TOURISM PETER ROBINSON MICHAEL LÜCK STEPHEN L. J. SMITH

Visitor Attractions  9

Learning Objectives

•  To understand the importance of attractions for the tourism industry

•  To describe and classify different types of attractions

•  To understand different ownership and management of different types of attractions

•  To appreciate the role of events as attraction

•  Four main types (Swarbrooke, 2002) 1.  Features within the natural environment 2.  Human-made buildings, structures and sites

that were designed for a purpose other than attracting visitors, such as religious worship, but which now attract substantial numbers of visitors who use them as leisure amenities

3.  Human-made buildings, structures and sites that are designed to attract visitors and are purpose-built to accommodate their needs, such as theme parks

4.  Special events

Classification

•  Another frequent typology is based on – Natural features – Man-made features – Cultural features – Any combination of these three

Classification

Classification  

PRODUCT

resource, catering, interpretation,

retailing, events, conferences,

activities

FR

EE

PA

ID

BUILT

NATURAL

LOCAL MARKET

REGIONAL MARKET

NATIO

NA

L IN

TER

NAT

ION

AL OWNERSHIP

Leask,  2003,  p.7

•  Public –  Central government –  Government agencies –  Local authorities –  State industries

•  Voluntary Organizations –  Charitable trusts –  Private clubs and associations

•  Private –  Individuals and partnerships –  Private companies –  Corporations

Ownership  

•  Ownership and orientation •  Spatial configuration •  Authenticity •  Scarcity •  Status •  Carrying capacity •  Accessibility •  Market •  Context

Attraction Attributes (Weaver & Lawton 2010)  

•  Created for different purpose, but evolved into an attraction –  Churches (eg, Notre Dame in Paris) –  Shopping malls (eg, West Edmonton Mall,

Canada) –  Factories (eg, Coca Cola in Atlanta) –  Industrial Sites (eg, Waihi Gold Mine, New

Zealand) –  Modern buildings (eg, Sydney Opera House) –  Superstructures (eg, Golden Gate Bridge in San

Francisco)

Non-purpose-built Attractions  

•  Identified and declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

•  3 Categories – Outstanding natural heritage – Outstanding cultural heritage – Outstanding natural and cultural heritage

World Heritage  

•  Issues/challenges    – Managing  access  (access  versus  conserva<on)  – Edutainment  – Ownership

World Heritage  

•  MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events)

•  Event types

– Festivals – Tournaments – Other

Events as Attraction  

•  Mega-events – Legacies – Opportunities

•  Infrastructure improvements •  Community involvement/development

Events as Attraction  

•  Various techniques – Signs and plates – Audio tours – Video screenings – Guidebooks/brochures – Personal interpretation (by tour guide)

•  The role of the Tourist Information Center

Visitor Interpretation