Cultural Tourism: A Strategic Focus - Essay Example

I. BREIF INTRODUCTION The term "tourism" has many meanings, which have changed over time, and tourism studies clarify the different meanings of the term. Recently tourism is recognized as a social phenomenon with a variety of social-cultural impacts at both the individual level and the global level, and it is a pronounced and significant reality that all social sciences undertake. The study of tourism and its changes reflect the advent of new approaches and ways of thinking in modern society. The changes in tourism mirror the changes from modern society to postmodern society (Katsumi, 2002). Tourism has often been characterized as a modern quest for authenticity. In the study of tourism, the conception of authenticity has undergone three shifts for the past 40 years, with objectivist framings giving a way to a social construction perspective and later, existentialist conception (Cohen, 1972). The author chose Botswana in his report because the country's tourism is very progressive because of a lot of interesting places such as its flora and fauna. The study has several parts, impacts of tourism, economic impact, political impact, and social impact, major impact of tourism in Botswana, other issues and concerns, sustainable and development of tourism and finally, evaluation and conclusion. Of there will be a part of tourism planning in this report as this is the main objective of the investigation. II. IMPACTS OF TOURISM The economic, socio-cultural, political and environmental impacts of tourism all play significant roles on its positive and negative effects (Holder, 1999). Over the last two decades tourism has become progressively more battered and trapped by the forces of globalization in different economic, social, cultural, and environmental disguises.(Baribier, Burgess and Pearce:1991) Although effects are positive as well as negative, it tends to be the last that are problematic and frequently form the focus of academic research (Jayawardena, 1999). The stable increase of tourist arrivals has far-reaching inferences for the tropical, insular, physical environment as well as affecting levels of regional economic prosperity and disparity (Jayawardena, 2000). A) ECONOMIC IMPACT One of the positive impacts of tourism is it generates foreign exchange earnings from tourists when they spend their money within a given country (Jayawardena, 2001b).. Food, accommodations, transportation fees, attraction admission fees and souvenirs are the main income generators. A negative economic impact of tourism is the increase in prices. This happens when a large number of tourists visit a particular place or when a place becomes too popular that tourists storm a particular destination or attraction (Jayawardena, 2002). It will reflect against the local residents who have low income earnings (Jayawardena, 2002b). Tourism can also cause rapid building costs and domination of economic activities to foreign-based companies and not to the local inhabitants. B. POLITICAL IMPACT Tourism can lead to an improvement of national understanding. The negative aspects of tourism are the high costs for the construction and maintenance of the infrastructure, water systems etc. that have to be paid through taxes (Mathieson & Wall, 1992) The effect of tourism in the politics of Botswana is very motivating locally, nationally and internationally, because almost whole of the country participates in tourism activities that adhere to international unity. (Sutton, 1991) C. SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPACT The socio-cultural impact of tourism is felt when people of different areas and different cultures have an exchange of information (Jones, 1931). The positive impact starts when visitors learn from locales and vise versa. It is a well known fact that with mingling of people from different cultures and backgrounds, mutual understanding is enhanced and peaceful co-existence is the product. On the other hand the above factor can cause cultural abuse and biases according to one's belief and culture. This is where the negative impact begins.(Sutton, 1991) D. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Demographic factors such as population growth and population activities are the engine of alter affecting rural and urban landscapes, and put pressure on the natural resources base and limited land space (Levine, 1987). Renewable resources may be depleted quickly and irrevocably by expedient but ill-advised resource management decisions. (Meade and Del Monaco, 1999). The concerns encompass also issues such as the creation of waste, destruction of the rain forests, air pollution from road and air traffic, global warming, ozone depletion, soil erosion and the loss of plant and animal species (Callaghan et al., 1994). Tourism has also some positive impacts on the environment. Areas, that have run down can undergo regeneration with the aim of stimulating tourism (Callaghan et al., 1994). E. MAJOR IMPACT IN BOTSWANA The high number of tourists has led to the overcrowding and concentration of tourism facilities and activities. One very bad affected area is the Moremi Game Reserve which is located within the Okavango Delta(North West of Botswana). In the entire reserve which covers a surface of area of about 4610km, there are over 1200 km of illegal roads which are used mostly during game-viewing driving. This destroys firstly the vegetation of the area and secondly the aesthetic beauty which tourists pay to come and see in the Okavango Delta. The creation of illegal roads leads to fewer tourists in the future and in process to a reduction of the economic value and benefits to both the people in the Okavango Delta and Botswana as whole. Another major impact that occurs from the high increase in accommodation facilities is the growing amount of waste creation which is beginning to negatively influence the environment (DOT, 2000; Masundire et al., 1998; Mbaiwa, 2002; Mbaiwa et al., 2002). These environmental problems that occur in Botswana exist nowadays because tourism facilities are being established without proper Environmental Impact Assessments, and without carrying capacities and limits of acceptable change being determined (Mbaiwa, 2002; Mbaiwa et al., 2002). III. A CONCERN Tourism is one of the main economic growth reasons in Botswana While tourism remains one of the country's main money earners, environmental and sustainability concerns and matters come along with it. Botswana's fencing and border marking becomes essential with legalities and legitimacy issues. But along with it comes the risk and hazards of animals and wildlife getting killed by these fences (Harill and Potts, 2003). Another concern Botswana is facing, as like others tourism destinations are facing, is the potential problem of the influx visitors and tourists using anything greater than the environment's limits (Eadington and Valene, 1992). Whenever people flock an area, the risk of its natural environment getting damaged by intention or delinquency is very high. People and locales might be disposing waste they use in the wrong way. As the purpose of legal income generation takes over, these hazards to the environment may cause it to degrade and corrode without sustainable steps and careful tourism planning. "The responsibilities for tourism in Botswana failured to observe local environmental regulations to conserve a natural ecosystem." (Journal of sustainable tourism, Vol. 13, 2005, p.203) The major concern in Botswana is the destruction of the environment that will occur in the near future if the above mentioned major impacts will not be reduced. This concern focuses on the influx of visitors and tourists using anything greater than the environment's limits (Eadington and Valene, 1992). Whenever people flock an area, the risk of its natural environment getting damaged by intention or delinquency is very high. People and locals might be disposing waste they use in the wrong way. As the purpose of legal income generation takes over, these hazards to the environment may cause it to degrade and corrode without sustainable steps and careful tourism planning. If once the country's environment is destroyed tourists will not visit the destination anymore and the economy will loose one of its main money earner, its second largest source of income. This will lead to further poverty for the population. IV. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM The basic principle of sustainable development is development done in the simplest possible way, sensitive to the area's people and ecosystem and the cost and effect of the development regardless of its monetary translations, ensuring continuity and longevity of everything it affects (Levine, 1987). With this principle, development's first priority here is the preservation of the community or area to be developed and its identity while development is going on then monetary gains and income just follows. With these two explanations we can say that sustainable tourism and development is tourism and development that is high in ecological and cultural awareness while maintaining consciousness on all of the gains brought by all of the activities encompassed by tourism and development. V. ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES In recent years, there has been a rapid rise in alternative forms of tourism that represent an ethical way to take holiday. These are often presented as alternatives to traditional mass (or) hard tourism (Hunter, C.; Green, H., 1995). ECOTOURISM Ecotourism tends to occur in remote, exotic locations. Holidays are characterised by being expensive and run by independent specialist operators who organises tours with a low density of tourists (The global Code of Ethics for Tourism 2002). Ecotourism embodies sustainable practices and involves local people who gain financially and use the revenues to conserve their natural resources. COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM This form of tourism seeks to increase people's involvement and ownership of tourism at the destination end. It is initiated from and controlled by the local community. This approach is in line with the goals of sustainable development and social equity. FAIR TRADE AND ETHICAL TOURISM Such policies adhere to national laws; establish strong First World/Third World consultation structures; are transparent; involve open trading operations (such as social accounting); are ecologically sustainable; and respect human rights (Cleverdon and Kalisch (2000); Ashley et al. (2001); Mann (2000)). WILDLIFE TOURISM Wildlife tourism is a valuable tool for nature conservation. The term "wildlife tourism" is often assumed largely to comprise tourism that involves international travel by people from rich developed countries to wildlife areas in poorer developing countries, as a means of providing much needed foreign exchange for hard pressed national economies, and earnings for poor rural people, as well as a reason for justifying the upkeep of wildlife in protected areas (IIED Wildlife and Development Series No. 10, 1997). AGRO TOURISM The concept of agro tourism is a direct expansion of ecotourism, which encourages visitors to experience agricultural life at first hand. Agro tourism is gathering strong support from small communities as rural people have realised the benefits of sustainable development brought about by similar forms of nature travel (http://www.ecotourdirectory.com/agrotourism.htm). APPROPRIATE APPROACH FOR BOTSWANA The author proposed Ecotourism for this case because hereby the negative impact on the environment will be battled. This policy is meant to support high-cost-low-volume rather than mass tourism which is environmentally destructive. In theory, this strategy is achieved through licenses which limit the number of camps and lodges as well as the number of beds per facility. In practice though, the realisation has failed due to poor monitoring, and overlapping jurisdictions have left sufficient loopholes to elude these laws (Mbaiwa, 2002; Mbaiwa et al., 2002). For this reason the implementation needs to be planned very carefully and involve all of the participants that interact in the tourism industry of Botswana. V. TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING The whole process of tourism planning should be geared towards development of great trips, arrangement of wonderful activities and provision and utilization of facilities and amenities that are environmentally low impact while realizing great income it can provide to those concerned, especially the locales of the area, by the quality of these trips and activities. for the moment, this planning can only be succeeded if the local communities are fully aware and utilizing the opportunities of tourism, and knowing its social, economic and political advantages (Meade and Del Monaco, 1999). VI. EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION Tourism in Botswana is continuously growing in the 21st century. Wildlife tourism and leisure services, with a growing business services component, it is a highly competitive global industry. With the issues and problems faced by the tourism industry, it is but necessary to address educational tourism accordingly. Tourism education and the changes in the social, economic and cultural environment of Botswana call for the necessary measures of proving other wise the claims made in the previous researches. The challenge that confronts the people in the tourism industry is how to manage their attractions grounded on the standards and ideals of the preservation of the historic context and integrity of promoting particular places and artefacts. This will not only uphold the quality of the services provided by tourism but will likewise serve as an excellent tribute to the history that produced our contemporary society. Sustainable tourism involves social responsibility, a strong commitment to nature and the integration of local people in any tourist operation or development. Sustainable Tourism Development meets the needs of present tourists, host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, and biological diversity and life support systems. Sustainable tourism products are products which are operated in harmony with the local environment, community and cultures so that these become the beneficiaries not the victims of tourism development. Botswana Tourism Master Plan The document is the result of an intensive planning process that stretched overtwo-and-a-half-years between 1997 and 2000 and provides a policy framework for tourism growth into the future. The Master Plan SWOT analysis identifies the following critical factors for future tourism development: First, the potential for tourism to generate foreign currency is important, all the more so in states which have artificial or controlled exchange rates, or which are, often as a result, suffering balance of payments problems. Second is the fact that tourism is labor intensive, and creates employment throughout the economy; tourists spend money on hotels, transport, and meals, but also on a wide variety of goods and services. Third is the fact that the tourism industry does not, on the whole, require expensive or complex technology or a highly skilled workforce. With the exception of a small number of complex projects such as operating an airline, investment in tourism is not comparatively expensive, and will often return a profit reasonably quickly. Finally, many states already have in place the basic and most important requirements for the development of the tourism sector; a pleasant climate, attractive scenery, historical sites, and friendly people. In other words, governments often feel that their state possesses an untapped economic resource, and decide to take advantage of it. In order to take advantage of the positive gain in tourism, the master plan should improve on their product diversification, because this will distinguish the growth of its product base. They can only do this through the encouragement of ecotourism. The plan should also identify their price range, . In order to be known into the marketplace and as a new entrant, the tourism industry in Botswana should provide its target market with an affordable cost while providing them with high quality products. They should give the tourists and clients a price that is lesser than its competitors so that the tourists will be encourage to visit Botswana. The plan should also focus on their marketing concept, as 'the key to achieving organizational goals' and the marketing concept rests on 'market focus, customer orientation, coordinated marketing and profitability'. In a profit making business the firm obviously has to try and achieve this level of tourist satisfaction as a way of staying ahead of the competition and making a profit. In doing so, a company must be able to identify an effective and efficient marketing strategy for the product. Like most economic enterprise, planning plays a vital role. Through planning, there is a specified objective to be attained at a specified time. In Botswana marketing strategies planning is very important. Most tourism planners consider maintaining and improving resident-tourist relations critical to the long-term viability of tourism destinations. To fully achieve the goals of the tourism industry in Botswana, planning is the key for its success. 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