Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
departments and local and city tourism associations or, more commonly, a convention and visitor
bureau (CVB) (see Chapter 4).
The Importance of Integrated/Collaborative
Planning and Development
One dimension of Figure 1.2 that is essential to note is the
that forms the interface
between the public and private sectors at all levels. This line is intended to convey the importance of
integrated or collaborative planning and development efforts. Because both the public and private
sectors each control (and often operate) an important percentage of tourism facilities, events, and
programs, it is critical that policy, planning, and development efforts be continuously carried out
within a joint, cooperative, collaborative organizational framework. Failure to acknowledge the
importance of this reality leads only to antagonism, strife, and disjointed strategic planning and
development. Therefore, each destination must strive to create DMOs where collaboration is built into
the design. The actual name of the organization (be it a tourism authority, a tourism council, or a
tourism partnership) matters little. What is important is the quality of the collaboration that occurs.
''
wavy line
''
The Processes, Activities, and Outcomes of Tourism
Another dimension of Figure 1.2 that needs to be understood is the nature of the processes and
activities that both surround and occur within the tourism system and that in the end create the
outcomes that are the essence of the phenomenon we call tourism.
We have previously addressed the issue of organizing the components of tourism so that they work
together effectively. As indicated, a common result of these organizational efforts is the creation of a
DMO. For successful tourism, the DMO,
in collaboration with all stakeholders, must de ne the
tourism philosophy
of the destination and formulate a supportive policy, vision, and strategy (see
Chapter 15). These, in turn, provide direction and guidance for the detailed planning and development
initiatives that will ultimately determine the nature and quality of the experiences the destination is
capable of offering (see Chapter 16).
The availability of these
must be made known to potential visitors through
effective marketing, de ned in the broadest sense (see Chapter 19). Such marketing includes highly
visible promotional efforts as well as the less glamorous dimensions of pricing and distribution of the
travel products/experiences.
Successful marketing will attract a broad range of visitors whose behaviors provide them with
enjoyment and the memorable experiences associated with these behaviors. These behaviors can give
rise to both positive and negative impacts. The positive impacts pertain largely to the economic
bene ts (income and employment) that tourism provides. The negative impacts largely concern the
ecological, social, cultural, and commemorative integrity of the destination.
The success of the policy, development, and marketing programs is measured by the levels of
visitation achieved, the type of visitors attracted, the appropriateness of their behavior
''
experience offerings
''
and especially
by the quality of visitor experiences. Each of these impacts must be rigorously
monitored
in order that
a systematic
of the strengths and weaknesses of the above programs can be made. Finally,
a comprehensive program of stewardship is required to ensure that the success of tourism does not
destroy the natural resources on which tourism depends so heavily (see Chapter 17).
The final activity that is essential to long-term success of tourism is an ongoing process of
evaluation
evaluation
. Evaluation is simply an attempt to carefully assess the appropriateness, effectiveness,
ef ciency, and overall performance of all components and processes in the tourism system. The results
of the evaluation provide a critical source of information for the next ongoing stages of policy
formulation, visioning, and strategic planning and development.
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