Tourism

Tourism is the travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes or, Tourism is the activity of a person or persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one conductive year. UNWTO defined it as "Tourism comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes." In our previous assignment we have discussed the impacts of tourism on our environment, climate, social -cultural life, value and lifestyle etc. We also have seen a case study on Nepal of this related issue. Now we will see implications of the both micro and macro factors, ethical implication and its impact on business and the strategic planning available to the managers.

Stakeholders involved and the implication on them

Sooner or later stakeholders dealing with tourism, if medium and long-term oriented, understand that their "capital" is not only their investment and infrastructures, but also the natural and cultural environment. Therefore, they start considering tourism development in a more sustainable way. (United Nations Environment Programme, 2009) Tourism can deliver short and long term economic, environmental and socio-cultural effects on a destination. Careful consideration needs to be given to the decisions made throughout the planning process, and there are many advantages, and disadvantages, of involving a broad range of stakeholders during the decision-making process. These decisions can lead to both positive and negative effects, determined largely by the effectiveness of research, and the level of good organization employed in the implementation, management and ongoing monitoring of tourism-based projects. Engaging with the general community during the research process, and reporting back to them, even in part, with the initial findings, prompts people to begin thinking about issues before the active participation stage of the project make obvious that one of the advantages of community consultation for the researchers and planners is that it can supremacy interest, encourage debate and create eagerness for a project. It can also identify more clearly the values and beliefs that underpin [a]community, to question them and then to suggest how to protect the values and beliefs that are worth protecting (Macbeth, 1997). Research in to whether collaboration in local tourism policy-making is inclusionary, has highlighted that resource allocations, policy ideas and institutional practices set in

within society may often restrict the influence of particular stakeholders (Bramwell, 1999). Certain stakeholders may simply not have the time, or the tendency to be involved in any mutual efforts based around tourism in their community. That is not to say that tourism will not affect them, but that they will intentionally remain detached from the decision-making process and quite probably, more accepting of any negative resulting effects. Bramwell (1999) also suggests that the power of stakeholders is often unequal, and points out that "power governs the interaction of individuals, organizations and agencies influencing, or trying to influence, the formulation of tourism policy and the manner in which it is implemented" (Hall, 1994 citedin Bramwell, 1999) Specific stakeholders may have the financial or political basis to exercise more power over certain planning stages of a project, and provide more input when certain decisions are being made. Carefully planned developments are likely to experience a high rate of success in terms of tourist satisfaction levels, economical benefits, and minimal negative impacts on the local social, economic, and physical environments (Yigitcanlar, 2009),though planners need to remain mindful that collaboration between stakeholders is handled in an democratic manner during the decision-making processes. The benefits of community participation in tourism development can include greater project sustainability and social acceptability, greater resource mobilization, and more equitable distribution of project benefits (Milne, n.d.). A level of transparency exists around projects that become a part of the local community, and this will help to diminish any negative effects by increasing awareness of the risks of development from the outset. The process of identifying who the stakeholders are in a project is an important one, as it will also help to identify who may be directly or indirectly affected by a project. Typical stakeholders in a tourism planning process are established in the following figure:

Stakeholders in tourism planning process (Yigitcanlar, 2009)

The ethical and value dilemmas

Tourism, unlike many forms of development, carries "the seeds of its own destruction." As Plog (1974) stated: We can visualize a destination moving across a spectrum, however gradually or slowly, but far too often inexorably, toward the potential of its own demise. Destination areas carry with them the potential seeds of their own destruction, and lose their qualities which originally attracted tourists. Tourism researchers began to realize that tourism does not create uniform or monolithic consequences. Tourism research demonstrated that tourism creates benefits and negative effects at the same time, and that who benefits and who endures negative consequences needs to be part of any analysis. Although Butcher (2003) refers to these changes as the "moralization" of tourism, I offer a different analysis based on the following five features that define what I call the "ethicalization" of tourism ( cf., Castaneda 1996; 2006; Fleckenstein and ~bstHI f-fu e. 1999). First, the ethicalization of tourism is based on the recognition among those involved in planning and implementing tourism projects that the effects and consequences of tourism are not either uniformly and universally good or bad, and, instead, that tourism development has multiple results with many kinds of costs and benefits for different stakeholders. Second, the emergence of ethical debates in tourism scholarship was viewed in the emergence of sustainability as the ultimate value of tourism development. Third, ethicalization of tourism refers to the fact that ethics began to be explicitly discussed, starting in the 1990s, in contrast to the implicit moralizing about tourism that characterized the earlier era. Fourth, ethicalization is also defined by the fact that tourism makers and the critics of tourism have begun to define the obligations, duties, and responsibilities of each type of social agent involved in the planning, design, implementation, development, and regulation of tourism. In other words, we started to define how to make tourism ethical instead of asserting that it was morally good or bad in all social contexts. Fifth, this explicit ethical discussion therefore now includes an analysis of the pragmatic and context-specific effects, positive and negative, for specific groups of stakeholders, for tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and for the environment (cf. Malloy and Fennell 1998; Butcher, 2003; Fennell and Malloy 2007). Are these ethics of tourism stands for? If its not then what it would be? What our moral vision should stand for according to tourism? Why we are espousing the unenthusiastic factors instead of enthusiastic factors of tourism? Is this our moral quandary? While keeping the customer happy is it making the culture & the environment unhappy?

These are what we need to think about.

Tourism researchers began to realize that tourism does not create uniform or gigantic consequences. Tourism research demonstrated that tourism creates benefits and negative effects at the same time, and that who benefits and who endures negative consequences needs to be part of any analysis. In order for tourism to realize its potential to achieve broad-based sustainable development, an effective partnership between Government and all sectors of the industry will be required. Conscientious implementation by all parties involved in the tourism sector is required. The private sector and the government should collaborate in the planning and implementation of policy objectives.

Implications of the both macro and micro factors and the way manager can deal with Education
There should be an education program on Travel and Tourism in all countries. The Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE) seeks to promote environmental education by carrying out campaigns and improving awareness of the importance of environmental education. It is composed of a network of international organizations. The FEEE (headquarters in Denmark) runs three major campaigns in Europe for providing safe and clean beaches and marinas.

GREEN-GLOBE
GREEN GLOBE's Dodo Campaign, is based on a cartoon character, which features in 65 Travel & Tourism videos. Dodo explains and promotes the actions that visitors can take to reduce the impacts of their travels. The videos are aimed at children and are designed to be fun, at the same time it conveys important messages about sustainable Travel & Tourism. The aim is to have these videos shown on in-flight and in-room television channels to raise awareness and influence consumer behavior.

Code of Contact
Codes of conduct are also used to try and influence consumer behavior. For example, Guidelines for Responsible Environmental Tourism are prepared and distributed by the American Society of Travel Agents to all customers who book holidays through their members' branches. The Pacific Asia Tourism Association (PATA) is an industrial association, which promotes the Pacific Asia areas Travel & Tourism destinations, products and services. PATA also serves as a central resource of information and research, travel industry education and training, as well as quality product development with sensitivity for culture, heritage and environment. In 1992, PATA introduced its Code for Environmentally Responsible Tourism to strengthen the principles of preservation in the region. Businesses, organizations and individuals wishing to establish their support for the PATA Code are encouraged to participate in the PATA Green Leaf program.

Eco-Labeling
There are numerous examples of industry sponsored labeling schemes, whose aim is to recognize good industry practice and influence consumer behavior into purchasing the labeled products. For example, the Green Key, Denmark certificate operated by the Hotel, Restaurant and Leisure Industry Association (HORESTA) has 56 criteria that include environmental information, water & energy consumption and waste management. Special features also include ecological food products, outdoor areas, non-smoking rooms, and adaptations for access by disabled persons.

Award
There are a number of industries that runs and sponsors award programs to highlight and promote examples of good practice. For example, British Airways has run the Tourism for Tomorrow awards since 1992 to encourage action to protect the environment. The awards are directed at tour operators, hotels, national parks and heritage sites, and other activities associated with tourism.

Advertisement and training

There is a need to promote domestic tourism and advertise the countrys cultural and religious richness in abroad. The labor force associated directly and indirectly with the tourism sector should be trained properly. Training programmers should be initiated to upgrade the manpower working in the sector. There are other trainings like first aid, fire exist, health and safety training etc. Some other criteria which will enable to have a sustainable tourism and get us rid from the impacts of tourism, these are- use of local food supplies, monitor health and safety policy, proper way to dispose food wastes, recycling/use of green chemicals, saving electricity by using solar power etc.

Ethical implications that has an impact on the business environment

Business ethics is a complex field which the tourism industry must understand. In addition, tourism is a unique industry; although general concepts of business ethics are often useful, tourism transcends mainstream business and must be evaluated accordingly. By forming alliances with sub disciplines of business which parallel our own interests, tourism can advance in appropriate ways. Employment opportunities: with wage and dividend benefits for men and women, and access to training for employees. Business opportunities: through sales of products or provision of services to the enterprises and their guests, and other support of enterprise development with materials or training relating to the operation of the tourism enterprise. Cash and material donations: to support community infrastructure development and local services. At the international level, the goal should be to promote and encourage sustainable tourist and ethical business behaviours that benefit local communities and the development of local partnerships, alliances and embedded tourist codes of practice (Ashley et al, 2000; Gordon & Townsend, 2001; Walle, 1995; Wheeler, 1994) or stakeholder involvement in indicator development but these literatures could offer further analytical opportunities to consider how responsibility and governance intersect (see Fennell, 2006; Miller & Twining-Ward, 2005).

Strategic planning for the managers

Pro-Poor Tourism (PPT) is tourism that results in increased net benefits for poor people. PPT is not a specific product or niche sector but an approach to tourism development and management. It enhances the linkages between tourism businesses and poor people; so that tourism's contribution to poverty diminution is increased and poor people are able to participate more effectively in product development. Links with many different types of 'the poor' need to be considered: staff, neighboring communities, land-holders, producers of food, fuel and other suppliers, operators of micro tourism businesses, craft-makers, other users of tourism infrastructure (roads) and resources (water) etc. There are many types of pro poor tourism strategies, ranging from increasing local employment to building mechanisms for consultation. Any type of company can be involved in pro-poor tourism - a small lodge, an urban hotel, a tour operator, an infrastructure developer. The critical factor is not the type of company or the type of tourism, but that an increase in the net benefits that go to poor people can be revealed. Strategies for pro poor tourism can be divided into those that generated three different types of local benefit: economic benefits, other livelihood benefits (such as physical, social or cultural improvements), and less tangible benefits of participation and

involvement. Each of these can be further disaggregated into specific types of strategies. Strategies focused on economic benefits include:

Increase of employment and local wages: via commitments to local jobs, training up locals for employment Expansion of business opportunities for the poor. These may be businesses/entrepreneurs that sell inputs such as food, fuel, or building materials to tourism operations. Or they may be businesses that offer products directly to tourists, such as guiding, crafts, tea shops etc. Support can vary from marketing and technical support (e.g. by nearby mainstream operators), to shifts in procurement strategy, or direct financial and training inputs. Development of collective community income. This may be from equity surplus, lease fee, revenue share, or donations, usually established in partnership with tourism operators or government institutions.

In general, staff wages are a massive boost to those few that get them, small earnings help many more to make ends meet, and collective income can benefit the majority, but can often be misused. Thus all three types are important for reaching different poor families. Strategies to create these benefits need to tackle many obstacles to economic participation, including lack of skills, low understanding of tourism, poor product quality and limited market access. Strategies to enhance other (non-cash) livelihood benefits generally focus on:

Capacity building, training and empowerment Mitigation of the environmental impact of tourism on the poor and management of competing demands for access to natural resources between tourism and local people Address competing use of natural resources Improved social and cultural impacts of tourism Improved access to services and infrastructure: health care, radio access, security, water supplies, transport.

Such strategies can often begin by reducing negative impacts such as cultural interruption, or lost access to land or coast. But more can be done to then address these issues positively, in consultation with the poor. Opportunities to increase local access to services and infrastructure often arise when these are being developed for the needs of tourists, but with some consultation and adaptation could also serve the needs of residents. Strategies for capacity-building may be directly linked to creating boosting cash income, but may also be of more long-term indirect value, such as building management capacity of local institutions.

Strategies focused on policy, process, and participation can create:

More supportive policy and planning framework that enables participation by the poor Increased participation by the poor in decision-making: i.e. ensuring that local people are consulted and have a say in tourism decision making by government and the private sector Pro-poor partnerships with the private sector At the minimum: increased flow of information and communication: meetings, report backs, sharing news and plans. This is not participation but lays the basis for further dialogue.

Implementing these strategies may involve lobbying for policy reform, involving the poor in local planning initiatives, amplifying their voice through producer associations, and developing formal and informal links between the poor and private operators. Table 1 summarizes this typology of PPT strategies Table 1: Types of PPT strategies Increase economic benefits 1. Boost local employment, wages 2. Boost local enterprise opportunities 3. Create collective income sources fees, revenue shares Enhance non-financial livelihood impacts 1. Capacity building, training 2. Mitigate environmental impacts 3. Address competing use of natural resources 4. Improve social, cultural impacts 5. Increase local access to infrastructure and services Enhance participation and partnership 1. Create more supportive policy/planning framework 2. Increase participation of the poor in decision-making 3. Build pro-poor partnerships with private sector 4. Increase flows of information, communication

Conclusion:
Tourism has implications on the economy, on the natural and built environment, on the local population at the destination and on the tourists themselves. Due to these multiple impacts, the wide range and variety of production factors required producing those goods and services acquired by visitors, and the wide spectrum of stakeholders involved or affected by tourism, there is a need for a holistic approach to tourism development, management and monitoring. This approach is strongly recommended in order to formulate and implement national and local tourism policies as well as the

necessary international agreements or other processes in respect of tourism. The WTTC(World Travel And Tourism Council) / MORI (Ipsos MORI is one of the largest and best known research companies in the UK and a key part of the Ipsos Group, a leading global research company) data shows the scale of the task still remaining. The industry has developed a number of initiatives to influence consumer behavior. However, if consumers do not understand or are not aware of the issues involved and do not demand more sustainable products then, in the long term, it will not be in the industrys interests to move in that direction. The priority for future action, therefore, should be to raise awareness among travelers of the issues associated with tourism and the impact their activities can have on local destinations and cultures.

********** The End*********

References:
http://www.crctourism.com.au/wms/upload/resources/Tourism%20Economics%20Summary%20WEB.p df http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/wttc.pdf http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001226/122619eo.pdf http://www.grips.ac.jp/alumni/UzbekistanTourism(2).pdf https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/27968/1/gupea_2077_27968_1.pdf http://jpl.sagepub.com/content/18/3/251.short http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/11_South_Africa.pdf http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/what_is_ppt.html http://libra.msra.cn/Publication/35979415/business-ethics-and-tourism-from-micro-to-macroperspectives