Tourism Life Cycle | Skyline College

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Tourism Life Cycle

• - Aritro Dasgupta

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Tourism Life Cycle- Concept Introduction

• Like any living person, tourism destinations go
  through periods of birth, rise, maturing, decline
  termination
• Unlike a humans life a tourist destinations
  cycle depends on the dynamics of market
• Of course when we talk of birth, no area actually
  starts from scratch but the period of development
  as a tourist destination is considered similarly
  end does not mean complete annihilation of the
  area

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Product Life Cycle
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Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC)

• Tracks the progress of the tourist region
• Can provide vital cues about appropriate timely
  action intended to avoid decline
• Several destinations have gone in to decline due
  to lack of expert advice analysis
• TALC also provides focal point for policy makers
  tourists to pose crucial questions

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TALC Analysis

• What leads a destination to change over time
• How markets change
• Which stage destination is at presently
• What may be expected of the destination
• What may be done to revive destination

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Stages of TALC Model

• Exploration
• Involvement
• Development
• Consolidation
• Stagnation
• .
• Decline
• Rejuvenation

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Exploration

• Area hidden from worldview
• A small number of visitors arrive seeking
  unspoiled destinations
• Tourism facilities hardly exist, so tourists
  share facilities with locals or create some
  make-shift arrangement
• Contact with locals high, economic returns
  minimal
• eg unexplored parts of Amazon rain forest,
  Patagonian cold desert, arctic extremes, deep
  interiors of Saharan desert etc.

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Involvement

• Tourist- host relationship from previous stage
  continues
• Number of incoming tourists increase
• Increase in professionally maintained facilities
• eg niche tourism in Western Ghats / Sunderbans,
  historical tourism in Sicily

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Development

• Heavy advertising of tourism venues
• Characterized by externally owned controlled
  facilities
• Local ownership control declines
• Usually requires heavy government funding
• Landscape alters with new development
• eg Khajuraho in MP, Ladakh, Prague (Czech
  Republic), areas around Ngorongoro crater
  (Tanzania) etc.

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Consolidation

• Destination at peak of tourist arrivals
• Rate of increase declines as already at maximum
  stage of development
• Wide ranging advertising promoting off-seasons
• Facilities infrastructure start showing signs
  of age
• eg Manali, Goa, Kerala coast, Agra, Swiss Alps,
  museums historical / artistic attractions at
  London, Paris or Rome

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Stagnation

• Peak visitor numbers already achieved, numbers
  start falling
• Capacity levels exceeded across variables
  resulting in environmental, social economic
  problems
• Region is well known established but no longer
  fashionable
• Some venues start diversifying
• eg Shimla, pockets of Brazilian coastline,
  pilgrimage sites on Himalayas, parts of Florida
  coastline, Bangkok

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Decline

• Inability to maintain market share
• No longer on the favourite list though may serve
  as venues for day-trips
• Tourism related structures converted to other
  uses like retirement centres, apartments
  offices
• Political reasons could also be responsible
• Increasing number of permanent residents
  attracted for non-tourism related businesses
• eg Calcutta in 1960s, Delhi post Commonwealth
  Games, Costa Rica, Kashmir in 1990s, Bournemouth
  (UK), Nice (France)

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Rejuvenation

• At the stage of decline, every destination has
  the choice whether to go in to terminal decline
  or rejuvenate
• Requires complete change in destinations appeal
• eg Mumbais repackaging as gateway to north
  Konkan coast (Tarkarli, Sindhudurg, Zanjira
  etc.), Los Angeles etc.

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Reasons for Decline in Tourist Arrivals

• Growth in low-status, low spend visitors day
  visitors
• Competition from holiday abroad
• Overdependence on long-holiday market
• Limited appeal to overseas visitors
• Highly seasonal destinations
• Outdated, poorly maintained accommodation
  amenities
• Local opposition to tourism

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Reasons for Decline in Tourist Arrivals

• Lack of professional, experienced staff
• Local government reorganization creating amalgams
  of resorts diluting political power of resorts
  in larger authorities
• Shortage of research data
• Demands for increased operational efficiency
  entrepreneurial activity in local government

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Thank You