Tourism Planning - Essay Example

Tourism Planning It is a fact that tourism for a country brings in the much needed foreign exchange that is welcomed by the government and the related ministries. What it does best is to make the law-makers realize of the tremendous potentials that their country possesses in the wake of tourism and thus an industry of sheer magnitude needs to be in place so that more and more tourists visit each year. The economic impacts in the tourism sector immediately ask for grants, loans and stipends to be given to the people who have an indirect or for that matter direct role in the building up of structures, buildings and pathways – all of which come under the tourist attraction cycle. The role of governments in the planning phase of tourism both regionally and nationally is significant since it fosters growth at all levels and increases the chances of economic prosperity and wellness for the related stakeholders. (Gunn, 2003) I disagree with the premise that tourism planning is just about what will be built and where – rather it is a complete mindset which needs to be understood within the thick of things. The tourism sector must make sure that the role of government is encouraging at consistent levels and there are no hiccups in the wake of provision of funds for the growth regimes of the tourism industry. Tourism would be conducted best if it is left to the locals as it is a thriving industry. However the role of government is of essence as it works as a helping agent in whole scheme of things. In its own right, tourism planning is an art. This is because it is difficult living up to the expectations of the varied tourists hailing from different regions of the world. The local tourism measures seem more pertinent for the region under consideration since this lays the foundation stone for the upheaval of tourism industry in a localized zone. These measures boost the economic and societal aspects which are rampant within the region and thus facilitate the common man with the provision of job opportunities, skilled labour and so on and so forth. Nationally, the economy gets a facelift and there are changes in the lines of commerce and industry since the country realizes its true potential elsewhere. (Kirk, 1997) Consequently people come to terms with the advancements and technological changes that start to happen within such lands and thus hail the efforts undertaken by the related ministries. It builds a bridge between the different publics which are playing an active role in this impacting cause – tourism development and management within a country. The publics comprise of the locals who would be more than willing to offer hotel/motel services, transport facilities and the like; as well as the foreigners which come towards this region in order to enjoy and learn a bit more about the scenery. The role of government in bringing the local publics into action is significant since these people are both the worst hit when natural calamities occur in such a serene setting and the most economically prosperous they become when there is a lot of tourist activity happening at the regional and national levels. (Cooper, 2001) The need is to understand how the government must tie in the people hand in hand so that the overall activities within the region as well as at the national level are deemed as fruitful and the rewards are immense in the real sense of the word. Factually speaking, tourism is a vast field having immense economic advantages. The need is to understand the right kinds of interactivity regimes and reject the negative image and propaganda, however it is wise and in the best interest of building public relations that the government and the authorities always speak unanimously the truth that exists. Shortcomings related with the region and the problems that could happen for the tourists must be educated in advance so that the tourists are given a choice as per their respective undertakings and journeys. More so, these problems and worries could be communicated to the inhabitants as well so that they are more considerate of the role that the government is undertaking in the line of their uplift – both socially as well as economically. (Mason, 2003) This creates a sense of goodwill and harmony amongst all the stakeholders and an air of calmness is developed as a result of the same. The role played by the stakeholders under such a setting is to be on their feet and look after the rights of each other and to offer more than what is expected of them. The end result would be one that harnesses the positives that come out for all the parties concerned. (Siebert, 1999) From a rational standpoint, the effects of tourism on the region are apparent but what it brings to the country’s foreign reserves is important. It opens up the path that lead towards success since the government finds out the cash cow – the tourism industry. The more the efforts and time are spent on making the tourism industry grow and flourish within the country, the better are the results. The most basic of amenities need to be ensured to every visitor so that he becomes a return tourist and thus exponentially increase the chances of having more tourists with each passing year. (Hall, 2000) Special packages are introduced which go down well with the foreign visitors and they go back to their native countries and inform the residents of the benefits that they could avail whilst utilizing the value added deals, coming hand in hand with these packages and special fares. The tourism generating areas also receive a boost since the economic basis of these areas are directly linked with the tourism industry and thus the related policy development and management regimes keep a worthwhile share of these areas whilst drafting the laws and regulations of the tourism industry. This benefits the whole industry as well as gives confidence to the locals who try their best to compete with other regions’ hosts and in the process satisfy the tourists in the best possible form. The whole community indeed receives improvement within their economic levels and the standard of living of these people is directly proportional to the amount of people who usually visit their regions. Furthermore, tourism planning involves a great deal on the economic and fiscal front as well. One should not forget the fact that GDP takes care of the government’s share, since it is the primary body which is taking care of the tourism industry and thus it has a huge part in the money that has been earned over a fixed period of time and the traffic that has had happened in the region, courtesy the tourists. Then there is the part of the exports and imports which come hand in hand with the orders that are sent and taken in by the foreigners. (Munt, 2003) Some of them stay behind and strike a deal whilst running their own businesses within their native countries while some form mergers and expand their business which benefits not only the locals but also the government and in the long run, the country. It might just be possible that the tourism industry is a bane and does not bring in the much needed revenues yet the government is sticking to its decision in order to project a soft image of the nation. Then there are the aspects related with terrorism and terrorist strikes which have marred the economic basis of a number of different countries and more so after the 9/11 event. Thus the local tourism measures could only be increased and bolstered when all the stakeholders realize their common responsibilities. They must attempt at building a chain – one that benefits not only them but also increases the chances of further tourist activity on a consistent basis. (Silverstein, 1999) Thus in the end, it is of paramount importance to ascertain the exact policies which are being made in line with a country’s tourism planning industry since this will form the backbone of its own existence. Planning is important because it tells the tourists the exact stance of the government of the land what it wants to give to the tourism industry and indeed the visitors. Tourism will provide endless opportunities in terms of jobs, exposure to the world and a host of other avenues which come attached with the very same. (Jafari, 2000) In addition, the fact that the economic boom that the tourism industry brings with it is certainly an eye-opener for a number of people. The policies drafted by the government under these initiatives are pertinent as they outline the manner in which the whole industry would be geared towards as well as mention the basis of growth at all possible stages. All said and done, tourism planning will continue to bolster the economy of a region or a country in the coming times and would look to cater to the needs that the government of the land places in it. It is with the efforts of one and all that the industry would see much happening within its ranks in the times to come. What is needed now is to comprehend the fact that tourism indeed exists as an industry and is a major source of revenue for the governments and thus the real endeavours and efforts must be in line to entice the visitors time and time again. Bibliography COOPER, Chris. (2001). Touzism in the Age of Globalization. Routledge GUNN, C. (2003). Tourism Planning, Basics, Concepts Cases HALL, Derek. (2000). Tourism and Sustainable Community Development. Routledge JAFARI, Jafar. (2000). Encyclopedia of Tourism. Routledge KIRK, David. (1997). New Millennium, New Tourism. The News Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland) MASON, P. (2003). Tourism Impacts, Planning and Management MUNT, Ian. (2003). Tourism & Sustainability: Development and Tourism in the Third World. Routledge SIEBERT, Horst. (1999). The World Economy. Routledge SILVERSTEIN, Judith. (1999). The GDP Myth. Washington Monthly, Vol. 31 Word Count: 1,601 Read More