TOURISM AND SOCIETY
INTRODUCTION
The interrelationship between community participation, accessibility and tourism will be studied and discussed in this essay. The major focus will be to understand the importance of the tourism industry and the involvement of local communities and other stakeholders. It will discuss the significance of accessible tourism and how it can benefit the tourism industry.
The tourism Industry can be defined as a network of sectors involved in the arrangement and planning of tourism activities, everything from travelling, accommodation and food at all the tourist spots is covered in this tourism industry. It is known as one of the largest industries in the world and has a huge contribution to the worldwide economy. Tourism is the phenomenon of people moving to different places for a short period for leisure or work purposes and they explore the destination's natural habitats, culture and food.
Accessibility refers to the availability of resources and services for everyone (Pham, 2020.103891). Tourism is defined as the assurance of the availability of products, services, resources and experiences for every individual without any disparity based on gender, background, ability and age. Accessibility was introduced to encourage inclusivity and enhance the tourism experience.
Local Communities can be involved in the process of tourism in various ways, and they can also benefit from it. They can enhance the experience of the tourists with their participation in showing their culture and heritage and making people understand the tradition. They can also get financial support through tourism by opening a small business that provides basic products or services. Most of the tourists in the current times have started to get attracted to the culture of the destination.
There is a strong interconnection between these elements and they heavily rely on each other for the overall growth of the industry. Accessibility and community engagement in tourism make it inclusive and attract more tourists which will eventually benefit the tourism industry (Wijijayanti et al., 2020.pp.5-13).
MAIN BODY
Tourism and Community Participation – The relationship between tourism and community involvement goes both ways and serves a purpose for both parties. While tourism growth is heavily influenced by the participation of the natives, the communities also depend on tourism for jobs and business opportunities for financial support. Tourism opens up a ton of opportunities for the local people and contributes to improving their lifestyles. Their relationship can be concluded in one word and that is bidirectional.
There are several reasons to promote community engagement in Tourism since it has several positive views. When the native people are involved in tourism activities, it gives them a sense of pride to showcase their beautiful culture and heritage to the tourists. It also develops a sense of belongingness and ownership to their place and ensures them that it will always be associated with them and will be known by their culture (Tomasi et al., 2020.p.6766).
Involving local communities in tourism also helps in reducing poverty, as this can offer jobs and business opportunities in many fields like guidance, hospitality, infrastructure, food, clothing et cetera. These jobs do not even require a high degree of education or special skills and can be undertaken by everyone.
Community participation mitigates the tourism impacts on nature and maximises the conservation of the environment, promotes interaction in society and makes up a significant help for the economy. This is how one move can greatly influence several areas and help in the management and growth of one of the largest industries.
The Adverse Effects of Tourism Development can be seen in the Local Communities through the points mentioned below.
Tourism Industry has always been associated with negative impacts, be it on the environment or society. If tourism is not managed efficiently, it can be very problematic and will hinder the lives of future generations (Ramkissoon, 2023.pp.442-459). As much as it is vital for the optimum participation of the residents in tourism activities, it can pose adverse effects on the communities in the present or shortly.
Since the culture and heritage of the local communities act as a driving force for the attraction of a large number of tourists to the destination, it can cause overtourism. It can interrupt the peace and regularity of the lives of the natives and introduce major changes in the cost of products and services of the place. This can lead to a situation where the local communities are unable to cope with the inflation and might have to move to a different place. They might also need to relocate due to increasing infrastructure to accommodate the needs of the wide tourist population. These factors negatively impact the lives of the residents for the sake of expanding tourism (Kim and Park, 2023.pp.395-421).
The introduction of different cultures to each other is a positive influence but it should also be done with limits so that it does not cause the blending of various traditions and lead to reduced authenticity of the culture. Tourism is an ever-growing industry but it is still not worth enough to disrupt the identity of the centuries-old culture and tradition that have been passed down to generations. Due to easy access for everyone to any culture, it is becoming difficult to protect the originality of the heritage from urbanisation.
Another adverse effect of tourism development on the local communities is the issue of resource depletion. Since natural resources are limited, it is very important to utilise them mindfully. The tourism industry consumes hefty amounts of resources to make the destination tourist-ready and enhance the experience of tourists. No matter how many sustainable plans are introduced, the industry still has a long way to go to become less harmful to the environment and society (Abukari and Mwalyosi, 2020.p.e00909). The lack of resources affects natives the most.
Potential Risks that can arise from Community Participation in the Tourism Industry are listed below.
Since more tourists are attracted towards the destination due to the nature and culture that it offers. But this is resulting in mass tourism which is very dangerous for the natural habitat and the biodiversity of the place. It can affect the lives of the local people by exerting pressure on them to manage the resources. Mass tourism is also one of the biggest reasons for environmental degradation and waste generation.
There is a risk of high rate of inflation in the destination. This can lead to the inability of the local people to meet their requirements with the cost of living. Their comfort place becomes foreign and inaccessible for them (Gillovic and McIntosh, 2020.p.9722). In several instances, they have to move to another place to get rid of the high expenses that they have to bear in their locality for necessities because of the growth of tourism.
It is also causing the exploitation of communities. The external stakeholders influence their lives by offering a job or the opportunity to set up a small business, but many times they also practice unfair distribution of profits and charge several taxes and extra amounts that the residents are not aware of. This impacts their ability to make decisions on their behalf and take benefit of their earnings.
The topic of connection and dependency between community involvement and tourism has great relevance in the present as well as the future. Consistent study and analysis are required to evaluate the complexities of it all.
Pertinence to the Tourism Industry is explained through the following measures and theories (Czernek-Marsza?ek, 2020.p.100401).
The Theory of Change refers to a framework that can be useful in planning, evaluating and executing tourism programs and practices. It says that it is important to plan and manage tourism properly so that all of its elements can be taken care of.
The Theory of Sustainable Tourism by Butler also talks about the significance of understanding their roles and responsibilities towards nature and people. It encourages tourism firms to take accountability for their actions and make them more sustainable.
Community participation in tourism also supports the idea of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) which emphasizes the role of local communities in identifying their situation and taking actions to improve their situation financially and socially. Since their involvement contributes to making their lives better by giving them opportunities to financially support themselves, it is favourable to the mentioned theories.
Tourism and Accessibility – With the growth of the tourism industry, it is vital to make it more inclusive and adaptable for all (Lee et al., 2020.p.3958). Tourism and accessibility go hand in hand in improving both entities individually and generating an overall profit for the tourism industry. The interconnection between accessibility and tourism is influenced by many stakeholders like the tourism firms, government, people, technology and infrastructure. Accessibility creates a viable tourism experience for a variety of tourists and the development of the tourism industry helps in the improvement of the accessibility of services and products. Since people are becoming more sensitive and considerate, most of the products have started to be designed to be accessible for every individual.
The Potential Beneficiaries of Accessibility in Tourism are:
Accessible Tourism has enabled a diverse variety of visitors to travel conveniently experience new things and explore different places without the worry of not being the right consumer for the industry (Pai et al., 2020. p.6592). The tourism industry is taking measures to make it easy for people of all ages, abilities and genders to enjoy tourism with the help of their accessible infrastructure. For example, the wheelchair facility, elevators, escalators, ramps separate seats and washrooms are available at almost all the places which has the potential to be visited. It helps people with senior age and cognitive disabilities to travel comfortably.
Tourism firms have started considering the needs of low-income communities as well. To make the tourism experience accessible to them, they have designed some affordable packages so they can also experience the luxuries of tourism but according to their budget. Even the stays at tourism destinations involve a wide range of high to low-budget categories.
Accessibility in tourism has ensured that people with young children as well as senior citizens can travel stress-free (Van Nuenen and Scarles, 2021. pp.119-132). Since all the medicinal and food facilities are available at all destinations as well as most of the highways as well, in case of road trips. This way tourism can make the experience satisfactory and convenient for all the people so they can truly enjoy their journey.
How can the Promotion of Accessibility in Tourism Mitigate the Negative Impacts of the Development of Tourism Industry?
Promotion of Accessible Tourism will require building the infrastructure accordingly, and this contributes to the well-being of the local communities as it helps them generate income through these jobs. This helps counter the adverse effects that tourism has on the lives of the residents.
Accessible Tourism is also encouraging sustainability in several ways. It can promote more environment-friendly transportation options to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment.
It can also contribute to maintaining peace and harmony between people and countries as it encourages the idea of inclusivity which welcomes visitors from all places, genders, races, ethnicities and abilities (Harahap et al., 2023. pp.424-431).
Accessible tourism is filled with a diverse variety of people with different interests, abilities and thought processes which helps in diversifying the crowd to different destinations. It can greatly help manage the crowd effectively and prevent overcrowding in a single place.
Difficulties that may arise from the Promotion of Accessibility in Tourism are:
To make it more accessible infrastructure, more funds, planning and space are required. It can be an obstacle in the path of accessible tourism because there are often restraints on the public funds available for the task. Building elevators, ramps and spacious places for welcoming a wide range of people can be taken as an example of how infrastructure plays an important role in promoting accessibility.
But despite the importance, it is not enough to establish accessibility in the core of tourism and other sectors (Gössling, 2021.pp.733-750). The staff of the tourism and hospitality sector must be trained accordingly to deal with different kinds of people and understand their needs, that is how they can feel comfortable while travelling.
Another risk can be over-use of the resources available which might lead to the problem of resource depletion. As it can be seen accessibility comes at a cost, but this cost shall not be the nature or its precious resources. Meeting the needs of accessible tourism should be balanced with the conservation and re-utilisation of the resources.
While the growth of the tourism industry is the ultimate goal and accessibility also works in its favour, at times it can be an overwhelming task to ensure the quality and quantity of products and services for a wide range of tourists and simultaneously fulfil their other basic requirements.
The accessibility concept in Tourism can be proven to be highly relevant in today's times through some research-based funding (Zielinski et al., 2020.p.593).
The Tourism industry can have a great advantage by entertaining the idea of accessibility in tourism as there is a huge market audience for the same. Research and surveys have concluded that it has increased the market value by almost GBP 10 billion in the span of the last 5 years.
The research has shown that almost 10 per cent of the global tourism market.
Revenue is contributed by the people of disabilities and it is highly beneficial to make tourism convenient for them to encourage them to invest more in travelling.
Accessible Tourism helps with the creation of a quarter more jobs compared to regular tourism activities. This is a great signal to solve two problems with only one approach.
It is known that the global population comprises around 15 per cent of disabled people and accessible tourism is a very helpful approach towards inclusivity.
There should be regular surveys and research to figure out the situation and find ways to make it better (Nicolaides, 2020.pp.1-16). Further monitoring is required to understand the relationship between accessibility and tourism and their impact on each other and society.
Pertinence to the Tourism Industry:
With changing times, the priorities of people also keep changing, and one of the major factors for tourists at present are accessibility and sustainability. Since people are becoming more aware of their responsibilities towards society and the planet. Most tourists have started to look out for places that offer accessible tourism because they believe in the right of equality of services and experiences for all and want to explore and promote such places that offer the same. Many tourism firms that offer accessible services have been able to register a competitive advantage in the market and create more revenue due to the rising demand and appreciation of such services (Duxbury et al., 2020. p.2). The gist of all the research and surveys can be summarized with the fact that introducing accessibility in tourism is the best way to entertain a wide market, increase profitability, enhance tourist satisfaction, improve the status of the industry and establish a peaceful and inclusive society.
Development of Accessibility and Community Participation in Tourism
The development of the interplay and interdependency of accessibility, community engagement, and society with tourism is increasing with time and the growth of the tourism sector. It is driven by tourist's requirements, priorities and demands and also the evolution of technology since it provides mediums to fulfil the needs of all kinds of visitors more efficiently. It is also influenced by the emotional and moral values of people in society.
Talking about technology, it is a gem for this era if utilised to its true potential. It can lead to development in all the sectors. Recently, the use of Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality has been very helpful in enhancing accessibility in tourism (Sica et al., 2020.p.13).
For further serious development of accessibility in tourism, it needs to be taken as a priority and not just as nicety towards the group of specially-abled people. It will only be possible if the government and the tourism firms decide to invest in accessible tourism and train the tourism staff accordingly.
The involvement of the community is vital in increasing the tourism abilities of a destination and attracting more tourists and it can also contribute to the promotion of sustainability through various awareness programs and initiatives like community-based tourism and ecotourism which have been proven to be highly successful in the popularity of the destination and properly managing the tourism activities without much interference of the external stakeholders to take decisions for their place of habitat (Nigg and Eichelberger, 2021.p.11142).
There is a key role of new technological advancements in the development of the relationship between tourism, accessibility and community participation, and some of the roles are listed below –
The existing technology of GPS and mapping is already very helpful for tourists to navigate through new destinations, but the emergence of AI can be of huge help for tourists to overcome the language barrier and visit different destinations without the worry of not being able to communicate properly since AI has made it very convenient to translate into several languages.
Virtual Assistants are also present, which can provide customised information to the tourists regarding the services offered by a place and whether they are accessible or not.
Virtual Reality is already being used in many sectors and it is high time that it enters the tourism industry and makes the tourism experience more exciting for people with disabilities and also for people who are just curious to try something new (Fuente-Robles et al.,2020.p.10507).
CONCLUSION
The essay can derive the conclusion based on research and surveys, that the relationship between the three key elements of the industry, accessibility, sustainability and community involvement with tourism is complex but holds a high value and needs to be continuously monitored and nourished for the betterment of the industry, society and the planet.
Following are some of the key findings of the essay –
Community involvement and accessibility in tourism hold a valuable place and contribute to the economy of the country, the profitability of the industry, the well-being of the people and peace, harmony and equality in society.
It is the responsibility of the governing authority to promote sustainable tourism practices through the involvement of the local communities and ensure that their rights and requirements are met and complied with because they are an important element in the chain of tourism activities.
The advancements in the technologies should also be analysed and utilised in the tourism industry in creative ways so it can make the incorporation of accessibility in tourism easier and more convenient since the whole-and-sole purpose of technological development is convenience.
When the idea and purpose are great, it requires more than just planning and execution. To conquer the setbacks and obstacles in making the tourism industry more accessible and increase the healthy involvement of the communities while mitigating the adverse effects that may come with it, it is important to impose strict rules and regulations regarding this.
This essay has discussed several theories related to community participation in tourism activities and the role of sustainability and accessibility in tourism. It has also talked about numbers and showcased how community involvement and accessibility have positively influenced the tourism industry and how they have the potential to stay relevant and make the tourism industry grow significantly.
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