Tourism Sustainability and All-Inclusive Resort - Essay Example

ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS CAN NEVER BE RECONCILED WITH PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY’ By College Department 27th August 2014 Introduction All over the world, the tourism industry has developed an important social and economic activity all in the name of tourism sustainability. The growth of tourism has led to more research activities with increased developmental programmes and training centres. Tourism research and scholarly activities have been introduced in campuses and colleges worldwide, and many writers have followed suit through various journals and scholarly articles. Conferences that have been held have had to look into the issues facing the industry and ways to address the challenges facing it. Despite all these, little has been done concerning tourism resorts as a tourism destination, more so the all- inclusive resorts. An important issue for discussion in tourism development has been the sustainability development. However, deeper understanding is given by addressing the concepts of demand and supply in relation to market conditions. The key issues associated with sustainable tourism are the achievement of social inclusion, effectual environmental protection, and reliable economic development. These are yet to be seen if achievable with the all-inclusive resorts. Many have had to look for ways of encouraging and enhancing international diffusion, as well as knowledge exchange. This has to do with the volatile nature of tourism as a business; the reason for this dynamism is political instability and fluctuation of currency (Nagle, 1999). This paper also discusses the key issues facing the industry, the main challenge being globalisation. Tourism as a business entity responds to globalisation by creating alliances and collaborations. The public sector is mostly concerned to provide protection to small businesses that face the challenge of globalisation. It has to be acknowledged that the tourism industry has not been embracing the advantages of the knowledge economy, especially by utilising management practices and increasing competition through innovation and development of new products. A well networked tourism industry incorporates adequate knowledge of globalisation and economy. By so doing, the industry benefits from global trends. Network developments can be used to see the weak points in the industry by examining destination and tourism. Anon (2011) identifies that “embeddedness within networks is identified as a key strategy for survival for contemporary tourism businesses” (p. 261). Tourism Sustainability and All- inclusive Resorts The concept of tourism sustainability began in late 20th century when the tourism industry turned green (Swarbrooke, 1999). The aim was to have a tourism industry that understands the dynamics of a natural, cultural and social environment. Furthermore, it ensures that there is fair distribution of resources. All inclusive resorts, unfortunately have not be able to follow the course of sustainability. They are more of real time profits rather than long term investments in regard to tourism sustainability. Although all-inclusive resorts could benefit the economy through destination boost, they do not objectively make significant contributions to a sustainable environment (Leslie, 2012). An all-inclusive resort is a type of enclave system, and has been defined by Cole and Morgan (2010) as a geographically isolated region with people of a certain culture and ethnicity different from that of their neighbours. It characterises tourists who can access all services and need not move outside their compounds (Morgan, 2010). Tourism Businesses Business tourism forms a part of the contemporary tourism industry. In essence, there are some key issues contributing towards the contemporary tourism industry. These are globalisation, networks and the knowledge economy. All inclusive resorts cannot guarantee all time income, sustainability needs finance therefore low revenues from all inclusive resorts is a key problem (IMF, 2002). Globalisation This is the elementary deliberation of all tourism businesses; it can be described as a no-boundary destination and has various responses associated with it. According Anon (1999) Tourism is able to associate with flexibility, speed, integration, and innovation. It can now account for the largest force that enables intermingling of people round the globe (Shanahan and Treuren, 2003). Under the system of globalisation, boundaries are reduced rendering free integration among several organisations. Due to this, globalisation demands proper management regarding the different positions of business. It further needs an inclusion of the public since globalisation develops an interdependent world. Tourism therefore is both cause and consequence as far as globalisation is concerned (Mowforth and Munt, 2008).However, all inclusive resort is much of a private entity rather than public, a last resort for an ailing hotel business which in most case leads to business closure, “when hotels switched to all inclusive models as a result of the economic downturn, local restaurants suffered and some closed” (Christie et al., 2014. p. 163). The issue of globalisation can be observed as both a concept and experience, which does not necessarily have to be limited with time. Macleod (2004) classifies globalisation into implication of efforts that homogenise the environment and growth through communication and trade of a swift network. There are a significant number of drivers of globalisation that have impact on tourism industry. These are technological drivers, economical drivers, political drivers, cultural drivers and environmental drivers. Technological drivers involve transport and communication technology. Transport technology has been of great importance as it has reduced finances and time, therefore making reductions and conservation and as a result, creating a borderless geographical environment. With the help of advancing technology, the speed and capacity of communication has been enhanced. International communities have been able to make links and enhance communication. With these, global distribution systems have been increased allowing small businesses to develop. One such application of technology is virtual tourism; it’s a type of technology that allows travel via technology. It’s free of time, cost and distance constraints (Prideaux and Dean, 2010). Economic drivers affect the sectors of consumption and production across the globe and have proved to be the pillars in many parts of the world economies, especially in the developing nations where youths have concentrated their energy the most. Tourism in developing economies has changed the lives of many people. Mak (2004) calls it an activity to foster people to people understanding, as well as international relations. It is one of the leading sectors that offer employment. Other sectors of economy are being developed so as to support the tourism industry. To enhance tourism, many nations have improved their international policies so as to capture the international market. Enhanced economy is key to sustainability; it’s however not possible for all inclusive resorts, the dark part of it being that it limits the opportunities for entrepreneurs therefore minimization of monetary gains (Agarwal and Shaw, 2007). Tourism industries have grown ever since, more so due to the steadily increasing movement of people. This can be accredited to an increased mobility of people; this growth has lead to an increase in positive and negative effects. Increased movement of travelers around the globe has necessitated the need for improved coordination and regulations of interests from different stakeholders (Kunkei, 2010). The guiding principle in a tourism perspective is creation of balance between protection of interest relating to stakeholders and people affected by tourism industry. A further guiding plan would provide a rational outcome. Cultural tourism involves some elements. As given by Mckercher and Crus (2012), these are tourism, cultural heritage assets, tourists and consumption experience. The global cultures have had an impact on globalisation and tourism in general. It is however not encouraged by all-inclusive nature of tourism since there is no intermingling between the native and the visitors except if privileged to participate in providing services within the resort. The environment is a global resource for tourism. Any effect on one destination will translate to effects on the other environment. Candella and Figini (2012) say that “pollution that affects the natural environment and the deterioration of monuments and cultural cities have a negative effect on tourism” (p. 521). In their day to day lives, people cross boundaries for many reasons. Some cross boundaries due to work related activities. However, according to Wachowiak (2006), “millions more people cross each day for purposes directly opposite of work–leisure” (p. 9). This is to say that they go to enjoy a holiday and have a rest from the daily activities. The travels within the country but across the counties or municipals may have little effect on tourism. Travels within the local boundaries may have a little effect on tourism, unlike the international boundaries. Borders provide an interesting collision of entities; they serve purposes of economic convergence and cultural blending. When tourism and borders combine together, several interesting relationships arise. The aim of a tourism network should not only be based on community values necessary to bring them closer to tourism businesses, but to exploit on diversity. This objective has a resemblance to the objectives of making rational decisions concerning resource management as permitted by the environment. Williams (2004) says that “cooperative learning and the shaping of technological trajectories” are strategic dimensions that motivate creation of network linkages (p. 126). It calls for creation of proper networks if economists and organisations have to make investments in tourism related capital. Bramwell and Lane (2000) advise that tourism research should make documentation and network strategies, so that it can evaluate roles in various environments. A tourism destination is considered a setting for interactions. Given that there is a need that the visitors are provided with a tour product, it is significant to create a tourism network among the tourism firms and the tourists themselves. Noel and Laws (2013) observes that a tourism network sets a formal and social relationship to outline collaboration between the government, tourism sector and the community. Through the concept of tourism network, the public provides vital support to the tourism industry. This may not be the case in all-inclusive resort, it is characterised by certain sort of segregation. The visitors rarely mingle with the locals, they rather confine within the hotel grounds (Cole and Morgan 2010). Characteristics and potential provided by networks present a plausible option in which local tourism administration should be organised in later days. Networks bring notable improvements in the planning process, as well as in the administrative structure in which planning of tourism activities are done. Bramwell and Lane (2000) also says that “this general approach could extend usefully in efforts to map broader tourism institutional systems including public sector agencies, interest groups and other community members and stakeholders” (p. 327). Although the importance of tourism networks may be recognised, it can further be realised that it could be difficult to put it in practise. Lazzeretti and Petrillo (2006) say that “networks could be difficult to be put in practise because of opposition to change, unwillingness to share information, lobbying, lengthy decision making process disputes and conflicts” (p. 73). Tourism networks with prevailing economic or professional interest are defiant to alteration, as “a network will only run its affairs if the policies are of low salience to the government” (Kerr, 2003, p. 37). Governments have to improve their management so as to achieve sustainable development; however with all inclusive resorts it could be difficult due to the high expensive nature of all inclusive resorts (Apostolopoulos and Gayle, 2002). The Knowledge Economy The knowledge based economy emerged long ago whereby it was treated more importantly than information and as a resource to be valued and managed. With this, Cooper and Hall (2008) treat a knowledge based economy as production and distribution and the innovation with which the tourism industry needs for development in the competing and dynamic world. The significance of the knowledge to economy has been a subject of debate for quite some time. It is clear that capital and energy are being replaced by information and knowledge as important assets of acquiring and creating wealth (Dana, 2010). Knowledge based activity therefore is the exploitation of knowledge either as human capital or through technology for the purpose of wealth acquisition. Tourism is basically a service industry; its success is dully dependent on its efficiency and effectiveness of information as well as knowledge sharing between different stakeholders who need to make concrete collaboration for success (Baggio and Cooper, 2010). However in Democratic Republic, all inclusive resorts have restricted the spread of economic development, it’s due to the implicit marginalization associated with it (Cole and Morgan, 2010). While the pivotal roles of knowledge as instrumental in any development have long been realised, the emergence of knowledge economy is current and has served an important role in tourism development. Being a competitive tool, the main procedures include identification of knowledge and its subsequent acquisition. It’s then transferred and shared among the organisations. It is most efficient in regions where individuals are able to view knowledge as an important resource. Knowledge management observes the issues of adaptation, survival and competition in the face of dynamic environment. Change in environment has an effect on tourism as it affects the supply and the customer environment. Destination has to adapt to this dynamism through the creation and use of knowledge. Cooper (2006) says that “if knowledge management is to be utilised at the destination level, then micro level focus on the organization, which dominates its thinking needs to be expanded to embrace knowledge stocks and flows within networks of organizations at the destination” (p. 49). Knowledge stocks in a tourism industry constitute explicit knowledge whereby its management has a lot towards the contribution of tourism as it demonstrates what Cooper (2006) describes as mapping, capturing, and codification, so that it becomes legible, relevant, and usable in a tourism sector. The same knowledge based economy is difficult to be practised with all inclusive resorts, most tourists who prefer resort have no keen on making adventures, they cannot spend their money outside the resort (Smith, 2003). Conclusion The ostensibly insistent growth on tourism will continue to create new concerns in tourism development and reinforce the significance of some other issues that have been apparent for sometime. Tourism destinations are continuously facing challenges due to globalization of markets created by the self awareness of tourists and travelers, who need to strongly prevail in the competitive environment. The tourism industry therefore needs to meet the goal of a sustainable and balanced entity in a community. One of the best tools for such achievement is having an effective knowledge economy and information which would help to increase information flow, as well as services offered. The current role of knowledge sharing does not only offer a better competitive environment as of now, but also offers a significant investment for the future. Sustainable tourism basically faces challenges from enclave types of tourism such as the all- inclusive type. Having enjoyed all services within an enclosure, the tourist in an all-inclusive resort feels no need of seeking pleasure outside the resort. Given that sustainable tourism calls for appreciation of cultural and communal existence, all inclusive resorts are yet to abide by that, the danger being when and how? Reference List Anon, 2011. The tourism industry: Contemporary issues. [online] Available at: [Accessed 26 August 2014]. Agarwal, S. and Shaw, G., 2007. Managing Costal Tourism Resorts: A Global Perspective. Clevedon: Multingual Matters. Apostolopoulos, Y. and Gayle D. J., 2002. Island Tourism and Sustainable Development. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group. Baggio, R. and Cooper, C., 2010. 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