Tourism Life Cycle – The Butler Curve

1. Tourism Life Cycle – The Butler Curve Impacts of Travel and Tourism

2. Tourist Area Life Cycle (Butler’s Curve - 1980) Exploration involvement Development Consolidation Stagnation Decline Rejuvenation

3. Butler’s Curve(1980) Number of tourists Time Exploration

4. Exploration characterised by small numbers of tourists adventurous visit “new” places attracted by some unique feature few tourist facilities  reliance on local facilities high level of contact between tourist & host small impact on the host community.

5. Butler’s Curve(1980) Number of tourists Exploration Time Involvement

6. Involvement local residents begin to provide facilities for tourists high degree of contact between tourists & locals locals may start to change usual patterns to accommodate tourists pressure on local government to provide more & better facilities for tourists.

7. Butler’s Curve(1980) Number of tourists Involvement Exploration Time Development

8. Development tourism market: well-defined because of promotion at tourist generating areas local control of facilities & development of tourism starts to decline international organisations take root (Holiday Inn, Hilton) physical nature of resort changes (not universally accepted) number of tourists approaches (or exceeds) local population (take notice at this point, can start to see negative impacts) type of tourist  mainstream, conservative

9. Butler’s Curve(1980) Development Number of tourists Involvement Exploration Time Consolidation

10. Consolidation rate of increase of tourist arrivals starts to decline (even though absolute numbers may still grow). number of tourists now exceeds local population marketing & promotion well developed market is almost saturated, therefore new development/building slows down growing discontent among host population

11. Butler’s Curve(1980) Consolidation Development Number of tourists Involvement Exploration Time Stagnation

12. Stagnation peak number of visitors has been reached (carrying capacity) environmental, social & economic problems (beach erosion, local businesses sold, dissatisfaction with locals) area is not as popular with tourists (beach is dirty, crowded, not enough parking) original features which attracted tourists in the first place will have been supplemented by new “attractions”. (theme parks, museums, bungee jumping, something that wasn’t there before)

13. Butler’s Curve(1980) Stagnation Consolidation Development Number of tourists Involvement Exploration Time Decline Immediatedecline

14. Immediate Decline & Decline immediate decline: an abrupt death of the resort decline: a more gradual decline, where number of visitors gradually tapers off infrastructure changes (hotels converted to condominiums because not enough visitors) local population begins to buy tourist facilities because of affordability

15. Butler’s Curve(1980) Stagnation Consolidation Development Number of tourists Decline Immediate decline Involvement Exploration Time Rejuvenation Reduced growth Stabilisation

16. Stabilisation, Reduced Growth & Rejuvenation Stabilisation: the area stabilises and changes very little over time Reduced growth: the area continues to grow but at a reduced rate of growth Rejuvenation: can take place in 2 ways: building a new attraction taking advantage of previously untapped resources. Strong government or corporation involvement

17. Butler’s Curve(1980) Rejuvenation Critical range of elements of capacity Reduced growth Stagnation Consolidation Stabilisation Development Number of tourists Decline Immediate decline Involvement Exploration Time

18. Critical Range of Elements of Capacity This is the stage when carrying capacities become critical (cc has been reached) can be exceeded or managed Tourism Carrying Capacity:The number of visitors that an area can accommodate before negative impacts occur, either in the physical environment, the psychological attitude of the tourists, or the social acceptance level of the hosts. • Assumes destination went through all stages (exploration)