Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
programme and a management response system (Manidis Roberts Consultants 1996;
McArthur 2000b). The context analysis identifies the current nature of community
values, tourism product, tourism growth, market trends and opportunities, positioning and
branding. This information is collected through literature reviews, face-to-face interviews
with relevant expertise, and a community workshop. The context analysis also identifies
alternative scenarios for the future of tourism, used later to test the validity of the model.
The second stage of the development of a TOMM is the development of a monitoring
programme. The basis for the monitoring programme is a set of optimal conditions which
tourism and visitor activity should create (rather than impacts they should avoid). In this
way the model avoids setting limits, maximum levels or carrying capacities, and can offer
the tourism industry opportunities to develop optimal sustainable performance. The
monitoring programme is essentially designed to measure how close the current situation
is to the optimal conditions. The measurement yardstick is a set of indicators (one for
each optimal condition). Table 4.3 provides a list of assessment criteria for selecting the
most appropriate indicators for a TOMM. Each indicator has a benchmark and an
acceptable range for it to be expected to operate within. Table 4.4 provides an example of
the desired outcomes and their supporting indicators and acceptable ranges; in this
instance they are environmentally orientated. The data generated from the monitoring
programme is then plotted to determine whether the status is within the acceptable range
or not. Annual performance is presented via report charts already displaying benchmarks,
and a relatively simple table that is principally designed to quickly reflect whether each
indicator is within its acceptable range or not. The presentation of data is therefore
designed to provide a 'quick and dirty look' that all stakeholders can utilise (Hall and
McArthur 1998).
The third stage of development is a management response system. This system
involves the identification of poor performing indicators, the exploration of cause-and-
effect relationships, the identification of results requiring a response and the development
of management response options. The first part of the response system is to annually
identify which indicators are not performing within their acceptable range. This involves
reviewing the report charts to identify and list each indicator whose annual performance
data are outside its acceptable range. It also involves identifying the degree of the
discrepancy and whether the discrepancy is part of a longer term trend. The trend is
determined by reviewing previous annual data that have been entered onto the report
charts. A qualitative statement is then entered under the degree of discrepancy. The
second part in the response mechanism is to explore cause and effect relationships. The
essential question relating to cause and effect is whether the discrepancy was principally
induced by tourism activity or other effects such as the actions of local residents,
initiatives by other industries, and regional, national or even global influences. The third
part in the system simply involves nominating whether a response is required. Specific
choices for the response could include a tourism-oriented response, a response from
another sector, or identification that the situation is beyond anyone's control.
The fourth and final part involves developing response options, dependent upon
whether they
• require a response from a non-tourism sector (this involves identifying the appropriate
body responsible providing them with the results and suggesting a response on the
