Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Types and Levels of
Tourism Destinations
Tourism destinations are most commonly de
ned
in formal terms by recognized political jurisdic-
tions such as the following, listed frombroadest to
most local:
1.
A nation or country
2.
Amacroregion, consisting of several countries
(e.g., Europe) or other groupings that either
transcend national borders (e.g., the European
Riviera) or re
ect economic trade zones (e.g.,
NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agree-
ment] and the Americas)
Prior to the national
transportation policy
creating the interstate
highway system, many
family summer vacations
were enjoyed traveling on
the legendary Route 66,
which has been
immortalized by song and
television.
PhotobyRobert
Holmes;courtesyofthe
CaliforniaDivisionofTourism.
3.
A province or state within a country
4.
A localized region within a country, such as
western Canada or the U.S. Northwest or
Southeast
5.
A city or town
6.
A unique locale, such as a national park, a historic site, or a memorial that is in itself suf
ciently
signi
cant to attract visitors. (Substantive and readily identi
able institutions such as Walt Disney
World in Orlando, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome might, in
themselves, exert suf
cient drawing power to be classi
ed as destinations.)
THE MAJOR PARAMETERS OF TOURISM
DESTINATION MANAGEMENT
Although the task of
(TDM) is a complex, multidimensional
challenge, when all the rhetoric is stripped away, there are two primary parameters that must be
satis
ed if the destination is to be successful. These are competitiveness and sustainability. Either alone
is not suf
cient; they are both essential and mutually supportive.
The competitiveness of a destination refers to its ability to compete effectively and pro
tably in
the tourism marketplace. Sustainability pertains to the ability of a destination to maintain the quality
of its physical, social, cultural, and environmental resources while it competes in the marketplace. A
major concern in this regard is to avoid the false appearance of economic pro
tability, a pro
tability
that is derived from the subtle, often invisible (in the short run) depletion of the destination
tourism destination management
'
is natural
capital. Conversely, sustainability may be viewed as encouraging
that is,
refraining from current consumption in order to protect the environment, and the restoration of
natural stocks (those that are renewable), thus ensuring the availability of such resources for future
consumption.
1
We can see that, when viewed in the above light, successful TDM involves traditional economic/
business management skills balanced with environmental management capabilities (Figure 15.3). The
economic business skills required are those related to effective resource development and deploy-
ment. They include strategic planning for destination development (see Chapter 16), the marketing of
the destination (see Chapter 19), the management of the human resources necessary to deliver quality
visitor experiences, the management of the
financial resources/investment required to support
''
natural capital investment
''—
Search WWH ::
Custom Search