Tourism Planning - Essay Example

Tourism Planning Planning refers to a way of controlling, and putting activities in order to realize organizational or individual goals. Tourism involves traveling from one place to another mainly for pleasure. Tourism can also be termed as commercialization and the operations of vacations to own places of interest. Tourism planning refers to a goal- oriented, striving to achieve certain objectives in the process of matching the available resources and programs to realize the needs and wants people have (Sharpley, 2008:81). Planning is extremely important for tourism as a sector s it will help increase the efficiency of an organization, reduces the risks, which may occur in today’s business activities. Scholars have asserted that, planning in this sector entail making decisions on what to build and the location. As much as this statement has some truth, planning in tourism sector goes beyond this assertion. Planning enables one to facilitate the proper coordination in an organization and organizing the available resources. As such, it is inevitable in tourism sector. It also enables to give the right direction of an organization and helps on how to maintain complete control. It helps in the decision-making and helps in encouraging the manager’s creativity and innovation (Gunn, 2002:21). Planning also helps to achieve the set objectives and goals of an organization and motivates the personnel in an organization. The main aim of a planning in an organization is to attain the desired goals and contributes towards better performance. The word planner refers to the person who controls or else plans urban development (Merphy & Murphy, 2004:92). Tourism planning is truly essential but rather concerns on what one wants to do and where. It takes place at three different stages or levels: nationally, locally and one’s attraction. It is practiced through the development of policy, the national standards, and the institutions (Godfrey & Clarke, 2000:43). At the site level, it involves the planning, design and the development of individual tourist attractions. The planning and management of the places where the destination of tourists will be is less common and equally valuable. The community or destination level is where the organization and the development of the visitor’s attractions and services respectively. Many communities have shown their need to respond and act in the approach to tourism (Richards, 2000:17). They are also showing their concern over what is developed, the way promotion is done, and the impact it may have in regard to economic, social and the environmental factors. Tourism planning is much improving and developing new and better attractions. It increased the number of visitors or seeking to boost profits. Rather, it was all trying to promote orderly development of the industry. In the destination planning, setting goals and objectives for the industry is done (Gunn, 2002:33). The Unitary Development Plan was set mainly for managing the growth and development in the borough (Sharma, 2004:54). It was adopted in the year 2007, and a couple of policies have been saved for further three years as from August 2010. It sets out Camden’s aims and priorities for using the land in the Borough and policies to be used to achieve it through the planning decisions. This was done to fulfill the objectives and priorities contained in Camden Community Strategy and council strategies. The plan’s aim is to achieve sustainable new development of high quality in most suitable locations. It also played the role of protecting and enhancing their built and natural environment. Their work was to be considered and allowed visit the Borough and supporting the sustainable communities. The UDP is a legal document that provided the main framework for the planning decisions made in regard to show clearly the set criteria. In the planning sector, the council had to make its decisions on planning applications in regard with the UDP (Sharma, 2004:54). This was much considered unless there were prime considerations that indicated otherwise. This will give an idea whether the proposed development will get planning permission. All relevant UDP policies was to be used in decision making on a planning application. UDP was replaced by a new planning system by the name Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2005. It is referred to as Unitary development Plan 2007 as it consists of policies saved beyond 5 August 2010 and not superseded by the core strategy 2011.It lead to the development of Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) and changed the procedures set for the purpose of reviewing planning policies. The Local Development Frameworks was a folder containing the documents with the Council’s land uses strategy and the planning policies and guidance. In the arrangements for the Act, the UDP was prepared under the procedures set out at the Town and the country regulations 1999. The policies kept their development plan status in the planning decisions soon after adoption. During this period, the council had to bring forward new planning documents in order to replace the policies set in the UDP (Sharma, 2004:55). The UDP comprises of two main sections namely; the written statement and a Proposals Map. In part 1 of the detailed written statement contains the UDP’S overall strategy. It also gives context for the plan’s detailed policies, which are in part 2. In order to reflect the LDF principles, part 2 is further divided in 2 sections. Section 1 is termed as core policies which seta out the key policies required to deliver the UDP strategy. The second section is called the Site Specific Policies and contains the council’s policies and proposals. The written statement has precedence over the proposals Map in cases where conflicts of interpretation may arise (Bramwell, & Lane, 2004:185). The Council produced a wide range of several planning guidance’s in order to support the UDP. They included; Camden planning Guidance which gave additional advice on how to implement UDP policies. The Conservation Area statements set out the council’s approach in the field of preserving and improving Borough’s several conservation areas. The Camden Green Buildings Guide gave advice to the householders as well as small businesses. The planning Briefs gave out guidance in relation in certain development sites. Lastly, the other guidance provided more detailed and technical advice (Gunn, 2002:121). The guidance was later made available for any public consultation and formally adopted by the council. The national policy framework for development plans was set by; legislation, government circulars, Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPGS) and other Government documents and strategies. PPGS contain government-planning policy, which has a wide range of subjects, which include housing, transport, town centres, nature conservation, and historic environment. The UDP has been written with regard to the current government guidance and relates it to the unique circumstances of Camden. The Mayor of London was forced by circumstances to produce as partial development strategy for London known as the London plan. The London Plan provided London-wide context for the planning policies of the Borough. That was a strategic land use plan, which was mainly to provide social, economic and environmental framework for the development. The main vision for the London plan was mainly to make London an exemplary, sustainable word city, which was to be based on strong economic growth. The other main factor for the London plan was to enable social inclusivity and try to make improvements to the environment and utilize the available resources (Sharpley & Telfer, 2002:71). The London Plan was mainly set to help in the development and growth of Greater London. Policies were et to manage the key issues in planning facing London as a whole. Those issues included where new shops and industries be located and ways on how to improve the transport sector. Plans were also set to preserve most of the chief parks and open places. The aim of the London plan was to enable setting out an integrated economic, environmental, transport, and the social framework to help in the development of London within the next 20-25 years. The document also brought together geographical and the locational aspects of the mayor (Travis, 2011:10). It was also the main framework for the development and use piece of land in London, which led to the linkage in improving the infrastructure and trying to set out proposals for the implementation, coordination and even resourcing (Raina & Agarwal, 2004:79). It again set the policy framework for the mayor’s involvement in radical planning decisions in London. Communities are a basic element as far as the modern tourism is concerned. They play a key duty in the supply of accommodation, catering, information, transportation facilities and even services. The tourists are merely invited by their local natural environment, buildings and institutions. Their people, culture, and historical background also attract them. Towns, villages, or cities, which are present in every community, have tourism at one level or another and this is affected much by the industry’s growth and development (Godfrey & Clarke, 2000:51). There are several problems facing the modern tourism industry but the fault does not lie on the side of tourists as seen. Often, destination areas have decided to promote and try to encourage tourism without any real thought putting in consideration the long-term consequences. Destination communities are a basic element of the modern tourism industry. The control of the destinations should be done in advance to reduce the risk of lowering their profits and sustainability. Tourism is an agent in a certain place they visit as this would make those leaving in those places benefit a lot. They even go ahead in delivering information to their places of origin (Richards, 2000:47). Tourism industry has enabled in managing change such a way that it brings the greatest benefit to an area with the minimal cost. Tourism has changed the face of different places they visit around the world. In many times, the type and the change, which is brought forward by tourism, is of no much concern and often shows a benefit to the community (Travis, 2011:10). Tourism is termed as a growth industry, which offer communities a unique development chance. However, not every community has the capability of benefitting from the tourists and for this matter, communities should preserve their unique features. Tourism is considered in the creation of jobs and bringing money to an area. When a visitor spends whatever it is, one is supporting the local business, special shops, restaurants as well as recreational facilities. It can also lead to the local conservation and environmental improvement and regeneration of several redundant buildings (Sharpley, 2008:80). Without doubt whatsoever, tourism is an increasingly serious economic activity. More frequent and shorter lengths of stay are replacing traditional patterns of long holidays. Activities have modified, and greater interest in learning something new and alone rather than in the absolute mass standardization of various products. Tourists are placing more emphasis and much concern on environmental quality of destinations. They also consider money’s value, and better customer service. Tourism nowadays to succeed fully, it should be sustained economically, socially and environmentally. For it to be sustainable, it should be carefully planned and managed, putting in to consideration many different factors (Godfrey & Clarke, 2000:54). There is a challenge facing several communities, which is deciding how to begin and determine what they have to visitors. In the real sense, they lack the Tourism Resource Audit. The resource audit involves a thorough assessment of a community’s tourism supply. There are certain features that exist and can attract tourists to the community. This may include the analysis of what the tourists will come to see and do, how to be served, and how they travel. In addition, they should also consider how to inform them. This is usually designed to help communities identify what is unique about them (Travis, 2011:18). Tourism development does not necessarily mean or involve building new facilities or attractions. People travel for a couple of reasons. They may be seeking rest, activity and adventure, or perhaps a combination. Tourists come each with their own need, wants, and desires for their own visit. With the help of analysis of supply, not all tourism destinations will attract all the tourists, nor are all tourists will be attracted to similar destinations (Hall, 2008:79). They usually travel when mixed up, old, young, and mature travelling together. Defining the goals and objectives for tourism represents the core of the development strategy. Goals are ideals which a destination would hope to achieve through tourism development activity. They are mainly continuous concepts, which may never readily be measured. They are likely to consider such aspects as improving visitor satisfaction. In addition, they should put into consideration diversifying tourism markets, increasing tourism’s contribution to the local economy. In contrast, objectives are much more specific and always relate to the actual activity. They are necessary as they guide action, which will help them accomplish development goals (Sharpley, 2008:81). If goals and objectives are the core of the strategy, then an action plan is the substance of implementation. In the development process, it is extremely beneficial to keep in mind how to achieve the different goals set. Those who are capable of in terms of money mainly lead the tourism industry. Tourism planning is done by organizations that are controlled by the government. There are strengths associated in the industry like they lead to collection of revenue and enable the cultural places are preserved. It has created jobs to most people in the countries they visit. A threat they may face is that, a certain species of animals may perish if their reproduction is not considered. In the entire essay as a development plan, approaches like economic, land use and community oriented have been tackled. In economy sector, revenue has been raised due to tourism; they also travel on land during their visit. Most tourist attractions are based in communal areas and those living there may entertain them. Evidently, therefore, planning in this crucial sector goes beyond building. In fact, putting activities in place through proper coordination goes a long way in realizing success. However, construction of new structures and the location is a key aspect, but must be accompanied by proper management and strategy implementation. Bibliography Bramwell, B. & Lane, B. 2004. Tourism Collaboration and Partnership: Politics, Practice and Sustainability. New York: Channel View Publications. Godfrey, K. & Clarke, J. 2000. The tourism development handbook, a practical approach to planning and marketing. Madison: Cassell. Gunn, C. 2002. Tourism Planning. New York: Routledge. Hall, M. C. 2008. Tourism Planning: policies, processes and Relationships. London: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Merphy, A. E. & Murphy, P. E. 2004. Strategic Management for Tourism Communities: Bridging the Gaps. New York: Channel View Publications. Raina, A. K. & Agarwal, S. K. 2004. The Essence of Tourism Development: Dynamics, Philosophy, and Strategies. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons. Richards, G. 2000. Tourism and Sustainable Community Development. London: Routledge. Sharma, K.K. 2004. Tourism and Regional Development. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons. Sharpley, R. & Telfer, J. D. 2002. Tourism and Development: Concepts and Issues. New York: Channel View Publications. Sharpley, R. 2008. Tourism and Development in the Developing World. London: Routledge. Travis, S. A. 2011. Planning for Tourism, Leisure and Sustainability, International Case Studies. Wallingford: CABI. Read More