The Geography of

Resources for Tourism

 Appreciate Appreciate the nature of resources for
tourism
Distinguish Distinguish the methods used to classify and
evaluate resources for tourism
Outline Outline the main factors favoring the
development of tourism resources
Objectives Understand Understand the way that destinations evolve

Appreciate Appreciate the need for tourism planning,

marketing, and sustainable development
Match Match specific types of recreation and
tourism to the appropriate resources
Introduction

• Technology now allows tourists to reach

most parts of the world, yet only a small
fraction of the world’s potential tourism
resource is developed.
• Nonetheless, with a growing demand for
tourism focused on a small resource base,
tourist destinations are under pressure
• In part this is because tourism does not
occur evenly or randomly in time or space;
but pressure is focused seasonally and at
special and unique places.
Introduction

• This demands the effective planning and

management of tourism resources and in
particular the matching of appropriate types of
tourist to types of resource.
• Different types of tourism will have distinctive
requirements for growth, and certain sites,
regions of countries will be more favorable for
development than others.
• Examine tourism resources at three scales:
• Global
• National
• Local
The Characteristics and
Management of Tourism
Resources

• By tourism resources we
usually mean tangible features
that are of economic value to
the tourism sector.
• The sector, and indeed
the tourist, therefore
must recognize that a
place, landscape, or
natural feature is of value
before it can become a
tourism resource.
The Characteristics and
Management of Tourism
Resources
• Most tourism resources are not used
exclusively by tourists.
• Apart from resort areas or theme parks
where tourism is the dominant use of
land, tourism shares the resources with
agriculture, forestry, water management
or residents using local services.
• Tourism is a significant land use but
rarely the dominant one and this can
lead to conflict.
• Tourism, as a latecomer, is ‘fitted in’ with
other uses of land. This is known as
MULTIPLE USE and needs skillful
management and coordination of users
to be successful
The Characteristics and Management of Tourism
Resources
• Tourism resources are perishable.
• Not only are they vulnerable to
alteration and destruction by
tourist pressure, but in common
with many service industries, some
resources are also perishable in
another sense.
• Tourist services such as beds in
accommodation, or ride seats in
theme parks, are impossible to
stock and must be consumed when
and where they exist.
• As unused resources cannot be
stored, yield management systems
have been developed to maximize
their consumption
 The Geography of
Resources for Tourism