Tourism Concepts & Models

The advantages of models over definitions is that certain complexities inherent in tourism can be more easily expressed or represented in a model with a dynamic & multidimensional capacity as opposed to the more static definitions.

Tourist Area Life Cycle (Butler’s Curve - 1980)

Exploration involvement Development Consolidation Stagnation Decline Rejuvenatio

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Butler’s Curve (1980)

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Exploration

Exploration characterised by small numbers of tourists adventurous visit “new” places attracted by some unique feature few tourist facilities reliance on local

facilities high level of contact between tourist & host small impact on the host community.

Butler’s Curve (1980)

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Exploration

Involvement

Involvement local residents begin to provide

facilities for tourists high degree of contact between

tourists & locals locals may start to change usual

patterns to accommodate tourists pressure on local government to

provide more & better facilities for tourists.

Butler’s Curve (1980)

Time

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Exploration

Involvement

Development

Development tourism market: well-defined because of

promotion at tourist generating areas local control of facilities & development of

tourism starts to decline international organisations take root (Holiday Inn) physical nature of resort changes (not universally

accepted) number of tourists approaches (or exceeds) local

population (take notice at this point, can start to see negative impacts)

type of tourist mainstream, conservative

Butler’s Curve (1980)

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Exploration

Involvement

Development

Consolidation

Consolidation rate of increase of tourist arrivals starts to

decline (even though absolute numbers may still grow).

number of tourists now exceeds local population

marketing & promotion well developed market is almost saturated, therefore new

development/building slows down growing discontent among host population

Butler’s Curve (1980)

Time

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Exploration

Involvement

Development

Consolidation

Stagnation

Stagnation peak number of visitors has been reached

(carrying capacity) environmental, social & economic problems

(beach erosion, local businesses sold, dissatisfaction with locals)

area is not as popular with tourists (beach is dirty, crowded, not enough parking)

original features which attracted tourists in the first place will have been supplemented by new “attractions”. (theme parks, museums, bungee jumping, something that wasn’t there before)

Butler’s Curve (1980)

Immediate decline

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Exploration

Involvement

Development

Consolidation

Stagnation

Decline

Immediate Decline & Decline

immediate decline: an abrupt death of the resort

decline: a more gradual decline, where number of visitors gradually tapers off

infrastructure changes (hotels converted to condominiums because not enough visitors)

local population begins to buy tourist facilities because of affordability

Butler’s Curve (1980)

Stabilisation

Time

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Exploration

Involvement

Development

Immediate decline

Decline

Consolidation

StagnationReduced growth

Rejuvenation

Stabilisation, Reduced Growth & Rejuvenation

Stabilisation: the area stabilises and changes very little over time

Reduced growth: the area continues to grow but at a reduced rate of growth

Rejuvenation: can take place in 2 ways:– building a new attraction– taking advantage of previously

untapped resources. – Strong government or corporation

involvement

Butler’s Curve (1980)

Time

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Exploration

Involvement

Development

Immediate decline

Decline

Stabilisation

Reduced growth

Rejuvenation

Consolidation

Stagnation

Critical range of elements of capacity

Critical Range of Elements of Capacity

This is the stage when carrying capacities become critical (cc has been reached)

can be exceeded or managed Tourism Carrying Capacity:The number of

visitors that an area can accommodate before negative impacts occur, either in the physical environment, the psychological attitude of the tourists, or the social acceptance level of the hosts.

•Assumes destination went through all stages (exploration)

Psychograph

MidcentricsPsycocentrics

Allocentrics

Mass Tourists

Near Psychocentrics

Near Allocentrics

Plog’s Psychographic Typology (1972)

Different destinations are attractive to different types of tourists based on their different personalities.

Psychocentric

need for consistency & reliability avoid stress/unusual situations prefer familiar destinations want to be surrounded by similar

people impact on host community: large

•stagnation

Allocentrics

thrives on new experiences prefer to explore areas on their own likes to befriend local community impact on host

community: small

•exploration

Mid-centric

fall between psychocentrics & allocentrics

looks for familiarity prefers to be with

friends/relatives not overly adventurous,

but willing to try new things

•People may visit a place, but not fall under a certain category

DOXEY’S “IRRIDEX”

direct link between increased community irritation & continual tourism development

EUPHORIA

APATHY

ANNOYANCE

ANTAGONISM

Initial phase of development, visitors & investors welcome, little planning or control mechanism - exploration

Visitors taken for granted, contacts between residents & outsiders more formal (commercial), planning concerned mostly with marketing

Saturation points approached, “hosts” have misgivings about tourism, policy makers attempt solutions via increasing infrastructure (rather than limiting growth) - critical on butlers curveIrritations openly expressed, visitors seen as cause of all problems, planning now remedial but promotion increased to offset deteriorating reputation of destination (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

Limitations

Whole population may have the same attitude

The chart goes in one direction, not multi-directional, only progress in one direction

Attitude/Behaviour Model (Bjorkland & Philbrick after Butler 1975)

Active Passive

Posit

ive

Neg

ati

ve

Aggressive promotion of something favoured

Silent acceptance of something favoured

Aggressive opposition to something disliked

Resigned acceptance of something disliked

•Dynamic, assumes interests change, flexible, multidirectional