GEOGRAPHY A- TOURISM

REASONS FOR THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS GLOBALLY:

• More holiday time- UK workers have at least 3 weeks per year.
• Rise in real wages- people have greater wealth
• Better transport- cheap flights due to jet planes (Ryanair and Easyjet)
• Fashionable lifestyle- necessity rather than a luxury
• Advertising- people are exposed to magazines, newspapers
• Increase in techonology- last minute internet deals

HUMAN AND PHYSICAL FACTORS THAT MAKE PLACES ATTRACTIVE:

Examples: London, Paris, New York- excitement, shopping, nightlight, sightseeing, culture

Lake district, Alps, Himalayas, Rockies- natural beauty, physical challenge, winter sports

Blackpool, Jurassic coast, Miami, Maldives- sun, sand and sea! Water sports, outdoor activites and natural environment.

HOW DOES TOURISM PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INCOME?

• Creation of jobs, improves standards of living
• Income gained can be used to invest in infrastructure (bridges, roads)
• The contribution this industry makes to GDP varies greatly between the weathlier and the poorer.

France has had more tourists than any other country- holiday cottages, city breaks, camping and skiing.

USA- 3rd largest number of tourists, Europeans consider a trip to the USA as more special

China- It has a variety of unusal landscapes and unique culture attracts increasing numbers with both time and money.

Caribbean- Used for important sources of business. Attracts the wealthiest visitors.

BENEFITS OF TOURISM IN POORER COUNTRIES:

• Many people are employed to serve tourists such as waiters, souvenir shop assistants and tour guides.
• Tourists spend their holiday money in pounds sterling, US dollar or euros. This foreign exchange is essential to poorer countries. It can be used to buy goods and services from abroad.
• Many governments tax visitors to help pay for the extra services they use such as water supply, drainage, electricity and roads.
• Extra jobs are created indirectly. Hotels buy some produce from local suppliers to feed the visitors.
• Many small businesses have been started up to serve the tourists themselves and supply the services they demand. ( Taxis, bars and restraunts)

WHY IS TOURISM IMPORTANT TO THE UK?

• 8% of the GDP
• 1 in 20 people work in jobs related to the tourist industry.
• They make money and can be kept open, local people can enjoy them too.
• Places such as national parks are maintained and managed as a reult of the income gained from these people.
• Tourism helps improves the UK's image around the world- we have a reputation for beauty and history, the royal family is very popular.
• Liverpool was designated 'European City of Culture' in 2008- new audience of people was attracted to the city.

WHAT EXTERNAL FACORS AFFECT UK TOURISM?

• Exchange rates, visitors convert their currency into pounds. If their currency is weak compared to the pound, Britain will appear more expensive and less will come.
• Security- terrorism. July bombings in London 2007
• State of global economy- if the economy is doing well, people will have more money and will be more likely to travel abroad.

BUTLER MODEL:

DESCRIPTION OF EACH STAGE OF THE MODEL:

1) EXPLORATION- Small numbers of visitors are attracted by something particular- local people have not yet developed many tourist services.

2) INVOLVEMENT- The local population sees the opportunities and starts to provied accomodation, food, transport and other services for the visitors.

3) DEVELOPMENT- Large companies build hotels and leisure complexes and advertise package holidays. Numbers of tourists rise dramatically. Job opportunities for local people grow rapidly.

4) CONSOLIDATION- Tourism is now a major part of the local economy, it is at the expense of other types of other types of development. Steady employment rate. Some hotels and facilities are becoming older and unattractive, type of customers attracted goes downstream.

5) STAGNATION- The resort becomes unfashionable and numbers of visitors start to decline. Businesses change hands and often fail.

6) DECLINATION- Visitors prefer other resorts. Day trippers and weekenders become the main source of income. REJUVENATION: Attempts are made to modernise the resort and attract other people.

UK NATIONAL PARK: LAKE DISTRICT

Reasons for its growth and popularity:

• Has a fine landscape
• The ribbon lakes and tarns are part of a unique and hugely varied landscape, as well as being a major recreational resource.
• Areas are set aside for windsailing and power boating so the activities do not clash.
• Fishing from the shore or boats is increasing in popularity.
• Walking is one of the most popular reasons
• Birthplace of mountaineering
• Historical and cultural sites are also attractive, Beatric Potter's family have a summer home there.

Impacts of tourism- the local economy, local community, natural environment:

• Congested roads with too many cars- locals can't get around easily/ distruption to emergency services.
• Some towns have become completely changed by tourist shops. Prices are often high.
• Visitors buy 2nd homes which pushes up house prices.
• Tourists walk over farmers' land damaging crops. They distrupt peace.

The strategies the National Park has used to cope with tourism:

• The government funded Lake District National Park Authority look after the interests of the park.
• 'Cumbria tourism' also attempts to promote sustainable tourism growth
• The National Trust buys land to preserve it- they keep it as farmland which local farmers manage.

Solutions for promoting sustainable development:

• Entry charge can reduce congestion BUT can discourage visitors.
• Limit visitor numbers and prevent people from walking in some areas BUT it limits people's freedom.
• Repair worn out paths, local stone can be used BUT it is expensive.
• Build bypasses, relieve pressure on busy towns BUT glacial valleys can mean there is not enough space.
• Improve public transport, more buses and trains BUT it's very expensive and time is needed to keep services running.

MASS TOURISM: Tourism on a large scale to one country or region. This equates to the Development and Consolidation phases of the Butler tourist resort life-cycle model.

ADVANTAGES:

• Tourism brings jobs- local people gain more with a reliable wage
• New infrastructure must be put in place for tourists- it benefits the local population
• Construction jobs often go to local people
• New leisure facilities may be open to local people.

DISADVANTAGES:

• The activity may be seasonal. Local people may be out of work for the rest of the year
• The industry is dominated by large travel companies who sell package holidays
• Lower and middle income customers are the target market- does not appeal to wealthier people
• Few local employees are well paid. High level jobs are taken from companies
• New building needs land, local farmers may be tempeted to sell their land to developers
• Tourists can be narrow minded and often prefer familiar food.

WHAT IS THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT? Spin offs from one business growing, allowing other businesses to grow as well. It encourages the growth of services and other businesses in the tourism sector. It impacts tourism as jobs are created.

WHAT IS THE TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT? It's the effect of when high income earners gain an increase in salary, then everyone in the economy will benefit as the money will filter through to sections of society. It impacts tourism as more money can then be spent on focusing on tourism and making the attractions better.

WHAT IS A HONEY POT SITE? It is a location attracting a huge number of tourists. They are mostly used by cities or countries to manage their tourism industry.

IMPACTS OF MASS TOURISM IN JAMAICA (CASE STUDY)

• It's an ideal tourism place due to its hot climate and the sun, sea and sand. Montego bay, golf courses and fine dining

POSITIVES: (ECONOMIC)

• Businesses employ local Jamaican staff
• Jamaican tourism workers spend their wages in other Jamaican businesses- further employment- multiplier effect
• Skills learnt for the tourist industry can be used in other sectors of the economy.
• Taxation of tourism businesses allow the government to use it to spend on developing the country.
• The money from tourists make businesses, such as hotels
• The resorts become richer.

NEGATIVES:

• Economic leakage- goverment recieves less taxation
• Jobs are seasonal- many of the tourism businesses are foreign owned
• Some tourism staff are foreigners- they don't spend the wage in Jamaica- tourist areas attract Jamaicans from poor inland areas- businesses here lose out.

POSITIVES (ENVIRONMENTAL)

• They have landscaped Monetgo Bay town to make it more attractive for visitors
• Tourists don't like high rise buildings spoiling their view, so the hotels are all low rise to limit their visual impact.
• The Negril Marine Park nature reserve has been established to help preserve sea life that tourist snorkellers and divers want to see.
• The water treatment plant at Logwood limits pollution from Negril's hotels.

NEGATIVES:

• Coral reefs have been damaged by jet skis and boat anchors.
• The taxi minibus from the airport emits exhaust gases and adds to noise levels and traffic congestion.
• The Great Morass wetland has been partly drained to reclaim land for hotels in Negril.
• Cleaning mangroves to develop tourism has led to beach erosion.

ATTEMPTS MADE TO MINIMISE AND MANAGE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN FUTURE TOURISM:

• they are trying to limit the development of mass tourism to existing resorts like Ocho Rios.
• spread small scale tourism to other parts of the island
• involve local people more
• the government has encouraged community tourism-local people running small scale guesthouses. This helps to bring less developed towns, such as Port Antonio, without mass tourism's negative effect.
• Local guides take visitors to off the beaten track attractions
• Tourists are encouraged to buy local food and crafts from Jamaican traders.
• Smaller inland hotels employ local staff and use locally grown food.
• Educating tourists and locals about how to avoid negative environmental effects.

EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS: Locations with particularly difficult environmens where the development of tourism has only recently occured due to a niche market demand for somewhere different with physical challenges.

WHY IS THERE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF TOURISTS GOING ON EXTREME HOLIDAYS?

• People enjoy the thrill, pursuing activities like rock climbing, paragliding
• It caters for a niche market
• It involves an element of risk and people like the adrenaline rush

TARGET MARKET:

• They are often around 30, unmarried and without children
• They have high powered jobs and earn a good income- the trips are expensive
• Part of the experience is to sleep 'rough' and travel over untouched landscapes
• Groups are small and the distances are great.

ANTARCTICA- CASE STUDY:

HOW IS IT BEING IMPACTED BY TOURISTS?

• Disturb wildlife- affect breeding, feeding of young
• Ship accidents- wrecks can leak oil, pollution in the sea
• Landing sites are chosen for a special feature so they quickly become honeypot sites.

COPING WITH THE TOURISM:

• The treaty of Antarctica, in force in since 1961, protects it from mining, drilling and pollution
• Research-scientists examine the ice, water and sea to raise awareness of what's going on
• Tourism- IAATO was set up in 1991- guideline on how many people can be on shore
• Shipping regulations, no ships are allowed to use heavy fuel oil
• Polar code- will limit the size and number of ships going to Antarctica.

SUSTAINABLE: Meeting the needs of the present population without damaging the environment and local community for future generations.

CONSERVATION: The careful and planned use of resources in order to manage and maintain the natural environment for future generations.

STEWARDSHIP: The personal reponsibility for looking after things, in this case the environment. No one should damage the present or future environment.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ECO TOURISTS HOLIDAY RESORT:

• It caters for a small but growing niche market of environmentally aware tourists-the fastest expanding tourisms sector.
• They cost more so they attract people with enough money
• They want to experience the natural environment directly, they do trekking and bird watching
• They prefer small scale accommodation in lodges. Local people are their guides as their knowledge is more valuable
• The market for such tourism is limited

THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: CASE STUDY

BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY AND PEOPLE:

• There are so many limitations for agriculture and other basic industries that opportunities for development without environmental damage are few
• Carefully planned ecotourism should offer opportunities for the present inhabitants without compromising those of future ones.
• Local businesses have been started to provide the needs of tourists.
• People are employed in guest houses, on boats and as guides- the income is enough to make a difference to a household- many visitors give tips which go directly to local people.

HOW CAN ECOTOURISM LEAD TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?

• Local people reliase that keeping their forest actually makes them money
• When people come to visit they make sure no damage is done- it ensures long term prosperity for the area.
• The old methods of cutting trees down did damage- they have stopped this.