Assignment on Byron Bay Tourism

Running head Byron Bay, NSW 0
Byron bay tourism

Byron Bay tourism 1
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Statistic report of tourist visitation..................................................................................................2
The positive and negative impact....................................................................................................5
Issues................................................................................................................................................6
Policy Implication............................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
Reference.......................................................................................................................................10

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Case Study
Introduction
Byron Bay is a city on the north coast of NSW, Australia. The place is well-known for
sunrise at the Lighthouse as it is the most eastern point of Australia. It is an attractive place for
both domestic and international tourists. It was discovered by the people who love surfing and it
became a popular destination for travelers. Byron bay consists of many beaches which are
popular for surfing and skydivers are attracted because of scenery. Byron bay is famous for its
events and festivals. Wide ranges of water activities are available for tourist to experience.
Wildlife and marine life are famous of Byron bay, Australia with its uniqueness and diversity.
Nightcap National park is must visit place to witness the beautiful Minyon falls; it is famous for
hiking trails and a perfect place for relaxation. A key outcome of this research is to identify the
statistic report of the tourist visitation from globally. (Wray, et al., 2010). The issues which are
affecting the communities of Byron bay and the residents are facing the problems because of the
tourism. In addition, the positive and negative impact of tourism will be studied which affected
the community.
Statistic report of tourist visitation
The various tourist places of Byron Bay are lighthouse; Great Ocean Road, Market, Cape
Byron, beaches, Crystal Castle and Shambhala Gardens Byron Bay Hinterland, Byron Bay Eco
Cruises and Kayaks, Skydive Byron Bay and it also include various water activities which attract
the tourist to visit the place. During 1930s Day trippers are attracted towards the destination
because of the camping and caravanning. In the 1960s Surfers were also attracted towards the
destination because it provides excellent surfing conditions. And the most visited tourist
attraction for the visitors is North Coast. Tourism and hospitality are vital to Byron's economy as
it helps in increasing output and sales. Till now, tourism has increased dramatically and approx.
2 million tourists visit the place every year and it includes the overnight and day visitors from
domestic and international. Byron Bay attracts the visitors for holiday, business or education
purposes (McKercher, 1993). A Day tripper has increased by 74% from the last few years and
overnight visitors are also increased by 57% from the last few decades. As Byron Bay is the most

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visited destination in NSW and it is the 11th most visited destination in Australia among the
international visitors. It is forecasted that the growth in international visitors will increase by
900,000 and domestic visitors will grow by 700000 over the next decade. In 2017, about
1,027,000 day-trippers visit the destination for holiday and leisure is 74% while 18% were
visiting their family and friends and few were for business and other reasons. Domestic
overnight visitors in 2017 are 818,000 visited the place for a holiday is 71% and 21% visited
family and friends. And international overnight visitors are 1.3 million about half of Byron's
visitors who visit for the holiday purpose are 92% and a few percent’s visit the place for business
and other reasons (White & Neale, 2012). And the Countries from where the most of the tourist
are visiting the Byron bay are New Zealand, North America, UK, Germany and Scandinavia.
Most of the day-trippers travel for the events which are organized in Byron Bay. The events
organized in Byron Bay are blues fast, fall festival, splendor in the grass which attracts the day
trippers to visit the place. Byron region is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Australia.
There is sustainable growth in visitors every year whether they are domestic or international
visitors. As compare to its visitors, Byron Bay’s population is only 0.4%.
Byron Bay - 2010/11 to
2017/18
Byron Bay Visitors
Year
International Visitor
Nights
Domestic Visitor
Nights
Domestic
Daytrips
2017/18 1,315,318 2,733,456 1,025,576
2016/17 1,565,916 2,962,525 1,084,298
2015/16 1,428,375 2,610,823 911,602
2014/15 1,340,449 2,934,066 872,677
2013/14 1,203,979 2,312,726 722,756
2012/13 1,208,721 1,736,616 639,686
2011/12 948,862 1,791,867 536,254
2010/11 1,168,200 2,180,523 999,020

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The vacation industries are developing businesses day by day around the world. Satisfied
travelers are the most important for the development of the business. When the travelers are not
happy with the provided services and facilities of the destination, they will not come back to the
destination again (Mason, 2015). In the current scenario, travelers are attracted towards the
destination because of the unique ambiance and have something different from the other
destinations. Other than the natural things tourists are attracted to Byron bay because of its active
and water sports activities like surfing, windsurfing, and hiking. The festivals of Byron bay like
Splendor in the grass, Byron bay Bluesfest attract the youth to visit the place. Byron bay is also
famous for its health and wellbeing activities like day spas, yoga retreats.
Tourism system includes the places, people and the organization who are involved in
tourism. Leiper’s model includes the factors push and pull. It is a motivation theory where the
push factor include when the person travels the destination for some reason and they are pushed
by some internal forces and in pull theory is when the people are attracted toward the destination
by means of external forces and like to visit the place because the destination features attract the
traveler to visit the place. The destination attracts the traveler in contingent on numerous aspects
which can be their budget, societal life, an atmosphere or it can be culture (Jamal & Camargo,
2014). Tourist destination must be attractive and unique which will lead to attracting the tourist
automatically. Byron Bay has many tourist attraction places to visit. The unique ambiance
attracts the tourist to come for the holiday. The colorful shops on the street and the dining places

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express the different lifestyle of Byron Bay. People are attracted towards the place because of the
amazing relaxed atmosphere.
Tourism plays an important part in the financial and social growth and development of
maximum nations in the world. It helps in generating more employment in the country and it is
important to follow the culture and customs of the country as well as the preservation of the
ecosystem. The host country and the travelers are responsible for maintaining the community as
the travelers may not be aware of the native customs and the traditions of the destination.
Tourism has an impact on vacation industries in both optimistic and destructive aspects.

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The positive and negative impact
Tourism is a major provider to the economy in Byron Bay, NSW. It helps in generating
jobs in the tourism industry and hospitality (Gibson & Connell, 2003). As the numbers of
travelers are increasing every year the outcome of the increase in traveler are increasing the
earning of the local communities who are running their businesses of hospitality and tourism
industry in Byron bay. Byron's accommodation industries are increasing and generating almost
$100 million per year because of tourism. The positive impact in the social aspect of tourism on
the host country is that it keeps the ancient places of the country as well as nations need to be
communally rich and also helps in developing the places and follow the tradition as it attracts
tourism (Frechtling, 2013). Tourism and hospitality are generating about 23% of Byron’s jobs
and almost 14.1% of sales have been generated because of tourism.
The positive effect of tourism on the community of Byron bay as the tourism industries
are growing and increasing the works for the people and services for the locals and that are
creating the people energetic and growing the corporate. As the tourist are using number of
services at the Byron bay location, like restaurants, local retail, cafes, and even the gas stations
so it is helping in creating jobs for the locals and supporting the local economy. It is also helping
in developing the native life of the people and improving the local services and the structure as
they will help in sustains the travel in Byron bay. Tourism industry in Byron bay is helping in
increasing the overseas transactions in the destination place with the arrival of more travelers.
Travelers help in bringing the high commercial worth and the producers from the various regions
(Wray, et al., 2010).
Byron Bay is no more a coastal paradise of Australia. The negative effect of tourism on
the Byron bay community includes the welfares that the traveler may drive by way of a holiday.
As the numbers of tourists at Byron bay are increasing day by day and tourist places are
becoming overcrowded. The people are also concerned about the places are becoming over-
crowded and commercialized and the communities are shrinking. As the day trippers are coming
with their vehicles to visit the place, increase in the number to vehicle are increasing the traffic
and noise on the roads. During the peak months, Byron bays roads are full congested and local
community face the issue of traffic and even 5 minute traffic delay in Byron bay generate almost
$10000 per day in travel time cost. (Turnbull, n.d.).

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Issues
For the nation’s economy, tourism plays a very important role and mostly in the less
developed areas, where the progress can be done. There are many issues that are related to travel
and in the growth and development at the location. The ecological and social issues will be
discussed which are affecting the current situation of the Byron Bay and its effect may reflect on
the growth and development of the region.
Ecological issues: In the current scenario's, it is important to follow the principles and ethics
to attract the tourist to the destination for the growth and development of the place. The main
problem for tourism and the industries are the ecological effects of the other polluting businesses
in the neighborhoods (Frechtling, 2013). It is important to attract the tourist to have the
destination pollution free and keep the atmosphere healthy. In the future, the youth may get
affected because of the events and parties which are taking place on every weekend. The issues
will be raised for the safety, belonging and environment. The residents may face an issue where
residents concerned about the safety of the youth as the consumption of drugs and alcohol is
increasing in Byron Bay by the backpackers. As the highly-addictive drugs are being sold in the
towns and the consumption of drugs by youth is increasing day by day. Youth who are growing
in these communities may get affected. The region of Byron Bay is changing from the resident’s
area to commercial areas (Canosa, n.d.). The major effect will be on the environment as the
travelers have a lack of respect towards the environment; beaches will not be a safe place
anymore. Littering on beaches, streets and parks are majoring been taking place when the parties
are happening and it will affect more in the future also. The residents are facing these problems
as the natural environment and the people are participating in starting the campaigns for the
cleanup and awareness education to the visiting tourists (McKay, et al., 2014).
A social issue is a major issue faced in the development of the destination. It is necessary
to follow the rules and regulations and their values along with the principles for developing in
society. The key issue which occurred because of tourism is the use of the building for the
accommodation of the tourist. Unauthorized development is not acceptable by the government
and they are doing accommodation auditing and compliance so that they can control the
unauthorized activities which are performed by the locals. The illegal accommodation will create
the negative social and economic impact on the growth and development of the destination

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(Frechtling, 2013)edge. The number of complaints came from the locals that holiday renting
prohibits in the development of the residential area and it also leads to a decrease in the
neighborhood amenity. The late night parties of tourists affect the residential areas because of the
noise and anti-social behavior of the visitors (Buckley, 2008). The residential areas are affected
because of the increase in the number of cars which generate traffics and locals face the issue in
the car blocking driveways. Tourist prefers to stay at homes and home sharing because of the
low costs and near to the beaches. It also includes that the house prices and rental rates will rise
for the locals also. It is recommended that council to actively undertake the audit for identifying
the accommodation providers. Action should be taken against all unauthorized operations.
Council can develop a program for on-going monitoring and auditing.
Policy Implication
It is important to have sustainable tourism in the destination location. In order to promote
the sustainable growth and development of tourism, NSW's has made the strategies and policies
for Byron Bay.
The Byron bay council has built the commitment to economic, social and environmental
sustainability. The council has made the process for developing and implementing the policies to
achieve a sustainable future (Harris, et al., 2012). The policies which grow the tourism in Byron
bay are:
Visitor Economy Industry Action Plan
The government of NSW has implemented the plan in 2012 to increase the visitors until
2030. The market and environment have changed since the plan is implemented, the government
established to review the visitor’s economy taskforce to the tourism industry. The government
has taken 43 actions for improving tourism for increasing the overnight visitors and to increase
the growth which will lead to maximizing the economic benefits (Edgell Sr, 2016). The plan
focused on the tourist by putting the visitor first clause by expanding the education and skills
programs to grow the industry. The government has made the investment in infrastructure by
investing and funding in events which attract the tourist to visit the place more. The policy

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implication is that it has increased the 24.3% increase in the overnight visitors to Byron bay and
28.2% night visitors are increased from March 2011 to March 2018.
The NSW Food and Wine tourism strategy and Action plan
This policy is implemented to provide support to the food and wine sector and enhancing
the tourism industry as it will attract travelers. The council took the initiative to support the food
and wine tourism in Byron Bay for the growth and development of the nation. Council has made
the strategies for implementing and increasing the tourism in Byron bay. As the tourist get
attracted with the place where food is available of their choice and taste. This strategy has
increased the satisfaction level of tourists.
To develop and promote the food and wine sector the NSW set the target to sell high-
quality products and experiences so that it will meet the needs of the travelers and tourism
industry. NSW council has increased the awareness through marketing and public relations
programs for that they asked the state to provide a diverse range of food and wine so that they
experience the wide range (Edgell Sr, 2016). Their strategy is to share the research and inform
tourism about product development and marketing in the food and wine tourism.

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Conclusion
In order to conclude the report, the destination is important for increasing the travelers
and for the growth and development of the destination. In Australia, it is one of the most visited
places for the tourist. Tourism has impacted the community as travellers might not be thoughtful
about the customs, traditions and the standards of the destination. In Byron bay, communities are
affecting because increase in tourism are increasing the environmental and social issues. Tourism
helps in increasing the jobs in the region as well as it grows in financial terms because of the
overseas transaction. Tourist destinations help in growing the nation in both the economic and
environmental aspects.

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Reference
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Canosa, A., n.d. Your party, our home: the challenges of growing up in a tourist destination.
[Online]
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a-tourist-destination-88315
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Frechtling, D., 2013. The economic impact of tourism: Overview and examples of
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Gibson , C. & Connell, J., 2003. ‘Bongo Fury’: tourism, music and cultural economy at Byron
Bay, Australia.. Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie, 94(2), pp. 164-187.
Harris, R., Williams, P. & Griffin, T., 2012. Sustainable tourism. s.l.:Routledge.
Jamal, T. & Camargo, B., 2014. “Sustainable tourism, justice and an ethic of care: Toward the
just destination”. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 21(1), pp. 11-30.
Mason, P., 2015. "Tourism impact, planning and management". s.l.:Routledge.
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and hazardous unpatrolled surf beaches in New South Wales, Australia. , 45, pp.71-84.. Tourism
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Turnbull, S., n.d. Byron Bay tourists could be hit with $200 fine for smoking on the beach, to
reduce cigarette butt litter. [Online]
Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-31/byron-votes-to-fine-beach-smokers-in-
butt-crackdown/10446672
[Accessed 24 May 2019].
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