Urban Tourism: What Attracts Visitors to Cities - Essay Example

?Running head: URBAN TOURISM Urban Tourism Field Report Insert Insert Grade Insert 17 November Table of Content Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………3 Literature review………………………………………………………………………………5 Methodology……………………………………………………………………………………6 Results and discussions………………………………………………………………………..10 -results………………………………………………………………………………….11 -discussions………………………………………………………………………….…11 Conclusions …………………………………………………………………………………...15 References …………………………………………………………………………………….17 Urban Tourism Field Report 1. Introduction Tourism involves movement to another place for leisure, business, or recreational purposes like site-seeing, and seeing, meeting, and experiencing other cultures (Azizi, 2011, p.1). Urban tourism then refers to the movements of these tourists, domestic or international, to the towns and cities to enjoy the recreational facilities or business opportunities in the urban centers. Tourism is a phenomenon that has been in existence from the ancient times. Tourism has since grown to become a common leisure activity that is practiced across the globe (Azizi, 2011). Hundreds of millions of tourists are received at different tourist sites across the globe each year and the trend has been rising steadily over the past. The social, economic, and technological developments recorded in different parts of the world could be the factors contributing to the increase in tourism witnessed in different parts of the world. The modern efficient means of transport and communication has enhanced the ability of individuals to travel to different parts of the world relatively quicker. A foreign tourist may not require the help of the natives or local agents to locate some tourist center or other facilities that they may require courtesy of the modern technology like the internet maps to locate some place. The towns and cities play important roles in promoting the modern tourism industry and this explains the increase that has been recorded in urban tourism. The urban centers provide the main entrance for the international and even the domestic tourists in a country. The centers are often served with international transport and communication networks that provide convenient means of conveyance of the tourists. The centers are terminals for the air transport systems, rail transport, and major highways in a given country. Good infrastructure in the urban centers is an attraction for tourist activities. Similarly, the urban centers are endowed with historic attributes like waterfronts, attractive urban design, museums and theatre halls, conference facilities, exhibition centers, and facilities to host cultural and social functions like sports and festivals (Ruetsche, 2006, p.1). The forests and trees grown in the urban centers make them better environments in which individuals can work or spend their leisure activities (Dwyer et al, 1992, p.229). The urban centers are cosmopolitan and hence experience of a new culture is an attractive feature as well. Urban tourism has been an important industry generating incomes to many cities over the past years. In this view, cities across the globe strive to be attractive to the local and foreign tourists (City Mayors, 2011). The management of the cities makes efforts to improve on aspects like the infrastructural facilities in the cities, improved social amenities, and high level of security for the tourists, and, of course, excellent tourist attraction features in the cities. Tourism is often attached to the hospitality industry since the tourists are the major clients in the industry. The local authorities struggle to ensure services are available in the hospitality industry to be able to accommodate the important visitors to the given city. Like many other cities, the Newcastle city upon Tyne has had significant growth in urban tourism. It can be assumed that the attractive features in the urban centers that are available in the cities are also available in this city. One of the features that are likely to promote urban tourism in the city is the Eldon Square Shopping Center. Eldon Square Shopping Center is a major shopping mall in the heart of Newcastle that was developed in the 1970s from demolition some previously existing real estate facilities (Bowen & Pallister, 2001, p.229). The center provides a variety of products. The paper holds on to the assumption that the city is well endowed with these features and that the visitors are satisfied with the kinds of services provided at the shopping mall. The field study was carried out to investigate the facilities that could be attractive to the tourist at Eldon Square and the level of satisfaction that was derived from the services at the mall by the tourists. 2. Literature review Urban tourism has increased over the last decades with increased demand by visitors to travel to cities. Individuals travel to the cities for different purposes namely business, traveling to learn about other cultures, seeking entertainment during leisure time, or just to serve other interests that are specific to the individuals (Ruetsche, 2006, p.1). Several cities consider urban tourism is their major industry that generates high income and leads to other development projects within the cities and in their environs. A prospectus of a university in the United Kingdom (the University of Gloucestershire) once indicated that ‘tourism and culture had been catalysts for large-scale urban developments internationally, from cultural facilities such as the Guggenheim Museum, which provides a focal point for urban regeneration in Bilbao, to the Sydney Olympic Games’ (City Mayors, 2011). This implies that urban tourism has had significant contribution towards the growth and developments in the cities. Some previous researches have also indicated that popular and densely populated urban centers have the most attraction to both domestic and foreign tourists (Duman & Kozak, 2010, p.92). It is then important to examine why cities offer such a large attraction to visitors from within and outside a given country. Firstly, cities are mainly endowed with developed infrastructures to host festivals and events that attract individuals. A wide range of events and festivals, one time or regular, are held in cities thereby boosting urban tourism (Ruetsche, 2006). The cities are equipped with facilities like social halls and sports centers to hold these occasions. They also boast of efficient means of communication. In-door and out-door sporting activities are mainly held in the cities. The cities are also centers for preservation of the cultural heritage. They are equipped with museum and art galleries, theatres, cinemas, ancient monuments and statutes, and city waterfronts (Ruetsche, 2006). The other attractive feature in cities is the historic attributes of the cities. It is observed that ‘the historic districts are generally very pedestrian friendly with a mix of attractions and amenities that are easily accessible’ (Ruetsche, 2006, p.1). The interesting building patterns, road and rail networks, the city landscape, and streetscape are all attractive features for tourists in the urban centers. Besides, the cities are also the centers for convention and exhibitions. Conventions and exhibitions contribute significant proportion of the annual growth in the tourism sector since up to over 40% of urban tourism is for this business in some cases (Ruetsche, 2006, p.1). The cities host other local and international conferences on public or academic policy issues. Another important factor of the cities is proximity to shopping malls and hotels. Even though this may not be the main reason for domestic or international tourism, the tourists will need to purchase some consumer products and spend in the hotels and lodges. In the UK, the availability of shopping malls such as the Eldon Square Shopping center in Newcastle upon Tyne has is an important asset in the attraction of tourists to the city. 3. Methodology The field study involved a number of activities to obtain information on the extent of tourism in the Newcastle city and the favorable factors that could be behind the observed trend. Eldon Square shopping center is at the heart of Newcastle and it is very likely that several tourists to the city are likely to go for shopping at the center. The field study involved obtaining information through practical observation of the facilities in the shopping mall, observation of the frequency of the visitors into the mall, and administering some questionnaires to sampled clients that have gone shopping at the center. The required information was to be sourced from tourists to the city visiting the mall, whether they are domestic or international tourists. However, there could be no proper way of telling a tourist from a native of the city in normal daily shopping activities. It was then decided that opinions would be sought from a large sample of the shoppers. It was expected that a good proportion of them would represent either domestic or foreign tourists. Two hundred and ten visitors to the shopping mall were interviewed in the period of one week and a number of other observations recorded. The short interview was administered objectively with random selection of the 30 individuals to be interviewed each day. These were administered at the exit to the individuals living the mall. Care was taken to ensure that all the approached individuals would respond positively unless a pressing issue or some other inability was encountered. Developing good rapport through quick but persuasive introduction helped achieve this. In the questionnaire, the individuals were supposed to provide the [primary] information on their identity- native resident of the city or a visitor. Other identifications were also necessary to ensure that an individual is not interviewed more than once in the course of the week. They were also required to indicate if they had been to the shopping center before this interview period. The individuals were asked to provide an overall evaluation of the kind of services that they received at the shopping center. This was to be indicated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 representing poor, 2 representing bad, 3 for average, for good and 5 representing excellent. It was asked if the individuals would recommend this shopping mall for other individuals like relatives or friends. This response was limited to three options on a scale of 1 to 3 where 1 represented ‘Would definitely not recommend’, 2 represented ‘No idea’ and 3 represented ‘Would definitely recommend’. Information was also sought on the individuals’ satisfaction of the services of the Newcastle city council. This was also provided on the same five-point scale as the above. The questionnaire used for this part of the study was as follows: The questionnaire Name…………………………….. Sex………………. What is your nationality? [A] Citizen [B] Non-citizen Are you a resident of the city? [A] Yes [B] No Have you ever been to this shopping center in the past? [A] Yes [No] If yes, how often have you been to the shopping center in that period? [A] Once [B] Occasionally [C] Frequently How would you consider the overall quality of services that you have received in the shopping center? [1] Poor [2] Bad [3] Average [4] Good [5] Excellent Based on the quality of services you have received an in your own capacity, how would you consider recommending this shopping mall to other individuals like friends and relatives? [1] I would definitely not recommend it [2] I have no idea [3] I would definitely recommend it How would you consider the overall quality of services that you have received in your stay here from the Newcastle City Council? [1] Poor [2] Bad [3] Average [4] Good [5] Excellent The most important part of the study was seeking any relevant piece of information from the management of the organization that could describe the trend of visitors into the mall, in case such data would be available. This was carried out after the one-week study. An arrangement was made to have a scheduled and detailed interview with the general manager of the shopping center on the strategies that they have put in place to ensure that they provide quality services to their clients. In the interview, questions were administered on the transport systems that serve the shopping center, the range of products and services provided at the center, the means of communicating and giving directions to foreign and domestic visitors who are not familiar with the place, and the statistic on the average attendance of visitors to the shopping center on annual basis. The interview with the head personnel was necessary since some of the facts may not be observed unless guidance is provided by the employees in the center. A guide to the interview was as follows. The interview with the management personnel What are the products and services that are available in this shopping center? What is the level of accessibility of this shopping center from different parts of the country and beyond? What are the key management challenges that have been encountered in the shopping center? Are there other shopping malls around that provides competition to your center Please elaborate on the strategies that the management applies to ensure that you attract and retain clients to your shopping malls What are the busiest days at this shopping mall? What are the statistics, if any, of the daily/weekly or monthly attendance of clients to this shopping center? What is your general relationship to the larger Newcastle City Council? 4. Results and Discussions 4.1. Results The study yielded interesting results in support supporting the assumptions that the city council had initiatives in place to attract visitors. Out of 210 individuals interviewed, it was noted that 120 individuals were either domestic or foreign visitors to the city and the shopping mall. Only a third of the visiting individuals had been to the shopping center before the study week whereas all the 90 interviewed individuals residing in the city had been to this mall before The visitors to the mall were generally satisfied with the services at the mall as well as the services provided by the city council irrespective of whether they were residents of the city of foreign and domestic tourists. None of the individuals rated the services at the shopping center as poor (1), 10% (21) considered them bad, another 10% considered the services average, 20% rated them as good while an overwhelming 60% (126) rated the services as excellent. Similar results were obtained concerning the overall services of the Newcastle City Council. Similarly, 150 (71.5%) of the total 210 individuals responded that they would recommend the shopping center for their friends or relatives, 49 (23.3%) of them were undecided whereas only 11 (5.2%) said they would not recommend the shopping center to other individuals. Several observations were recorded concerning the services and operations at the shopping center. It was noted that the shops are given identifications and the kinds of products or services offered in each of the shops. There were shop attendants to provide guidance to the visitors who were not familiar with the locations. Similarly, there was also the customer care center for inquiry into the location of different services and products. The other important observation was that the shopping center was relatively busier in the weekends as compared to the weekdays. Apart from the personal observations, the interview with the general manager revealed a lot about the other strategies employed by the management to ensure that quality services are provided to the clients. 4.2. Discussions A good proportion of the individuals shopping at the center happened to be foreign and domestic tourists on a short visit to the city. Eldon Square Shopping Center is not the only shopping center in Newcastle. However, its convenient location at the center of the city is an important attraction to the city visitors who are not conversant with the city facilities. For the visitors who have been accommodated in the hotels within the city central business districts, this would be the convenient shopping center. This strategic location can be considered as place marketing, which involves considering the needs of a user of a product and then providing the product in a convenient place (Bramwell, 1998, p.36). The center can be recommended to the visitors by the hotel management or tour guides. The center enjoys an excellent transport network. The rail system and efficient road networks with plenty of public transport vehicles enables visitors to access the center quite easily. Several spacious car parks are available within and around the shopping center. The center also has direct connection to the Newcastle International Airport and the International Ferry Terminal. This ensures proper transport services for the visitors from overseas. Several shopping centers have been developed in the United Kingdom since the 1960s. However, the success of these shopping centers will be determined greatly by the operations and management applied by the relevant authorities (Musa & Pitt, p.102). The high level of satisfaction the visitors derived from the services can also be attributed to the operational strategies employed by the management of the center. It was learned that the management has arranged with most of the public transport operators to provide direction and guidance to visitors who would wish to shop at the center. Arrangements have been made to consider all the possible means of transport that can be used by the visitors to the place. The issue of security is a point of concern to the management of the center. The shopping center has ‘private police, a strict surveillance regime, and closes at 5.30 p.m.’ (Aurigi & Graham, 1997, p.3). Such a security-tight environment is especially essential for the visitors. The members of the public are generally involved in the management and renovation of the center. The center has had various renovations and developments since its beginning an all these are awarded to the public in a transparent manner (Madanipour, 2010, p.62). One of the managerial challenges observed was the diversity in the needs and capability of the clients. The management recognizes diversity that can be encountered in the clients in terms of physical disability. As the shopping center is expansive, the center provides some wheel chairs for the customers free of charge to be used within the premises. However, since the customers may be more than the available equipments, they are provided on first-come-first-serve terms as long an individual has valid identification. Similarly, there are measures to help find juniors who may stray away from their elders while shopping. The shopping center is very busy and it is possible for a child to get lost from his or her parents or the responsible senior individuals. The center has a zone in which individuals can trace their lost children. It is also recommended that the seniors attach some reliable phone numbers on the wrists of the children so that they can be contacted easily in such cases. There are also arrangements for tracing and retrieval of lost property by the clients while shopping at the mall. The customer services desks are another important strategy that has improved the services at the center. The desks are located strategically at the main entrances to the center to ensure that they can easily be located by the visitors. All the information pertaining to the products and services within the premises is provided by the well-behaved customer service team at the desks. There are facilities like ATMs and foreign exchange bureaus to enable quick transaction for the clients. The Foreign Exchange Bureau is an asset since individuals from different countries with different currencies are targeted in the shopping mall. Besides, most modern shopping centers are not only retail centers but also provide recreational and entertainment functions that attract tourists (Dudke-Mankowska, 2010, p.35). This is observed at Eldon Square Shopping Center. It was learned from the manager that the shopping center also has a variety of leisure sports activities aimed at attracting the tourists. The shopping center has an area, the Eldon Leisure, which provides some in-door sport activities and body fitness for different ages. Similar strategies have been applied by the whole city council. The Newcastle City Council understands the need for providing attractive services to the tourists owing to the benefits of the tourism industry to the development within the city and its environs. The visitors to the Newcastle city were generally satisfied with the services that they received from the city council due to the city’s attraction and the efforts by the city council to provide quality services to the residents and visitors to the city. The city is endowed with a variety of tourist attraction features and events aimed at entertaining the visitors as the residents. Various leisure and cultural activities exist that can be performed by virtually every individual visiting or residing in the city (Newcastle City Council, 2011). One significant asset of the Newcastle City Council is the Newcastle Tourist Information Center from where an individual can obtain all the information pertaining to the schedules of events and festivals as well as the available facilities in the city. The Tourist Information Center is located conveniently Central Arcade in the heart of the city, a short distance from Monument Metro Station (Newcastle City Council, 2011). The center provides fair services to its clients without racial or ethnic discrimination or national prejudice. The employees at the center have developed an organizational culture to accommodate a wide range of cultures. One receives a warm and friendly welcome when he/she visits the center for inquiry. In order to ensure maximum satisfaction of the clients, the center provides a number of services. The center has information about all the tourist attraction sites within and in the surrounding of the city. The visitors are advised on the appropriate places that could be of interest to a typical tourist, based on the individual’s national or regional origin. There is also information on the events that are in schedule. The category termed ‘What’s on’ provides the visitor with information on the scheduled social and cultural events like dance, live music, cinema, comedy and theatre (Newcastle City Council, 2011). The visitors are also provided with information on the events and activities that may be taking place, or have been scheduled, in other regions of the United Kingdom. Besides, foreign visitors and domestic tourists not residing in the city will definitely need an accommodation for the visiting period. Thus, the other important service provided at the information center is booking for accommodation (Newcastle City Council, 2011). The center arranges the booking for accommodation in the hotels and lodges within the city depending on the needs of the clients. The foreign or domestic tourists new to the city may need a guide while touring the city. Information is available at the center on how to book for the city and tour guides. The city council has facilities like Citysightseeing buses that can provide guidance to the visitors within and around the city (Newcastle City Council, 2011). The individuals are provided with information on the available transport systems that can be used within and outside the city. The visitors may also want to process some documents, pass some information, or access information over the internet. The center provides office services like printing, photocopying, faxing, and internet services to the visitors (Newcastle City Council, 2011). Other products like books, postcards, and other quality gifts are also sold to the visitors at the center. 5. Conclusions Urban tourism has been in the increase in the recent past and the trend is likely to continue. The urban centers have a number of tourist attraction features that can be properly harnessed to attract more tourists. The benefits that the urban centers receive from the tourism industry are sufficient to guarantee much effort channeled to the industry. The degree of the benefits the urban centers will get from the tourism industry will depend on their response to the driving forces in the industry. The urban centers should have excellent means of transport to enable the visitors to the city to commute easily from their places of accommodation. The cities should also be endowed with other infrastructural facilities, social and cultural centers, and attractive urban design to attract the visitors. They should also be equipped with a wide range of accommodation facilities that can be afforded by both domestic and foreign tourists of varied financial background. The management of the cities needs to establish an information center from which the visitors can make inquiries about the city and the activities and events involved. This is particularly important for the tourists who are out for recreation and other leisure activities. The Newcastle City Council had understood the importance of tourists visiting the city. As a result, a number of initiatives were put in place not only attract the visitors but also to ensure quality services to the visitors and even the residents of the city. The city council has collaborated with other private developers to ensure that the city center competes effectively with other shopping facilities such as Metro Center located outside the city (Bowen & Pallister, 2001, p.229). The city has excellent public transport system having an international airport and a direct connection o some sea route. The city is also served by several road networks with plenty of public service vehicles. One important feature in the city is the Eldon Square Shopping Center that is conveniently located within the city center. This location makes the shopping center the first option for domestic and foreign tourists who are new to the city. The management at the center is aware of the needs of all the clients visiting the shopping center and different operational strategies have been put in place to contain the diversity. It then suffices that the initial consideration that shopping center and the entire Newcastle City Council are aware of the factors attracting tourists and have put enough measures to ensure quality services. References Aurigi, A and Graham, S. 1997. Virtual Cities, Social Polarization, and the Crisis in Urban Public Space. Journal of Urban Technology, 4(1); pp 19-52 Azizi, A. 2011. Investigating the Aspects of Urban Tourism in Developing countries (With particular reference to Kohgoliyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province in Iran. Journal of American Science, 7(5). 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