Assessing the Dynamic Tourism Environment: Changes and Responses

This essay analyzes the dynamic tourism environment, highlighting key forces of change such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical instability, and environmental concerns. It examines the impact of events like the Coronavirus pandemic and the SARS outbreak on the tourism industry, emphasizing the significant economic and social consequences. Furthermore, using the World Economic Forum's Global Risk Report (2021), the essay discusses risks like biodiversity loss and human environmental damage, identifying affected tourism destinations and their potential impacts on local, national, and global scales. The analysis covers the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss, including its effect on ecosystem productivity and tourism appeal, as well as the impacts of human environmental damage, such as deforestation and pollution, on various tourist destinations. The essay underscores the importance of understanding and managing these changes to ensure the long-term sustainability and success of the tourism sector, emphasizing the critical role of stakeholder response strategies in mitigating risks and promoting responsible tourism practices. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and study tools for students.

-The Dynamic Tourism Environment.
Driven by a relatively strong global economy, a growing middle class in
emerging economies, technological advances, new business models, affordable
travel costs and visa facilitation, international tourist arrivals grew 5% in 2018 to
reach the 1.4 billion mark, UNWTO (2019).
Furthermore, export earnings generated by tourism grew to USD 1.7 trillion in
2018, making the tourism sector a true global force for economic growth and
development, driving the creation of more and better jobs and serving as
catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship.
In short, tourism is building better lives for millions of individuals and
transforming communities.
Then, Covid-19 happened.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered an unprecedented crisis in
the tourism economy, given the immediate and immense shock to the sector.
Revised Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2020)
statistics estimates on the COVID-19 impact point to 60% decline in international
tourism in 2020. This could rise to 80% if recovery is delayed until December,
with unparalleled economic and societal impacts.
However, although Covid-19 is the primary talking point in Tourism currently, it is
not the only force of change within an industry that is susceptible to shocks and
crises.
The World Economic Forum (2020) writes “today’s risk landscape is shaped by an
unsettled geopolitical environment in which new centres of power are forming—
as old alliances and global institutions are being tested”. For the economy,
“ammunition to fight a potential recession is lacking, and there is a possibility of
an extended low-growth period. Climate change and related environmental
issues are ranked highest in terms of likelihood”.
ABTA (2020) predicted that 2019 would be the year that sustainability issues
would go mainstream and that has proved to be the case, with a spotlight thrown
on climate change in particular. Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion have
become household names and there is an increasing appetite to understand the
environmental impacts of travel and tourism. Tourism can be a tremendous force
for good, although impacts on destinations, their natural environment,
economies and communities need to be managed.
This module, and the assessment you are undertaking, will evaluate current
trends within tourism. You will identify key forces of change in the industry and
the impacts these changes have. A discussion on how a tourism
stakeholder responds to changes or events that impact upon the tourism
industry will also take place.
Key Reading:

ABTA Travel Trends Report / CAPA / WTTC Publications / Skift / UNWTO Library /
UNWTO Tourism Highlights / Stakeholder Response Strategies / WEF Global Risk
Report / Dynamic Tourism Environment “Book Club”
1: Definition Triangulation. Triangulation is the use of more than one method of
research to add depth to data and analysis, contributing to greater confidence in
findings (Bryman, Bell, & Teevan, 2009). Using the triangle below, source three
definitions of “Tourism”. When this has been completed, create your own
working definition of this term. (50 words).
A Tourism is basically a economic, social and cultural phenomenon which
basically entails the movement of the individuals to different countries and
places outside the usual environment for the professional and personal purposes.
Another definition of Tourism can be basically the travelling for the purpose of
pleasure or business and also involves the practice of touring and theoryLiu, Y.,
(Kumail, Ali and Sadiq, 2019).

2: Historical development of Tourism. As a constantly evolving industry, Tourism is in its current position due to a series of
major, and minor, global events. Choose two of these events and discuss the impact they have had on the tourism industry.
(450 words).
In context to Historical Tourism, it plays a very important role in the global world for various reasons and it has a social,
positive and economic impact, it basically helps in preserving the historical and cultural heritage, reinforcing identity,
developing understanding among the individuals and facilitating harmony.
Event one:
The Coronavirus Pandemic: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism and the travel had become one of the most
important sectors when it comes to the world economy. In context to the tourism dependent countries, they feel the
negative impact of the crisis for much longer as compared to other economies. In context to the contact intensive services
key to the travel and the tourism sectors are drastically affected by the pandemic and this will have a long term impact to
struggle until individuals start feeling safe again. In context to the pandemic, it severely influenced the tourism and the
travel countries globally and resulted in causing the travel industry to suffer from a loss of almost US$4.5 Trillion. In
reference to the tourism industry, the internal and the leisure basically indicated a steep decline and resulted in 50 %
losses. Due to the appearance of the lethal disease the covid-19 pandemic has resulted in causing economic and global
health crisis and financial losses worldwide. Due to the pandemic situation, it adversely impacted the mental wellbeing and
the behaviour of tourists. In addition to that, the pandemic has impacted the tourism industry due to the various travel
restrictions and has been massively affected by the coronavirus spread as many countries started to introduced travel
restrictions in order to stop the spread (Danish and Wang, 2018).

Event Two:
SARS Outbreak: In context to SARS Outbreak, it was the another global event which drastically affected the tourism
industry. The 2002-2004 outbreak of SARS which was basically caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus
basically resulted in infecting over 8,000 people from various territories and 29 countries. In context to SARS and the
travel are basically interlinked. Due to the SARS's psychological impact, it basically resulted in imposing travel restrictions
which were basically imposed by the international and national authorities. The SARS Outbreak resulted in affecting the
travel and tourism sector of countries such as Hong Kong, China, Korea and etc. In addition to that, due to the outbreak,
the tourists intentions shows various change in the dynamics both when it comes to accommodation selection and
destination selection. In addition to that, there are various factors which could result in affecting the tourism which
comprises of the economy of the country, Technology, Religious importance of the Destination, research importance of the
destination and much more. In addition to that, there are various factors which could affect the travel and tourism industry
which comprises of the peace, culture, visa facilities, number of tourists, Education, level of income, world population and
the attitude of people, different languages and the price level of various commodities (Ben Jebli and Hadhri, 2018).

3: In addition to events changing Tourism in the past, events are influencing the Tourism industry now. Using the WEF Global
Risk Report (2021) below as your guide, choose two risks from different categories and complete the following questions
(1,000 words):
A) Provide a description of the risk; B) Identify potential tourism destinations where the risk could impact upon;
C) Discuss the impact this risk may have on the tourism industry either locally, nationally or globally.
Risk One:
A) Biodiversity Loss : In context to Biodiversity loss, it basically refers to the
disappearance or the decline of the biological diversity which basically
comprises of the natural patterns present in the ecosystems, understanding
the variety of the various living things which inhabit the planet, respective
genetic variability and the different levels of the biological organisation. In
context to the biodiversity loss, it is basically caused by the five primary
drivers which comprises of the pollution, habitat loss, overexploitation,
invasive species and the climate change which is related to the global
warming. In context to Biodiversity, the living things on the planet has been
declining at the alarming rate in the past yeas which is mainly due to the
reasons such as climate and pollution change, human activities and much
more. Due to the biodiversity loss, it has a major influence on the direct human
health which basically impacts the ecosystem services. Due to the biodiversity
loss, it basically underpins the planet and its impact and has a direct influence
on all our lives (Zhang, Wei and Liu, 2022).
B) In context to the tourism destinations, there are various places that could
be affected by the biodiversity loss and from the recent study it had been
found that approximately 60% of the total global biodiversity loss for the
mammal and the bird species which had been occurred in the seven countries

between the years 1996 and 2008. The major tourism destinations comprises
of the countries like India, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Australia, the USA and
the Papua New Guinea etc.
C) In context to Declining biodiversity, it basically lowers the ecosystem's
productivity which basically depicts the amount of food energy that is being
converted into the biomass and results in lowering the ecosystem service
quality which basically comprises of the supplying the shade and food,
maintaining the soil, purifying water that basically runs through it and much
more. In context to Biodiversity loss, it has severe economic consequences
due to the costs of the resulting damage which comprises of the decline in the
tourism as a destination resulted in making less attractive for the visitors,
decline in the yields from the fisheries and much more. In context to
biodiversity and ecosystem services, both these plays a very important role for
the tourism and it really makes sense for the tourism sector and the
destinations to protect them as a valuable for the contribution to the long term
success of the tourism . In context to the decline in the biodiversity, there are
various challenges for the tourism sector and those in the government
responsibilities for the tourism involves having deep understanding of the
value of the biodiversity for the tourism, applying existing best practices,
guidance and the frameworks on the ecosystem services and to the tourism. In
addition to that it involves the deeper understanding of the value of
biodiversity for the tourism and involves the potential it makes on the positive
contribution to the biodiversity conservation.

Risk 2:
A) Human Environmental Damage: In context to the Human Environmental
Damage, it is considered to be another risk which could result in affecting the
travel and Tourism industry in different ways which comprises of the various
activities such as deforestation, overpopulation, burning fossil fuels and
pollution. Due to all these changes, it has resulted in basically triggering the
undrinkable water, climate change, poor air quality and the soil erosion. In
context to the various environmental impacts of tourism, it basically comprises
of the deforestation, feeding and breeding patterns, destruction of the flora
and fauna, increase in the solid waste and much more.
B) In context to Tourism, it basically results in putting up pressure on the
various natural resources due to the over consumption and often include the
destinations where the resources are already scarce. Due to the Human
environment damage, there are various tourists destinations affected by the
Human Environmental Damage which comprises of the Spain, India, Europe,
Venice, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
C) In context to the quality of the environment, the quality of the environment
both the man made and the natural is considered to very important for the
Tourism and when it comes to the environment and tourism, the relationship
between both of them is highly complex and includes various activities which
could result in adversely affecting the environmental effects (Ehigiamusoe,
2020). Many of these influences and the impacts are basically related to the

construction of the general infrastructure which comprises of the airports and
roads and also involves tourism facilities which comprises of the marinas,
hotels ,resorts, shops, golf courses and much more. In addition to that the
negative impact of the tourism development can result in gradually destroying
the resources of the environment. In context to the travel and tourism
industry, it basically has the potential to create various beneficial efforts on the
environment through contributing to the conservation and the environmental
protection and also results in raising awareness of the values of the
environment and increases the importance of the economic. In reference to
the negative impact, it basically occurs when the level of visitor use is much
greater than the ability of the environment for the purpose to cope up with the
acceptable limits of the change. In context to the Tourism Development,it can
basically put pressure on the natural resources when it results in increasing the
consumption in the various areas. In addition to that the tourism can result in
creating pressure on the local resources such as raw materials, energy and
food which usually have a short supply(Agyeiwaah and et. al., 2021).

4: A dictionary definition of “trend” is “a general direction in which something is developing or changing”. The ABTA Travel
Trend Report (2022) identifies trends currently taking place in the tourism industry. These can be seen here and found
following the link: https://tinyurl.com/48689pyy