Analysis of Tourism Policy and Planning Processes

The given document is a report on policy and planning in the tourism industry. It investigates the roles and responsibilities of UNWTO, WTTC, and Visit Britain along with their influences on travel and tourism industry. The study explains the meaning of tourism policy and its importance to tourism, analyzes and elucidates tourism planning processes, components or approaches to tourism management, and evaluates the shortcomings in planning approaches to tourism development in developing countries.

POLICY AND PLANNING
IN THE TOURISM
INDUSTRY
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Investigate the roles and responsibilities of the following organizations....................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
Define and explain key concepts and issues of tourism planning, policy and management.......3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
Evaluation of tourism planning process and approaches discussed in journal article.................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
Guiding tourism development of a destination requires establishment of tourism policies
because its potential impact involves public sector involvement for carrying out that policy. It is
the set of regulations, rules, guidelines, directions, development or promotional objectives and
strategies which renders a design of activities including collective and individual hypothesis and
ideas which affects long term development and operations of tourism development. The report
on tourism policy and planning will investigate several roles and responsibilities performed by
UNWTO, WTTC and Visit Britain along with its influence on travel and tourism sector. The
study will also explain and discuss major concepts and issues of tourism planning, policy and
management with its components, meaning and approaches.
TASK 1
Investigate the roles and responsibilities of the following organizations
United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
UNWTO is the United Nations specialized agency which is responsible for promoting
responsible, sustainable and universally acceptable tourism and is the leading organization in
travel and tourism industry which promotes economic growth and development. The main
objective of this organization is to promote and create sustainable tourism to contribute in
economic development, international understanding, peace, prosperity and universal respect for
observing human rights and fundamental freedom (Swanson and Edgell Sr, 2013). It has a major
role and responsibility of developing countries in the tourism sector and renders leadership and
support in knowledge advancement and tourism policies worldwide. UNWTO focuses on
encouraging code of ethics for tourism with a view to ensure member countries, tourist
destinations and businesses maximizes positive, social and economic benefits while reducing
negative impact of social and environmental changes focusing on United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals to eradicate poverty and foster sustainability.
Influence of UNWTO on travel and tourism sector
UNWTO has a membership which includes 156 countries, 6 territories and 400 affiliate
members representing private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local
tourism authorities. Since thirty years UNWTO is rendering technical assistance to its members
to build strong and efficient tourism sector while optimizing socio-economic benefits, enhance
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cultural or natural heritage and eliminate poverty by providing sustainable livelihoods with
involving local communities for development process. UNWTO influences tourism and travel
sector directly by job creation, earning of foreign exchange, GDP contribution, Sustainable
development with inclusive growth, preservation of nature, culture, natural resources, wildlife,
biodiversity and environment.
World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)
WTTC is travel and tourism industry forum which is comprises global business
community members and operates with government to raise awareness regarding tourism sector.
It is the only body which brings together all private sector businesses in travel and tourism
industry worldwide that performs research activities on economic and social impact of tourism
sector, global and regional organizations focusing on developments and issues (World Travel &
Tourism Council (WTTC), 2018). This nonprofit, non-governmental membership organization
represents leaders of global travel and tourism industry and aims at raising full awareness of
economic impact of tourism and is the largest generator of wealth and employment.
Influence of World Travel and Tourism Council on travel and tourism sector
WTTC has generated over 200 million jobs and contributed around 10% global GDP and
the government is forced to adopt policy frameworks for sustainable tourism development. It
influences government to implement policies to ensure growth of travel and tourism business
environment by planning and investing in appropriate infrastructure and creating tax regime to
make private sector more competitive. WTTC has huge responsibility to safeguard environment
and ensure sustainable growth of travel and tourism sector is managed, balanced between people,
planet and profits. This organization promotes sustainable tourism through Tourism for
Tomorrow Awards and are spreading initiatives regarding environment and their global reach is
rendering a unique position to entice green practices in travel and tourism business models and
sector (Mason, 2015). WTTC encourages inbound visitors by facilitating visas, convincing
governments regarding economic advantages generated through relaxed visa policies without
compromising national security.
Visit Britain (VB)
VB is the national tourism agency which is part of British Tourist Authority, tourist board
of Great Britain incorporated under Development of Tourism Act 1969. It was formed out of
merger British Tourist Authority and English Tourism Council and is a non-departmental public
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body that is responsible to the Department for culture, media and sport and is one of the
independent body of Visit Britain. VB is the committee that acts as a forum for discussions
between statutory tourist boards and other public or private sector travel and tourism
organizations. Visit Britain advices government on several issues like product development,
European Union, environmental concerns, transport or tourism problems, strategic and marketing
policies (Bramwell and Lane, 2011).
Influence of Visit Britain on travel and tourism sector
Visit Britain is the major income generator and employer in UK and receives credit for
the support in terms of professional and well executed marketing activities which clearly
generates high returns. It plays a major role in building UK’s tourism products and raises
Britain’s status worldwide along with increasing volume and value of tourism exports. Visit
Britain attracts numerous visitors with their outstanding performance and reporting which
gradually increases international trade and investments and develops England and its visitor’s
economy. Visit England and Britain works closely focusing on marketing countries and regions
of Britain and drives growth in leisure and tourism business. It maintains various activities to
develop and market English tourism by building flexibility in overseas network with a nurture
market strategy which evolves other markets and engages in opportunities. Visit Britain inspires
travelers from overseas markets and countries to visit and explore England by delivering a global
network to support tourism and promotion. They also maximize public investment through a
partner engaging commercial activity. It influences travel and tourism sector by developing a
national brand and marketing approach that leverages UK’s best assets and encourages
collaborative activities in international market place (Choi and Turk, 2011).
TASK 2
Define and explain key concepts and issues of tourism planning, policy and management
Tourism planning takes place at various levels ranging from macro, national and regional
planning stages. It is the dynamic process of defining goals, selecting alternative courses of
actions systematically to achieve aims, implementation of chosen choices and evaluating it to
measure success. It is the fundamental skill required by a travel and tourism organization to
make plans at every level of their operation to establish business successfully. Tourism planning
comprises of gathering and evaluating information to identify and prioritize tourism development
issues that are relied on certain concepts which has some issues are as follows:
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Economic development planning: It is the long term vision aimed at ensuring economic
growth, generate employment opportunities and position the region as a leading diverse place of
business and visitor experiences. This is done to optimize contribution of travel and tourism and
recreation of economic prosperity, regional development of economy and improve international
balance of payments (Ashworth and Goodall, 2013).
Social facility planning: This is done to contribute to the personal growth and education
of community and encourage their appreciation on geography, history, ethnic values and morals
that will avoid activities which may demoralize social and cultural values or resources of a
particular destination or region. It enables and benefits travel and recreation accessible to visitors
and residents of a particular tourism destination.
International planning: It includes international transportation services, flow and
programming of tourists among various countries, complementary development of major
features of attraction and facilities in neighboring nations and multinational marketing or
cooperative activities through organizations.
Tourism has experienced a continuous growth and abundant diversification to become
one of the rapidly upgrading economic sectors in the world. Yet there are various factors or
issues that hinders the tourism planning and processes which reduces the economic growth and
flow of visitors which needs to be controlled or minimized. The culture of destination residents is
one of the major issues that affects tourism planning where geographic location and spatial
distribution of tourism development units need to be introduces to mitigate the problem.
Attitudes and perceptions of stakeholders, availability of data and information, national tourism
policy, types of resources and financial capital requirements are some other issues that need to be
considered by a tourism organization while planning tourism development in a country or
destination.
Definition and meaning of tourism policy and its importance to tourism
Tourism policy is the means by which local, regional, national and international
institutions and organizations accomplish adopted goals and objectives of developing tourism.
Tourism policy is the overall, high level plan which includes goals and procedures where
policies are generally seen in formal statements like laws, official documents and statements
(Buckley, 2012). It is considered to be an area of a country’s overall economic policy which is a
public rule designed and developed to achieve specific goals of relevant tourism that are
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established at regional, national or federal level. Tourism policies are public policy of a nation or
region that reflects the overall development procedures of country for better integration of travel
and tourism which is dedicated to sustainable practices. Collaboration with other tourism
agencies to foster growth and innovation in destination’s industries and practices. Establishing
tourism policy guarantees and safeguards effective standardization of processes and practices
with respective tourism industry where the policy is implemented.
Tourism policy standardization fosters uniformity and consensus regarding practices that can
result in sustainable development and overall improvement in quality of tourism products. It
results in use of environmental and personnel resources and must be a clear plan of action
seeking identification of destinations as targets for travel and tourism, cultural and commercial
development thereby attracting investors and stakeholders which will create social and economic
growth (Hall, 2011). Adequate involvements of local community in tourism processes will
increase employment opportunities and entrepreneurship and renders chances for local
businesses to preserve heritage and culture. A strong local economy will increase value of
property, generate local businesses and money generation which goes back to the community to
meet demand and supply needs. Market development goals are encouraged which welcomes
entry of foreign nationals at the same time balancing this motive with monitoring of goods,
people and resources entering the country abiding laws protecting public health which are all
well-defined.
Components and approaches to tourism management
Tourism management is the overseeing of all activities that are related to tourism and
hospitality which is multidisciplinary field that develops people with interest, experience and
training for administration positions in food, accommodations and leisure sector (Tourism
Management, 2018). It is the broad field of study that has various opportunities that includes
enterprises, associations and public authorities that market tourism delivers to travelers around
the world. Tourism management involves managing of several activities like observing
destination of tour, planning, making arrangements for travel and rendering accommodation.
Marketing efforts to attract tourists to particular destinations are also a part of this management
activity.
Components of Tourism management
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Destination management Organization (DMO): These are the organizations whose
main function is to attract visitors with the aim of enhancing local economy, provides necessary
information structure to market destination to enhance residents wellbeing (Tsai, and Chen,
2010). DMO regulates the country’s tourism industry which works in alliance with several public
or private tourism enterprises or agencies. Main responsibility of this organization is to promote
particular destination, location, country around the world.
Destination Management Companies (DMC): It is a professional services company with
expertise, resources and knowledge working in designing and implementing events, activities,
tours, transportation and logistics (Krutwaysho and Bramwell, 2010). These private companies
promote and offers different packages which a tourist destination or country has to deliver. They
are the local travel agent of the country.
Stakeholders: These are the main components of tourism management which includes
hotels, airlines, car rentals, drivers etc of a country or tourist destination who are responsible for
rendering hassle free and memorable lifetime experience to travelers in the country.
TASK 3
Evaluation of tourism planning process and approaches discussed in journal article
Developing countries and nations have prepared various plans particularly in the central
level to guide tourism development and recognized travel and tourism sector as an important
foreign currency earning source and employment generator. The article on shortcomings in
planning approaches to tourism development in developing countries with the case study
conducted on Turkey mainly aims at analyzing the shortcomings and pitfalls of planning
approaches to tourism development in developing economies by demonstrating points made with
reference to Turkey. Several defects regarding tourism planning approaches to tourism
development is been identified and investigated. The journal and study arrives at a conclusion
that need for political stability, establishment of supportive institutions and decentralization to
develop and implement appropriate contemporary tourism planning approach must be taken into
consideration of destination with specific conditions and collaboration and cooperation of
western governments and other international agencies.
The research aims to explore building attempts in conflict destinations with frameworks
and approaches focused on minimal state interventions in economy and free markets by being
one for all. The neoliberal economic system of Turkey has dominated major international
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organizations that have designed their approaches for state building. Various financial
institutions like World Bank, International Monetary Fund have implemented some of these
models or frameworks in different regions, nations that resulted in success. The study also
compares cases of state building before statehood and sovereignty which in comparison to socio
economic practices of international practices, participants and government takes place. It was
carried out in Turkey and failed to meet the required demands of independence and prosperity in
markets and caused a decline in macro and micro economic indicators. This failure was due to
top down approach of tourism management policies making, lack of independence and
sovereignty and absence of popular and local participation in policies and plans.
The research also investigated impact of peacefulness in tourist country in their main
decisions and behaviors while travelling internationally. Sample of 600 international travelers
from 49 countries was selected and divided into 5 groups according to native of each respondent
with specific level of peacefulness assessed by global peace index, for testing differences in
international travel decision and behavior patterns. The findings reveal that safety is a major
issue to most tourists while peacefulness level of travelers, country of origin are major factors for
understanding behaviors of travel, safety perceptions held while travelling on an international
holiday or trip relating to involvement, risk and safety. Research also investigated several studies
that analyzed impact of peacefulness in Turkey based on the global peace index. This study
responds to prospect theory relating to general consumption and adds experiential customer
perspective to tourism consumption.
In developing countries development of tourism industry is not a product of central
planning. Such approaches have various limitations mainly related to community involvement
considerations in development process. The analysis on tourism development in Turkey suggests
that in large populous countries with wide range of tourism attractions there might have inherent
dangers in national level approach to sectoral planning. Research elucidates several conclusions
and interpretations; In large countries national approaches to tourism planning would be
ineffective as these countries are simply large to undertake necessary tourism evaluation of
locations in a systematic manner. Concentration has been made at national level on tourism
policies which is then guided to implementation of sub national tourism planning. Tourism
policy statements become the point of reference against development decisions and Turkey need
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to consider development experience of these countries in relation to its own travel and tourism
sector.
From the article it can be analyzed that tourism in Turkey has a collection of most
economically developed points of the country and tourism drives level of economic development
in country and is confirmed by its experience. In the long term to concentrate on development is
not advisable for economic, social and political reasons because it is not a surprising or potential
development. A drift in labor from the poorer areas of the country and developments in these
parts are more difficult for future. Attempts to correct current and rising regional tourism
imbalance, clear statement of tourism policy must be formulated by Turkey as less developed
areas of country have potential for tourism and is not based on resources. To encourage this type
of tourism as a replacement requires attention and intervention of government. Less developed
regions of Turkey are less visited areas by western travelers where traditional lifestyles and
standards are existing. To introduce tourism into these areas will require sensitive and tuned
development which is not possible with centralization. The problem of regional development
inequality must be a concern for government as in some cases regional inequalities deriving from
a series of factors like; location, resource endowment etc. Where government has limited control.
In turkey opportunities for tourism to stimulate regional development which will require
positive policies and direct interventions by central government. A need for mechanism of
control for tourism development at regional level needs public administration that must be
arranged according to requirements. Considering regional or tourism regions, sociocultural,
economic and political features and tourism administration should be reorganized under the
coordination of central unit like planning organization or ministry of tourism. Unless there is a
mechanism to manage and control tourism development at subnational level and tourism growth
may not be possible which might not contribute to the balance of payments. This requires
decentralization of public administration where Turkey need guidance from United Kingdom
where tourism planning is a subnational activity. The country is successful in attracting large
number of tourists and developing resort areas and is less prosperous in stimulating development
in poorer regions.
CONCLUSION
Report on policy and planning in the tourism industry has shown tourism as a fragile
activity which need proper administration and management. The report investigated the roles and
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responsibilities of UNWTO, WTTC and Visit Britain along with their influences on travel and
tourism industry. Study also explained and discussed meaning of tourism policy and its
importance to tourism. It also analyzed and elucidated tourism planning processes, components
or approaches to tourism management. Later on the report analyzed and evaluated the tourism
planning processes and approaches discussed in the journal article of shortcomings in planning
approaches to tourism development in developing countries and for which case study on Turkey
is conducted.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Swanson, J.R. and Edgell Sr, D.L., 2013. Tourism policy and planning: Yesterday, today, and
tomorrow. Routledge.
Mason, P., 2015. Tourism impacts, planning and management. Routledge.
Bramwell, B. and Lane, B., 2011. Critical research on the governance of tourism and
sustainability. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 19(4-5). pp.411-421.
Choi, H.C. and Turk, E.S., 2011. Sustainability indicators for managing community tourism.
In Quality-of-life community indicators for parks, recreation and tourism
management (pp. 115-140). Springer, Dordrecht.
Ashworth, G. and Goodall, B., 2013. Marketing in the Tourism Industry (RLE Tourism): The
promotion of destination regions. Routledge.
Buckley, R., 2012. Sustainable tourism: Research and reality. Annals of Tourism
Research. 39(2). pp.528-546.
Hall, C.M., 2011. Policy learning and policy failure in sustainable tourism governance: From
first-and second-order to third-order change? Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 19(4-5).
pp.649-671.
Krutwaysho, O. and Bramwell, B., 2010. Tourism policy implementation and society. Annals of
Tourism Research. 37(3). pp.670-691.
Tsai, C.H. and Chen, C.W., 2010. An earthquake disaster management mechanism based on risk
assessment information for the tourism industry-a case study from the island of
Taiwan. Tourism Management.31(4). pp.470-481.
Erkuş-Öztürk, H. and Eraydın, A., 2010. Environmental governance for sustainable tourism
development: Collaborative networks and organisation building in the Antalya tourism
region. Tourism management. 31(1). pp.113-124.
Dredge, D. and Jamal, T., 2015. Progress in tourism planning and policy: A post-structural
perspective on knowledge production. Tourism Managemen. 51. pp.285-297.
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Nunkoo, R. and Ramkissoon, H., 2011. Residents’ satisfaction with community attributes and
support for tourism. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. 35(2). pp.171-190.
Liu, C.H., Tzeng, G.H. and Lee, M.H., 2012. Improving tourism policy implementation–The use
of hybrid MCDM models. Tourism Management. 33(2). pp.413-426.
Gössling and et.al., 2010. The future of tourism: Can tourism growth and climate policy be
reconciled? A mitigation perspective. Tourism Recreation Research. 35(2). pp.119-130.
Online
Contemporary Tourism Planning: Problems and Prospects. 2013. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02508281.2013.11081751?journalCode=rtrr20>
Tourism Management. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.journals.elsevier.com/tourism-management>
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