CREATIVE TOURISM

Creativity and Innovation in Tourism Industry

Abstract

Whenever there is a study of innovation, most of it is focused on new products and technologies. Entire innovation is based on assumptions that already exist and ways of thinking. Tourism industry is often described as high growth rate industry and to ensure high consumption and growth rate of business these are supposed to radical change. These changes can be delivered through creativity & innovation, and it is significant because of the intense competition between the regions and cities. In the tourism field industries perform such procedures that may result counterproductive because of adapting similar artistic models. There are various techniques to approach innovation, but the overall elements of these are; a problem-solving approach to creativity and creative thinking. Moreover, this report approaches new ways to achieve distinction in the tourism industry and needs of creativity and its role in the tourism industry. This paper also highlights several problems, challenges, barriers and also provides solutions to these issues which arise from creative thinking techniques. Typically when discussing tourism many of concentration is towards resources, infrastructure and skills that a community has to offer to tourism developers. Moreover this paper also includes the opinions from researchers and theorists and number of ways to bring creativity and innovation in the tourism industry. Creativity and Innovation in Tourism Industry

Role of Creativity and Innovation in Tourism Industry

Tourism industry plays one of the most dynamic role in GDP contribution worldwide and also it plays a vital role in socio-economic growth of a nation. United Kingdom ranks 8th in leading tourist destination of the world, with about 29.2 million tourists in 2011. Foreign tourists and visitors spent US$17.2 billion in UK. According to figures mentioned in VisitBritain data shows that United States remains the world's leader and is in most-valuable inbound business, with spending of £2.1billion in 2010 by American Visitors. There are several reasons which attracts tourists to visit certain destinations which includes, subject, business, attending international conferences, treatment, holidays and vacations, meeting with family and to go visiting friends, or to see international events like Olympics, world cup.

Tourist spends time and energy to feel the change of scene, change of culture, information and infrastructure. Tourism companies strive to produce the change with innovation and creativity which satisfies the desire of the visitors. In order to build creativity they must achieve the fundamental values of the area which belongs to their culture and it will definitely be creative. What attract the large number of visitors are the cultural capitals which often possess different quality of life.

Regarding creativity (Turok 2009, pp. 13-30) has argued “places must rapidly regulate their image in global markets which lets them rely less on changes in their industrial or occupational structure, and more on branding for their distinctiveness.” This argument emphasizes on building an image of the region and places globally by promoting rather than focusing on structural changes. (Evans 2003, pp. 417-440) also suggested that “methods of branding based on cultural and creative ...