Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Tourism promotion in magazines and newspapers promises would-be
vacationers more than sun, sea, and sand; they are also offered the fourth
's'—sex. Resorts are advertized under the labels of 'hedonism',
'ecstacism', and 'edenism'…. One of the most successful advertizing
campaigns actually failed to mention the location of the resort: the selling
of the holiday experience itself and not the destination was the important
factor.
(Bailie 1980:19-20)
The extent of the relationship between crime and tourism has also been examined by
several geographers (e.g. L.L.Nichols 1976; Walmesley et al. 1981, 1983), with research
on Australian hallmark events also examining the relationship between increased visitor
numbers and crime rates (Hall et al. 1995).
Another area to which geographers have been paying increasing attention is the
relationship between tourism and indigenous peoples in both developed and less
developed nations. While anthropology has focused considerable attention on the impacts
and effects of tourism on indigenous peoples (e.g. V.L.Smith 1977, 1992), geographers
have assisted greatly in broadening the research agenda to include greater consideration
of the way in which indigenous peoples interact with wildlife, the relationship between
indigenous peoples and ecotourism and national parks, tourism and land rights, and
indigenous business development (e.g. Nelson 1986; Nickels et al. 1991; Mercer 1994;
Butler and Hinch 1996; Lew and van Otten 1997).
One of the most important concepts in humanistic geography is that of a 'sense of
place'. A sense of place arises where people feel a particular attachment or personal
relationship to an area in which local knowledge and human contacts are meaningfully
maintained. 'People demonstrate their sense of place when they apply their moral or
aesthetic discernment to sites and locations' (Tuan 1974:235). However, people may only
consciously notice the unique qualities of their place when they are away from it or when
it is being rapidly altered.
The sense of place concept is of significance to tourism development for a number of
reasons. The redevelopment and re-imaging of communities for tourism purposes (see
Chapter 5) may force long-term residents to leave and may change the character of the
community (Ley and Olds 1988). In these instances, the identification of residents with
the physical and social structure of the neighbourhood may be deeply disturbed, leading
to a condition of 'placelessness' (Relph 1976). Residents of destinations which find
themselves faced with rapid tourism development may therefore attempt to preserve
components of the townscape including buildings and parks in order to retain elements of
their identity.
The conservation of heritage is often a reaction to the rate of physical and social
change within a community. Generally, when people feel they are in control of their own
destiny they have little call for nostalgia. However, the strength of environment and
heritage conservation organisations in developed nations is perhaps a reflection of the
desire to retain a sense of continuity with the past (Lowenthal 1975, 1985). In addition,
the protection of historic buildings and the establishment of heritage precincts can also
effect a significant economic return to destinations because of the desire of many visitors
