CHAPTER-5 TOURIST ATTRACTION AND THEME PARKS

Chapter 5: Tourist Attractions and Theme Parks

Overview of Tourist Attractions

• Definition: Tourist attractions are significant components of the tourism industry, serving as primary motivators for travel. They attract tourists, necessitating other services like transportation and lodging.

  • Natural Attractions: Major motivation for travel, includes:

    • Botanical parks

    • Zoological parks

    • Mountain and seaside parks

    • National forests and parks (e.g., U.S., Canada, India, Australia, Japan)

Scope of Tourist Attractions

1. Explanation and Definition:

   • Tourist attractions can be framed as specific human or natural features that draw visitors.

   • Pearce (2001): Named sites with focal features.

   • Swarbrooke (2001): Defined as single units based on a specific feature.

   • Destinations are different from attractions because destinations are large areas that include several individual attractions together with the support services required by tourists.

2. Evolution of Tourist Attractions:

   • Viewed as modern creations. Development of tourism is closely tied to attraction evolution.

3. Classification of Attractions:

   • Can be categorized based on core products and characteristics. Examples include:

     • Historic houses

     • Museums and galleries

     • Wildlife attractions

     • Castles

     • Botanical gardens

     • Steam railways

     • Leisure and country parks

Types of Tourist Attractions

• Cultural Attractions: Historical sites, museums, and architecture provide insight into civilizations.

• Natural Attractions: Include landscapes (mountains, coasts) and biodiversity (flora and fauna).

• Heritage attractions: Such as the prehistoric and archeological sites appeal to those who want to learn about ancient and contemporary civilizations.

• Recreation Attractions: Focus on adventure and activities (golf, amusement parks, festivals).

• Commercial Attractions: Retail operations, such as outlets selling souvenirs and crafts.

• Industrial Attractions: Sites like wineries and breweries that attract visitors for education and leisure.

• Modern cities: That are rich with cultural treasures also attract millions of visitors every year.

• Entertainment Attractions: Includes concerts, theaters, and performing arts centers that engage tourists through music and performances.

Management Issues in Tourist Attractions

• Management Planning: Effective planning leads to improved profitability and visitor experience. Key benefits include:

  • Higher visitor numbers

  • Increased revenue

  • Longer asset value

  • Greater local profit

  • Lengthened visitor stay

  • Better growth

  • Greater confidence

• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

  Impacts that are caused by visitors raise a number of issues for managers of natural, built, and event attractions.

  VISITOR NUMBERS

  Mechanisms for recording visitor numbers include admission tickets, car parking receipts, and manual or mechanical tools.

  DESTINATION PLANNING

  Gun (1988) found out in his study that attractions function more effectively when they are clustered together. Managers of attractions are able to collaborate with one another to attract visitors to an area rather than to a simple attraction together with the motivation to visit . The development of attractions in urban areas is undertaken not only to attract more visitors but also to stimulate urban renewal.

  DIVERSIFICATION

  Attractions have developed from an existing business such as farm attractions to a diversified agricultural business.

  RENEWAL AND INNOVATION

  Attraction Managers find it necessary to incorporate technology and innovation to their featured attractions to retain and stimulate the interest of the visitors.

  Ex. Virtual reality (ride)

Future of Tourist Attractions Management

• Revenue Generation Strategies:

  • Hosting corporate events, weddings, and birthday parties.

  • Diversifying income through retail spaces and parking fees.

  • Extending operational hours and length of stay through activities.

• Marketing: marketing is significant in the success of attraction.

• PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT:

  Creating World-Class Destinations.

  -Product development is a process in which managers of attractions engage in innovation that tend to develop a new concept and use new technology.

  - INTERPRETATION AND COMMUNICATION

  -2 BRAND THEMES THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT IN INTERPRETATION AND COMMUNICATION

  1. The role of technology known as "high tech"

  2. The role of personal interaction known as "high touch

Amusement and Theme Parks

• Amusement Parks: Complex entertainment areas designed for all ages, providing various attractions and rides.

• Theme Parks: A specialized type of amusement park centered around specific themes (e.g., Disneyland).

  • Popular Theme Parks include:

    • Bakken 1583 at Klampenborg, north of Copenhagen, Denmark

    • Disneyland in Anaheim, California

    • Tokyo Disneyland

    • Ocean Park (Hong Kong)

    • Hongkong Disneyland

    • Lotte World (South Korea)

    • Dubailand (Dubai).

Physical Environment

Attractions:

Natural environment such as forests, mountains, national parks. Built environment which are designed for visitor purposes such as leisure parks and not originally designed for visitors but are adapted as attractions

Ownership

Attractions are owned and managed by organizations, trust, and individuals working in the public, private, and not-for-profit-sectors. Voluntary sector includes organizations that own and manage attraction on a nonprofit basis.

Admission policy

Attractions charge admission fees while others are free to the public.Some attractions operated by membership and some are voluntary donations.

Appeal

Attractions may appeal to a local market, regionally, nationally, internationally.

Size and capacity

Attractions differ in land coverage. Understanding the capacity of sites is important in terms of management and marketing.

Composition

Many attractions are located in or around a specific point such as capital city.

Degree of performance

Biult tourist attractions are usually designed with a high degree of performance.

Number of visitors

Tourist attractions receive varying visitor numbers.

International Association of amusement Park and Attraction (IAAPA)

Attraction/IAAPA