Scribd
Upload
19 views1 page

First Page PDF

This commentary discusses some problematic aspects of focusing on domestic tourism development that were ignored in the original article by Jafari. It uses Ghana as a case study: 1) While domestic tourism could prepare a country for international tourism, viable overseas markets may lead planners to prioritize international tourism instead of the developmental sequence proposed. Ghana has markets like European beach tourists, African-American heritage tourists, and wildlife tourists that could be prioritized. 2) Domestic tourism may not generate sufficient foreign exchange if leakages within the country are high. In Ghana, benefits could leak out of the local economy due to imports or urban-rural divides. 3) Promoting national identity through domestic tourism assumes a homogeneous

Uploaded by

tef.jacob2
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
19 views1 page

First Page PDF

This commentary discusses some problematic aspects of focusing on domestic tourism development that were ignored in the original article by Jafari. It uses Ghana as a case study: 1) While domestic tourism could prepare a country for international tourism, viable overseas markets may lead planners to prioritize international tourism instead of the developmental sequence proposed. Ghana has markets like European beach tourists, African-American heritage tourists, and wildlife tourists that could be prioritized. 2) Domestic tourism may not generate sufficient foreign exchange if leakages within the country are high. In Ghana, benefits could leak out of the local economy due to imports or urban-rural divides. 3) Promoting national identity through domestic tourism assumes a homogeneous

Uploaded by

tef.jacob2
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Annalro/ Tourtim Research, Vol. 20, pp. 216-229, 1993 0160.7383/93 $6.00 + .

OO
Printed in the USA. All rights resewed. Copyright 0 1993 Pergamon Press Ltd.

REJOINDERS AND COMMENTARY


This De~atimcn~ publishes rcjoindm, commentaries, and rebuttals on ihe contents ofAnnals. Attempts should
be made to submit such contributions imnudiatc~ after each issue ofAnnals appears so that they arepublished in
the subsequent issue. Submissions should be sent directly to the Associate Editorfor Rejoinders and Commen-
tary, Graham Dam (D$wtmnt of Government and Sociology, University ofthe West Indies, P. 0. Box 64,
Bria&town, Barbados).

Domestic Tourism Revisited

Robert W. Wyllie
Simon Fraser University, Canada

This commentary considers some aspects of domestic tourism development


as outlined by Jafari (Ann& 13:491-496, 1986). The aim is not to offer
rebuttal, but rather to identify some problematic aspects that Jafari con-
sciously ignored in his brief exposition. It is assumed that Jafari’s case was
made mainly, though not exclusively, with developing countries in mind.
This assumption is based on several observations. First, one of the main
reasons for his proposed redirection of attention to domestic tourism is that
international tourism often fails to enerate expected levels of foreign ex-
change earnings because of leakages. R hile this is a complex issue, it appears
particularly problematic for small, developing countries (Britton 1987; Pearce
1989). Second, it is suggested that domestic tourism can be a means of prepar-
ing a country to enter the international tourism market effectively. This rules
out many developed countries and might be most applicable to developing
countries with rudimentary international tourism industries. Three, a number
of potential benefits of domestic tourism noted by Jafari (e.g., the spread of
the urban or metropolitan language nationwide, the development of a national
sense of belonging or awareness, etc.) appear especially relevant for develop-
ing countries engaging in “nation-building.”
In light of the above considerations, problematic aspects of Jafari’s case will
be illustrated with reference to Ghana, a West African country that has not
yet embarked on a systematic program of international tourism development
and whose domestic tourism is at an incipient stage (Adu-Febiri 1988; Teye
1988). However, no attempt is made to present a detailed analysis of Ghana’s
touristic situation. The discussion is limited to the three aforementioned argu-
ments, which seem the most important and problematic.
First Argument: Domestic tourism can prepare the local industry and host
population for successful entry into the international tourism market. Its pro-
motion should receive priority, at least in the initial stages, over international
tourism. But this proposition is problematic. One, when apparently viable
overseas markets are felt to exist, local tourism planners can easily reject the
developmental sequence proposed in this argument. In Ghana’s case, such
markets would include European “sunlust” tourists, African-American “roots”
tourists, and the general market for “wildlife” or safari tourism. As host nation

216

You might also like