Exploring Influential Factors in Tourism

Introduction

Tourism is the one of the fastest growing industries in many countries and it is the major source of foreign income for a significant numbers of developing countries. In the recent era of globalisation, the percentage of travellers and the tourism activities are growing rapidly which further influence the organisations to develop effective strategic planning for managing heir tourism business (Benur and Bramwell, 2015). The social cultural factors, economic growth, seasonably as well as the sustainability planning have crucial impacts on the tourism industry and for this it is necessary for the tourism management team to analyse the influential factors for boosting their performance in long run (Della Corte, 2012). If you are seeking healthcare dissertation help, understanding all these factors can provide valuable insights into crafting a good strategy that can address the complexities of the industry. The study is effective to analyse the factors affecting the tourism activities ad in this regard four articles are used for further evaluation and analysis. The four articles are related to Social & Cultural Impacts of Tourism, Seasonality Tourism Impact (across European countries), Sustainable Tourism in Italy and Economic Impact of Tourism. After evaluating the findings, it will be possible to discuss the activities and factors influencing the tourism industry.

Findings of the articles

There are strong economic impacts on tourism and the article Economic impact of Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast tourism on the regional economy by Guo, Robinson and Hite (2017) is effective to analyse the context. As per the study, the coastal region is highly affected by the natural disaster and there are economic fluctuations in the economy. The local and regional economic impacts of Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast visitor was able to spend in the economy in the year of 2013 to provide proper guidance about future planning and management. IMPLAN software was implemented in the region to calculate the spending of the tourist’s parties in the economy and it further boosts the performance of the policy makers and the tourism sector to attract more tourists in the economy (Guo, Robinson and Hite, 2017). Overall response rate was 26.2% where the average visitors spending was $730.11 and total visitor’s spending was $17.6 billion in sales revenue as well as there was $5.9 billion in labour income and $9.4 billion in value added. The economy is also growing rapidly where the tourism sector is able to contribute in raising the National income of the region (Guo, Robinson and Hite, 2017). There were also 200000 full and part time jobs which mitigate the rate of unemployment.

Job creation and economic growth are effective in the region after proper planning and control of the tourism management in the coastal region, where the rate of tourist’s visits the pace is also increasing over the years. Due to such improvement and economic growth, the policy makers and the tourism sector find it fruitful to have sustainable community planning and management to attract more visitors and influence them to spend in the region for economic development. Hereby, the sustainable planning and economic growth have positive impacts on the tourism activities, where the tourism sector development further create new job in the economy as well as it is effective to contribute in the economy (Guo, Robinson and Hite, 2017). The visitor’s spending generated high percentage of full and part time jobs in the economy and it further contribute for economy growth and social development in the coastal region. The stakeholders engaged with the tourism sector are also cooperating with each other for effective community planning and local decision making to improve the efficiency of the tourism sector for serving the customers in a better way. Development in presenting the seafood, providing suitable environment to stay and spend leisure time as well as tourism and other waterfront sector will be growing to develop combine tourism packages for the sustainable changes and improvement in the social, cultural and economic structures (Guo, Robinson and Hite, 2017).

On the other hand, seasonality is another major factor changing the pattern of the tourism activities in the European countries, and it is analysed through reviewing the article measuring tourism seasonality across European countries by Ferrante, Magno and Cantis (2018). Seasonality plays a crucial role on the demand of the tourism services where it is influenced by the traditional culture, inertia, sporting season in the European counties as well a social pressure and fashion. For example, increasing price for the tourism service in the peak season has negative impacts on the customer’s perception about the European tourism sector. The economic effects of seasonality are related to the overcrowding of the destinations, lack of supply, attraction during the peak season, lack of capacity to serve the tourisms efficiently and inefficient use of tourism resources. There are negative impacts of seasonality on the environment due to damage to vegetation, water supply and waste management problems and disturbance to fauna. It also has negative impact on the socio culture where the residents feel disturb due to overcrowding of the destination (Ferrante, Magno and Cantis, 2018). It is mandatory for the tourism sector in the European countries to balance the demand between the peak season and off season to make the tourism sector sustainable. For the supply side, it is effective to increase supply in the off season or low demand periods, to reduce the supply in high season and redistribute the supply from peak season to low season. The major factors is rising the issue of seasonality are cultural impacts, holidays in school and working institutions as well as attitude of the people and climate change in the European countries. It is the responsibility of the policy makers to at efficiently and develops proper strategy to balance seasonality for attracting the tourists in the off season too by proper service innovation, pricing policies and promotional activities which may influence the tourists to make effective decision to travel in the European countries (Ferrante, Magno and Cantis, 2018).

It is mandatory to manage sustainability in tourism in such an era of globalisation so that the tourism sector is operating efficiently and creating green environmental footprint for creating values for the social communities as a whole. This phenomenon can be analysed though reviewing the journal article named Does sustainability enhance tourism destination competitiveness Evidence from Italian Destinations of Excellence by Cucculelli and Goffi (2014). As per the journal, it has been explored that, managing sustainability is beneficial for the tourism sector to manage their operations efficiently ad gain high competitive advantage in future. The sustainable tourism activities aim at reducing the negative environmental impacts, managing culture heritage, protecting natural resources of the earth, and enhancement of the local community structure. In the small scale tourism destination, there is positive relationship between sustainability and the competitiveness. As stated by Cucculelli and Goffi (2014), the tourism sector of Italy is also focusing on managing sustainability in doing their business activities where they are successful to serve the customers in a better way and create values for them by managing environmental sustainability. As per the analysis it has been explored that, the tourism sustainability management ahs positive impacts on the environment and culture as well as the destination where the tourist are satisfied with the travel experience. Italy is awarded as a sustainable tourist spot, by y the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

Additionally, “The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy” is awarded by the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI).as per the findings, the Italian community and tourism sector are collaborating with each other for better management of the destination, where tourism planning and legalisations, stewardship of the natural environment, public commitment and the tourism education as well as minimising the negative tourism impacts are the major activities to maintain sustainability initially. The infrastructure of the tourism sector of Italy is god including strong transportation and communication system, medical care facilities, road system and destination management which contribute positively in managing suitable tourism activities. According to Cucculelli and Goffi (2014), the events and activities are also efficient to serve the tourists properly as well as the responsible tourist behaviour is another component to create positive values for the socio cultural environment. Empowerment of the local authorities and the promotional activities further help the country to promote their destination and attract more tourists in the country. Additionally, Quality of environmental and natural resources is another factors contributing in managing sustainability in tourism where the safety and security of the tourists are handled well as well as the natural resources are protected under environmental legislations. Hence, as opined by Cucculelli and Goffi (2014), sustainable tourism policy and destination management creates economic values as well as maximise local cultural environment where the tourism sector of Italy is efficient to create values for the tourist as well as the local communities in the country. Thus, sustainable tourisms are necessary not only to preserve the ecological balance but also to improve competitiveness and maintain social cultural heritage in the economy.

There is also socio cultural impacts on tourism, where the social and cultural activities affects the tourism industry and it is possible to demonstrate in depth findings by reviewing the article Making ethnic tourism good for the poor by Lor, Kwa and Donaldson (2019). The tourism activities have crucial role in improving social cultural aspects of the economy, where the tourism sector development, infrastructure and activities further boost the economic values as well as maximise social cultural development. Tourism generated opportunity for the villagers where they don’t need to migrate for better opportunities, but they can utilise their farming and other activities to serve the tourists parties. According to Lor, Kwa and Donaldson (2019), the villagers sometime manage the tourist parties for better travelling and visiting the place where the tourist parties can cut their cost of travel and enjoy the destination successfully. The villagers are able to set up their small businesses and utilise their knowledge and brain drain for better management of the destination. The tourism activities are hereby influencing the villagers to stop migrating for better job, but for establishing small business to generate profitability where capita and education could return to the village itself. Here, as per the opinion of Lor, Kwa and Donaldson (2019), there is great role of ethnic tourism where the culture and heritage of the destination can be managed well as well as there is alternative option of farming where the people are engaged with small business to serve the tourists successfully. Local ownership and enhancement of internal infrastructure as well as reversal brain drain and slow growth of tourism by keeping the culture authentic can be the advantages of the ethnic tourism and it further helps the villagers to represent their culture in the international tourism. As per the study of Lor, Kwa and Donaldson (2019), Xijiang's initial steps for tourism sector are successful for earning and recognising more opportunities to develop small businesses in the villages to maintain cultural heritage and serve the tourist efficiently. The local people play a crucial role to manage the tourisms sector, where they are empowered in decision making, managing local destinations and demonstrate a desire for more egalitarian distribution to encourage fair dispersion of profit.

Discussion

As per the findings, it has been demonstrated that, there is great role of the economic growth, sustainability management, social cultural activities to maximise tourism development. The economic factors such as high national income, GDP and growth of the economy further influence the tourism sector to manage their destination of the country and attract the tourists across the globe. The economic factors are hereby beneficial to contribute positively in the tourism sector. On the other hand, the tourism activities also contribute positively in the economy (Zulkifli and Yalumalai, 2018). As per the findings, there is growth in the employment and GDP due to tourism activities. The tourism companies are able to create new job in the economy which further improve the quality of life of the individual of the country and reduce the unemployment rate. It also provides a chance to improve economic performance and secure future sustainable development (Yuri, Larisa and Svetlana, 2017). In this regard, the sustainability need to be managed in the tourism sector, where the tourism activities must be handled properly by protecting the natural resources, managing the destination, managing the cultural heritage of the country as well as empowerment of local authorities, structural changes, implementing attest technology to serve the tourists in a better way (Patroni et al., 2019). For managing sustainability, it is mandatory for the recent era of globalisation to develop alternative resource utilisation process to protect the natural resources as well as provide green environmental footprint by reducing green house gas emission. These are the alternative strategies to manage sustainability of the tourism sector and secure future development.

On the other hand, there is great role of socio cultural factors on tourism industry where ethnic tourism can be managed well. As per the findings, the villagers shave the chance to explore alternative option of faring where they are able to utilise their knowledge and skill to develop small business and serve the tourists successfully (Dwyer, Forsyth and Dwyer, 2020). This is a major source of income generation, where the villagers can utilise brain drain and run the small business at the destination by maintaining cultural authenticity. On the other hand, there is another factor which needs to be discussed of managing tourism industry, and the factor is seasonality. In the recent era of globalisation, there is great role of seasonality due to habits, culture of the people, holidays in school and working institutions and others for which there is high demand in the peak season and low in the off season (Kavoura and Stavrianea, 2014). It creates difficulties for the tourism sector to manage the supply and demand side of the services for which the tourist are not served efficiently. There are some negative effects of such seasonality such as disturbing the local citizens, lack of management of the sustainability and heritage as well as disturbance of the natural resources. It is mandatory for the tourism sector to raise proper strategy for managing the demand and supply at peak season and off season so that they can manage the tourists efficiently. It is the role of the government and the local authorities to protect the environment and natural resource with proper collaboration of the tourism industries.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that, the tourism industry is growing at an increasing rate with high demand of the tourist for the attractive destinations. For improving competitiveness the tourism institutions increases the promotional activities to attract the tourists as well as they try to manage their tourism activities through managing sustainability, improving communication and developing proper structure to serve the tourists efficiently. As per the findings, sustainability in this regard is effective or the sector to protect natural resources, utilising alternative resources for green environmental footprint management as well as maintain cultural heritage of the destination. This further helps to expand the tourism sector across the globe and represent the destination internationally. Though managing the seasonal demand and supply as well as the sustainability and social cultural heritage, it is possible to run the tourism sector efficiently and contribute positively in economic growth and social development, where job creation, increasing National income and GDP would be possible under successful management of the tourism activities in the country.

Reference List

Benur, A.M., Bramwell, B., 2015. Tourism product development and product diversification in destinations, Tourism Management, 50, pp. 213–224.

Della Corte, V., 2012. The evolution of tourist product as expression of experience-based innovation [in:] Morvillo, A., (ed.) Advances in Tourism Studies, McGraw Hill, pp. 301-336.

Dwyer, L., Forsyth, P. and Dwyer, W., 2020. Tourism economics and policy. London: Channel View Publications.

Kavoura, A. and Stavrianea, A., 2014. Economic and social aspects from social media's implementation as a strategic innovative marketing tool in the tourism industry. Procedia Economics and Finance, 14, pp.303-312.

Patroni, J., Newsome, D., Kerr, D., Sumanapala, D.P. and Simpson, G.D., 2019. Purpose–Many studies report on the potential ecological impacts of wild dolphin tourism, risks to people, and economic benefits to local communities. Fewer studies report the social aspects (human dimensions) of dolphin tourism, such as visitor satisfaction and attitudes of participants. This communication postulates that human dimensions are an important consideration in any strategy to keep wild dolphin tourism operations sustainable by balancing the welfare of the dolphins and the desires and .... Tourism and Hospitality Management, 25(1), pp.141-160.

Yuri, K., Larisa, M. and Svetlana, S., 2017. Tourism in border regions: theoretical aspects of a geographical study. Baltic Region, 9(1).

Zulkifli, Z. and Yalumalai, R., 2018. Analysis of the Impact of Tourism Development on Economic and Social Culture Community Aspects. Sumatra Journal of Disaster, Geography and Geography Education, 2(2), pp.30-34.

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