Tourism
What are the roles of different groups in promoting tourism ?
Travel writers
International organisations
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) work with governments, international organisations such as UNWTO and the International Labour Organisation to promote tourism as a tool for national growth and job creation
World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) works primarily with private organisations including tourism organisations and academic community, as well as the government to promote sustainable tourism development. It encourages countries to use tourism to reduce poverty and create job and business.
WHO – leading authority for health is capable of influencing global behaviour –e.g. situation updates and health advisories on avian influenza H5N1 from 2003 to 2013. Discourage visitors to at-risk countries.
Media
-Media reports influence decisions of tourists.
-Positive reports such as interesting culture or attractive scenery encourage tourists to visit but negative reports such as incidence of violence, disasters and outbreaks of disease can deter visitors.
-Tourists more aware of destinations they have previously not considered
Government
-Influence the number of visitors and their length of stay
-Authorise air landings
-Allow building of facilities such as hotels
-Planning, funding and building infrastructure projects linked to tourism e.g airports, roads and ports
-Ensuring safety and security of tourist sites
-Set up agencies to promote tourism e.g. Singapore Tourism Board
-Encourage development of new attractions such as River Safari
How do tourist destinations differ from one another?
Space tourism
such as short suborbital trips or longer trips to a space station e.g. The Russian Space Agency organises trips to International Space Station
Places of conflicts
dark tourism where people travel to sites associated with death and tragedy.
Military campaign eg. Củ Chi tunnels and Vịnh Mốc, Vietnam
Natural disasters e.g. Ruins of Pompeii, Italy
Terrorist attack e.g. Ground Zero in New York, USA
Human atrocity – Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall in Nanjing, China
Genocide e.g. Tuoi Sleng Genocide Museum in Cambodia
Prison or concentration camp e.g. Auschwitz Camp in Poland
Places with rich culture
Pilgrimage tourism for religious activity e.g. Mecca, Saudi Arabia for Muslims or Jerusalem, Israel for Jews, Christians and Muslims, Vatican City for Catholics.
Gourmet food and shopping tourism e.g. Hong Kong
Film-induced tourism to see locations featured in films. For example, Lotte World, Seoul, South Korea from the film Stairway to Heaven, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China as the film Avatar feature scenery inspired by the park
Heritage tourism to experience different cultures and history of the place eg. Angkor Wat, Cambodia, Forbidden City in Beijing, China.
Places with good facilities
Theme Parks
amusement park settings or attractions with central theme such as
Films e.g. Walt Disney World in Florida, USA
Famous landmarks e.g. Window of the World in Shenzhen, China
Fantasy and adventure e.g. Everland Resort in Yongin, South Korea
History and heritage e.g. Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada
Education eg. Ocean Park in Hong Kong, China
Health e.g. Nagashima Spa Land in Kuwana, Japan
Medical and spa facilities
Health tourism – to maintain, enhance or restore their minds and bodies such as spa towns, thermal springs and mud pools. e.g. Dead Sea
Medical tourism -to undergo medical procedure that would enhance or restore health e.g. South Korea for cosmetic surgery
Educational facilities
study tours e.g. Angkor Wat in Cambodia or intensive overseas educational programmes with universities reputed for educational excellence e.g. UK attracts almost one million people annually from overseas to study.
MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events)
help to attract a substantial number of tourists to an area. MICE locations have venues which can host large-scale events such as meetings and conventions. There are also supporting infrastructure and services such as hotels and retails shops. These attract organisers who organize trade fairs and international conferences, which bring in more business travelers. Singapore was the leading convention city in Asia-Pacific in from 2002 to 2012. Singapore drew 3.2 million business travelers which accounted for 24% of all visitors to Singapore in 2012. Singapore hosted important meeting such as the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in 2006, the Youth Olympic Games in 2010. Key factors that contribute to Singapore’s success are its reputation as a major aviation hub, the availability of reliable telecommunication networks and a variety of shopping and entertainment options nearby. The Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre was voted Asia’s best MICE Hotel in 2011 and 2012.
Places of scenic beauty
-Mountain regions e.g Himalayas in South Asia
-Coastal resorts e.g Phuket in Thailand
-National parks. e.g. Grand Canyon, USA
-Honeypot tourism – tourism that attracts large number of tourists due to a site’s scenic beauty e.g. Victoria Fall on Zambezi River at the boundary of Zimbabwe and Zambia in Africa
Who are the tourists?
Persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for more than 24 hours but not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes.
