Destination Planning & Development

1. Destination Planning & Development

2. The Big Two Questions • Every travel decision is a direct response to one of the following questions: • Where do I want to go? (Asked by vacationers) • Where do I have to be? (Asked by business travellers and visiting friends/ relatives)

3. Tourist Destinations • Some destinations were not created as tourist hot spots, but have become important tourist centers over the years; some examples include: • Cities (Montreal, NYC, London, Paris, etc) • Natural attractions (Niagara Falls, Grand Canyon) • Specifically developed destinations (Caribbean resorts, Disney, Canada’s Wonderland)

4. Five Necessary Components of a Tourist Destination • Natural resources– water, mountains, etc. with the beauty to attract visitors • Infrastructure – utilities, roads, water, etc to support hotels, restaurants, shops • Superstructure – buildings, hotels, restaurants, gift shops that are man-made specifically to attract people • Transportation systems – docks, airports, etc. which rely on infrastructure and superstructure • Hospitality of the hosts – social & political climate, local culture, etc. which make visitors feel welcome

5. Other Factors that Affect Destination Choice • Ease of access • Price • Suitability of accommodations

6. What motivates people to travel? • Recreation • Culture (i.e. museums, art galleries, historic sites) • Nature • Educational value • Events • Health/fitness • Religion • Friends & relatives • Business

7. Steps in Tourism Development & Planning • Define goals and objectives • Identify the tourism system and plan for development; look at a) Resources available b) Organizations that can help c) Markets you wish to serve • Generate and develop different options • Select an option and implement it • Monitor and evaluate

8. Destination Development Stages Planning There are 5 main components in the planning stage 1. Market analysis 2. Site assessment 3. Financial studies 4. Environmental impact 5. Social impact studies

9. Development stages – cont’d. Development There are three types of development: 1. Integrated (uses multiple types of development) 2. Catalytic (one development project leads to another project) 3. Coattail (development found near existing natural or cultural attractions)

10. Organizations Involved in Development • Government • Why? Because tourism is an important source of revenue for governments • World Tourism Organization • Why? To improve people’s access to education and culture and to raise standards of living in developing countries • National Tourism Organizations • Why? To promote home countries as tourist destinations

11. Organizations cont’d • Provincial and Local Tourism Organizations • Why? Revenue and to encourage economic development

12. Life Cycle of Destinations • Inception: Destination is discovered • Growth: Popularity increases, building begins • Maturity: Facilities and services become standardized; local population depends on tourism • Decline: Oversaturation; carrying capacity has been reached

13. Impact of Destination Development • Economic • Social • Cultural • Environmental

14. Economic Impact • Multiplier effect- - tourist dollars pay wages of local workers who then put that money back into the economy (i.e. rent, groceries, etc) • Leakage – money that leaves the area due to goods and services that need to be imported • Invisible export – source of foreign currency • Balance of payments – exports & imports, Canada usually negative balance

15. Social Impact • Population growth • Changing employment patterns • Increased incomes • Rising property value • Resentment

16. Cultural Impacts • Demonstration effect • Trinketization • Sustains traditional arts and crafts • Ethnic preservation • Invasion of privacy

17. Environmental Impacts • Stress on environment – pollution, overcrowding, traffic congestion. • Lead to improved infrastructure • Help save threatened species

18. Deterrents to Destination Development • Tourist overcrowding • Pollution • Environmental degradation • Political instability • Fluctuating currency rates • Disease epidemic • Safety and security