Step 9 Monitoring and Evaluation
2.5 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
Tourism development is viewed as a complex process involving the coming together of domestic and international development agents and key stakeholder groups with state policy, planning and regulations (Telfer & Sharpely; 2008:80).
Successful tourism development, it is argued, will depend on a full appreciation of contextual factors and the way in which these are incorporated into the development process (Pearce & Butler, 2005: 6).
The ensuing discussion illustrates why tourism development is important for most governments in the world and the intricacies involved in tourism development, including the provincial government of KwaZulu-Natal. Tourism development may mean different things to different people. Authors such as (Laws, 1995; Keyser, 2002; Hall, 2008; Telfer & Sharpley, 2008) agree in suggesting that tourism development is mainly viewed as a quick fix to economic challenges experienced within countries.
75 2.5.1 Rationale for Tourism Development
Tourism is often viewed as a panacea for regions, states or countries internationally. Policy makers often turn to tourism when faced with the decline in an area’s existing industrial base (Laws, 1995). A more responsible approach when trying to rationalise the concept of tourism development, is about resource management (Telfer & Sharpley, 2008). The decision for the development of tourism by most tourism destinations is entirely based on the benefits of tourism as an activity, disregarding all other critical factors that need thorough consideration of the process for the development of a tourism destination, which
“series of decisions taken about the type and scale of tourism facilities to develop, and about the appropriate role for tourism amongst other social and economic activities” which are overlooked in the development of most destinations (Laws, 1995).
TABLE 2.3: REASONS FOR DEVELOPING TOURISM
Source: Laws (1995)
Laws (1995) argues that “most places become destinations through the development of facilities for their visitor”, which is the perception that most
ECONOMIC
Employment
Foreign exchange
Boost to other sectors
SOCIAL Cross cultural exchange
Stimulation of new attitudes
DEVELOPMENT Infrastructure
Recreational Facilities SENSE OF NATIONAL PRIDE OR
IDENTITY
Modernisation
Traditional culture SUPPORT FOR CONSERVATION
Environmental
Ecological
Cultural
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destinations have. Table 2.3 above presents a selection of reasons given in regional and national tourism plans for developing tourism.
2.5.2 Influences on Destination Development Decisions
In developing countries, tourism planning and development often occurs through a top-down planning approach (Lui & Wall, 2006). Decision making with respect to tourism developments is predominately based on the interventions of government agencies and large tourism firms, resulting in the dominance of external, often foreign capital and the marginalisation of local people (Telfer & Sharpley, 2008).
2.5.3 Tourism Development Process
The tourism development process is a complicated one that normally depends on tourism policies and plans of a particular destination. Figure 2.6 shows the tourism development process model and all its associated facets that need to be considered when developing tourism in any given destination. The process shown in Figure 2.6 indicates that a tourism development process in a destination such as KwaZulu-Natal needs holistic approach based on carefully structured vision, goals and objectives (Telfer & Sharpley, 2008: 83). The implications of the tourism development process are discussed more in chapter six.
The information provided in Figure 2.6, together with the rest of the discussion presented in this chapter was used to draft some questions that were directed to the respondents to ascertain how comprehensive and inclusive the tourism planning process is in KwaZulu-Natal. As such, Figure 2.6 indicates a myriad of factors that need to be considered when developing tourism. A number of tourism stakeholders that must be considered when developing tourism within a destination are also provided in Figure 2.6. All these stakeholders should be rallied against same goals, ideologies, values and priorities.
Figure 2.6 also shows how a tourism policy should be developed based on the common agenda for tourism development within a destination. The economic, social and environmental considerations are also indicated as part of the intricate
77
process of tourism development. All the linkages presented in Figure 2.6 are considered seriously in this study as it is evident in data interpretation and analysis in chapter seven as to how KwaZulu-Natal as a tourism destination coordinates tourism development.
FIGURE 2.6: THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS MODEL
Source: Telfer & Sharpley (2008) 2.6 CONCLUSION
Chapter two has indicated that there is a lot of literature that deals with tourism policy, planning and development. The chapter only concentrated on the aspects
Values, ideology, goals, priorities, strategies and resources of tourism
development agents such as:
Government Development
corporations Domestic private
sector Multinationals
NGOs Volunteer agencies
Regional agencies International agencies
Planning consultants Tourists
Policy, Planning
and Politics
Filter
Resulting tourism in the destination environment: form,
scale and function
Linkages to local, regional, national and international
economies
Development outcomes:
Economic Environmental
Socio-cultural
No control
Isolated Enclave Integrated
Negative Positive
Integrated
Strict Control
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of literature that highlight policy and planning issues to indicate the policy and planning processes that are involved in the field of tourism. Information gathered from the literature puts into perspective a number of tourism policies and plans that are governing tourism in KwaZulu-Natal. International and national perspectives of destination policy and planning provided in this chapter have shared more light on the critical role that is played by government and other role players in destination policy and planning. The perspectives on tourism policies and plans developed in KwaZulu-Natal must conform to international best practices. The government, public entities, private sector, tourism coordinating structures and other stakeholders involved in tourism policy and planning in KwaZulu-Natal together constitute institutional frameworks that currently determine tourism governance and performance in the province. The synergy and effectiveness of these institutional frameworks are elaborated on in chapter seven to indicate how the issues raised in chapter two are implemented in reality in KwaZulu-Natal. Chapter seven indicates that most of the issues raised in the literature review presented in chapter two are applied in KwaZulu-Natal and perspectives from various interest groups are presented against the models and processes of policy and planning as ideally applied in tourism destinations around the world.
79 CHAPTER 3
MODELLING OF PLANNING AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK