Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A Model of the Competitive/Sustainable Destination
Regardless of the size or scope of a destination, it is useful to view it from a holistic perspective in
which the structure and management processes are explicitly de
ned and examined. One framework
that attempts to do this has been developed by Ritchie and Crouch.
3
From the standpoint of this
model, the purpose of tourism policy is to ensure a common, agreed-upon purpose for tourism and to
establish the broad parameters for planning and coordinating the efforts of all tourism stakeholders,
those whose well-being relates in some way to the success of tourism in the destination. This model is
shown and described in detail in Chapter 16.
Warning: Tourism Destinations and Tourism Policy
Do Not Exist in a Vacuum
In all of the foregoing discussions, it needs to be kept in mind that tourism policies are but part of the
social, economic, and political policies that govern and direct the functioning of the overall society
within which tourism exists and functions.
In brief, a number of more general policies (regulations, rules, directives, objectives, strategies) are
controlled by governments, as well as other industry sectors and organizations. These policies may
have a signi
cant effect on the success of tourism and tourism destinations:
Passports and visas
&
Taxation—affects costs and thus pro
tability
&
Interest rate policy—affects costs and thus pro
tability
&
Bilateral air agreements
—
determine foreign visitor access
&
Environmental policy
—
limits growth and access to attractive but sensitive areas
&
Customs and immigration policy
—
can facilitate or hinder international visitation
&
Communications policy
—
can restrict use of certain advertising media
&
The White House tourism conference in the United States was a major tourism event where policy
recommendations were made and are still being implemented.
Photocourtesyof
#
PhotoDisc,Inc./GettyImages.
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