Destination Management and Planning

Running head: DESTINATION MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING 1
Destination management and planning
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Identification of the Impacts
Significant research regarding the possible effect of climate change on a country such as
Australia exists, most of which applies to outdoor creation and tourism operations. For instance
(Winn, Saynor, & Eliot, 2006) documented intrusion of saltwater into swamps containing
freshwater in places such as the Northern territory and this can affect the distribution of species
that are common and famous among proponents of outdoor activities irrespective of if used for
purposes of photography and viewing. In other research, the bleaching activities on the Great
Barrier Reef have been analyzed as this is one of the most premier attractions in Australia. It is
thus concluded that a hypothetical decrease in the abundance of fish and coral diversity tracked
at 80% and 70% could translate to more than 80% decrease in the frequency of visits in the reef
embarked by divers (Amelung & Nicholls, 2014). Also, the changes in the composition of some
species and the quality and quantity of both plants and animals can dramatically affect the
suitability of both land-based and marine parks and other protected regions across the country.
The reliance of outdoor activities on climatic conditions and also evidence of physical features of
climate change and its possible socio-economic repercussions, extensive research on the
potential effects generated by climate change on an economic sector such as tourism in a country
such as Australia is limited. However, some positive impacts include increased investments and
prospects for tourism enterprises, diversification of product offerings. On the negative side, we
have damage to coral reefs (De'ath , Lough, & Fabricius, 2009), lack of enough infrastructure to
cater for the increased inbound tourists.
Analysis of the factors and processes that contribute to these impacts
Contrary to the South, generally, conditions are good for many tourism activities
spanning semi-annually, and in the near future, the duration of the peak season is anticipated to
be longer transcending into climatic-based periods. Melbourne is one of the destinations that as
of today portrays a transparent peak and off-peak patterns with regards to climate, the
lengthening of the season is raises a flag that tourism enterprises have to make serious
preparations to incorporate increased visitation spanning a whole year. This means that the
sizeable or family-based run enterprises characterizing most tourism businesses will have
repercussions for elements such as recruiting seasonal employees. As per the A1F scenario for

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the 2080s, Perth and Sydney are projected to be listed as annual-round destinations from the
perspective of climatic suitability, which will command modifications in their day-to-day
. This will entail increased seasonal activities on the smaller, family enterprises. The
improved conditions in Australia during winter period which coincides with school summer
holidays in the northern hemisphere provides a room for increasing travel targeting youth and
families specifically if the conditions during the summer in the region of Southern Mediterranean
which is one of the most famous summer destination across the globe, decline as anticipated
(Amelung, Nicholls , & Viner, 2007).
However, the ability of bi-modality with regards to Perth and Sydney could have little or
huge repercussions for offering tourism opportunities. Thus, the composition of the new pattern
where it has two formidable peaks sandwiched with seasons of worsening conditions, would lead
to predictions of a change in the tourism operations with subsequent ramifications for load and
occupancy rates, employment requirements, and purchasing specifications. However, data from
this case study suggest that both the booms and recessions will be less pronounced as they will
be characterized by two peaks that have ideal conditions that are great preceded and
accompanied by acceptable or improved conditions. Thus, the ramifications are more probable to
reflect the ones discussed above that are essentially annual-based enterprises but with softer
spans between the peaks featured by conditions that are excellent and ideal.
Hadwen et al. (2011), in his work on how visitation to protected regions in Australia is
influenced by climatic conditions vis a vis offers a chance of exploring the effect of climate
change on future tourism. In areas such as the equatorial, Cairns, which is in the tropics and
desert climate areas in Australia, it has been found that visitation to protected regions is mostly
concentrated during the Australian winter, which is around June to August. The amount of
rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures are primary determinants of touring; also, these
are crucial factors in TCI. Cairns significant reductions in TCI during summer, coupled with
small reductions during winter, indicate that touring to Cairns will probably maintain its place as
a winter-peak. Hadwen et al. (2011) postulate that tourism in protected regions particularly in the
subtropics around Brisbane is trimodal, implying that it is not robustly climate-propelled (Pham,
Simmons, & Spurr, 2010). The analyses thus indicate that climatic conditions in Brisbane will
improve only during one of the peak seasons that is from September to October and worsen for

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the two that is from December to January all the way to April. Using the restricted role played by
climate, it may have a small effect on demand however, it could pave the way for a rise in the
new tourism era.
The observed tourism in protected regions of the temperate zones with the inclusion of
Sydney and Melbourne characterized by summer-peak and are moderately under the influence of
minimum and maximum temperatures and by rainfall. Climate change is anticipated to improve
conditions in temperate zones, particularly during summer until the 2020s. Later on, conditions
will improve apart from December to February. Thus, it is imperative to use some effort in
shifting some demand from the current focus in summer to the whole year.
As the case study indicated, climatic attractiveness is just one element that influences the
successful establishment of an area as a tourism hub. Australia’s case study, the objective and
timing of touring among the various niches of the inbound market is a matter that deserves
further scrutiny. As identified, the primary sources of inbound tourism include New Zealand,
Britain and Japan. It has been observed that tourists from New Zealand keep fluctuating annually
and peaks are in April, July and September, with the lowest numbers of visitors recorded in
January and February, which is the summer period in New Zealand. Contrary to New Zealand,
Britain’s arrivals portray a distinct average pattern characterized by a peak between November
and March, followed by a significant decline in May to September, which happens to be summer
in the Northern hemisphere. The case of Japan is characterized by having the highest figures of
tourists in March and August, leading to a bi-modal framework of visitors (Tourism Research
Australia, 2012). Several different elements can also explain such kinds of variations in
seasonality; thus, the climate in the origin and destination are not the only determinants but also
timing of the holidays with regards to schools and universities, special occasions, expenses
associated with transportation and accommodations, all these affect choices adopted by tourists
in considering their travel arrangements. Thus, though improving the climatic suitability may
translate to a location becoming more attractive at that specific time, it may not translate to
inbound tourists capitalizing on such improved conditions mainly due to restrictions that are
temporal and financial as they dictate when such travellers can afford travelling. The rising costs
of transportation are an additional element not included in the TCI analysis. The increased
popularity of Australia as a visitors’ destination irrespective of its remoteness from crucial tourist

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markets stems from Australia’s low transportation costs. However, potential increases in
transportation expenses stemming from oil shortages or new climate change policies may
adversely affect the competitive position of Australia and thus its attractiveness as a destination
characterized by long-haul.
Inbound markets
country % of total arrivals
New Zealand 20
Britain 10
Japan 6
Activities for international visitors
Destination % share of visits activity % of tourists
who participated
Sydney 10 Eat out 89
Melbourne 9 Shopping 82
Brisbane 7 Going to beach 62
The objective of the visit is also crucial in this analysis. As of 2011, it was reported that
44% of inbound global visitors mentioned holiday as their primary motive for their tour, among
this,24% visited friends and relatives,12% for corporate visits and 6% for academic motives.
Thus, a significant segment of tourism with regards to academic and business is less likely to be
affected by changing climatic suitability as opposed to large conventions where the suitability of
a destination could be a reflection of the quality of the environment and various amenities
available at disposal. Contrary, holidaymakers are likely to prioritize on the climatic conditions
in a particular tourism hub. As such, those visiting allies and family members are less likely to
opt not to tour; however, they may change the timing of their tours to coincide with most
preferable conditions in the destination depending on whether their schedule allows.
Shifting from the phase of the tourist and the providers of tourism to facilitators of a
tourism operation, that is a local and national government, the ability for increment in inbound

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tourism accords opportunities and costs. Based on an economic point of view, increased inbound
traffic may be deemed as a boon for single enterprises and also for all tax receiving units.
However, the increasing number of arrivals may need additional tourism infrastructure to be
constructed with ramifications for the planning, region, transportation hubs and attractions. Also,
increased tourism activities may translate to placing excessive demands on tourism
infrastructure. For instance, warming conditions will probably develop an increasing demand for
air conditioning, leading to climate change stemming from the use of energy linked with its
activities.
Suggested policy for improving sustainability
Beginning with the north and northeast, it is apparent that Australia’s prevailing climatic
conditions that have been deemed being far from the optimal for overall tourism activity fail to
prevent visitation due to the variety and quality associated with attractions that are natural some
of the destinations have to provide. However, the future is anticipated to have declining climatic
conditions. One crucial factor notably not highlighted in the analyses is the altercations to the
natural resources that probably to happen alongside climate change. For instance, the continued
worsening of the Great Barrier Reef is most likely to reduce its attractiveness as a destination for
casual day-trippers and also for passionate scuba divers (Berkelmans, De'ath, Kininmonth, &
Skirving, 2002).
One policy measure that could be applied in the short-term is having operators in such a
location opting to revise their environmental activities and increasing the strength of educational
initiatives of their programmes and operations. This could entail informing participants regarding
the direct damage they could be causing on resources, for instance, through touching coral and
also their indirect contributions to climate change, for instance, through inefficiency in energy
and resource to extend the span of their activities. Nevertheless, climate change is a global issue
that fathoms no limits.
Lesson learnt
In the long-term, irrespective of the best endeavours in localized regions, tourism
enterprises in the north and northeast will need to reconsider the kind of their product offerings,

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may be channelling their investments towards indoor infrastructure in future as climatic
conditions for outdoor operations seem to be declining.
References
Amelung, B., & Nicholls, S. (2014). Implications of climate change for tourism in Australia. Tourism
management, 41, 228-244.
Amelung, B., Nicholls , S., & Viner, D. (2007). Implifications of global climate change for tourism flows
and seasonality. Journal of Travel Research, 14, 349-366.
Berkelmans, R., De'ath, G., Kininmonth, S., & Skirving, W. J. (2002). A comparison of the 1998 and 2002
coral bleaching events of the Great Barrier Reef:Spatial correlation,patterns and predictions.
Coral Reefs, 23, 74-83.
De'ath , G., Lough, J. M., & Fabricius, K. E. (2009). Declining coral calcification on the Great Barrier Reef.
Science, 323, 116-199.
Hadwen , W. L., Boon, P. L., Arthington, A. H., Taylor, B., & Fellows, C. (2011). Do climatic or institutional
factors drive seasonal patterns of tourism visitation to protected areas across diverse climate
zones in Eastern Australia? Tourism Geographies:An International Journal of Tourism
Space,place and Environment, 13(2), 187-208.
Kragt, M. E., Roebeling, P. C., & Rujis, A. (2009). Effects of Great Barrier Reef degradation on recreational
reef-trip demand:a contingent behavior approach. The Australian of Agriculture and Resource
Economics, 53(2), 213-229.
Pham, T. D., Simmons, D. G., & Spurr, R. (2010). Climate change-induced economic impacts on tourism
destinations:the case of Australia. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18(3), 449-473.
Tourism Research Australia. (2012). International visitors in Australia-September 2012 quarterly results
of the international visitor survey. Retrieved from
http://www.ret.gov.au/tourism/Documents/tra/International%20Visitor%20Survey/IVS-Sep-
2012.pdf.
Winn, K. O., Saynor, M. J., & Eliot, I. (2006). Saltwater intrusion and morphological change at the mouth
of East Alligator River,Northern Territory. Journal of Coastal Research, 22, 137-149.