The Tourism Geography of North America

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The Tourism Geography of North America
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Learning Objectives

• 1      Describe the major physical features and
  climates of North America and understand their
  importance for tourism
• 2      Appreciate the scale and characteristics
  of domestic tourism in the USA and Canada
• 3      Understand the importance of the USA and
  Canada as tourist-generating countries
• 4    Appreciate the significance of the
  conservation movement in North America and the
  importance of the national park system in
  particular to tourism
• 5      Be aware of the cultural diversity of the
  USA and Canada
• 6      Recognise the importance of transport in
  the development of the tourism industry
• 7. Demonstrate a knowledge of the tourist
  regions, resorts, business centres and tourist
  attractions of North America.

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North America Introduction

• Physical setting
• Natural resources
• Demand
• Climate
• Natural and man-made attractions

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USA

• Leading destination
• Devolved tourism administration
• Demand
• Inbound
• Outbound and domestic
• Supply
• Public sector
• Private sector
• Transport
• Accommodation

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USA North East

• New England
• Cape Cod
• Newport
• Salem
• Boston
• Middle Atlantic
• New York
• Philadelphia
• Baltimore
• Washington

• Northern Appalachians
• Upstate New York
• Pennsylvania
• Coastal Resorts

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USA The South

• Character
• A climate characterised by long sultry summers,
  short mild winters and abundant rainfall
• The importance given by Southerners to the
  American Civil War (1861-1865), in which the
  Confederacy, made up of eleven slave-holding
  states was defeated in its attempts to secede
  from the USA
• The presence of a large Black minority, who for a
  century after the Civil War continued to suffer
  from many forms of discrimination
• A lifestyle which is more traditional,
  family-orientated, and religion-based than other
  regions of the USA. The strength of
  fundamentalist Christianity explains the use of
  the term Bible Belt for much of the region
• An economy in which areas of dynamic growth and
  prosperity the so-called New South contrast
  with pockets of rural poverty.

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USA The South

• Character
• Large areas of forest, particularly in the
  Southern Appalachians
• The wetlands of the coastal plains, such as the
  Okefonokee Swamp in southern Georgia, and the
  bayous of the Mississippi Delta, that provide a
  unique refuge for wildlife
• A number of large man-made lakes providing
  facilities for water sports. These are a legacy
  of the hydro-electric power projects carried out
  by the federal government to boost the regions
  economy, following President Roosevelts New Deal
  in the 1930s
• The abundance of golf courses, particularly in
  the hilly, well-wooded Piedmont zone between the
  Appalachians and the coastal plains. Pinehurst
  in North Carolina and Augusta in Georgia are the
  most popular golfing resorts
• The barrier islands of the Atlantic and Gulf
  coasts provide many fine beaches. Some have been
  developed as resorts Hilton Head Island is one
  example - while others such as Cape Hatteras and
  Cumberland Island are preserved from development
  by federal and state governments

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USA The South

• Virginia
• South East
• Atlanta
• Savannah/Charleston
• Southern Appalachians
• Nashville
• Memphis

• Deep South
• New Orleans
• The Ozarks

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USA Resources

• Texas
• Dallas
• California
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• San Diego
• Santa Barbara
• Theme Parks
• North West
• Oregon
• Washington

• Alaska
• Hawaii

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Canada

• Demand
• Inbound
• Outbound and domestic
• Supply
• transport

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Canada Resources

• Ontario
• Toronto
• Ottawa
• Niagara
• Quebec
• Montreal
• Quebec City

• Atlantic Provinces
• Newfoundland
• St. Pierre and Miquelon
• Prince Edward Island
• Nova Scotia
• New Brunswick

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Canada Resources

• Prairies
• The West
• Banff National Park
• Jasper National Park
• Calgary
• Edmonton
• British Colombia
• Vancouver
• Victoria

• The North
• Yukon
• North West territories
• Nunavut
• Greenland

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USA Florida

• Character
• The scale of its tourism industry, with a
  constant flow of visitors all year round
• Retired people from the northern states make up a
  high percentage of its population
• The influx of Cuban immigrants to southern
  Florida since 1960, who have largely made Miami a
  Spanish-speaking city and effectively the
  financial centre of Latin America

• Resources
• Miami
• Fort Lauderdale
• Miami Beach
• Florida Keys
• Theme Parks

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USA West and Mid West

• Mid West
• Detroit
• Cleveland
• Chicago
• Indianapolis

• West
• High Plains
• Rocky Mountains
• Grand Canyon
• Las Vegas
• Santa Fe
• Salt Lake City