Nature Tourism
Part 1
Mass Tourism
Notes
Objectives:
• Understand history and characteristics of mass tourism.
• Identify benefits and problems associated with mass tourism.
History and character of mass tourism:
What is mass tourism?
Twentieth century phenomenon where the working and middle classes began traveling in large numbers for leisure purposes.*(p. 28).
History of mass tourism
• In 1818 the Black Ball line initiated passenger cruises from New York to England.
• The development of extensive roads and railroad systems and transportation (stagecoaches, passenger trains and sailing ships) in England and France in the early 1800s and later on in Canada and the Unites States, attracted more and more people.*
• Thomas Cook (1808-1892): By 1850s tourism was available to the middle and working class by introducing the tour package and through the invention of innovative travel systems: hotel coupons and traveler's check.
• Tourism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was oriented toward learning and entertaining.
o After the Civil War, Americans looked to Europe for inspiration and guidance.
• Expansion of mass tourism by the introduction of paid vacation in the middle of 1960 (???-Jenny)s and travel of people who served in a variety of military assignments in World War II.*
• Factors helped to encourage the growth of mass tourism:
o Mass production of cars
o Reasonable gas prices
o Introduction of jet travel
o Development of hotels and restaurants along with the railroads
o Affluence of developed countries
o Introduction of cruise ships.
• Mass tourism included two different groups of travelers (p.13):*
o Organized mass tourists - Those who buy packaged tours and follow an itinerary prepared and organized by tour operators.
o Individual mass tourists - Those who visit popular attractions independently but use tourism products and services that are promoted through the mass media.
Impacts of mass tourism:
Mass tourism tends to be highly vulnerable under the various conditions:
• Fads
• Political instability and terrorism
• Economic downturns
• Lifecycle stage of attractions.
Benefits of mass tourism (characterizing economic gains in short-term):
• Hard currency income
• Job creation
• Modernization (development--some might argue whether this is a benefit)
Problems of mass tourism:
• Environmental impacts
o Architectural pollution of tourists sites (p.319)*
o The diminished natural environment and beauty of the area (p.319)*
o Airport construction and operation: large numbers of people and major construction in ecologically sensitive places
o Water and water wastes
o Solid waste
o Transportation
• Socioeconomic impacts
o The disruption of traditional cultural events and occupations (p.319)*
o Low paid, seasonal employment (but maybe better than none)
o Most profits and operating expenses don't stay in host region or country (leakage)
o Neocolonialism
o Exploitation
Alternative forms of tourism to mass tourism:
• New forms of tourism such as Ecotourism (Green tourism or Alternative tourism), Nature Tourism, Heritage Tourism, etc. have evolved as a response to these issues and problems of mass tourism.
• These tourism activities emphasize the need to develop tourism in ways that minimize environmental and socioeconomic impacts, at the same time, ensure that host communities gain the greatest economic and cultural benefits.
• Ecotourism primarily involves travel to sensitive natural and cultural environments to observe and learn about a very different culture and environment and participate in low-impact on nature. Nature tourism is a "watered down" form of ecotourism that developed as a way to include consumptive activities such as hunting and fishing.
* Cook, R.A., Yale, L.J., & Marqua, J.J. (2001). Tourism: The Business of Travel. (2nd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Assignment
Answer the following questions, based on your readings and review of mass tourism Web sites:
1. Based on what you have read, provide a brief history of mass tourism in America.
2. What are the impacts of mass tourism in America and the Third world? Compare the two.
3. Find an example of benefits and impacts of mass tourism online and discuss each aspect.
4. Why has there been shift from mass tourism to more specialized forms of tourism?
5. List at least 10 new forms of tourism that have been "created" as travelers choose alternatives to mass tourism and provide a description of each.
Check Your Understanding
6. The following websites will provide more comprehensive information regarding mass tourism, its history and its impacts. As you read through these websites, use the notes as a guide. After you have finished your reading, complete the mass tourism assignment.
Important Note: I encourage you to find outside reading materials on these topics. Since you are distance students I cannot direct you to library materials--but I would highly recommend you visit your local library to read "printed" textbooks on these topics..
7. History and character of mass tourism:
8. http://www.tia.org/
9. Mass Tourism History:
10. http://www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/theme_c/mod16/uncom16t01bod.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/8875/grand.htm
http://www.grand-tour.org/history.htm
11. Mass Tourism sites:
12. http://www.cyberalps.com/features/heritage02.html
http://disneylandsource.com/history/index.html
http://www.themeparksource.com/themeparks/disneylandpark/index.shtml
13. Impacts of mass tourism:
14. http://www.psychologie.uni-freiburg.de/umwelt-spp-eng/proj/z3_13.html
http://www.ratztamara.com/impacts.html
http://www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/theme_c/mod16/uncom16t02bod.htm
http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/sust-tourism/economic.htm
Part 2
Specific Trail Based Case Studies
Texas trail based nature tourism businesses http://www.rpts.tamu.edu/tce/nature_tourism/trailcasestudies.htm
Examples of Heritage Tourism Development (Shaw & Williams, 1994, p.216)
The focus of national authorities such the English Tourist Board was on using tourism to revitalize the inner-city areas of depressed industrial environments (English Tourist Board, 1981). Local city authorities responded quickly and enthusiastically, so much so that by the mid-1980s a number of cities had started either to introduce or to strengthen tourism. A wide range of tourism development initiated, with conference and business tourism providing a strong component (Law, 1987), together with industrial heritage sites. In 1982, Manchester, for example, created the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park, which included using an old warehouse as a new museum of science, together with other purpose-built visitor attractions (including the Granada TV studios) and restored Roman sites (Law, 1991b, 14).
Examples of Nature Tourism Development (Bryan, 1991, p.75-77)
Set at the foot of the spectacular Big Horn Mountains, the Z Bar O Ranch boasts 12,000 acres of rich bottomland, riparian habitat and high drylands covered with native grasses. The Tongue River runs through the property, creating natural wetlands that attract birds and large mammals from miles away.
Dick and Jean Masters, together with four generations of Masterses, live and work on the ranch, which was homesteaded by Dick's grandfather in 1884. Their primary source of income is cattle, though they grow alfalfa hay, corn, oats, barley, and soy grass and experiment with other crops.
Several years ago, the Masterses underwent a financial crisis such that they had to find other sources of income or fold. There were several vacant guesthouses on their property, and they often had friends and family come by on visits. In reviewing alternatives, they came up with the idea of supplementing their income with a bed-and-breakfast operation.
Today, they host upwards of 100 guests during the season (May 1 to mid-October) and about 25 percent of their total income comes from visitors. They charge between $45 and $125 per night per couple, and estimate that easily half their take is profit.
Jean Masters cautions, however, that their strong earnings reflect the fact hat they incurred virtually no start-up or capital costs. Guests stay in rooms that had been built for previous generations of Masters and that had been unused. Friends in the community donated the extra household items that the Masterses needed to start out. They have hired no staff for the venture, doing everything themselves, or calling on family to help out occasionally. Their largest expenditure was producing a brochure about the ranch and the time they spent writing letters to potential clients.
Z Bar O Ranch was the first hospitality operation in Wyoming. Today, it is one of the most successful. This is in part due to the fact that the Masterses practice sustainable agriculture and sustainable ecotourism. While much of the bottomland has been turned to irrigated farmland, the Masterses have kept the riparian habitat and wetlands untouched, in order to keep the waters of the river clean and the wildlife abundant. They rotate their cattle to avoid placing too much pressure on the grasslands. They also rotate their crops and use other natural alternatives before they use pesticides and chemical fertilizers. They allow hunting and fishing on their lands but keep a strict count of what gets taken and shut their doors once the limit has been reached. Some seasons they don't allow hunting at all if they feel that there is no need for it. And they work closely with their guests, educating them about farm life, western wildlife and habitat and environment.
They are also well thought of in the community. They send their guests into town to sample the local restaurants and to buy souvenirs and clothes. Local schoolchildren come out to the ranch on school outings in order to learn about how a ranch works. And the locals are not forbidden access to the Masters ranch during hunting season (which does occur at some other hospitality operations) as long as they observe certain rules of behavior and limits on game.
Bryan, B. (1991). Ecotourism on Family Farms and Ranches in the American West. In T. Whelan (Ed). Nature Tourism: Managing for the Environment (pp.75-77). Covelo, California: Island Press.
English Tourist Board (1981). Tourism and the Inner City. London: ETB.
Law, C.M. (1987). Conference and exhibition tourism. Built Environment, 13, 85-95.
Law, C.M. (1991). Tourism as a Focus for Urban Regeneration: The Role of Tourism in the Urban and Regional Economy. London: Regional Studies Association.
Lumley, R. (1988). The Museum Time-machine: Putting Cultures on Display. London: Routledge.
Morton (1988). Tomorrow's yesterdays: science museums and the future. In R. Lumley (Ed.). The Museum Time-machine: Putting Cultures on Display. London: Routledge.
Shaw, G. (1992). Culture and tourism: The economics of nostalgia. World Futures, 33, 199-212.
Shaw, G. & Williams, A.M. (1994). Critical Issues in Tourism: A Geographical Perspective. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Notes
What is Nature Tourism?
In 1993 the Texas State Task Force on Nature Tourism defined nature tourism as:
"...discretionary travel to natural areas that conserves the environmental, social and cultural values while generating an economic benefit to the local community."
What is heritage?
• It is "the highly individualized notion of personal inheritance or bequest. It varies in time (history) and space (geography) and is based on allegiance derived from a communal religious tradition, a class formation, geographical propinquity, or a national grouping" (Johnson, 1999, p.190).
• It "a nation's history and one of the elements that combine to form a national identity" (Palmer, 1999, p.315).
• Heritage is the most important single source for international tourism.
What is heritage tourism?
• It is centered on what we have inherited, which can mean anything from history, art, science, lifestyles, architecture, to scenery found in a community, region, population, or institution that we regard as part of our collective lineage (McCaine, Ray, 2003; Yale, 1991).
• It can be regarded as a subclass of cultural tourism (Prideaux, Kininmont, 1999).
Benefits and Costs of Nature Tourism (Sherman & Dixon, 1991, p. 94-100)
• Total benefits - Total costs > 0 : There is a potential that nature tourism is a desirable form of land use.
• Do not assume that positive net benefits mean that nature tourism is the best use;
• It is recommendable that net benefits of nature tourism be compared with the net benefits of other alternative forms of land use.
• Alternatives:
o Leaving the land in its natural state but not allowing nature tourism;
o Developing resorts;
o Developing the land for other uses such as agriculture or housing that would normally preclude tourism.
Benefits from Nature Tourism
Spatial dimension
• Local benefits
o Economic/social, etc. benefits accruing to the immediate area (we'll expand on these topics considerable during the entire semester)
o Employment opportunities, new markets for locally produced goods, indirect benefits (improved infrastructure associated with tourism development)
• Regional benefits
o Same categories as local benefits but less relatively because of the larger size of the region.
• National benefits
o Tax revenue collected from visitors, additional exchange earnings from international visitors to the country, capital investment from domestic or foreign sources
• Global benefits
o Watershed protection, ecosystem support, biodiversity, consumption
o Issues - There is no obligation on the part of recipients to compensate the country of origin.
Private vs. Social Benefits
• Private benefits - Financial returns received by tourism suppliers and operators providing tourism services.
• Social benefits
o Any gains in direct or indirect social welfare associated with nature tourism, community development, cooperation/collaboration, realizing community goals (e.g. quality of life, continued viability, etc.)
• Ecological processes (fixing and cycling of nutrients, soil formation, circulation and cleansing of air and water, global life support), biodiversity (gene resources, species protection, ecosystem diversity, evolutionary processes), non-consumptive benefits (aesthetic, spiritual, cultural/historical and existence value), future values.
Primary vs. Secondary Benefits from tourism-related expenditures
• Primary (direct) benefits - direct purchases by tourist of goods and services
• Secondary (indirect) benefits
o Occurring when the recipients of the primary expenditures spend money they receive from tourist
o Creating multiplier effect (The initial primary expenditures are multiplied as the money is circulated.
Costs from Nature Tourism
Direct Costs
• These costs include financial outlays associated with the establishment and maintenance of a nature tourism site.
• These costs are created by the government sectors (development of infrastructures) or private sectors (development of lodging and food service).
Indirect Costs
• These costs are any damages indirectly caused by the existence of the nature tourism industry.
• Example: damages by wildlife such as crops trampled or eaten, harm to people, livestock, materials.
Opportunity Costs
• The benefits that society or individuals must give up if nature tourism precludes other uses of an area. (Example: giving up any resources that have been developed through intensive exploitation or conversion to other alternative uses (Hunting is banned in many national parks, which means that local residents can no longer count on those resources for sustenance or livelihood.))
Suggested Readings
Johnson, N.C. (1999). Framing the past: Time, space, and the politics of heritage tourism in Ireland. Political Geography, 18(2), 187-207.
McCain, G. & Ray, N.M. (2003). Legacy tourism: The search for personal meaning in heritage travel. Tourism Management, In press.
Palmer, C. (1999). Tourism and the symbols of identity. Tourism Management, 20(3), 313-321.
Prideaux, B.R. & Kininmont, L. (1999). Tourism and heritage are not strangers: A study of opportunities for rural heritage museums to maximize tourism visitation. Journal of Travel Research, 37(3), 299-303.
Sherman, P.B. & Dixon, J.A. (1991) The Economics of Nature Tourism: Determining If It Pays. In T. Whelan, (Eds.), Nature Tourism: Managing for the Environment. (pp.94-100). Covelo, California: Island Press.
Yale, P. (1991). From Tourist Attractions to Heritage Tourism. Huntingdon: ELM Publication.
Assignment
You have learned the concept of nature and heritage tourism and benefits and costs of nature tourism in the class lecture in the this session. Now, it is time to think about further discussion below based on your own experiences, the note and supplemental readings provided in this session.
1. What examples of nature and heritage tourism have you participated in?
2. Are hunting and fishing considered nature tourism?
3. What is ecotourism? Is ecotourism different from nature and heritage tourism?
4. Does nature and heritage tourism require outstanding features such as the Rocky Mountains and The Alamo?
5. What are the tourism opportunities for places without dramatic features?
6. Do you think that learning is a major component of nature and heritage tourism? How does this learning take place?
7. What are the potential risks associated with nature and heritage tourism?
8. What are the potential benefits associated with nature and heritage tourism?
9. In the study notes for this week Palmer states "a nation's history and one of the elements that combine to form a national identity", what other elements do you think are part
Check Your Understanding
10. Nature Tourism Businesses & Developments
You will be able to locate numerous real world examples of nature tourism businesses and development from the Nature Tourism Information Center
http://www.rpts.tamu.edu/tce/nature_tourism/comparables.htm
- Texas businesses (search Texas INFRONT) http://survey.tamu.edu/texasinfront/
- Examples from around the U.S.
http://www.rpts.tamu.edu/tce/nature_tourism/ntiusefulresources/ntbusinesslinks.htm
Larger developments and activities in Texas some other states can be found here:
http://www.rpts.tamu.edu/tce/nature_tourism/ntiusefulresources/state.htm
http://www.rpts.tamu.edu/tce/nature_tourism/ntipublications.htm
Alternatively: Conduct a search for "nature tourism" using your favorite search engine and peruse the Web sites that you find. (Tip: Google is a very effective search engine).
11. Extra Credit:
If you discover an interesting site be sure to make note of it and its URL (Web site address). Send it to Dr. Skadberg in an email with a short summary and an explanation of why you think it's pertinent.
PART 3
Notes
Rural economies in the U.S. (Whitener & McGranahan, 2003)
• It is predicted that rural regions in the United States will be 2,305 counties containing 80 percent of land and 56 million residents at the beginning of the 21 century.
• Most rural counties are dominated by manufacturing, services and other industry sectors other than farming.
• Farm business income is insignificant to the household.
o Nearly 90% of total farm household income generated from off-farm sources in 1999.
• 3 assets that rural economies draw:
o Natural amenities for tourism and retirement;
o Low-cost, high quality labor and land for manufacturing;
o Natural resources for farming, forestry and mining.
• The rural population has grown over 10% in the last decade and the Hispanic and elderly populations account for growing population in rural regions.
• Rural employment fluctuates depending on the conditions of the Nation's economy.
• Diverse rural economy is variously affected by global, macroeconomic and financial conditions.
Rural economies in Texas
• Rural counties in Texas:
o 196 counties are rural out of a total of 254 counties in Texas
o 58 counties in Texas are considered urban while 57 counties are rural areas containing no town with a population of 2,500 or more while the rest fall in between.
o Rural population: Rural population in Texas has dropped compared to urban areas has dropped although, as a whole, it has been growing over the last two decades.
• Rural employment:
o Unemployment rates (8.9%) compared to rural (7.6%) because farm employment dropped by 33% between 1970 and 1998 from improvement in technology, crop science and farm management.
o Service sectors (recreation and natural amenities) has emerged as a new source of rural employment and growth while farming remains an important source of employment.
o Other types of employment include: agricultural services, farm, oil and gas, and governmental sectors.
• Rural income:
o Lower income level ($18,938) compared to the urban counterpart ($26,555) in1998.
o Higher poverty rate (20%) compared to urban counties (16%) and average rate in Texas statewide (16.7%) in 1995.
o The buying power of farmer's income has dropped by 40%, which means that he is worse off today than 29 years ago.
• Major industries associated with rural areas in Texas: agriculture and oil and gas production.
• Nearly 78% of the land in Texas was used to produce agricultural products in 1999: Texas is a leader in the production of crops and livestock commodities.
• Among 13% of all Texas jobs, almost 23% of employment was engaged in mining gas and oil production.????
• The amount of oil and gas production has decreased.
For more information, please refer to the website: Rural Texas in Transition.
Issues in the rural areas (Briedenhann & Wickens, 2003, p.71)
• Declining economic activity
• Reconstructing the agricultural sector
• Dwindling rural industrialization
• Out-migration of higher educated youth
• Increasing unemployment rates
It is estimated that one third of the jobs in Texas are linked to agriculture and mining of oil and gas. A financial crisis in agriculture would have a pervasive impact on the entire economy of the state.
An educational upgrade is necessary to respond to changing market conditions and to develop innovative marketing of natural amenities and other income-generating strategies to attract rural citizens to job markets (Whitener & McGranahan, 2003).
Tourism has become an alternative development strategy for the economic and social regeneration of rural areas (Briedenhann & Wickens, 2003, p.71):
• Stimulating economic growth;
• Increasing the viability of underdeveloped areas;
• Improving the standard of living of local communities.
Briedenhann, J. & Wickens, E. (2003). Tourism routes as a tool for the economic development of rural areas - vibrant hope or impossible dream? Tourism Management, 25(1), 71-79.
Whitener, L.A. & McGranahan, D.A. (2003). Rural America: Opportunities and Challenges. Retrieved December 1, 2003 from Amber Waves: The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America on the World Wide Web: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Amberwaves/Feb03/features/ruralamerica.htm
Assignment
Review the following Web sites and write an essay(s) addressing the following questions:
1) Provide an overview of changing economic/social trends occurring in rural areas in Tolima and Colombia
2) Begin to think about how tourism/outdoor recreation might provide new ways to diversify rural economies and describe your ideas.
3) Think about issues that are important for rural places to be successful (e.g. sustainable economically/socially, etc.)? Outline at least 5 of your ideas and briefly support them.
Texas Agricultural Statistics Service (TASS)
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Agriculture Fact Book 2001-2002
Rural America at a Glance
Texas Cooperative Extension
Check Your Understanding
Case studies
Read the articles on the websites below to see two case-studies of the agricultural crisis in two States of the USA. Give specific attention to the "solutions" that are proposed and think about which suggestions provide an opportunity for tourism/outdoor recreation in rural areas. Use what you learn to complete this week’s assignment.
Agricultural Crisis in Georgia
Farm Crisis in Mississippi (from the Mississippi Business Journal: Use the following Username: "NHTTcourse" and Password: "Spring2004")
Part 4
Nature and heritage tourism as a strategy for rural tourism: Business diversification
Notes
A decline in profits on ranches and farms in 1980s led to restructure their businesses by diversifying the farming systems.
Reasons for diversification (Nickerson, Black, & McCool, 2001, p. 20-21)
• Fluctuations in agriculture income
• Employment for family members
• Additional income
• Loss of governmental agricultural programs
• Meeting a need in the recreation/vacation market
• Tax incentives
• Companionship with guests/users
• Interest/hobby
• Better use of farm/ranch resources
• Success of other farm/ranch recreation businesses
• Education of the consumer
Tourism (nature and heritage tourism) provides an effective opportunity to boost employment and generate revenue to the rural communities while it ensures minimal impact on natural resources.
Many ranches in Texas are diversifying their businesses to create a more dependable income stream by offering nature tourism related activities such as bird and wildlife watching, hiking and hospitality operations such as B&B (Texas Parks & Wildlife).
***Spend the remainder of your time studying the materials/links provided in the Check Your Understanding section, then finish the assignment.
Assignment
1. List at least 5 activities that a farm/ranch can possibly provide in order to diversify its business that could be considered a form of nature and heritage tourism.
2. Find an exemplary rural community or region which has employed nature and heritage tourism for rural economic development. Provide a case study summary describing the following: place where it is happening, what types of activities, the organization that helped get it started (e.g. state agency, consultant, etc.), the organization that is spearheading the project, and the types of activities that they are focusing on for their effort (e.g. regional collaboration, marketing, partnerships, etc).
Tip: There are many examples in Texas, but you can also find examples around the world.
3. What are some keys to success for rural communities to develop nature and heritage tourism?
4. What would be the first three steps to establish a nature/heritage tourism enterprise (either as an entrepreneur or a farmer/rancher)?
Check Your Understanding
Review the following Web sites, publications and articles to help you complete your assignment for this week.
Making Nature Your Business--Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. (TPWD)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/tourism/your_business/
Diversifying Farm & Ranch Income Through Nature Tourism--TPWD
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/tourism/diversifying_farm.htm
Nature Tourism: Opportunities for the Rural Business and Landowner--Texas Dept. of Agriculture (TDA) PDF Document
http://www.agr.state.tx.us/eco/rural_eco_devo/economic_development/fin_resourcelinks.htm
Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan (TPWD)
PDF Document
Rural Tourism Advice Pack--Tourism South East
http://www.ruraltourism.org.uk/index.php?s=4&p=farm_tourism
Nature Tourism Can Be the Key to Success for Rural Communities--Texas Nature Tourism Council, by Linda Campbell
http://www.ttia.org/tntc/jan03.html
Nature & Heritage Tourism: A Guidebook to Evaluate Enterprise Opportunities
PDF Document
Part 5
A Guidebook to Evaluated Enterprise Opportunity: Getting Started
Notes
1.2 Where do I want to be?
In this section, you will identify 'WHY' tourism/recreation activities might provide a potential enterprise to your ranch/farm operation. These reasons should include personal and family considerations and will be related to the goals that you have for your operation.
The idea of adding an enterprise” to your current operation will become more clear as you work through this handbook. Our whole approach is based on the idea that these activities will be a supplement to your income and your operation and therefore they must compliment and not conflict with your current activities (e.g. livestock, oil & gas, grain production) or with you and your family's personal aspirations.
Personal and family considerations may include:
• Replacing or supplementing traditional agricultural product income
• Keeping your land in the family
• Offering your children a reason/ way to stay on the ranch
• Preserving/maintaining a desired lifestyle
• Generating an income for your children's college education
• Maintaining a certain lifestyle
• Personal/family use of wildlife resources
• Helping others understand agriculture and natural resources.
Strategic goals for your operation may involve a variety of financial, operational and management considerations. These may include:
• Maximizing return on investment
• Tax relief or land investment
• Supplemental income
• Generating a reliable income stream
• Diversifying the income of your operation
• Providing a future estate.
You should now complete Worksheet # 1B. In this worksheet, you will identify your goal for your operation.
Notes
A Guidebook to Evaluated Enterprise Opportunity: Getting Started
1.3 Tourism: Is it for Me and My Family?
Considering tourism and recreation enterprises requires new skills and different perspectives than the production of traditional agricultural products does. Deciding to start a tourism and recreation enterprise will impact the family. In most cases, a family member’s interest in a particular activity will strongly influence the type of tourism/recreation business that you will establish. Still, it is important to consider the requirements of these types of enterprises in relation to the skills and interests of all of your family members.
Tourism and recreation enterprises require:
• Working with people
• Inviting people onto your land
• Managing the interaction between people, natural resources, and other ranch/farm operations
• Focusing on the experience as the product, including programming to accomplish the desired experience
• Advertising and promoting your place and the experiences you offer.
As you can see from this list, working with people is the key aspect of a tourism/recreation business. The types of people you will serve should be compatible with your goals and with the accommodations, facilities, services and activities that you plan to provide. Throughout this entire process you should have in mind an idea of the types of people you enjoy spending time with and whether they would enjoy the things you are planning. This issue will arise again and again in this planning process and probably throughout the life of your business enterprise. You will consider this question again in detail in Section 4.1 on marketing, but knowledge of your customer’s characteristics must also be considered in Section 2.3 making sure the resources and activities that you are providing are appropriate to the people you would like to attract.
You should now complete Worksheet # 1C. In this worksheet, you will determine if a tourims enterprise is appropriate for your family.
After you have completed the worksheets for this section, compete the following Online Form and submit it to the instructor.
Brainstorming, discussion, instructions and idea sheet
There are numerous resources about brainstorming. The following excerpt is from JPB Web. There is no right or wrong way to brainstorm. These instructions are only provided as a guide.
Brainstorming can be an effective way to generate lots of ideas and then determine which idea(s) best solves the problem. Brainstorming is most effective with larger groups of people and should be performed in a relaxed environment. If participants feel free to be silly, they'll stretch their minds more and therefore produce more creative ideas.
In order to brainstorm, you will need either a chalkboard or white-board or BrainStormer, our new software for brainstorming.
Brainstorming works best when you have a larger group of varied people. If you are a division in a company, invite people from other divisions to participate. Try to get as varied a group as possible to participate - this will result in the widest and most creative range of ideas.
Step by Step
Define your problem. (please note that the word "problem" is not necessarily negative - your problem could be "We need a new product for the Christmas season" or "How can we effectively use our departmental budget surplus for this year?")
Write out your problem concisely and make sure that everyone understands the problem and is in agreement with the way it is worded. There is no need to put a lot of restrictions on your problem at this time.
Give yourselves a time limit - we recommend around 25 minutes, but experience will show how much time is required. Larger groups may need more time to get everyone's ideas out.
Everyone must shout out solutions to the problem while one person writes them out. There must be ABSOLUTELY NO CRITICIZING OF IDEAS. No matter how daft, how impossible or how silly an idea is, it must be written down. Laughing is to be encouraged. Criticism is not. Why? Because you want to encourage the free flow of ideas and as soon as participants of the brainstorming session begin to fear criticism of their ideas, they'll stop generating ideas. Moreover, Ideas that first seem silly may prove to be very good or may lead to ideas that are very good.
Once your time is up, select the five ideas which you like best. Make sure everyone involved in the brainstorming session is in agreement.
Write down about five criteria for judging which ideas best solve your problem. Criteria should start with the word "should", for example, "it should be cost effective", "it should be legal", "it should be possible to finish before July 15", etc.
Give each idea a score of 0 to 5 points depending on how well it meets each criterion. Once all of the ideas have been scored for each criterion, add up the scores.
The idea with the highest score will best solve your problem. But you should keep a record of all of your best ideas and their scores in case your best idea turns out not to be workable.