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)
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.
Evolution of Tourist Attractions:
Viewed as modern creations. Development of tourism is closely tied to attraction evolution.
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
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 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)
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 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.
Attraction/IAAPA