University Report: Emerging Issues in Hospitality and Tourism Analysis

This report examines the emerging issues in the hospitality and tourism industry, with a specific focus on the environmental sustainability challenges associated with the 2018 Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast, Australia. The introduction highlights the economic benefits of such large-scale sporting events but emphasizes the potential negative impacts, such as increased traffic, pollution, and strain on infrastructure. The report delves into the significance of environmental sustainability for the future growth of the tourism and hospitality sectors, particularly in Australia, emphasizing the importance of protecting natural assets. The report suggests several recommendations to mitigate these issues, including transport management, minimizing the impact on environmental resources, and addressing pollution through various strategies like promoting sustainable transportation, reducing plastic usage, and encouraging eco-friendly practices. The conclusion reiterates the importance of addressing these sustainability issues for the continued development of the tourism and hospitality industries.

Running Head: EMERGING ISSUES IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
Emerging issues in hospitality and tourism
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction:
Commonwealth games are the biggest sporting spectacular and largest sporting event in
Australia that will be held at Gold coast. It is an international event and it will be hosted by
Australia on wider platform ever. There will be more than 65000 official participates and athletes
and is expected to attract more than 100000 international and domestic visitors every day.
However, it is well known facts that everything has its pros and cons. Hosting of such great
sporting event will undoubtedly help in raising economic condition of country
(Business.qld.gov.au 2018). Nonetheless, some issues are associated with Commonwealth
games to be held in 2018. Attraction of huge tourists’ volume will have considerable impact on
daily lives of people as there will be heavy traffic and there will be problematic car parking and
transportation. Moreover, Queensland will experience pollution and will be over crowded.
Pollution is enhanced due to tourists using plastics and helium balloons at the sporting event. It is
considered as in issue because Gold coast is more close to ocean and it will be having more
canals. It is quite possible of getting those canals polluted because of using helium balloons and
using plastics. Queensland being a water-based city has a high chance of getting its marine life
polluted due to using plastics. Furthermore, Gold coast is already having some disruption
erupting from construction of light rail leading to occasional local grizzle and some traffic
drama. When tourists go back to their home country, city will have to spend on setting up
infrastructure and it will not be priceless. Issues relating to environment such as pollution, traffic
drama, transportation, car-parking issue due to overcrowd are likely to evolve in 2018 Common
wealth games (McKercher and Tung 2015). In nutshell, it can be said that environmental
sustainability is one of the main issues concerning Common wealth games 2018 in Queensland.

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Significance of chosen issue for future development and growth of Tourism and Hospitality
industries:
The main issues that are likely to evolve from the Common wealth games 2018 in
Queensland is related to sustainability of environment. It has been ascertained from some
research that natural environments and excellent beauty of Australia are core strength of
offerings from global tourism. One of the stronger potential draw card for international and
domestic visitors in Australia are the unique natural assets of Gold coast in the world where there
is disappearance of ecological habits (Edb.gov.hk 2018). Therefore, protecting natural assets of
Gold coast where Common wealth games will be held is of utmost importance for Australia. For
the tourism operators, sustainable tourism has become the buzz word as it lead to incorporation
of balance between various dimensions of tourism development such as environmental and socio
cultural.
Sustainability goes beyond maintaining natural environment as it takes into consideration the
economic and social impact of sporting events and associated games. Environmental integrity of
regarded as one of the pillars of sustainable tourisms. Some of the key elements of sustainable
tourism development are maintaining essential ecological processes, optimally utilizing
resources of environment and requirement of conserving biodiversity and natural heritage
(Cohen and Cohen 2015). Maintaining environmental sustainability helps city and country as a
whole in generating economic growth. Sustainable development is envisaged as resource
management in a way that helps in fulfilling social, economic and aesthetic needs along with
maintaining essential ecological process, cultural integrity, life support system and biological
diversity. Tourist visiting Australia finds the costal lifestyle most appealing followed by
rainforest and wildlife and thereby maintenance of such environmental facets is relevant. Future

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development of hospitality and tourism industry in Australia depends largely on management of
environmental resources and maintaining environmental sustainability (Gc2018.com 2018).
Conclusion and Proposing recommendations for solving the issue:
Environmental sustainability is one of the major issues concerning Common wealth
games 2018, Queensland that should be addressed for promoting growth and development of
hospitality and tourism industry. City is becoming increasingly acquainted of enforcing and
adopting some effective measures for protecting environment in the light of growing degradation
of environment either directly or indirectly from hosting such large sporting event. Visit of such
large volume of tourist leads to imposition of veritable challenge in terms of building sustainable
environment (Environment.transportation.org 2018). It is required that such sustainability issues
arising from sporting event hosting at Gold coast to be addressed at all levels such as industry,
academia, in cooperation with policy makers, stakeholders and general public. Some of the
recommendations for resolving the issues related to Common wealth games are as follows:
 Transport management- Transportation is regarded as critical factor for the success
of Common wealth games, 2018. There needs to be careful investment and planning
when proposing strategic transport plan during the hosting of such events. In order to
host a great common wealth, 2018, it is essential that transport partners are working
closely with local business and residents (McKercher and Tung 2015). City should
employ a sustainable transportation system that operates efficiently and are
affordable. Such transportation system should have the capacity of limiting waste and
emissions so that they can be absorbed by planet, minimize the production of noise

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and land usage. It should emphasize on consumption of non-renewable resource for
yielding sustainability. Moreover, invest should be made in waterways infrastructure
 Minimizing impact on environment resources- Government and policy makers of
sporting events should take appropriate steps that minimize the impact of hosting of
such events on ecosystem stability and supporting biodiversity. Measures featuring
adjusted usage of land, public services, supporting livability and enhancement of
public health, safety and security of local people, tourist and residents of Gold coast.
Some of the measures that can be taken for minimizing impact on environment
resources are tree selection, diverse plantation, wildlife crossings, porous pavement,
infiltration basins for storm water, using of renewable fuels, reclamation of
demolitation materials and minimizing the footprint of infrastructure building and
venue creation for such events (Fairley et al. 2016).
 Tacking pollution- Pollution is one of the uncontrollable aspects of Common wealth
games, 2018 and addressing of pollution should form a part of legacy policy of Gold
coast. Athletes, tourists from different countries and other people should be provided
adequate knowledge of environmental activities that helps in making environment
pollution less. There should be increased recognition of the factors such as pollution
that have damaging impacts on nature. Current tourism policies should incorporate a
clear preventive approach and strategies for addressing pollution. Reduced use of
plastics and helium balloons should be encouraged among tourists by acquainting
them with adverse impact of pollution on well being of human and welfare of society
as a whole (McKercher and Tung 2015). Tourists should be encouraged to embrace
public, active transport and embracing diversity. Moreover, people should be

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encouraged to make efficient use of water so that they are able to tackle watercourse
pollution and local flooding. They should be encouraged to embrace healthy products
that are made from waste and renewable resources. Measures should be taken to
choose local, seasonal and organic diets and thereby reducing wastage of foods. There
should be installation of renewable technologies for delivering energy (Reddy and
Wilkes 2015). All this will help in bringing positive impact on tourism and hospitality
industry.

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