IB Geography Leisure, Sport and Tourism

Define leisure

activities undertaken during free time. Main examples include watching TV, participating in sports, reading etc.

What factors have affected the growth of leisure

• a reduction in the length of a working day and week

• An increase in wages, therefore increase in disposable income

• The growth in leisure activities

• A growth in people taking early retirement

• An increase in self employment and flexible hours

• developments in technology eg. TV for leisure purposes

How are economic development and participation in leisure linked

Societies in LIC’s have less disposable income therefore have a lower chance of engaging in leisure activities, particularly if it involves purchasing expensive equipment.

How is the participation in leisure in indigenous communities

For some communities leisure includes storytelling and music. For others, quality of life and standard of living is so low that it limits the amount of leisure time and activities.

How are age and leisure participation linked

As life expectancy increases, leisure activities in retirement become more important. The leisure industry has to accommodate retired people which make up a large percentage of the population in HIC’s

How are gender and leisure participation linked

Males generally have more leisure time as the household and parenting responsibilities usually fall on the woman, however this is changing. The status of women in a countries society is closely linked to their amount of leisure time.

What are the main types of tourism

• Niche Tourism

  • Ecotourism

  • Heritage tourism

  • Medical tourism

  • Adventure tourism

  • Silver tourism

• Mass tourism

  • Package holidays

  • Beach visits

What are some sporting categorisations

• Athletics

• Racquet sports

• Water sports

• Dancing and yoga

• Rugby

• Outdoor sports

• Swimming, cycling and gym

• Bowling

• Boxing, martial arts and weightlifting

How does development of a country affect the range of leisure activities

HIC’s have widespread activities for all age groups however in LIC’s leisure is less important than survival and leisure facilities are more limited.

How do leisure time and activities change with development

Very poor people may not be able to afford a TV however as income improves TV leisure time becomes important. It also is about having the time to enjoy leisure activities, for wealthier communities more income and more time leads to greater leisure activities.

How does place of residence affect participation in sports and tourism

People who live in mountainous areas ski regularly. People who live in coastal areas may surf regularly. Good access to rivers and lakes promotes fishing. Many people like to spend their holidays in a different type of environment to that in which they live.

How does stage in family life cycle affect participation in sports and tousism

Family life cycle- the responsibilities a person may have towards their family

• single, young, not living at home

• young couple without children

• a couple with children being supported at university/home

• an older couple with no dependant children living at home

This affects time and disposable income that is available

How does gender affect participation in sport and tourism

Eg. low participation of muslim women in athletics and swimming due to religious garments.

What is a tourism hotspot

Areas of intense sporting or leisure activity that attract above average numbers of visitors.

What are primary tourist resources

Pre-existing attractions for tourism/recreation eg. climate, wildlife, scenery

What are secondary tourist resources

Includes accommodation, catering, entertainment and shopping

What is a sphere of influence

Refers to the area from which a facility or attraction draws its support. Eg. a national sports arena will have a large sphere of influence. A playground will have a small sphere of influence

How do the sporting facilities differ in different settlements

Small village - Community hall, open space (badminton, yoga, football, keep fit)

Small country town- + Tennis courts, gyms, sports hall, swimming pool (+ tennis, netball, gym, hockey, swimming, water polo)

Town- + Specialist sports venues, golf courses, skateboard parks, bowling (+ bowling, golf, skateboarding, judo, karate)

City- + Sports stadium, athletic grounds (+ home grounds of sports clubs)

Capital city- national level sports

What is niche tourism

Special interest tourism catering for relatively small numbers of tourists eg. movie location tourism

What is heritage tourism

Travelling to experience the place, artefacts, historic sites, and indigenous people.

What are some benefits of tourism as a development strategy

Positive route for LIC’s with no raw materials for manufacturing. Tourism creates jobs as its labour intensive so will reduce unemployment. It also offers the opportunity to learn new skills eg. languages, entertainment. It also creates the multiplier effect whereby income gained by local people is circulated through the economy. This can redistribute wealth locally, and reduce leakage.

What are some costs of tourism as a national development strategy

Weak currencies attracts tourists however it makes imports for tourists costly. Tourism puts pressure on ecosystems due to litter and pollution, soil erosion. Normally tourism related employment is unskilled, seasonal, part time and may lack rights for workers. Resources eg. water may be prioritised for tourists so may disadvantage locals. Large amount of economic leakage to tour operators, hotel chains etc..

What are some advantages of TNC involvement in expanding tourism destinations

• TNC hotels can boost tourist numbers

• Tourists from HIC’s demand high standard, which is often easier for TNC’s to provide as opposed to small independent businesses

• TNC’s can introduce a number of new technologies and skills

• They generate more employment than local firms

What are some disadvantages of TNC involvement in expanding tourism destinations

• Labour exploitation, tourism related employment is unskilled, seasonal, part time and may lack rights for workers

• TNC’s may remove capital, (use resources which could’ve benefitted the host country and population)

• Economic leakage, much of the income generated will leave the host country and go to the country which the TNC is based in

• The outflow of wealth from LIC’s is widening the global economic divide

What are the advantages of hosting an international sporting event

• Prestige, it is an honour to host the event and it gives the city prestige

• The event may make a profit through sales of radio and TV rights, ticketing and merchandise

• People coming to watch will spend money in local restaurants and hotels, generating economic spinoff

• It unites the country and gives a sense of pride

What are the disadvantages of hosting an international sporting event

• A large number of visitors puts strain on the hotels, transport and water supplies

• Large events are security risks due to international coverage they are now a potential terrorism target

• There may be financial problems eg. stadia and facilities used in the 2004 Athens olympic games have been abandoned and become derelict

CASE STUDY- LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES

• Helped to regenerate one of London’s poorest areas

• Created 12,000 new jobs and built 2,800 new homes, which were affordable.

• The games encouraged developments in the East End of London, eg. Westfield shopping centre

• However some people and businesses did not want to move and were forcibly relocated. London and the South East received the bulk of the profits, increasing inequalities.

• However there was a net financial loss to hosting the games (around 7 billion)

What is carrying capacity

Physical- The measure of absolute space

Ecological- The level of use that an environment can sustain before environmental damage occurs

Perceptual- The level of crowing that a tourist will tolerate until deciding the location is too full

What are some environmental impacts of tourism

Urban expansion and infrastructure building

• Causes a change in habitat

• Changes in populations of species

Generation of waste

• Changes in soil, air and water quality due to pollution

Tourist activities eg. hiking, skiing, biking

• Trampling of vegetation and soils

• Habitat destruction

What is sustainable development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own

What is ecotourism

“green” form of sustainable tourism. uses game parks, natural reserves, coral reefs. Aims to give people a first hand experience of natural environments and show the importance of conservation.

How is tourism forecasted to change in the future

• Increase in tourists globally

• Tourism in Asia, Latin America and Africa is set to increase greatly, which means tourist arrivals in these countries is set to grow a lot.

• Social media is changing tourism, using TripAdvisor, and writing review on FaceBook has an impact on where people visit.

• Places eg. Afghanistan, Pakistan and the middle east have been believed to be power centres for terrorism, so tourism is limited there

• Diaspora tourism may grow too.