Tourism Planning and policy

The destination area with tourism planning

Planning is a process of selection from among alternative courses of action.
Five basic reasons for tourism planning:
Tourism development has both positive and negative impacts
More competitive situation
More complicated phenomenon
Tourism has damaged natural and cultural resources
Community involved.

Seven stages of destination life cycle
Like most products, destinations have a product lifecycle.
Butler proposed a widely-accepted tourism destination lifecycle model which has 7 distinct
stages:
Exploration
A destination begins as relatively unknown and adventurous visitors initially come in small
numbers restricted by lack of access, facilities, and local knowledge.
Involvement
Local investment in tourism and tourism advertising start. Visitor number begins to increase
and government agencies start to develop the infrastructure.
Development
There is a rapid growth in visitor numbers as the destination becomes heavily advertised. The
amenities are increased and improved. Visitors change to less adventurous.


Consolidation
Growth in visitor numbers will decline, although total numbers will still increase. Tourism
becomes mass market
Stagnation
The peak numbers of visitors will have been reached. Capacity levels for many variables will
have been reached or exceeded. The area will have a well-established image but it will no
longer be in fashion. There will be heavy reliance on repeat visitation and on conventions and
similar forms of traffic.
Decline
Visitor number decrease. External investors begin to pull out.
Rejuvenation
New attractions are developed or new natural resources are used to reverse the negative
trends in visitor arrivals.
The destination area without tourism planning
Consequences of unplanned development:
Physical
Human
Marketing
Organizational
Other

Barriers to tourism planning
The objections to the principle of tourism planning
Cost of this process is high
The complexity (ownership) of tourism and the large number of government agencies
involved
The diversity of tourism business (sector, size)
The seasonality
The high ownership turnover in tourism businesses.

Purposes of tourism planning
Five basic purposes
Identifying alternative approaches
Adapting to the unexpected
Maintaining uniqueness
Creating the desirable
Avoiding the undesirable

Synthesis and Visioning
Position statements
Describe the existing situations in tourism development, marketing,
organization, community awareness, and support services and activities.
Vision statements
Reflect the desired future states in tourism development, marketing,
organization, community awareness, and support services and activities.

Goal-Setting, Strategy Selection, and Objective-Setting
Goals
Results or outcomes that the destination area tries to achieve within three to
five years.

Strategies
Broad approaches selected to achieve tourism goals that help to translate
existing conditions into desired future situations.
Objectives
Results or outcomes that the destination area tries to achieve within one to two years.
Plan Development
Description of programs, activities, roles, and funding
Writing of tourism plan reports
Plan Implementation and Monitoring
Plan implementation: The tourism plan is put into action by a governmental
tourism agency.
Plan monitoring: As the plan is being implemented, the coordinating agency
checks to ensure that progress is made as originally intended.
Plan evaluation: The performance on goals and objectives is measured and
recommendations made for future tourism planning
Plan Evaluation
The performance on goals and objectives is measured.
Recommendations are made for future tourism planning based on the results
and outcomes of this plan.
Sustainable Tourism Development
Tourism which is developed and maintained in an area in such a manner and at such a scale
that it remains viable over an indefinite period and does not degrade or alter the environment
(human and physical) in which it exists to such a degree that it prohibits the successful
development and well-being of other activities and processes.
Principles of Sustainable Tourism Development
To improve the quality of life of the host community
To provide a high quality experience for visitors
To maintain the quality of the environment on which both the host community
and the visitors depend

Main Forms of Tourism Development
Low-impact to high-impact tourism
Ecologically sustainable tourism development (ESTD)
Alternative tourism
Mass tourism
Resort tourism
Private-Sector Roles in Tourism Development
Idea generation
Entrepreneurial role
Specialized technical skills
Financing
Volunteer Sector Roles in Tourism Development
Operating attractions
Creating and running events and special meals
Providing travel information services
Financing the development of community-oriented facilities
Government Roles in Tourism Development
Stimulator or catalyst for development
Developer
Operator
Social tourism provider
Regulator of tourism developments
Types of Government Incentives for Tourism Development
Tax holidays or deferrals
Remission of tariffs
Tax reductions




Types of Government Incentives for Tourism Development
Nonrefundable grants
Low-interest loans
Interest rebates
Forgivable loans
Loan guarantees
Working capital loans

Types of Government Incentives for Tourism Development
DIRECT AND INDIRECT INCENTIVES
Equity participation
Training grants
Infrastructure assistance
Lease backs
Land donations
Criteria for Government Financial Assistance
Competitive impact
Compliance with policies and plans
Developer and operator capabilities
Economic contributions
Environmental impact
Equity contributions
Feasibility
Social-cultural impact
Tourism impact
Objectives of Pre-Feasibility and Feasibility Studies
Pre-feasibility study: To determine whether a detailed economic feasibility study
is justified and which topics the detailed study should address.
Detailed economic feasibility study: To determine the economic feasibility of
tourism development project opportunity.


Steps in Feasibility Studies
Pre-feasibility study
Detailed economic feasibility study:
Site analysis
Market analysis
Economic feasibility analysis
Cost/benefit analysis

Purposes of an Environmental Impact Assessment
To identify risks, minimize adverse impacts, and determine environmental
acceptability.
To achieve environmentally sound proposals through research, management,
and monitoring.
To manage conflict through the provision of a means for effective public
participation.
Ecologically Sustainable Development Working Group.