subject to peak and off peak seasons, which affect business that cater to tourists only. b. For example, Peninsular Malaysia experiences heavy rain/floods due to the Northeast Monsoon season every year Decrease in income during October and Feburary as beach resorts are closed. c. In addition, it is vulnerable to events beyond control of the destination country like disease outbreaks. These events usually take place on a regional/global scale and will directly affect tourist arrivals.

Chapter 3.2b: Economic Impacts (Negative) (6)

7. Loss of income and development opportunities: Not all the money spent by tourists goes into the destinations country economy. a. Some tour companies and hotels in the country may be owned by foreign companies, thus profits go to the foreign owners instead of local workers b. The outflow of money and development opportunities from the destination country to other countries is known as leakage. c. Foreigners who have better working experience may be better qualified than local people. d. Examples of leakage include loss of job opportunities for the local people and loss of

2. Impact of the Growth of Tourism* | Economic (e.g. loss of local economy, job creation) | Socio-cultural (e.g. crimes, drugs and preservation of local customs and heritage) | Environmental (e.g. littering, vandalism and protection of environment) *[This should be studied with reference to examples from any of the following: coastal areas, mountainous areas, national parks, theme parks, heritage sites and urban areas.]

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d. For example, the SARS outbreak in 2003 severely affected the tourism industries in Hong Kong and Singapore. e. Other unforeseen events include Bali Bombings (Indonesia) in 2002 and 2005 Many potential visitors avoid the place for fear of another bomb attack. f. Natural disasters like Indian Ocean Tsunami in December 2004 devastated popular tourist destinations. g. As these destinations rely heavily on the tourism industry, their economy was severely affected when tourist arrivals dropped. h. Refer to handout for more examples.

4. Conflict for resource use: The growing demand for tourism facilities may result in competition for resources like water and electricity between tourists and local people. a. This may result in local communities having to pay higher taxes to increase supply for these facilities. 5. Economic Inequality: Conflict may rise when the higher-paying work in the tourism industry goes to foreigners whereas the lower-paying tourism jobs are held by the locals. a. It can also come in a large gap in wealth status between tourists and local people. b. Friction may arise from the frequent contact of local people and rich tourists. 6. Clash of Values: Tourists tend to bring with them their own behavioral norms and culture to the destination countries which may be perceived as inappropriate by the locals. a. For example, in some countries, the conservative locals may frown upon scantilyclad tourists at the beaches, alcohol consumption and inappropriate dressing. 7. Crime Generation: The growth of tourism may encourage vices and inappropriate activities like drug trading in some countries. a. Tourists may be attracted to the availability of drugs in certain countries, causing drug trade to flourish. b. The legislation of gambling in casinos in countries like Macau to attract tourists may adversely influence the young people.

Chapter 3.3a: Socio-Cultural Impacts (Positive)

1. Exchange of Values: The presence of tourists provide an opportunity for interaction between the tourists and local people. a. These promotes better understanding of cultures and social practices, and tourists/local people will be able to enrich their understanding of culture to others. b. For e.g., Volunteer tourism to Rio de Janeiro for the Carnival allows volunteers to experience the culture of carnival and simultaneously interact with fellow volunteers and the locals. 2. Preservation of Heritage: Heritage refers to culture and traditions passed down from preceding generations. As the locals interact with the tourists, they become more aware of their Heritage as tourists show interest in them. a. Over time, the locals may more actively preserve customs and practices that are part of their heritage. b. Tourism can thus help boost the preservation (Protection and maintenance of buildings /artefacts to keep from deterioration or loss) of cultural and historical traditions. c. For example in Singapore, events like Thaipusam (A Hindu festival) are still celebrated and customs like the vel kavadi that are long established are preserved.

Chapter 3.4a: Environmental Impacts (Positive)

1. Conservation of natural areas: Natural environments like beaches, forests and mountains are potentially valuable tourist destinations which encourages conservation of these areas. a. For example, the Malaysian government has set up the Palau Payar Marine Park in Kedah and the Palau Redang Marine Park in Terengganu to attract tourists keen on snorkeling and diving. b. Environmental awareness is also increased through education and conservation programme like teaching tourists to abide rules imposed to protect the environment at these national parks. c. Thus, the destruction of these habitats of plant and wildlife are kept to a minimum. d. E.g. Serengeti National Park in Tanzania (Earth Our Home page 95)

Chapter 3.3b: Socio-Cultural Impacts (Negative)

3. Loss of local identity and values: Tourism can cause change/loss of local identity and values when the demand for crafts, entertainment or other commodities start to exert influence on locals. a. Local people will be encouraged to discard their traditional activities for tourism-related ones to make a living b. For e.g. some Masaais may try to make a living by selling beads/crafts/dancing/performing despite this lifestyle deemed improper.

Chapter 3.4b: Environmental Impacts (Negative)

2. Environmental Degradation: Not all tourists are ecological conscious or aware of how their actions

2. Impact of the Growth of Tourism* | Economic (e.g. loss of local economy, job creation) | Socio-cultural (e.g. crimes, drugs and preservation of local customs and heritage) | Environmental (e.g. littering, vandalism and protection of environment) *[This should be studied with reference to examples from any of the following: coastal areas, mountainous areas, national parks, theme parks, heritage sites and urban areas.]

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may affect the environment as many visitors may leave their little behind. a. For example, some Mountain trails like the Andes in Peru are nicknamed Toilet Paper Trails as it has been polluted by people. b. Litter would mar the beauty of the environment and also cause pest infestation and pollution that

2. Impact of the Growth of Tourism* | Economic (e.g. loss of local economy, job creation) | Socio-cultural (e.g. crimes, drugs and preservation of local customs and heritage) | Environmental (e.g. littering, vandalism and protection of environment) *[This should be studied with reference to examples from any of the following: coastal areas, mountainous areas, national parks, theme parks, heritage sites and urban areas.]

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c.

harm people and wildlife. Provide economic benefits to all stakeholders

3. Besides littering, tourism can also bring about other forms of pollution like air pollution by Vehicles and aircrafts. This could add to the greenhouse effect and worsening global warming. a. 60% of air travel is for tourism and aeroplanes contribute much CO2 and N2O to the ozone layer. 4. In addition, negative environmental impacts can result when the environment is not able to cope with a great influx of tourists (no. of tourists exceed carrying capacity for the area). a. Carrying capacity is the maximum number of people the environment can accommodate without undermining the quality of the environment. b. This could cause the quality of the environment to deteriorate. For e.g. In forested areas, too many people trampling on the vegetation and soil can cause the area to suffer from soil erosion. 5. Tourism development in fragile ecosystems can also degrade the environment. a. For e.g. the Alps in Europe have about 40, 000 ski runs and 14, 000 ski lifts. b. In the process of erecting steel pylons, overhead cables, lifts and tows for ski facilities, trees were removed and mountain slopes were reshaped, increasing the likelihood of avalanches.

Experiential sustainability

understanding/tolerance Distributing economic gains fairly among all stakeholders, ensuring stable employment and income earning opportunities for host communities, contributing to poverty alleviation Aim to enhance visitors experience without significantly affecting the local ecological and socio cultural environment

4. Sustainable Tourism requires various parties/ stakeholders involved in the industry to be responsible for the conversation and protection of tourist areas. These include: a. Planning authorities b. Businesses c. Tourists d. Non governmental Organisations 5. Planning Authorities: The role of planning authorities includes local government and national gov. agencies) a. They are crucial in controlling the rate and scale of development in tourist areas. For e.g., the establishment of the Bunaken National Marine Park (scuba diving spot in North Sulawesi, Indonesia) has helped to conserve marine life and ensure tourist arrivals in the long term. Tourist visiting the park needs to pay an entrance fee. b. They may also restrict or control tourism development and visitor numbers. For e.g. Bhutan, a country in the Himalayas with a fragile environment and tightly guarded traditional culture only accept 18000 visitors in 2006 and tourists were charged US$240 per day. This can maximize economic benefits and minimize environmental damage. c. Governments may also choose a certain aspect of tourism as their national development strategy. d. For e.g. In Singapore, the drive to become a regional medical hub has led the government to encourage tourism in specific areas like health and medical tourism. e. This can help to attract people to visit a country and seek medical treatment. For e.g. Raffles Hospital in Singapore managed to attract patients from Middle Eastern countries due to advanced healthcare + close proximity. f. Planning Authorities themselves are often inadequate in making tourism sustainable as some countries may face difficulties in enforcing laws and regulations on proper tourism behavior (lack funds to employ park rangers / train park personnel); g. A balance between environmental protection and other aspects of tourism may be hard to

Chapter 3.5: Managing the Impacts of Tourism (Sustainable Tourism)

1. Sustainable tourism is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Geography Insights) 2. Sustainable tourism meets the present needs of tourists and the host country while protecting and enhancing opportunities for future generations (Earth Our Home) 3. Principles of sustainable development of tourism (What is required in order for Sustainable Tourism to be achieved): Principles Make optimal use of environmental resources Respect the socio cultural authenticity of host Strategies From environmental impact: Conserving the natural heritage and biodiversity of tourist attractions From social impact: Conserving the cultural heritage and traditional values of the people, contributing to inter cultural

3. Managing the Impact of Tourism | Conservation of fragile environments and sustainable tourism (Laws and regulation | Support from local population) | Responsibilities of various groups in conserving and protecting tourist areas (Visitors | Tour operators | Planning authorities | Nongovernmental organisations (e.g. The International Ecotourism Society, Conservation International)

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find. For e.g. the Penan people living in Gunung National Park were displaced when the government declared the area as a protected area. They were forced to resettle into longhouses and became tourist attractions. 6. Businesses: The tourist industry involves many tourism-related businesses like hotels, tour operators and transport services. They provide employment, generate revenue and acts as points of contact between tourist and destination. a. For long-term success of tourism, economic gains should not be the only motivation for business. b. For instance, the International Tourism Partnership (worldwide membership organization for commercial businesses in tourism sector) provides practical guidelines for hotels to adopt such as conserving energy and water, education on environment management, purchase local products and employ locals. c. International tour operator organisations like Tour Operators Initiative (TOI) advice tour operators on implementation on principles of sustainable tourism in tour packages. d. For example, the TOI encourages tour operations to brief tourists on responsible behavior at their destinations. As they act as the intermediaries between tourists and various service providers, they can help local communities make preparations, provide feedback on service standards and improve their sustainability. 7. Tourists: Tourists also play an important role in making tourism sustainable. In 1999, the UNWTO released the Global Code of Ethnics for Tourism which contain a code of conduct for sustainable development of world tourism. a. Tourists should gather information about the culture, traditions and backgrounds of the destination country before they depart so that they can better appreciate the locals way of life and their problems faced. For e.g. Trekkers aware on deforestation in Annapurna regions in Nepal would use less wood for hot water baths as it would deplete the wood resources. b. Tourists can also pay attention to the local customs at their travel destinations like the need to remove footwear at certain place of worship or choose not to take part in social undesirable activities or intrude into the privacy/everyday life of the locals. c. Tourists can also refrain from causing disturbances to the wildlife in natural environments. (e.g. dont flash camera at turtles in Turtle Island (Sabah, Malaysia) d. However, the effectiveness of these ethnics are limited as it is up to tourists to practice

responsible behavior. The planning authorities and tour operations should also actively promote and convey these codes. 8. Non Governmental Organisations: These organisations are independent groups/campaigning organisations non profit oriented to defend or promote a specific cause. a. An example is the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) concerned at conserving the natural environment and ensuring the sustainable use of renewable natural resources. b. They normally conduct research and evaluate whether an area will be subject to any potential harm by tourists, and if so, they might conduct campaigns, sign petitions and organize protests to exert pressure. c. In Singapore, the Natural Society (NSS) is dedicated to the enjoyment, conservation and study of the natural heritage in Singapore, Malaysia and the surrounding region. It is actively involved in discussions with the government on the development of natural areas.

3. Managing the Impact of Tourism | Conservation of fragile environments and sustainable tourism (Laws and regulation | Support from local population) | Responsibilities of various groups in conserving and protecting tourist areas (Visitors | Tour operators | Planning authorities | Nongovernmental organisations (e.g. The International Ecotourism Society, Conservation International)

Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author.