Plans And Development To Achieve Sustainability Tourism Essay
This report shows how sustainable tourism has been established in England. For the completion of task on I took the tourist destination of South west England, There is also an introduction to sustainable tourism, along with this how the area in general has achieved .In the second task I have taken a region from the South west England and emphasized based on that tourist destination. I picked Cornwall. it gives an in sight to the development process that Cornwall will take to create sustainable tourism along with the plans, actions and visions.
Task 1: How the city has planned and developed to achieve sustainability?
The plans and development to achieve sustainability
This is a kind of tourist industry that is committed to making a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for the local people, tourism companies and tourist themselves. But it is a must to keep in mind that there is a vast difference between sustainable tourism and eco tourism.
Many people believe that tourism is the back bone of a country’s economy, thus global economist forecast continuing international tourism growth, ranging between three to six percent annually, which totally depends on the location. As one of the largest and fastest growing industries, this continuous growth will place great stress on remaining biologically diverse habitats and indigenous cultures, which are often used to support mass tourism.
There are tourist who promotes sustainable tourism are sensitive to these dangers and seek to protect tourist destinations, thus which helps protect tourism as an industry. Sustainable tourist can reduce the impact of tourism in many ways, which includes:
Anticipating and respecting local cultures, expectations and assumptions.
Contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance
Supporting the integrity of local cultures by favoring business which conserves cultural heritage and traditional values.
Supporting local economies by purchasing local goods and participating with small, local businesses.
Increasing, destinations and tourism operations are endorsing and following ‘responsible tourism’, as a pathway towards sustainable tourism. Responsible tourism and sustainable tourism have an identical goal, that of sustainable development. The pillars of responsible tourism are therefore the same as those of the sustainable tourism- environmental integrity, social justice and economic development.
Thus taking the above facts into consideration we can say that the United Kingdom is a country that encourages sustainable tourism, Places like Scotland, Irelands, and Cornwall are places that still have the beauty that was there many years back and thus these places employ the above system as they want to carry out what they have for many years.
The Tourist Destination that I have chosen is South West England, as it is world famous that south West England boast of beautiful tourist destinations and those they encourage sustainable tourism.
South West England Prides itself for being the most popular tourist destination in the U.K for the reason is that the population is 22.7 million but with a tourist of 96 per day. But this happens to be one of the greenest and, embracing sustainability like no other tourist destination. South West England which includes Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Wiltshire is so unique in terms of sustainability.
Meeting the needs of the visitor, industry and community within environmental and social limits is how tourist destinations, such as South West England, interpret the sometimes rather nebulous concept of sustainability and sustainable development. A challenging undertaking if one considers the multitude of stakeholders involved in Tourism and their very specific needs and expectations. However, sustaining Tourism within social and environmental limits is crucial for the region. Nine billion GBP visitors spend a year mean that up to 262.000 jobs exist thanks tourism, with tourism counting for up to 22% of total employment in Cornwall alone. To secure this source of revenue and jobs, a sustainable approach towards tourism development is indispensable.
Tourism planners in the South West were quick to realize the need for sustainable tourism and responded with a vision paper, which is called the ‘Towards 2015’, which emphasizes on sustainability and quality as the only way forward. This further state that the authorities believe that this strategy represents a huge opportunity for this region thus makes tourism up to 10% of the GDP and supports over 300,000 jobs.
The people of the region want to see improvement of the region’s environment. The towards 2015 state, that the major attraction is the environment to the visitors. They also believe in working together with all three authorities that they can make South West the best, prosperous and successful destination.
The executive Summary of this strategic paper also makes clear that a new strategic approach of tourism will:
Protect the environment
Improve the quality of life of the local people.
Take advantage of the region’s existing strengths
Create along term and a sustainable industry.
No strategy paper or vision document is worth if no implementation or action lacks it or if it isn’t followed. So thus, initiatives and marketing messages suggest that policy implementation is going well in South West England. There, dozens of initiatives have emerged in the last few years, some of the most prominent being the Green Tourism Business Scheme which is inspiring and also a very informative web sites promote sustainable tourism in South West England.
The Green Tourism Business Scheme is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme in U.k. Thus this provides tourist firms with environmental advice and audit advice too.
So the following link provides wider information of ‘The green tourism business scheme’.
http://www.green-business.co.uk/
There are some limitations regarding the sustainable development of England’s south west. Being predominantly a rural area, poor public transport links can make it difficult .but on the positive note, consumer awareness of sustainability issues and climate change is steadily increasing – not least due to extensive media reporting. In the, it remains to be seen in Cornwall and Devon shall manage to keep for a sustainable tourism in the years to come.
The link below will definitely bring out the fact that sustainable tourism is being marketed around the world and thus these kinds of web sites are a way of encouraging tourist.
http://www.responsibletravel.com/
Thus South West England a rural area has planned to develop sustainable tourism, it is also known as a very green area that is fast embracing sustainable tourism. The vision paper toward 2015 speaks more about this and the e marketing used by them shows that South West England is heading towards a well planned sustainable tourist destination.
How the destination has been and managed to earn sustainability.
The location and its characteristics
As above I stated the area I took to make the report is South West England. South West England is one of the regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area, covering 9,200 square miles which includes
Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Wiltshire. Five million people live there. The region includes two national parks and four world heritage sites, including Stonehenge.
Traditionally, the South West England has been well known for producing Cheddar cheese, which originated in the Somerset village of Cheddar, for Devon cream teas, and for cider. It is well known as the home of the Eden project, Aardman animation, The Glastonbury Festival, the British International Balloon Fiesta, trip hop music and also Cornwall’s surfing beaches.
The unique landscape, natural beauty and cultural heritage of Cornwall are central to Cornwall’s Tourist economy and are the star attraction for Cornwall’s visitors. Cornwall represents finest sustainable management and therefore essential to a long term prosperous future for the tourism industry and Cornwall’s economy.
Historically the tourist industry has focused on visitors’ numbers, but for the last twenty years, the emphasis has shifted to attracting more visitors to appreciate Cornwall’s intrinsic qualities throughout the year, creating successful ‘shoulder’ seasons which sustain better employment spreading the total number of visitors.
Great strides have been taken in the field of sustainable tourism, in no short amount to the work of the Cornwall Sustainable Tourism Project who has developed a very active sustainable tourism network, providing supporting tools and training to tourism businesses across the county. Green Tourism Business scheme is highly supported in this area.
How the area has managed to earn sustainability.
3.2.1 The current picture.
Given the relative unpopulated nature of Area of outstanding natural beauty within Cornwall as a whole, a significant proportion of business awarded in the Green Tourism Business Scheme are located within the Area of out standing natural beauty of Cornwall. An impressive 20% of businesses on the GTBS are located within the AONB which in turn benefits other local benefits. Customers of GTBS businesses are likely to be more aware, environmentally responsible and less impacting on the landscape and environmental of the AONB.
3.2.2 Sustainable Tourism predicted trend.
Climate change
It is difficult to predict what may happen to tourism in the face of climate change. One scenario is that better weather in the shoulder months could enable increased activity which shall result in a higher number of tourists. More wet weather event in the shoulder month the winter could increase the pressure for wet weather attractions. Increasing coastal erosion due to climate change could see many of the coastal car parks, foot paths under threat.
Resource depletion
An increase depletion of fossil fuels and rising energy costs could result in visitors and recreation users actively seeking alternative methods of travel. Areas adjacent to center of population may experience more pressure as people become less mobile and there is likely to be more long term stays.
Lifestyle changes
There is a current ongoing shift to shorter, more frequent visits and more last minute breaks making it more difficult for visitors to plan activities and for tourist operators to plan ahead and manage a stay and facilities. However heightened awareness of the environmental impact of tourism is likely to lead to more visitors seeking sustainable breaks in areas that are well managed and maintained.
Tourism development.
Increasing numbers of tourists and their changing expectations and desires in terms of their experience are likely to increase pressure for tourism development, particularly in coastal areas such as the redevelopment of coastal caravan sites, new cafes, shops and bars, further car parks and other infrastructure such as toilet facilities. All have the potential to negative impact upon the AONB landscape.Equally,the national trust restoration of diminished hot spots such as Kynance cove, Lizard point and Bedruthan steps demonstrates how conservation and intensive access can be reconciled and sustained with planned management and targeted resources.
3.2.3 Cornwall Sustainable Tourism working Group.
Visit Cornwall is the tourism service based within the Cornwall development Company at Cornwall Council.Vistit Cornwall will administer a new Visit Cornwall Partnership to give a strategic steer to tourism within Cornwall, producing a new business plan. There will be a valuable opportunity to influence both the plan and partnership in order to maintain sustainable tourism and recreation within the county. The sustainable Tourism working group is an informal group of organizations that meets to push forward the sustainable tourism agenda in Cornwall and this group will be instrumental in influencing mainstream tourism development.
3.2.4 Sustainable Access
Opportunities to encourage sustainable access to Cornwall and AONB through work of organization such as Devon and Cornwall Railway Partnership -seeking to encourage visitors to use rail way around Cornwall, A number of other transport initiatives exist to encourage car free day outs. The Cornish way multi use trails provide opportunities for walkers and cyclist to access ANOB.There will be opportunities to build new infrastructures such as multi link trails, in order to support and encourage sustainable tourism.
3.2.5 The Rural Development Programme for the Area.
The aim of this is to create a genuinely sustainable farming, forestry and food sectors. This has a number of key aims designed to increase the total value of this spend and ensure that as much as possible is kept within local rural businesses and communities. It will support the improvement of the quality of overall experience, through maintaining and developing the natural environment. As the regional strategic lead for tourism, South West tourism are delivering the sustainable rural tourism theme with the current round of funding now allocated to 6 regional projects in Cornwall. Thus it is being led by Cornwall Council and involves the development of multi user trails in Cornwall, around Bodmin area, linking the Tarka and Camel trails to relieve honey pot sites on the coast.
3.2.6 Aims
A tourism industry which recognizes the value of a high quality landscape to its business, with the AONB playing a central role and which looks to attract sustainable visitors, in sustainable numbers through the year.
A visitor and tourist provider which respects the landscape and environment of the Cornwall AONB and does everything possible to minimize their own impact.
A tourism industry which values the landscape as its key asset and is in harmony with its land scape and environment, seeking to support other Cornish industries which enhance local distinctiveness.
3.2.7 Policies
Promote sustainable tourism which supports for the for the landscape and environment upon which the industry depends, providing a model for the development of tourism across the whole of Cornwall.
Raise awareness and respect for the Cornwall AONB and communicate effectively to local tourist businesses about the special qualities of the natural, cultural and built environment of the AONB in order that they can be celebrated, respected and sustainable utilized as a utilized as a marketing tool.
Sensitively and sustainable developed and market the AONB to potential visitors numbers where the AONB landscape is becoming degraded through over use.
Secure a strong voice for the AONB within tourism management in Cornwall to ensure that sustainable tourism activity drives the industry.
3.2.8 Actions
Representation from the Sustainable Tourism Working Group and the Cornwall AONB partnership on the visit Cornwall partnership-Cornwall sustainable tourism working group.
Encourage training in the tourism sector.
Production and implementation of a yearly business plan to implement the Cornwall AONB sustainable Tourism Strategy plan and action plan.
Conclusion
This report is how south west England will encourage developing Sustainable tourism and face the tourist challenges in the future; keeping in mind that tourism is the back bone of a country. This also clarifies the action that should be taken in order to achieve a successful sustainable tourist industry.
