Global growth in tourismTourism is the world’s largest industry, worth $500 billion dollars in 2007!

Leisure accounts for 75% of all international travel. There were nearly 900 million tourist travellers in 2007 and this is expected to rise to 1.6 billion by 2020. Domestic tourism is 4-5 times greater than international tourism. The tourism industry is therefore one of the greatest providers of jobs and income in countries at different stages of development. For 83% of countries, tourism is one of the top five sources of foreign exchange. The Caribbean gets half their GDP from tourism.

Factors affecting tourism’s growth

Tourism

Key terms

Mass tourism - tourism on a large scale to one country or region. Tourist receipts - national income from tourists. Tourist - a person who stays somewhere other than their home for over

twenty-four (24) hours. Tourist arrivals - number of tourists per year.

Social and Economic factors Since the 1950s people have become

wealthier. Incomes are larger and so is disposable income.

Most families have two working parents whereas in the past it was usually one.

People have fewer children as larger families are more expensive.

Car ownership has also grown rapidly. People have more leisure time. Holiday leave has increased from two

weeks per year in the 1950s to between 4-6 weeks today.

Life expectancy has increased so there are more retired people.

The retired have good pensions so they can afford holidays abroad. They can also afford more than one holiday a year and have more time to travel.

Improvements in technology Travel today is quick and easy –

motorways, airport expansion and faster jet aircraft.

Flying has become cheaper with budget airlines.

Booking online allows people to find cheap deals.

Increases in oil prices and the economic recession has led to more domestic holidays being taken.

Economic importance of tourismFrance has had more tourists than any other country for many years. 76 million people visited in 2005. French tourism includes every type of holiday such as city breaks, holiday cottages, camping, beach holidays and skiing.

The USA earns more money than any other country from tourism. For Europeans a trip to the USA is more special so they stay longer and spend more. In 2005 the USA earnt $66,547 million.

Places such as the Caribbean heavily rely on tourism to provide the national income and employment. Around 80% of Barbados’s national income comes from tourism.

UK tourism Almost all UK tourism used to be domestic, only the rich went abroad. Domestic holidays can be cheap or expensive e.g. camping and hotels. Domestic tourism grew in the 50's and 60's as the economy grew and

people could afford to take time off, so the annual holiday became common place.

UK seaside resorts peaked in the 70's with 40 million visitors a year. After this package holidays grew in number and affordability. Summer sun is

Choice of holiday During the 1950s and 1960s coastal resorts were popular in the UK and

National Parks opened up the countryside which offered new opportunities. Cheap package holidays in the 1970s allowed access to foreign holidays for

more people. Destinations around the world are now available and cater for a wide variety of

needs. City breaks have become popular e.g. Paris Ecotourism and unusual destinations such as Alaska are becoming more

popular.

unreliable in the UK so places like Benidorm became very popular in the 80's.

Since the world recession, domestic holidays have become more popular as the British pound became weaker. This meant that going abroad became more expensive. People have less job security so expensive holidays abroad are not an option for many, or are put off until the situation improves. People also have less disposable income.

The Butler modelThe Butler model says that any tourist resort starts on a small scale, develops into something more significant, then either goes into decline or makes changes to maintain its attractions. There are six stages.

Stage one: ExplorationSmall numbers of people are attracted by something particular: good beaches, attractive landscape, or cultural features. Local people have not yet developed many tourist services.

Stage two: InvolvementThe locals see an opportunity and start to provide accommodation, food, transport, guides and other services for visitors.

Stage three: DevelopmentLarge companies build hotels and leisure complexes and advertise package

holidays. Numbers of visitors rise dramatically. Job opportunities for local people grow rapidly, but this brings both advantages and disadvantages.Stage four: ConsolidationTourism is now a major part of the local economy. Numbers of visitors are steady making employment more secure. However, some hotels and other facilities are becoming older and unattractive, so the type of customer attracted goes down market. Rowdiness becomes a problem.

Stage five: StagnationThe resort becomes unfashionable and numbers of visitors start to decline. Businesses change hands and often fail.

Stage six: Decline or RejuvenationDecline: visitors prefer other resorts. Day trippers and weekenders become the main source of income.

How does tourism contribute to the UK economy?The UK economy earns over £80 billion a year from tourism. Almost 26 million people arrive here every year. Restaurants earn £20 billion, hotels earn £16 billion. The London eye is the most visited paying attraction in the UK with over 3.7 million visitors a year.

Rejuvenation: attempts are made to modernise the resort and attract different people to enjoy new activities.

BlackpoolBlackpool is in the county of Lancashire on the Northwest coast of England.

GrowthDuring the 19th Century Blackpool became very popular with the people of the northern industrial towns. Factory workers could afford a holiday and could travel by train to reach the coast. Blackpool boomed between 1900-1950.

DeclineAs people got wealthier they started to try somewhere different and soon package holidays created huge competition for Britain's seaside resorts. Blackpool summers can be unreliable and people wanted guaranteed sunshine. Eventually Blackpool lost most of its family holiday business and came to rely on day tripper and stag/hen parties. This isn't popular with residents and the town's image.

Problems causedFrom 1990-1999 visitor numbers per year dropped from 17 million to 11 million. 1000 hotels closed down, 300 holiday-flat premises closed and the average hotel occupancy rate fell as low as 25%. By 2000 some B&B's were charging £10 per night which leads to no money available for improvements and investment = Spiral of Decline!

SolutionsFrom 2001 serious efforts were made to smarten up areas: Old buildings were pulled down Landscaping of car parks Beaches cleaned up Beach facilities improved - by 2006 three of them were Blue-flag beaches. Sand extraction had been reduced further down the coast. The 'Blackpool's illuminations' (a light show stretching along the golden

mile) were transformed by £10 million being spent on them. This enables the season to carry on into the Autumn.

Conferences and festivals are attracting people to Blackpool in the off-peak season.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach opened Water world opened in 2006 Covered walkways between visitor attractions and around the shops. Local Authority grants were given to upgrade hotels and turn outdoor pools

into indoor leisure centres. More car parks were created.

Smaller failing hotels were converted into self-catering holidays flats. Zoo and Sealife Centre were built. New department store opened in 2008 A Supercasino was bid for but in the end it went to Manchester.

Factors affecting tourism in the 21 st century Terrorism and tourismThe destruction of the World Trade centre in New York on the 11th September 2001 had a huge impact on travel. The USA stepped up its security overnight, as did the UK and the EU. Airport security checks have multiplied and check-in times increased. London is a terrorist target: the Underground bombing of 7th July 2005 is an example. In the aftermath of such events numbers of tourists declined sharply.

Foot and Mouth The Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001 caused a crisis in the agriculture and tourism industry. There were 2,000 farms affected by the disease and this had a huge impact on access to the countryside. Cumbria was one of the worst affected areas of the UK; public rights of access were closed by order of the government. This is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK and it devastated businesses and the local economy. By the time the disease was halted in October 2011 the crisis was estimated to have cost the UK £8 billion.

National Parks in the UK

Why were National Parks set up?National Parks in England and Wales were set up in 1951 by an Act of Parliament; the first was the Peak District. After the Second World War, there were many efforts to improve people’s quality of life. National Parks were set up to conserve the natural and cultural landscapes whilst allowing access for visitors to enjoy them. The first National Park in Scotland was designated in 2002. The most recent National Park is the South Downs – set up in 2010. There are over 6000 worldwide as well.

Who owns them?81% - Private Ownership (mainly farmers)6% - Forestry Commission5% - National Trust3% - Water Authorities3% - Ministry of Defence1% - County Councils1% - National Park Authority

A National Park (1949) is:

"Areas of great natural beauty giving opportunities for open air recreation, established so that the natural beauty can be preserved and enhanced, and so that enjoyment of the scenery by the public can be promoted."

‘Honeypot sites’ are locations attracting a large number of visitors who, due to their numbers, place pressure on the environment

and people.

The Lake DistrictThe Lake District is in Cumbria in North-East England. Each year it has 12 million visitors. The local population is only 42,000. It was designated a National Park in 1951.

AttractionsPhysical:

Lake Windermere Scarfell Pike 101 SSSIs Limestone pavement

Human: Keswick Ambleside Neolithic sites dating back

12,000 years Roman remains Beatrix Potter’s home Wordsworth cottage

TrafficNearly 90% of visitors come by car, often just for the day. Many roads, including A-roads, are narrow and winding. Buses and large delivery vehicles have to use these to service both the locals and tourists. Queues are a common problem especially at weekends and in the summer. Towns like Ambleside were not built to cope with the sheer volume of traffic. Congestion, noise/air pollution and parking are a serious problem. People also park in desperation on grass verges causing serious damage. Solutions: Dual carriageways built on the edge of the Lake District Traffic calming measures Cattle grids and speed limits on open common land. Improve public transport Restrict on-road car parking Fence off roadsides so people cannot damage the verges New car parks screened with trees Make roads ‘access only’ Heavy lorries should be kept off scenic routes Bus lane to Windermere ferry Park and Ride schemes

Honeypot sitesBeauty spots, small shopping centres and historic houses all attract hundreds of visitors daily. Cat Bells is quite an easy climb, so many people walk up this smaller mountain. It therefore suffers from serious footpath erosion. Several areas have scarred landscapes. Bowness is an extremely busy shopping centre in the summer. Honeypots need to provide access and facilities while remaining as unspoilt as possible. Other examples include: Beatrix Potter’s house, Wordsworth cottage, Scarfell Pike, Aira Force waterfall.

KenyaKenya is in central-east Africa with a coastline on the Indian Ocean.

Second homes and holiday homesAlmost 1 in 6 properties in the Lake District are either second homes or holiday cottages. Some local people make a good income from owning and letting such properties, however there are many problems due to these including: Holiday cottages, flats and second homes

being empty part of the year Holiday makers do not always support local

businesses, often doing a supermarket shop at home before their trip.

Demand for property from outsiders increases property prices causing problems for local people who are forced out of the area to find affordable homes on the edge of the region in Kendall or Penrith.

Solutions: Local authorities could build more homes for

rent and developers could erect more low-cost homes for sale.

Footpath erosionAcross the Lake District, 4 million people walk at least 6km every year. This has resulted in the most popular routes becoming severely eroded and ugly scars being created on the hillsides. A constant stream of new guidebooks are attracting more people to previously remote areas. Solutions: Repairing eroded footpaths and damaged dry stone walls Reinforcing path surfaces reduces future damage Signposting routes limits the number of paths used

Environmental IssuesWater sports are not allowed on some lakes, but Windermere, the largest lake, has ferries and allows power boating, windsurfing and other faster and more damaging activities. The main issue is the wash from faster vehicles erodes the shore. Fuel spills are not uncommon, causing pollution

Solutions : Speed limits for boats on

Lake Windermere is 18kph Bins provided at key points

and emptied regularly Designated picnic areas

means litter has be dealt with in fewer places

Attractions Mountains e.g. Mount Kenya Sandy beaches e.g. Mosbasa Coral reefs e.g. at Mosbasa Marine Park 50 National Parks e.g. Maasai Mara Game Reserves e.g. Amboseli Savanna grasslands Cities e.g. Mombasa and Nairobi

BenefitsMoney brought into the country can be used to pay for improving services, building more houses and roads, and creating new jobs.

Problems of tourism: Safari Minibuses are meant to keep to well defined tracks in the National Parks

and Game Reserves. However, drivers often form new routes, either to enable their passengers to get as close as possible to the wildlife, or to avoid wet season marshy areas.

Minibuses can get stuck in the mud, ruining vegetation or widening existing tracks.

Minibuses crowd around animals in large numbers and this can affect mating and hunting. They are not supposed to go within 25 metres of animals but drivers ignore this as they want to get good tips.

Soil erosion can lead to dust storms which in turn increases soil erosion. Balloon safaris cause noise pollution and scare the herds of animals with

their intermittent release of hot air and their shadows.

Problems of tourism: National Parks Nobody is allowed to live in National Parks apart from employees at the

lodges. Game Reserves only permit a limited number of herders and their cattle. The setting up of National Parks meant that nomadic tribes, such as the

Maasai had to be moved away from their traditional grazing grounds. Many now have to live a more permanent life, earning money from

selling souvenirs and performing traditional dances for tourists. They have had to fence off their land so that migrating animlas do not

eat their grass. This has affected migrating patterns of these herds.

Problems of tourism: Coral reefsIn the marine reserves, glass bottom boats visit the coral reefs, however they drop their anchors on the coral damaging it. People stand on the coral and take starfish and shells from the reef as souvenirs. Coral is very fragile and touching it damages it forever. Boats do not use the buoys they are supposed to and will drop anchor where they want. There can be up to 30 boats in one area at a time which is destroying the reefs with the large numbers of visitors they bring every day.

Lamu: Successful tourismLamu is on the coast of Kenya. It is a traditional town and is now encouraging tourism but in a more sustainable way. Visitors have to pay a tax which is used to help the infrastructure of the town. Visitors must adhere to a strict dress code. Hotels and new buildings are not allowed to be built above the tree

height and are built in the same architecture as the town. There are limited places selling alcohol as the main religion in the town is Islam.

Mass tourism

Advantages DisadvantagesTourism brings jobs. People go from working in agriculture and day labour to a regular job with a reliable wage.

The activity may be seasonal e.g. skiing only happens in winter. Local people may be unable to find work for the rest of the year.

New infrastructure must be built for tourists for example airports, hotels, power supplies, roads and telecommunications. This benefits the local population.

Investing companies are usually based in countries at further stages of development. This means most of the profit goes outside the country.

Construction jobs are often given to local people. They are normally temporary though.

Industry dominated by large travel companies. Hotels can be owned by TNCs so the profit goes to the company not the country.

Many tourists have to pay a visitor tax which can help pay for extra services they use e.g. water supply, drainage, electricity and roads.

Few local employees are well paid. The higher level jobs are often taken by people within the tourist resorts.

Small businesses are started to serve the tourists e.g. taxis, bars, restaurants, builders, maintenance workers.

Building resorts and hotels damages the ecosystems and destroys the wildlife. Hotels also produce a lot of waste.

Extra jobs are created via hotels buying produce from local suppliers to feed the visitors.

Countries heavily rely on tourism and if there is a natural disaster countries will lose their main source of income e.g. Thailand after the Tsunami.

Tourists spend their money in the country. Tourists use a lot of water and energy costing a large amount of money.

New leisure facilities may be open to local people.

Tourists often don’t care about local culture or traditions.

Increases the value of local property. Tourists often enjoy familiar foods so have it imported from aboard.

Provide jobs such as waiters, souvenir shop assistants, tour guides

Local people may not be able to afford the new facilities created for tourists.Tourists spend most of their money and time in hotels.

Mass tourism is when a large number of tourists visit a certain location at the same time. There is usually a particular purpose and a particular type of location, such as skiing in a mountain resort or sunbathing at a beach location.

Machu PichuMachu Picchu, the 'Lost City of the Incas' is the best-known and most spectacular site in Peru, South America.

Attractions: physical The Andes mountain range is 6000m

high, with snow peaks and deep valleys. This is very picturesque. The Inca trail has ten different types of vegetation ranging from deserts

to tropical rainforest. The Inca trail is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. This

includes over 400 types of orchids, begonias, trees and well as the condor, puma and miniature deer.

Attractions: human Rafting trips can be taken down the Urubamba River. Machu Pichu, the ‘lost city of the Incas’ is the best known site in South

America. The nearby town of Aguas Calientes has thermal baths. Pisac is the main craftwork centre on the high plains. The main square is

small with a colourful market on Sunday mornings. Hiking the Inca Trail – this was the Royal Highway that led pilgrims and

officials of the Empire to the Sacred City of the Incas. The trek is 32 kilometres long ending at the Holy City.

Type Benefits Costs

Socia

l

It encourages the learning of new languages and skills.

Desecration of burial sites and the removal and display of human remains from Machu Picchu to further stimulate tourism has contributed to the destruction of the Indian spiritual heritage.

It encourages the preservation and celebration of local festivals and cultural events.

Overloading of porters leads to health problems.It has led to an increase in crime in the area.Tourists compete with residents for available services and facilities. Backpackers use the local train rather than the much more luxurious and expensive tourist train.

Econ

omic

Creates local jobs and business opportunities. These include those jobs directly related to tourism (hotel and tour services) and those that indirectly support tourism (such as food production and housing construction).

The jobs provided are usually poorly paid.

It provides governments with extra tax revenues each year through accommodation and restaurant taxes, airport taxes, sales taxes, Inca Trail and Machu Picchu entrance fees which can be used for education and health care.

It inflates property values and prices of goods and services for local people.

It provides money to support the community facilities and services that otherwise might not be developed.It attracts tourists who spend lots of money in the local towns.

Employment also tends to be seasonal so workers are unemployed in the low season.

Facilities and infrastructure provided by tourism (e.g. the railway) can also benefit residents.

Envi

ronm

enta

l

It does not contribute to global warming, so it is relatively environmentally friendly.

The number of people hiking along the Inca Trail rose from 6,000 in 1984 to 82,000 in 2000. The trail is being eroded and tea bags and water bottles litter the route, where campsites are scarce.

Tourism encourages the conservation and preservation of the environment and historic site of Machu Pichu.

Helicopters have been allowed to fly in tourists and operate low-flying tours, thereby disturbing not only the peaceful quality of the ruins, but potentially damaging them.Up to 2,000 people visit the Machu Picchu citadel every day. The site is being slowly eroded by tourists' feet.Plans to build a road from Cuzco and a cable car running from the valley to the top of Machu Picchu could lead to irreparable harm being done.

Extreme TourismExtreme tourism involves visiting dangerous landscapes often with a difficult climate, are places that are sparsely populated and access is normally difficult. It appeals to a niche market, those seeking an element of risk and danger. This type of holiday appeals to people around 30 years old, unmarried and without children, have high powered jobs and a good income as these trips are expensive. Groups are small and distances are great.

Little investment is needed to set up such trips. The usual costly expense of building hotels and roads are irrelevant. Part of the experience is to sleep ‘rough’ and travel over untouched landscapes. Examples include: Rock climbing, paragliding, white-water rafting, ice-walking, micro-lighting, deserts treks, cliff-diving in Jamaica, ice-diving in the White Sea (Russia).

AntarcticaAntarctica is one and a half times the size of the US (5 million square miles). No one has lived there until 1897, and hardly anyone lives there now apart from scientists in the 50 or so research stations dotted around. In summer McMurdo is home to about 1000 people.

Temperatures can get down to -60°C inland and -30°C on the coast but it warms up in summer but then not above freezing.

In 1992, 6700 tourists visited Antarctica; by 2009 numbers had jumped to 45,000. Antarctica has become popular as people want to visit the wild environment and see unique wildlife whilst causing as little impact as possible. There is a growing market of younger single people with a high income plus a grey market of older people (recently retired) who can afford to pay for the tours. There are now more tour operators running more trips to satisfy the growing demand. Nowadays tourists to Antarctica don't have to be super fit and intrepid like the explorers of the past. They can marvel at the scenery and wildlife from cruise ships and small boats.

It costs approximately £2,500 per person to visit the continent for a 7 day cruise. Tourists usually fly to New Zealand or Argentina and then take a cruise ship onwards for one to two weeks. Smaller boats then take them ashore at key locations for short visits, mainly to the peninsula or nearby islands.

Activities Fly over the ice in helicopters Climb rock and ice faces Cruise inlets in small boats Visit scientific research stations Hike Scuba dive under the ice Kayak Explore the shallow sea bed in underwater vehicles

Problems Landing sites quickly become honeypot sites. Tourists want to visit the most picturesque and wildlife-rich areas. Animals, especially penguins and seals are disturbed by more than a few

people. They are not used to humans and may leave as a result. This means

they may abandon eggs or young. There have been accidents when ships have struck uncharted rocks or

ice floes. Oil spills are becoming an increasing hazard for wildlife.

Tourist ships must discharge all waste materials well away from the shore of Antarctica.

Coping with tourism All tour operators are members of IATTO which direct tourism to be safe

and environmentally friendly. The Antarctic treaty was signed in 1961 by 50 countries. It protects

Antarctica from mining, drilling for oil, pollution and war up to 2048. The treaty accepts tourism as an acceptable activity but the scale has to be controlled.

Visitors are not allowed to visit SSSIs in order to conserve precious wildlife and landscapes. Bird Island on South Georgia is one example.

A permit must be gained for any activity on the continent. In 2011 ships won’t be allowed to use heavy fuel oil 2013 – The New polar code will limit the number and size of ships. For

example no ship carrying over 500 passengers can land in Antarctica. Only 100 people are allowed onshore at one time.

Ecotourism

Aims of ecotourism Ecotourism is environmentally friendly tourism. It caters for a small but growing niche market of environmentally aware

tourists. These types of holidays are expensive. Eco-tourists want to experience the natural environment directly,

undertaking activities such as trekking and bird watching. They want their holiday to have as little impact on the environment as

possible. Energy use should be sustainable and no waste should be generated that

cannot be dealt with efficiently. Small-scale accommodation in lodges that may not have electricity. Tourists eat local food. Local people are their guides as their

knowledge and experience is seen as more valuable.

Key terms

Conservation - the careful and planned use of resources in order to manage and maintain the natural environment for future generations.

Ecotourism - tourism that focuses on protecting the environment and the local way of life.

Stewardship - the personal responsibility for looking after things, in this case the environment. No one should damage the present or future environment.

ExamplesHeron Island, Australia Clayoquat sound, Vancover Island

The Galapagos IslandsThe 50 Volcanic islands lie 1000 km off the west coast of South America in the Pacific Ocean. They belong to Ecuador.

They are most famous for being the place that Charles Darwin came up with his theory of evolution.

90% of the islands have become a National Park or marine reserve since the 1930's. They were designated at UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. How does visiting the Galapagos Islands fit the eco-tourism principles?There are strict rules for tourists visiting the islands as they are among the most precious and fragile ecosystems in the world.

Tourists arrive in small ships that tour the islands. Only a limited number of people can go onshore at specific locations. The holiday is expensive so this limits numbers - £800 for an eight day

cruise each without flights! The Galapagos Conservation Trust gets £25 from every visitor. This goes

to support the conservation work on the islands. The boat tours are run by local people and take 10-16 tourists each.

They are accompanied by professional guides so that the tourists don't disturb the wildlife.

Visitors are educated so that they do not cause damage.