GCSE Geography AQA - Tourism

1. Exploration - small no. of visitors, local people not yet developed many tourist services

2. Involvement - local population see opportunity, start providing accommodation, food, transport

3. Development - large companies come, advertise package holidays, tourism rises dramatically, job opportunites, ads & disadvantages

4. Consolidation - tourism now major part of economy, no. of visitors steady, employment more secure, some hotels etc old & unattractive, rowdiness

5. Stagmation - resort becomes unfashionable, number of visitors decline, businesses fail

6. Decline/rejuvenation - visitors prefer other resorts, attempts to modernise & attract more people

(Bournemouth example of rejuvenation)

Mass tourism - tourism on large scale to one country/region, development & consolidation stages of BTRLCM'; many countries want mass tourism but it brings disadvantages

Ecotourism - sustainable form of tourism aimed at protecting environment & protecting local culture

Extreme environment - dangerous landscape, sparcely settled, access limited, e.g. ice sheets in Greenland, Sahara desert, Himalayas

Extreme tourism - thrilling activities, adrenaline rush, danger & risk, physical challenge e.g. ice-diving in White Sea, North Russia; some in non-extreme environment e.g. paragliding on South Downs

Target market - small, young, unmarried, childless, good incomes, likely to stay small - can't afford it as its very expensive, small fraction of people around 30, have to be physically able

Attractions - something different, rareness e.g. polar bears, ice bergs

Physical attractions - 7 miles of sandy beach, 7.7 hours of sunshine, sheltered water, World Heritage Coastline

Human attractions - Pavilion Theatre, pier, Lower Gardens, promenade, Victorian architecture, oceanarium, night life, shopping, BIC, B&Bs, hotels, campsites

Advantages of tourism:

• Generates money - £292,650,000 per year, 13,000 hotel bed spaces, 4,500 guest houses, 747 B&Bs
• Creates jobs - 9,302, 73% full time, staying tourists - more jobs
• Multiplier effect - more jobs --> higher wages --> more money from taxes --> more money on transport, education --> more money for local people, spend in shops etc

Problems:

• Litter on beach - more bins, dogs banned from May 1st - Sept 30th

• Sewage overloaded - update sewage system, improve treatment
• Conflict between beach users - zones seperating them, cyclists give way
• Heavy congestion - advertise other attractions, park & ride
• Need for wide beach - beach replenishment
• Competition from abroad resorts - World Class Resort - quality not price
• Seasonal tourism - short breaks, long stays, weekenders
• British weather - indoor attractions

Human attractions - paragliding, fishing, air ballooning, golf, horse riding, climbing, sailing, culture

Natural attractions - wildlife safaris, beaches, coral reef, scenery, Mt Kilimanjaro, Big 5

Kenya - 36mn, birth rate 32 per 1000, death rate 14 per 1000, natural increase 1.8%, £850mn from tourism

Negative effects:

• Tourism fluctuates
• Money doesn't always benefit locals
• Jobs are seasonal, low paid
• Farmers don't always gain
• GDP is low
• Pollution
• Overuse of limited resources
• Damage to coral reef, soil erosion, disturb animals

Strategies:

• Quality rather than quantity
• Develop ecotourism - sustainable
• better distribution of tourist activity
• High price minimums, taxing tourists
• Diversify activity range

Example of ecotourism

Overlooking Mt Kilimanjaro - rich flora & fauna, real African wildeness, 50 different mammals, 500 bird species, Big 5, kudu, cheetah, wild dog, wildlife profitable

Local people - Kenyan tea/coffee, owned by Masai herdsmen, Masai crafts, Masai trackers, total involvment, conservation fee of $20 a day, share profits

Sustainable - max of 12 guests, variety & vastness, walks instead of vechicles, solar electricity, charcoal local, water recycled, sustainable development, environment conservation

Jeep tours, river rafting, trekking, something new, element of danger, wildlife e.g. penguins, scenery e.g. icebergs, advertised on TV

Impact of tourism on Antarctica - ecosystems very fragile, delicately balanced, trample plants, disturb wildlife, drop litter, may introduce non-native species & disease, spillage of fuel, kill molluscs, fish & birds (Ms Explorer 2007)

Strategies - Antarctic Treaty - 1961 signed by 47 countries, protect & conserve wildlife, limit tourism, no more than 500 passenger, 100 on shore at one time

International Association of Antarctic Tour Operation - protected areas off limits, widlife must not be disturbed, 5m from penguins, litter not left & no smoking on shore, supervision, no plants trodden on, no untreated waste