Issues and Impacts of Tourism on Gold Coast, Australia

This report discusses the tourist visitation and attractive destinations available on the Gold Coast, Australia. It also covers the issues related to tourism and destination development at the location, including accessibility, improved infrastructure, recreational activities, and cruise ships. The report also highlights the positive and negative impacts of tourism activity on the host community and policies to attain sustainable tourism.

International Tourism Systems
5/27/2018

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Analysis of tourist visitation............................................................................................................3
Destination attractive to tourists......................................................................................................4
Issues related to tourism and destination development at the location............................................5
Accessibility................................................................................................................................5
Improved infrastructure...............................................................................................................5
Recreational activities..................................................................................................................6
Cruise ships..................................................................................................................................6
Impact of Tourism Activity on host community at Gold Coast......................................................6
Positive Effects............................................................................................................................7
Negative Impact...........................................................................................................................9
Policies to attain sustainable Tourism...........................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................12
Appendix........................................................................................................................................15
Appendix 1.................................................................................................................................15

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Introduction
The aim of the report is to outline the major tourism destinations issues that are associated with
the location. The tourist location on which this report has been prepared is Gold coast, Australia.
Gold Coast is the coastal city in the Australian state of the Queensland. This place is known for
the best places to eat, to stay and to enjoy the stunning beaches along with the chilled vibes of
the Burleigh heads or the salty chic of the Broad beach (Australia, 2018). The report includes the
tourist visitation in the location along with the attractive destination available on the Gold Coast
with the help of the related tourism system, motivation, and satisfaction theories present in the
unit. It also includes the negative and the positive impact of the tourism activity on the host
community at the location. In the end, the paper includes the 4 policy implications that are
essential to achieve the sustainable tourism outcomes for the destination.

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Analysis of tourist visitation
Since the establishment of the Gold coast Tourism Corporation in the tourism industry by the
year 1975, has operated as a membership-based destination based marketing organisation that
represent the sector and generate the rise in the visitor demand, visitor’s arrivals and the visitor’s
expenditure for the benefit of the city (Gold Coast Tourism Corporation, 2018). Considering the
recent figures, there are approx. more than 6 million tourists who have visited Australia from the
year 2012 to 2013 and this make it the region’s biggest industry. Considering the research done
by the tourism research Australia, the place has approx. 66% of the gold coast visitors are female
and 34% are male. The biggest age group that visits the location include the age group of 35-44
years that reflects approx. 23% of the gold coast visitations. The second largest group who visit
the location falls under the age group of 45-54 years which is followed by 25-34 years (Gold
Coast Holiday Rental, 2014).
The people who visit the place belongs to the different lifestyles, the report reflects that 48% of
the visitors have family along with this 15% of people are a young/midlife couple with no
children followed by the older working couples/single. In addition, the visitors include 10%
young/midlife single with no kids and remaining 13% are older people who are included in the
non-working single/couple (Gold Coast Holiday Rental, 2014). The place is not only occupied
by the visitors but also by the people who visit as the immediate family member and join by their
partners. 43% of the visitors in the Gold Coast come with their immediate family member and
29% are joined by their partners. In addition to this, there are 18% who come here with their
friends and family while 5% go here alone on the weekends.

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Destination attractive to tourists
The Gold Coast attracts the tourist because of its attractive destinations which makes them visits
the place again and again. The location has major tourist attraction includes its pristine beaches
that are considered some of the best across the world. Along with this, the other attractive
destinations include a Broad beach, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, Currumbin and many others
(Saunders, 2017). Considering the intrinsic motivation theory that is related to the tourism, there
are many people who satisfy their psychological needs which include exploring things, learning
about the new culture, relaxation and additional leisure activities (Correia, Kozak and Ferradeira,
2013). The tourist who visits gold coast satisfies their needs of traveling, performing leisure
activities, self-expression, and self-assurance, creativity, competition, exploring novelty and
capabilities and need for the relaxation. The visitors can make themselves relax on the beaches of
the goal coast along with this they can perform the numerous leisure activities. This will fulfill
the psychological needs due to which the place become attractive for the visitors.
Along with this, the Gold Coast is the place where the tourist can get a link with the environment
and nature which makes them feel pleasure. This is possible by visiting the places like Sea Wold
gold Coast, Spring brook National Park and the wildlife century. This shows that the theory of
the system approach is implemented in which a set elements standing in interrelation among
themselves and with the environment (Cohen and Cohen, 2012). The tourism system involves
several interrelation parts that work together to accomplish the common purpose. Considering
the same theory, people visit the gold coast because they want to get linked to the environment of
the place.

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Issues related to tourism and destination development at the location
There are numerous issues that are associated with the tourism activities and the destination
development at the Gold Coast. Some of them are discussed below: -
Accessibility
The tourists who visit the place are not able to access more area of the national park and
rainforest area. The tourist doesn’t get satisfied with the limited access of the environmental area
due to which there is need of the development of the new activities that can easily grab the
attention of the tourists. Though, this is accessibility leads to the issue because tourist gets the
permit to access the environment then they might affect the nature and the environment
resources, for instance; putting waste on the places, risk of exploitation of resources and many
others (Ma and Hassink, 2013). Along with this, the development will lead to the removal of the
plants and shrubs from the rainforest to make the space for the walking trails. These are the some
of the issues that are related to the development of the Gold coast tourism (Barbier, et al,2011).
Improved infrastructure
There is need of the effective accommodation and entertainment at a location but this is the fact
that overdevelopment at the place leads to the major impact on the environment of the country
which is a major issue (Moore, 2018). Mangrove forests and the seagrass meadows were
removed due to which the Gold coastal was able to provide the open beaches facilities to their
visitors. These developments also lead to the wastage of the natural resources which might be
utilized effectively in the areas for some other purposes.

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Recreational activities
The tourism activities include the recreational activity which leads to the issues in the Gold
Coast. The recreational activities like four-wheel driving lead to the exploitation of the sand
dunes and vegetation’s and the bottom-trawling in Great Barrier Reef lead to the negative impact
on the biodiversity. Most of the visitors at the tourist place dumped non-biodegradable rubbish
into the sand which affects the environment of the gold coast. Along with this, the activities that
take place near the beach area also exploit the water resources like the construction of the sea
walls and the marinas for the advantage of the human’s leads to the erosion of the marine and
estuarine environments (Page and Hall, 2014). This exploitation is one of the major issues that
are associated with the tourism in Gold Coast.
Cruise ships
The rise in the population of the cruise ships in the area has also affected the marine
environment. These cruise ships lead to the marine pollution in numerous ways like the dumping
of garbage and untreated sewage at sea and release the other shipping that is linked with the
pollutants. Along with this, the rise in the cruise ships also affects the marine animal as this
garbage affects their lifestyle and leads to the numerous diseases (Cohen and Cohen, 2012). In
addition, these marine animals are consumed by most of the visitors due to which they might get
affected. Therefore, the tourism also leads to some of the issues.
Impact of Tourism Activity on host community at Gold Coast
Tourism has been said to be a key industry, and several private organizations and government
have now become aware of the tourism potential, both as an instrument and investment of policy

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of the government to increase employment opportunities and economic growth (West and Bayne,
2018).
As per the research conducted by the Tourism Queensland, 55% of the local people approved
that the tourism has an optimistic or positive impact on their living and on local society (Gursoy,
Chi and Dyer, 2010). Similarly, the same percentage of people approved that their domestic area
must keep always appealing the tourists as it provides various advantages to both to the region
and to residents. While researching it was noticed that 90% of local residents said that there is
improved economic growth in Gold Coast. 20% of them replied that increasing tourism in Gold
Coast has a positive or optimistic effect on the individual’s life quality and 62% of people agreed
that there is a positive influence on the society as a whole (Gold Coast Holiday Rentals, 2014).
In the meantime, 59% approved that there is the benefit of tourism in Gold Coast as it has
resulted in increasing the local pride. 62% people replied that they have experienced enhanced
facility upkeep because of the fact that maximum of the visitors reaches their every year.
Likewise, 77% approve that due to the increasing tourism, innovative and new infrastructure was
constructed whereas 72% approve that tourism has resulted in increasing the number of tourism
activities at the location (Gold Coast Holiday Rentals, 2014).
Positive Effects
There are various positive effects of tourism on the physical environment of the Gold Coast.
Influencing people to experience things and locations personally is actually an operative method
of endorsing environmental preservation.

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The main impact of tourism in Gold Coast is economic development or growth that is foreign
exchange earnings, contributions to the revenue of government, generating business
opportunities, and increase employment opportunities.
Contribution to the revenue of Government- The revenue of the government from the sector
of tourism in Gold Coast can be categorized as an indirect contribution and direct contribution.
The indirect contribution is derived from the duties and taxes on the services and goods delivered
to tourism, for instance, alcohol, service of the tour operators, restaurants, and taxes on tickets,
souvenirs, and hotels.
Foreign exchange earnings- Expenditures of Tourism, the import and export of the related
services and goods make income for the Gold Coast's economy. Tourism is said to be the key
foundation of the foreign exchange earnings in the Gold Coast and also for other countries which
covers around 38% of the earnings of the country.
Employment generation- The quick growth of the global tourism has resulted in the substantial
creation of the employment. Tourism has created jobs opportunities directly in the Gold Coast by
taxis, souvenir sales, hotels, and indirectly by supplying services and goods required by the
businesses related to tourism, for instance, conducted tour operators (Farr, 2018). Tourism
involves around 7% of the employees of the whole world. Encouragement of the investment of
the infrastructure Tourism has influenced the domestic government of Gold Coast in order to
develop the infrastructure by making improved systems of sewage and water, electricity,
telephone, public transport networks, and roads. All this has enhanced the living standard of the
people in Gold Coast. [For further details related to the employment please refer appendix 1)

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Contribution to the local Economies- Tourism is an important and an essential portion of the
domestic economy. As it is known that environment is a key constituent of the asset of the
tourism industry, revenue of tourism is frequently utilized to evaluate the economic value of the
safe areas. Some portion of the tourism income arises from the informal employment, like
informal guides and street vendors.
Negative Impact
If there are positive impacts of tourism in the Gold Coast then it possesses negative impacts
even. In regards to economic disadvantages, domestic communities need to fund the demands of
the tourist, which results in an increase in the taxes. The total living prices are increasing in the
Gold Coast in terms of rates, and rent, along with the values of the property are going upwards.
This is a problematic situation for the local people who are thinking to purchase property or land,
etc. Additionally, in order to balance the destinations of tourism, the locals to tourists need to be
comparatively equal. This becomes more difficult for the tourists at the destinations because their
entree can be denied (Mdusm, 2016).
Another negative impact of sociocultural changes is the moral and social values of the domestic
society and the visiting tourist. Besides the disturbing relations of the local and tourist, it also
results in the friction among groups of the native population. Moreover, it causes drifts in the
changing aspects between the new generations and old generations. Tourism has connected with
the increase of criminal behaviors in the local society. Along with this tourism has also resulted
in the disturbance in the local communities of Gold Coast. Crowding of residents and visitors
generate a vibrant atmosphere, it causes obstruction and results in the removal of native residents
in numerous places. Augmented tourists have also increased the traffic in Gold Coast which is
affecting the daily life of the residents.

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Policies to attain sustainable Tourism
National Long-Term Tourism Strategy- National Long run strategy of tourism is also said as a
truly national approach to Australia. This strategy or policy is implemented so that tourism can
be encouraged at the national level for the long time duration. This strategy possesses
engagement of industries in the development of the strategy (Dredge and Jamal, 2013). The
strategy helps in identifying the natural environment of Australia as the important part to attract
people towards the tourism places of Australia such as Gold Coast.
The major focus of the strategy is on the challenge of the changes in the climate and
opportunities. Along with this it also focuses on the sustainable management of the tourism
destinations like Gold Coast.
Industry Resilience Working Group- This policy focuses on the sustainability issues that are
faced by the tourism industry in the country, for example, changing climate implications which
involve mitigations and adaptation.
Destination planning and management Working Groups- These working groups concentrate
on growing collaboration of the destinations such as Gold Coast through emerging strategies to
increase the region potential of the tourism. The working groups are operating with the program
of National Landscapes as the model to increase the collaboration of the tourism region's cross-
jurisdictional.
Promotion of Renewable Energy- This strategy and policy of the government of Australia have
devoted to confirming that the 20% of the supply of electricity by 2020 will arrive from the
renewable resources. This policy has involved tourism sector also of the country (Australian
Government, 2018).

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Conclusion
In the end, it can be concluded that Gold Coast, Australia is a very attractive place for the visitors
as this provide the connection of the people with the environment. Moreover, the analysis of the
tourist visitation reflects that there are numerous people who visit the place from both domestic
and international market. There is a rise in the number of the tourist in Gold coast because this is
considered as one of the attractive places for the tourist. The issues related to the tourism and
destination development at the location are increasing because of the increase in a number of
tourists. In addition, the tourism activity leads to the positive and the negative impact on the host
community at the Gold Coast. In the end, it includes the policy implications to accomplish
sustainable tourism results for the destination.

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References
Australia (2018) Guide to the Gold Coast [Online]. Available from:
https://www.australia.com/en-in/places/gold-coast-and-surrounds/guide-to-the-gold-coast.html
[Accessed on 27th May 2018]
Australian Government (2018) Enhancing Australia’s Economic Prosperity [online]. Available
from http://www.oecd.org/cfe/tourism/45558040.pdf [accessed 27 May 2018]
Barbier, E.B., Hacker, S.D., Kennedy, C., Koch, E.W., Stier, A.C. and Silliman, B.R., (2011)
The value of estuarine and coastal ecosystem services. Ecological monographs, 81(2), pp.169-
193.
Cohen, E. and Cohen, S.A. (2012) Current sociological theories and issues in tourism. Annals of
Tourism Research, 39(4), pp.2177-2202.
Cohen, E. and Cohen, S.A. (2012) Current sociological theories and issues in tourism. Annals of
Tourism Research, 39(4), pp.2177-2202.
Correia, A., Kozak, M., and Ferradeira, J. (2013) From tourist motivations to tourist
satisfaction. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 7(4), pp.411-
424.
Dredge, D. and Jamal, T. (2013) Mobilities on the Gold Coast, Australia: Implications for
destination governance and sustainable tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 21(4), pp.557-
579.

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Farr, L.J.M. (2018) Positive & Negative Effects of Tourism [online]. Available from
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/positive-negative-effects-tourism-63336.html [Accessed 27 May
2018]
Gold Coast Holiday Rental (2014) Gold Coast, Queensland – A Tourist Profile [Online].
Available from: http://gchr.com.au/holiday-information/gold-coast-queensland-a-tourist-profile/
[Accessed on 27th May 2018]
Gold Coast Holiday Rentals (2014) Positive Effects of Gold Coast Tourism [online]. Available
from http://gchr.com.au/holiday-information/positive-effects-of-gold-coast-tourism/ [Accessed
27 May 2018]
Gold Coast Tourism Corporation (2018) We Are Destination Gold Coast [Online]. Available
from: https://www.destinationgoldcoast.com/corporate [Accessed on 27th May 2018]
Gursoy, D., Chi, C.G. and Dyer, P. (2010) Locals’ attitudes toward mass and alternative tourism:
The case of Sunshine Coast, Australia. Journal of Travel Research, 49(3), pp.381-394.
Ma, M. and Hassink, R. (2013) An evolutionary perspective on tourism area
development. Annals of Tourism Research, 41, pp.89-109.
Mdusm, P. (2016) The positive and negative effects of Tourism on the social-cultural
environment of a country [online]. Available from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/positive-
negative-effects-tourism-social-cultural-prince-mdusman [Accessed 27 May 2018]
Moore, S. (2018) Gold Coast Tourism Scoping Study [Online]. Available from:
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.468.8768&rep=rep1&type=pdf
[Accessed on 27th May 2018]

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Page, S.J. and Hall, C.M. (2014) The geography of tourism and recreation: Environment, place
and space. New York: Routledge.
Regional Development Gold Coast (2013) Regional Profile [online]. Available from
http://rdagoldcoast.org.au/files/3913/8377/7775/FINAL_Regional_Profile_2013.pdf [Accessed
27 May 2018]
Saunders, J. (2017) Why The Gold Coast Is Australia’s Tourism Destination Of Choice [Online].
Available from: https://wearegoldcoast.com.au/business-and-invest/gc-australias-tourism-capital/
[Accessed on 27th May 2018]
West, G., and Bayne, B. (2018) The Economic Impacts Of Tourism On The Gold Coast [online].
Available from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?
doi=10.1.1.628.2842&rep=rep1&type=pdf [Accessed 27 May 2018]

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Appendix
Appendix 1
Employment as Positive impact in Gold Coast
Source [(Regional Development Gold Coast, 2013)]

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Source [(Regional Development Gold Coast, 2013)]