Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction
The concept of Post Modern Tourism has gained a wider meaning and relation among certain sections of tourists and the
intention and idea of a vacation are no longer going to Hawaii or seeing the sights of Greece. In postmodern tourism, the tourist
seeks what is called learning and self-enriching experience. The idea is to undertake it as a preoccupation with the own self and
in which self-development activities, though they may be very tiresome, becomes a leisure activity. People in this activity
become tourists in their own identity and an ecological sensibility. This paper presents a discussion on various aspects related
to tourism and examines various factors and issues related to the tourism industry. The paper specifically addresses the impact
of various factors on Viva Macau a low-cost carrier (LLC).
Sarup, M. (1996) argues that though the type of tourism as practiced by Post Modern people is rather limited when compared
to the standard tourism beats such as the Bahamas, its limitedness does not lessen its definition of tourism. Post-modern
tourism involves traveling to specific destinations that are normally not in the gambit of the realms of everyday experience. It
requires activities that take place in a leisure setting and during leisure time, necessitating a self-imposed and self-indulgent
choice on the part of the practitioner. This form of tourism involves a commercial transaction with the tourist buying a product
but it also has the possibility of exotic, life-transforming. novel and even a holy experience. The author argues that new age and
post-modern are placed in the regions of alternative tourism in which the tourists feature rejection of the traditional approach of
Fordist mass tourism. The new form assumes a greener Post-Fordist, innovative and specialized thought and this, in turn, has
been influenced by the values and practices of the counter-cultural movements of the 1960s. This form of tourism offers
activities and experiences that relate to this broad ideological spectrum. It utilizes some form of environmentalism, community
values, and constructive host and guest interactions and takes the form of social responsibility seriously.
Huyssens (1990) has defined post-modern as “a slowly emerging cultural transformation in Western societies, a change in
sensibility”. The author argues that Postmodernism is a form of general orientation to the world. It is also a way of experiencing
nature and people in a manner that challenges the accepted beliefs of reason, truth. It takes the form of pastiche, eclecticism,
cultural pluralism, fragmentation, and playfulness. The author further argues that while the distinction between reality and
representation disappears it is identified by the blurring of boundaries between fact and fiction, truth and false. Arguing further,
the author suggests that post-modern tourists do not have coherence and a clear sense of what is the self and other but have a
fragmented identity and they like to celebrate cultural pluralism. He says ” Indeed in the post-modern the distinction between
the past, the present, and the future implodes, and time and space have been compressed. Finally, the post-modern condition
is that of the consumer. Consumption and instant gratification are the main motifs of the post-modern tourist and instant
gratification is what they seek”.
Gentry (2007) speaks of rather some exotic activities that post-modern tourists seek and these include Ghost themed walking
tours that have gained popular appeal in the United States. The author suggests that though walking tours are considered with
a structure of pre-determined direction and content, a ghost walk tour in Georgia has been reported. Although the tours are not
usually free-form, interviewed ghost walk tour guides speak openly about how the tour experience is often negotiated and
altered by the tour participants. The author argues that “ghost tourism is an important yet grossly under-analyzed aspect of the
larger phenomenon known as “dark tourism,” This concept refers to the transformation of death and disaster into saleable
tourism-based commodities. In an earlier era, dark tourism referred to enclave dark tourist sites such as cemeteries, prisons,
Roman catacombs, castle dungeons, battlefields, sites of assassination, and museums that focus on particular atrocities such
as the Holocaust. These places have distinct entrances and exits that separate them from the public space beyond the bounds
of the tourist site. This spatial separation helps regulate the tourist experience, instilling visitors with a shared sense of place
and heritage without interruption from the outside world. Dark tourism destinations feed a growing public fascination with death
and are often used to encourage somber reflection about tragic aspects of history. The author also speaks of the World Trade
Centre tours, the site of the horrific bombings of September 11 that then New York promoted to increase tourism. The author
has also spoken of areas in India such as Karla that are renowned for the special form of ayurvedic treatment in which people
are subjected to the soothing and healing effects of herbal treatment.
With many low coast airlines and the availability of information through the Internet, awareness among customers has
increased. Customers have greater choices in the airlines
With increased competition between aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus has brought the prices of aircraft
down. With a reduction in flights, the number of airworthy second-hand aircraft has increased. Some aircraft models
such as Boeing 737 has given greater power to Boeing
Fuel suppliers can dictate the prices they want and their power is high.
Airports see increased demand for key slots and the airport costs are rising
New entrants will face a competition between state and privately owned airlines.”
Substantial funds are needed for a new entrant to stay afloat, at least in the initial period.
Switching costs are high with a large number of carriers on the same route and price sensitivity is high.
Lack of slots at large airports forces LLCs to operate out of satellite airports and cater to budget customers rather than
the business class customer who pays more.
The structure and competitive changes in the industry since the 1980s have dramatically increased competitive rivalry.
There are several government-owned companies called the flag carriers and private airliners.
The European airline industry is highly concentrated in that a very large market share is captured by the leading flag
carriers, in particular, British Airways, Air France, KLM, and Lufthansa. This puts pressure on the margins and the LLCs
further eat into the profits. LLCs are expected to increase their market share from 5 to 25 percent.
Airlines suffer from under capacity utilization on the short-haul routes. While earlier, the Flag carriers operated the loss-
making routes to build their brand, they had to abandon them to increase their profitability.
Brand identity is very important and the flag carriers typically compete for the more lucrative business and first-class
market with high-quality cabin services and innovations.
Impacts of Tourism
Access Asia. (2007) has suggested that the tourism industry is expected to reach a figure of 156 US$ billion by the year 2010.
The report also suggests speaks of the Post Modern tourism these include adventure sports tourism where participants take
part in a number adventure activities such as rock climbing.
Economic
Carr (1996) speaks of several Economic factors that affect the demand and supply of tourism in a particular area. The effects
are both positive and negative and these are explained below.
Positive Economic Factors and Effects Negative Economic Factors and Effects
Increase gross domestic product directly and May divert government expenditure from other needy areas of the
indirectly through multiplier country
Increased foreign exchange earnings Over-dependence on outside agencies and some external control
on the economy
Creates employment including in unskilled
occupations Income reduced by leakages or outflows
Social Factors
Carr (1996) speaks of a number of social factors that can impact the tourism in an area and these are listed in the following
table.
Cultural exchange stimulated with the broadening of May cause polarisation between the population in
horizons and reduction of prejudices amongst tourist advancing tourist regions and lagging areas creating a dual
visitors and host population society
May enhance the role of women in society and status Breakdown of traditional family values creates material
as opportunity or goals in tourism created and outlook aspiration
widened
Breakdown of families due to stress between younger
Encourages education generation affected by imported culture as opposed to an
older member of a household
Encourages travel and mobility and social integration
Social pathology including an increase in prostitution,
drugs, and petty crime
Cultural
Carr (1996) has suggested a number of cultural factors that can impact the tourism in an area and these are listed in the
following table.
May save aspects of indigenous culture The impact of commercialization may lead to pseudo-cultural activities
due to tourist interest in them to entertain tourists and at extremes may cause the disappearance of
indigenous culture
Contact with other cultures may enrich
domestic culture through new ideas and Mass tourism may create antagonist reactions from the host population
customs introduced concerned for traditional valuesdisappearance of indigenous culture
Encourage contact and harmonious Mass tourism may create antagonist reactions from the host population
relations between people of different concerned for traditional values
cultures
Environmental
Carr (1996) has suggested a number of environmental factors that can impact the tourism in an area and these are listed in the
following table.
Improved landscaping and architectural standards in resort areas Poor building and infrastructure development –
including increased local funding for improvement of local housing, tourist companies do not integrate with local
etc. architecture.
Promotion interest in monuments and historic buildings and Destruction of natural environment and wildlife
funding to conserve and maintain them habitat, marine coastal and inland
May induce tighter environmental legislation to protect Excessive pressure leads to air, land and water
environment pollution and breakdown in water supplies.
Conclusion
The paper has discussed various aspects related to Viva Macau, the low-cost carrier, and also examined various features
related to the airline industry. The paper discussed the phenomenon of post-modern tourism and in this form, the tourist seeks
what is called learning and self-enriching experience. The idea is to under-take a is a preoccupation with the own self and in
which self-development activities, though they may be very tiresome, becomes a leisure activity. People in this activity become
tourists in their own identity and an ecological sensibility. The paper has examined some issues that would impact the company
and have pointed out that fear of flying due to increased risks of terror, intense competition from small airlines as well as big
airlines would reduce the loading of the airlines. Combined with the low cost of the airlines is the problem of highly reduced
rates and the author suggests that many such operators will be grounded. The impacts of the national and international policies
have been illustrated by using the Porters’ Five Forces analysis that provides details of the implications for Viva Macau airlines.
Factors such as Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, and the Intensity of
Competitive rivalry have been analyzed in great detail. The impact of tourism, resort life cycle, and product life cycle has been
examined along with factors such as economic, environmental, social, and cultural.
References
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