TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Tourism and economic development policy



Tourism and economic development policy- Essay

Introduction

Through the years, the word tourism has caused constant disputes because the difference in views of the organizations dedicated to tourism. To clarify this controversy World Tourism Organization [WTO] (2001), official definition established as follows:

"Tourism comprises the activities of people traveling and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more one consecutive year for the purpose of enjoying leisure, business or other reasons unrelated to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited.”(Program National Tourism, 2001, p. 31).

However, there are other definitions which state that tourism is the temporary movement of people to destinations outside their normal workplace and residence, and activities during their stay at these destinations. ((Jones, 2001).

As you can see, both definitions agree that the phenomenon of tourism is characterized by the displacement of an individual to another place other than his home for similar or entirely different activities to which usually made ??depending on your reason for travel.

Apart from such controversies, tourism industry is undoubtedly one of the biggest industries in the world. As far as UK is concerned, tourism industry contributes to 3.5 percent of the total economy with a worth in surplus of £80 billion, and has provided employment opportunities to more than 1.4 million people. Only in the West England the employment opportunities created by the tourism industry accounts for more than 29000 jobs and around six percent of the GVA. Moreover, tourism industry has generated more than £1 billion in trade earnings per annum in hotels, markets and restaurants (Mowforth and Munt, 2009).

The acknowledgment of tourism as a rapidly growing one has guided its classification as a strong driver of revival in economically deprived areas. However, it is also the fact that the dynamics of this growing sector are not always soundly recognized. For instance, there is a very limited data about the size and nature of tourism and spending, predominantly at a sub-national level (Reid, 2003). Furthermore, the expansion of designed policies is additionally slowed down by the absence of an established description of tourism employment or activity, or in fact of a "tourist". Moreover, apart from such issues, another fundamental question is how far the sectors associated with the tourism are in fact reliant upon tourism-generated revenues. However, in developed countries, a major part of activity in selected tourism areas may be supported by demand from local citizens.

Tourism Activity in UK Regional Economic Development

In recent times tourism has begun to occupy most of the strategic efforts of some nations, that is, many countries have changed their policies and property to attract the maximum number of tourists, by renewing their infrastructure to obtain more revenue from the industry of tourism as a whole. The development of tourism for some developing countries provides an opportunity that fits perfectly with the objectives of overall development, economic diversification and poverty reduction (Telfer and Sharpley, 2008).

The pro-poor tourism (PPT) is tourism that increases net profits for Poor (greater ...