HAT201 Introduction to Tourism: Venice Overtourism Case Study

This case study analyzes the pressing issue of overtourism in Venice, Italy, examining the ethical and governing challenges highlighted in a documentary. It identifies key ethical concerns like corruption, overbooking, and price fixing, and discusses the responsibility of governmental bodies in address...Read More

Over-tourism In Venice-
Ethical And Governmental
Issues

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Identify and discuss the prime ethical and governing issues presented in the documentary. 1
Identify and discuss who should be responsible for rectifying issues that you have identified?
Why? Explain your reasoning................................................................................................1
Suggest at least three recommendations to overcome such issues in the future by providing
examples from other countries that have successfully managed overtourism related issues. 3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Venice is regarded as one of the most prominent locations of the globe in terms of culture and art
(Akron and et. al., 2020). Having impeccable ambiance, aesthetic architecture along with artistic
quality, this region is liked by a large number of visitors and is thus annual visited by a large
base of travellers. Over the course of time, the city has been dealing with problems associated
with over tourism. The report discussed primary ethical and governing concerns within the
bounds of Venice.
Identify and discuss the prime ethical and governing issues presented in the documentary.
Venice is an excellent location for visitors as it is full of natural beauty. Owing to this, the region
has always attracted a large number of tourists inclusive of both inbound and outbound tourists.
This has given the location recognition within the tourism domain making it come under some of
the most likely places to be visited by the people across the globe (Bertocchi and et. al., 2020).
However, this gives rise to some ethical and governing issues in context of hospitality and
tourism domains. In this regard, it has been acknowledged that corruption, theft,
misappropriation of funds, overtourism, overbooking, product favouritism, pricing and price
fixing, gift, services provided free of charge, familiarisation are some of the most common
ethical and governing issues that have been hampering the hospitality and tourism sectors of the
region. There is a dire need to deal with these challenges in a rapid course of time in order to
make sure that the tourism statistics of the location do not go down beyond the acceptable limit.
Identify and discuss who should be responsible for rectifying issues that you have identified?
Why? Explain your reasoning.
There are number of issues in tourism and hospitality industry which is not only affecting their
functioning but also impact upon fulfilment of actual needs and demand of consumer in same
sector (Nieuwland and Van Melik, 2020). This has been identified that there are number of
ethical issues prevailing in hospitality and tourism industry and in context to present scenario it
has been identified that government is responsible for these issues as due to some of the certain
practices of government like over booking, pricing and price fixing, confidentiality and money
matters like misappropriation of funds, theft and corruption, product favouritism commission and
taping and familiarisations are of some of the most affecting issues. All these issues are
impacting upon activities and operations of ethical tourism and hospitality (Kubickova and
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Campbell, 2020). Further it has been identified that corruption and mishandling of funds are
significantly imposing burden upon society. It has been evaluated that from below mentioned
diagram the extent of government unethical practices impact upon tourism industry:
Along with this has been identified in terms of Venice that this city in Italy is experiencing high
level of corruption and appropriation in handling of funds by government. These issues are
highly impacting and act as a risk factor for country tourism and hospitality industry. Along with
this it has been identified that product favouritism, overbooking and commission and tipping are
significantly reducing tourist arrival in country from past many years. All these negative factors
are affecting overall number of tourist arrival satisfaction of consumers and profit generation
capability of other tourism and hospitality firms in country (Sharma, Gautam and Chaudhary,
2020).
It has been identified and government play most important role in any country tourism and
hospitality industry thus, it is essential for government to engage in ethical tourism and
hospitality practices in order to provide satisfaction and equal services to all consumers
respective of familiarisations, as it can significantly increase number of tourist arrivals and
country tourism and hospitality practices (Milano, Cheer and Novelli, 2019). Along with this it
also lead towards enhancing country international image through which government can gain
other political benefits.
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Suggest at least three recommendations to overcome such issues in the future by providing
examples from other countries that have successfully managed overtourism related issues.
On the basis of overall information developed on the over tourism in Venice, it has been
analysed that over tourism is mainly caused when mass tourist visits the single place at the same
time. In order to deal with the same and manage over tourism in best possible way few
recommendations are provided to the tour operators of the Italy who are facing several issues
related to over tourism within their place (Benner, 2019). These recommendations are specified
as below in detailed manner:
Limits of acceptable change: This is first and foremost recommendation provided to the tour
operators with the motive of dealing with the over tourism. This is commonly acknowledged as
the participatory approach which includes government, localise people, environmentalist and
tourism industry (Dodds and Butler, 2019). Here, all these collaboratively work together and
takes decision that whether the executed changes within the city are acceptable or not. These
changes can be seen in the form of the issues or problems that have been faced by the
individuals. These limits can also be seen in the form of reduced access to markets overrun by
tourists; water shortages; no parking spaces left due to tourist numbers; prices of food increasing
by 10 percent as suppliers start to cater for tourists; pollution; increase in drunken behaviour, etc.
Matching Demand to Supply: This is another recommendation provided to the tour operator of
the Venice with which they can easily handle the tourism. Here, time ticketing and seasonal
pricing could contribute a lot in dealing with it.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion, it can be comprehensively said that hospitality and tourism
sector are largely evolving with the passage of time. However, this evolution also gives results
into emergence of several challenges. Out of these one of the most prominent challenges is
overtourism which creates excessive demand creating issues for the location and the government
of that region. It is the responsibility of the government to make sure that these issues are timely
addressed so that negative consequences can be ignored.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Nieuwland, S. and Van Melik, R., 2020. Regulating Airbnb: how cities deal with perceived
negative externalities of short-term rentals. Current Issues in Tourism, 23(7), pp.811-825.
Kubickova, M. and Campbell, J.M., 2020. The role of government in agro-tourism development:
a top-down bottom-up approach. Current Issues in Tourism, 23(5), pp.587-604.
Akron, S and et. al., 2020. Economic policy uncertainty and corporate investment: Evidence
from the US hospitality industry. Tourism Management, 77, p.104019.
Sharma, A., Gautam, H. and Chaudhary, R., 2020. Red Tape and Ambidexterity in Government
Units. International Journal of Public Administration, 43(8), pp.736-743.
Bertocchi, D. and et. al., 2020. Venice and overtourism: Simulating sustainable development
scenarios through a tourism carrying capacity model. Sustainability, 12(2), p.512.
Milano, C., Cheer, J.M. and Novelli, M. eds., 2019. Overtourism: Excesses, discontents and
measures in travel and tourism. CABI.
Benner, M., 2019. From overtourism to sustainability: A research agenda for qualitative tourism
development in the Adriatic.
Dodds, R. and Butler, R. eds., 2019. Overtourism: Issues, realities and solutions (Vol. 1). Walter
de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.
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