Tourism as mass media: a suitable global tool acting locally - a possible option to appraise the
European heritage on the 21st century

The ATLAS Winter University - January, 2001, Pecs, Hungary
"The past 1000 years - Our common heritage?"

 

 

There are two ideas on ATLAS Winter University
" The last thing that the peacemaker wants to know is the history of the region he is going into…
" The purpose of the IP is to assess and evaluate the European heritage of the past centuries ... Will all Europe's cultural artifacts from the past 1000 years become part of the heritage of the next millennium ? ... Is the heritage's evaluation of the future generation going to be different? ... "

I hope to need as less as possible peace makes in the future!
I do not intend to (re) define the terms, to analyze the " heritage commodity " as a good, or service, or a professional package, or to examine the cultural and heritage tourism from the marketing point of view. I just want to point out a new dimension of the tourism, made possible by nowadays heritage in media and to explore possible option to appraise the European heritage on the 21 st century.

I propose to focus on 4 main directions:


1. Mass media and tourism : in order to see if we can take tourism as a mass media
2. Some major characteristics of tourism as mass media, some atributes on this regard
3. Some major changes, present and predictable in the near future. Tourism on the horizon of the 21st century.
4. Possible option to booth the European heritage on the horizon of the 21 st century.

I shal start with a statment:

If one follows the history of development of thinking, one can find that causes were sometimes taken for effects, and effects for causes, that led to a wrong outlook, that turned sometimes into a dogma.
Let's ilustrate it. Let't take a general oppinion like:

We live a tremontous worl ( time ). Thinks are mouving so fast taht we hardly have the time to realise the changes. At least concerning travel and tourism. Isn't it trou? May be!

I have to start askings the meaning of some terms.

Some of the greatest events of European history:

 

THE FORTRESS EUROPE
besiegers
attackers

Indo European migrations
Homer ' s time - Odyssey
Alexander the Great
Rome - the capital of the civilized world
Barbarians against Rome
Crusaders
The Turks
Gingis Kahn
The Great discovers - colonization of New World
Napoleon
WW
The crash of Berlin Wall
Brains' hunting

ANYTHING NEW?

TRAVEL = ? = TOURISM

migration, refugees, soldiers leisure, hospitality, informal tourism

MOTIVATIONS

mass tourism => collapse of the space

 

We use to say or to heare the sintagma " The fortress Europe ' that wants to point out that nowdays Europe is the target of many immigrants, the ' promissed land" for may people of the third world, the Eldorado... This oblige Europe to protect itself and its poeples. But we can say the same about US or Canada, or Australia, or South Africa. More, during history we find constantlly places that attracted people. Anything new?

I also point out that any fortress suppose the besiegers and the attackers. And I add: its own internal problems. I remain on the slide some moments of the history coneccted to Europe:
the Indo European migration, that Homer's time - just an internal, an European matter with some steps in Minor Asia to Prim and Helen's fortress. Alexander the Great- Europe to Asia - only one culture with detectable heritage till today. And than Rome - the city aprised to an empire. An European internal affaire too. But barbarians against Rome was not only an internal problem, just reaminding Attila. An oder internal bussiness: the crusaders and an international one : the turcs and Ginghis Khan. And the finest time of the Great discovers: the first foundation of the present geography. Napoleon, the WW and the crash of wall inf Berlin and to close the retrospection, the actual brain hunting, mainlly for US.

Any thing new under the sun? Nothing, that people coming to Europe, going abroud or just mouving from one place to an other inside Europe. Each with his business: to make fortune, to robe some rich people or places, to solve some dispute with other... Let me conclude: every one traveled and are still traveling. But has this anything to do with tourism? Yes, as long as tourism is travel. No, as long as tourism is leisure, hospitality even informal tourism.

The difference is the motivation. I do not explain what are the motivation to do tourism as anyone of you know the subject. Allow me to point out that nowdays tourism, mass tourism practically colapse the space. Let me give an example. Suppose we are in Amsterdam, or Munich, or what so ever but Western Europe not Eastern one: We have not to imagine, we can find easilly two fellows on Thursday telling one to the other: what are you doing this weekend. I want to swimm a little bit. This time I want to try Mallaga. I leave at 4,30.
It seams, they said: I am just getting out to buy some beer. Or even your example. You just leave to the Winter University for 10 days ,as you use to go to your grandparents.

Space do not exist anymore for travel. At least as an obstacol. The motivation is the main difference between travel and tourism. And there are so many motivation. Let's keep in our mind this important feature: motivation. As we still have some problem to define tourism

Defining tourism:

We have here only 3 definitions: This way of defining tourism might force us to consider as " tourism " all travels of all people and all their movements on account of war, famine, illegal emigration, emigration ( as the Chinese from Hong Kong), political refugees, sales of goods etc. and last but not least travels for "tourism purposes"? Shall we take for tourism only the travel mdae for having a holiday? What shall we do with business tourism, tourism for conferences as the winter university?

What is "tourism"?
There where various definitions of the notion that have changed in time.

-"Tourism is about people being away from home, short-term, temporary visits, with the express purpose to make "tourism" Rob Davidson in "Tourism" (Pitman 1991)

"tourism is any kind of activity, performed by any one away from home for more than 24 hours".

- "Tourism: the business of providing travel and services for tourists"; but also "the practice of having a holiday as a tourist." The Oxford Student's Dictionary

 

It is hard to admit that tourism, a sector of the world economy with an important turnover, which involves one of three inhabitants of the Earth self-defines itself by the term "tourism". This is why I considere necessary to expand the notion of tourism as we will use it further on, to the broad meaning of the term, because the basic characteristic of tourism is movement, direct contact with a new space, a different "reality". Classical theory use to add an explanatory adjective: hospitality, leisure etc. I use further on "tourism " as synonym for " travel as any rule for the hole is also the rule of a part of the hole.

Defining mass media:

What is "mass media"?

According to the tasks it has set for itself, mass media also has several definitions. But all of them focus on the following basic characteristics:
- omnipresent and public : you can find them everywhere and they available are any time for anyone.
- rhythmical and periodical issue
- widespread, universal, their message is complex and vast
- penetrative, addressing anyone, the masses of people, directly, simplifying the distribution of information
- instant and up-to-date communication
- accessibility


Mass media facilitates :
- access to information
- access to culture, education and training
- typical social communication
- "satisfaction" by means of entertainment and fun

Everyone of you know what is mass media: newspapers, radio, television etc.

. First allow me one big digresion: mass media and tourism are made not for all countries. Only for those with a certain economical level. We find mass media and tourism also in poor countries but not as a mass activity, or goods, or tool.
Taken this tel quel tourism suppliers and clients and information might be more present as the newpapers, or people listening to radio. And the hole touristical activity is poublic, any one can make a trip as they can buy a magasine.


Robert Escarpit counted the followed basic chareacteristcs. Let see if tourism fulfill these requirements
- omnipresent and public: YES
- rithmical and periodical issue: the same for tourism: by season, on holidays or business travel: YES
- widespread, universal, the massage is complex and vast. It suits for tourism too: YES
- penetrative, addresing anyone to the masses of people... just the mass tourism. TES
- instant and up -to date communication: the view seems to be the faster of the senses and the main one used in by tourists: YES
- accesibility: same in tourism: YES

Mass media facilitates access to information - access to culture, education and training
- typical social communication- "satisfaction" by means of entertainment and fun. We are talking the same about tourism

And more, tourism offer additionally

heterogenity: a lot of thinks - touchable or not, mixt togheter.
Intangibility - you can not tauch the touristical product befor buying it, and you know what you bought only via information
Perisability - the life of a touristical product is short enough to give headaches to touroperators and not only to them
International - not necessary to explain to you
( And more we have in tourism private sector versus public sector )

I shall say and you shall judge these days:

During the sixties, tourism has turned into a mass movement. By comparison with mass media, we can identify all basic characteristics of the latter : a location where the message ( information ) is elaborated to be then spread through specific channels of distribution bearing the same goals in mind. Moreover, tourism as mass media allows the "target" to check the information on location during the trip, a kind of feed back that makes the information the more trustworthy. We may therefore consider tourism as a means of mass communication.

Let's have a look on how mass media is working

Mass media “world”.


Any mass media product have a source, usualyy an institution or better a structure with all it is involve on that: ownership, finance, constraints, control etc. >>> Any mass media product exist in order to fulfill a need: of the audience or of the source >>> Once a mass media message is decided to be sent on it is encod, plounged in a special production process that will make the >>>> (message ) product : The product can be used for information and persuasion. it can have genre or realism etc. >>>>Once on the market, arrived to the audience the product must support the decoding, under the restriction of ideology or culture and >>> in the context of all these it might and usually determine a >>> feed back: effects, or profits or s.o >>>>
And more al this process is continuue, active, dinamic

We know now, that as a rule, not all the country enjoy mass media experince as well as tourism activities. The international exchanges in these fields were limited enought in comparation with the domestic market.

International exchanges on mass media.

We can see it also on this slide, and I just want to remark that the countries that export more have a larger domestic market. US stay on itself, Western Europe is under american influence but has also an important " local" international market with 15 % exchanges betwenn its own countries. The last technologies made the communication global but the same trands still remaind in international exchanges for mass media and tourism.

But and other process is developping: the internalisation of the capitals and of the control.

“The vanishing independence of British publishing”.

You can see here that in Great Britain some publishing institutions control many of the well known ones on the market and they have themselves international capitals as well. And the situation is the same for each mass media: TV or radio. etc. Taking about Internet: how many institutiosn control the domains name for web sites? You have the ridght example of concentration of international capitals.

The first 20 hotels chains in the world:

THE FIRST 20 HOTELS CHAINS IN THE WORLD

PLACE IN

1999

1998

Hotels chain /

Social center

rooms

1999

1998

hotels

1999

1998

1

1

Cendant Corporation

Parsippany, New Jersey, USA

542,630

528,896

6,315

5,978

2

2

Bass Hotels & Resorts

London, England

471,680

461,434

2,886

2,738

3

3

Marriott International

Washington DC, USA

355,900

328,300

1,880

1,686

4

6

Accor

Evry, Franœa

354,652

291,770

3,234

2,666

5

4

Choice Hotels International

Silver Spring, Colorado, USA

338,254

305,171

4,248

3,670

6

5

Best Western International

Phoenix, Arizona, USA

313,247

301,899

4,037

3,814

7

11

Hilton Hotels Corp.

Beverly Hills, California, USA

290,000

85,000

1,700

250

8

7

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

White Plains, NY, USA

217,651

225,014

716

694

9

9

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

114,161

106,244

616

548

10

12

Hyatt Hotels / Hyatt International

Chicago, Illinois, USA

85,743

82,224

195

186

11

10

Wyndham International

Dallas, TX USA

73,215

100,989

303

472

12

13

Sol Meliá

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

69,178

65,586

260

246

13

17

Société du Louvré

Paris, France

65,970

37,630

990

601

14

14

Hilton International

Watford, Herts, United Kingdom

61,889

54,117

217

170

15

16

Forte Hotel Group

London, United Kingdom

58,636

48,407

449

249

16

15

FelCor Lodging Trust

Irving, TX, USA

50,000

50,000

188

193

17

------

TUI Group

Hanover, Germany

42,379

------

172

-------

18

19

La Quinta Inns

San Antonio, Texas, USA

39,250

37,019

302

287

19

22

Extended Stay America

Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

38,300

32,347

362

305

20

20

Club Méditerranée SA

Paris, France

36,510

36,010

127

127

 

HOTELS July offcial publication of IH&RA (International Hotel & Restaurant Association), thank to FIHR / Federatia Industriei Hoteliere din România


The mirror in tourism: the first 20 hotels chaines owns 30,000 hotels And the nomber is not all: each of them has its own philosophy, rules and we can say its own world: Come in the world of Club Med!
>>>> tourism is a global activit from is very begining

This allows me to state : "From a very young age, the child gets accustomed to holidays. Then, from desire, alluring brochures to the holiday itself, we create the image, the illusion of happiness. We sell them their remembrances. We are endowed with most effective means of persuasion. This is the result of our being continuously in immediate contact with life and reality, but reality as we present it".
Tourism is a means of mass communication. Of all mass media it is the most powerful due to its range and especially its force: it is governed by the "principle of Apostle Thomas: touching is believing". This force is ignored because it doesn't bring a quick return on investments; the future is sacrificed for the sake of the present. The power to awaken the sense of history and values is lacking. And more extensive efforts should have been made, especially in Europe, in order to avoid the lost of rediscovered brother countries.

Let's have a closer look to the tourism activity.

Information flows in tourism industry


We can see that tourism is not sleaping, not eating, not using transport vehicles - you all know it very well. Tourism is someting more. information, flows of information. The main actors: travellers, suppliers, intermediaries, tourism organisation and goverment agencies, market researchers must not be analised for them selves but for the flows of information they handle. Their input and output of information. Giagantic. And very strong one.


Tourism information need.

Ttypes of tourism information media.

Exemples of tourism information needs: by consumer, travel agents, suppliers, tourism officies
Each piece of information flow through a media tipical for tourism: these media can be static or dinamic, pretrip or intrip as per exemple on the slide. But the real nature is much more complex

Let try it some other way. The “ world “of tourism.

I put here an image of the world of tourism: first the casum belum: the free time and disposal money. And this is not haphazard or accidental. If we have a look on the history of economy we shall find out that leasure has a recent life; as well as labout unions: last 100 - 150 year. To point it out well, I remaind you that Ford has based all his philosophy on the buy power of his own workers; and he get on to rise their buy power. The history shows that things happened similar for leasure and tourism.

Coming back to origin of tourism activity on our slide: I shall say, that under the motivation and required information, the pour future tourist take the decission to travel> On my slide I separated the 2 main fields of tourism production: the invisible and HORECA - basical services. But all these have to be carried on on social, political enviroment and nowedays on the international one. And the guides give shape to the tourism product, that is remembraces.

I want now to point out the world of tourism as information. Not only the potential tourist is a target, but each of the actors are a source of information and a target in the same time.


Let's suppose a restaurant: training is responsable to teach the staf about the habitudes and tranditions of different kind of tourists: muselisms do not eat pork, French like vegetables, an English breackfast is made of, and an American one of...Hungarian papricash must served very hot and s.o All these is modifing the world of the staf but in the same time is reinforcing local traditions. They have to: nobody look for international meals, every one wants someting special, local too. In the same time the tourist, once plought into tourism world, expecst to find the due respect for him, waiting to be served accordelly if he is an Arabian, a Juif or he celebrate his aniversary. The information goes both sides; We can conclude that touristical information become global but it is generating local effects, as only local offer can be for any interest for making tourism. We can go on with all the actors playing in tourism and we shall find similar situations.
Creating local and keeping specificity. A emerging, changing specificity, but good enought to preserve the personality of people, gourps, persons and strong enought to maintain the eterogenity of the humanity that made the life and the evolution possible

I hope you agree that tourism is a media and a very large one
How populor is tourism ? But how popoulous is it? Figus about tourism activity:

Receipts per Region

World tourism receipts (US $bn) by WTO region, 1991-96

WTO regions

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

GROWTH %

1991-1996

Africa

4.9

6.2

6.3

6.9

7.2

8.3

69

Americas

76.8

85.4

91.0

94.9

100.1

106.5

39

East Asia / Pacific

40.2

47.3

52.4

62.7

73.6

81.2

102

Europe

143.3

167.6

163.8

178.2

207.7

217.2

51

Middle East

4.3

5.4

4.8

5.4

7.2

8.0

86

South Asia

2.4

2.8

2.8

3.2

3.6

4.0

67

WORLD

271.9

314.3

321.2

351.6

399.4

425.3

56

Source: World Tourism Organization, 1998.

Note: Figures are rounded (receipts to the nearest US$ 100m) so that component figures may not add up to totals

Percentage share of world tourism receipts, 1975 and 1996

WTO region

1975 (%)

1996 (%)

Africa

3.1

2.0

Americas

25.1

25.0

East Asia/Pacific

5.3

19.1

Europe

63.5

51.1

Middle East

2.1

1.9

South Asia

0.8

0.9

Size of the sector- number of establishments and personnel

Units

Country

Hotels

Restaurants

Cafés

Cantines

ind

Belgium

1930

21057

29724

   

Danmark

481

7866

2441

2802

 

Finland

1100

3800

6900

1700

 

France

28698

81313

49239

   

Germany

40041

108677

69068

6399

 

Italy

34000

90000

150000

   

Spain

26388

58886

213987

   

UK

40000

100000

80000

16000

 

Hungary

2002

9932

41310

   

Norway

1274

 

231

604

3316

Switzerland

       

25000

Ireland

1072

2571

8694

   

Netherlands

2895

19181

19396

2866

 
 

179881

503283

670990

30371

28316

Total general

1412841

Source: World Tourism Organisation, 1998

PERSONNEL

Country

Hotels

Restaurants

Cafés

Cantines

ind

Belgium

12242

46601

17344

   

Danmark

11831

     

22088

Finland

14700

18200

12200

10400

 

France

186456

376598

90308

   

Germany

301000

527000

209000

26000

 

Italy

245000

450000

300000

   

Spain

158536

     

461300

UK

330000

320000

350000

120000

 

Hungary

27000

82000

105000

   

Norway

16400

 

1600

1500

16700

Switzerland

       

170000

Ireland

32520

40667

76239

   

Netherlands

     

20000

271000

 

1335685

1861066

1161691

177900

941088

5477430

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: World Tourism Organisation, 1998


10% of the population leave for a touristical program. I know that these figues counted the same persons several time. But the same statistics are made for papers or TV shows. Mass media do not rely only on direct consumer but also on ruhmors effect: I hear it on the radio! I have seen it on TV yesterday evening ! but I do not belive: I was there last summer and it is quite differnet. I saw it by myself... The power of tourism direct information.

In a small country as Romania, and poor to - I did not said not gifted - the touristical circulation might have a much more inportance.

And now the question: is it tourism a mass media? And my answer is YES:

4.1 Classic tourism as mass media : there are two main conditions that are considered to allow practicing tourism ( in the classic, usual meaning of the word ) : the available money and free time. In view of this I must also point out:
There are very large direct means of communication employed in tourism. The information emerges as a result of the activity of entire area / community in its political, social, economic, cultural life. Their heritage, present and hopes give the image of the touristical destination, the interaction of the tourism industry with the market, the quality of the direct contact with reality ( feed back )
Tourism is as a means of communication because it facilitates: transmission of information in view of a predetermined scope; contact of the "target" with a certain culture / society with a great potential to influence shaping the targets view on the subject; proves and supports a certain standard of living as a result of a long-term social contract ( the Marshal Plan included the vacations in its promises : the German citizen for instance would hardly give up to their right to vacation)

4.2. Informal tourism as mass media : people having neither money nor time have come to travel in the past years, during which this transit has grown to be a mass movement. Examples upholding this idea would be for instance:
- illegal immigration : any illegal immigrant follows a certain route to get to the "promised land". And the information he uses are accurate and effective! How can I get this information ? How is this underground world of " tourism " structured ? A fair analysis will not be able to prove whether this illegal immigration is more to the benefit of the immigrants or the citizens of the target country.
- legal immigration : relatives come up for travel expenses one way or the other etc.
- movements generated by local crises : such as : East European countries, Hong Kong, Africa and Israel ( the latter, as an exception which keeps tourism alive in spite of all crises).
And these are not only " travels " but also direct contacts. Western Europe, its peoples and their heritage is the main attraction point for " travelers " up to Pakistan and Africa, as in Antiquity! It seams that the " quantity " is in Pacific area but the " quality " still remain in old Europe.

4.3 Tourism as a mass media using other means of communication : the revolution in the field of informatics already allows the rich - mainly people in business - to travel on the electronic highways of the global communication networks. Thus, it doesn't matter any more for them if they are on the beach or in their office. In such situations, the tourist stays at home and the information is the one that travels, the image of the place he is " linked " to. The heritage is digitalised!

Let's have a look of the present, clasical tourism and the future tourism.

Actual and future distribution in tourism (1)

Actual and future distribution in tourism (2)

Actual and future distribution in tourism (3)

These slide shows the distribution chanes of tourism packages. We should see also the same on suppling services. The situation are much similar. It is for sure that Internat will bring major changes for consumers, suppliers and travel agents. The main mutation is the fact that tourism information is wold wide available as www.


Tourism is traveling in circle. That means coming back home. But after sharing the experiences of touring that include also the new acquisitions from the heritage of visited places and peoples. As a mass media tourism is accelerating a new " global heritage ". We might ask if tourism ( and / or modern communications ) generate a common and global heritage! My answer is definitively NO, as everyday people die and new heritages are made, including their personality and own heritage and experiences too. We can rather say that this process is similar to macroeconomics, where the activities of many economic agents are not added but aggregated. So, the minority might be the speaker for the group. And this is the fortune for Europe: its heritage has the chance to put its mark on future human common experience.
Summing up, we may say that tourism, both in the "classical" and "broad" meaning of the world is a very powerful means of transfer of the information about communities, people, their history - their heritage, about present and future by direct contact and therefore very effective.

What will be the future? Tourism 2020 and Specific facts and figures on tourism:

Specific Facts and Figures on tourism:

1. Top World Destinations - present and future

World's 10 leading tourism destinations (arrivals in '000s)

Rank

Country

1990

%

1996

%

1

France

52,497

16.0

62,406

14.5

2

United States of America

39,539

12.1

46,325

10.8

3

Spain

34,085

10.4

41,295

9.6

4

Italy

26,679

8.1

32,853

7.6

5

United Kingdom

18,013

5.5

25,293

5.9

6

China

10,484

3.2

22,765

5.3

7

Mexico

17,176

5.3

21,405

5.0

8

Hungary

20,510

6.3

20,674

4.8

9

Poland

3,400

1.0

19,410

4.5

10

Canada

15,209

4.6

17,286

4.0

Source: World Tourism Organisation, 1998.

 

Rank

Country

1996

Population

Mil.

% to population

1

France

62,406

58,370

106

2

United States of America

46,325

265,280

17

3

Spain

41,295

32,320

127

4

Italy

32,853

57,380

57

5

United Kingdom

25,293

58,800

43

6

China

22,765

123,080

1

7

Mexico

21,405

96,580

22

8

Hungary

20,674

10,190

202

9

Poland

19,410

38,620

50

10

Canada

17,286

29,990

57

World's leading tourism destinations (forecast arrivals in millions) - 2020

Rank

Country

2020

Market share %

Growth % (pa)1996-2020

1

China

137

8.6

8.0

2

United States of America

102

6.4

3.5

3

France

93

5.8

1.8

4

Spain

71

4.4

2.4

5

Hong Kong

59

3.7

7.3

6

Italy

53

3.3

2.2

7

United Kingdom

53

3.3

3.0

8

Mexico

49

3.1

3.6

9

Russian Federation

47

2.9

6.7

10

Czech Republic

44

2.7

4.0

Source: World Tourism Organisation, 1998.

 

Specific Facts and Figures on tourism:

1. Top World Destinations - present and future

World's 10 leading tourism destinations (arrivals in '000s)

Rank

Country

1990

%

1996

%

1

France

52,497

16.0

62,406

14.5

2

United States of America

39,539

12.1

46,325

10.8

3

Spain

34,085

10.4

41,295

9.6

4

Italy

26,679

8.1

32,853

7.6

5

United Kingdom

18,013

5.5

25,293

5.9

6

China

10,484

3.2

22,765

5.3

7

Mexico

17,176

5.3

21,405

5.0

8

Hungary

20,510

6.3

20,674

4.8

9

Poland

3,400

1.0

19,410

4.5

10

Canada

15,209

4.6

17,286

4.0

Source: World Tourism Organisation, 1998.

 

Rank

Country

1996

Population

Mil.

% to population

1

France

62,406

58,370

106

2

United States of America

46,325

265,280

17

3

Spain

41,295

32,320

127

4

Italy

32,853

57,380

57

5

United Kingdom

25,293

58,800

43

6

China

22,765

123,080

1

7

Mexico

21,405

96,580

22

8

Hungary

20,674

10,190

202

9

Poland

19,410

38,620

50

10

Canada

17,286

29,990

57

World's leading tourism destinations (forecast arrivals in millions) - 2020

Rank

Country

2020

Market share %

Growth % (pa)1996-2020

1

China

137

8.6

8.0

2

United States of America

102

6.4

3.5

3

France

93

5.8

1.8

4

Spain

71

4.4

2.4

5

Hong Kong

59

3.7

7.3

6

Italy

53

3.3

2.2

7

United Kingdom

53

3.3

3.0

8

Mexico

49

3.1

3.6

9

Russian Federation

47

2.9

6.7

10

Czech Republic

44

2.7

4.0

Source: World Tourism Organisation, 1998.


Around the year 2002-2003, the length of a transpacific flight will be much shorter. In addition, several millions of millionaires from the USA, Canada to China, Korea, Thailand etc. will desire holidays. Western Europe already prepares its touristic offers in order to meet their exigencies.

There are some tendancies that are and will be actual for Europe:

I start with globalisation: the first 10 hotels companies as global representation:

FIRST 10 HOTELS COMPANIES AS GLOBAL REPRESENTATION

 

COMPANY

NO.COUNTRIES

 

Bass Hotels & Resorts

98

 

Best Western International

84

 

Accor

81

 

Starwood Hotels & Resorts

80

 

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide

57

 

Marriott International

56

 

Hilton Intetrnational

53

 

Forte Hotel Group

51

 

Club Mediteranée SA

40

 

Choice Hotels International

36

 

FIRST 10 HOTELS COMPANIES OPERATING FRANCHISE

 

COMPANY

TOTAL HOTEL UNITS

IN FRANCHISE

TOTAL HOTEL UNITS IN THE COMPANY

 

Cendant Corporation

6.258

6.315

 

Choice Hotel International

4.248

4.248

 

Bass Hotels & Resorts

2.563

2.886

 

Hilton Hotels Corp.

1.357

1.700

 

Marriott International

998

1.880

 

Carlson Hospitality Worldwide

581

616

 

Accor

568

3.234

 

U.S. Franchise System

374

400

 

Société du Louvre

372

990

 

Starwood Hotels & Resorts

299

716

 

FIRST 10 HOTELS COMPANIES OPPERATING MANAGEMENT CONTRACT

 

 

COMPANY

TOTAL HOTEL UNITS IN MANAGEMENT

TOTAL HOTEL UNITS IN THE COMPANY

 

Marriott International Inc.

759

1.880

 

Société du Louvre

565

990

 

Accor

456

3.234

 

Tharaldson Enterprises

314

314

 

Westmont Hospitality Group

296

296

 

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

204

716

 

Hyatt Hotels / Hyatt International

191

195

 

Marcus Hotels & Resorts

185

185

 

Bass Hotels & Resorts

175

2.886

 

Hilton Hotels Corp.

173

1.700

 

tourism become more and more global. The first 10 hotels companies operates in many countries. There are countries that can not afford to have embassies in such many places as these chains have subsidiaries. And the development is blowing up by new tools as franchise and management contracts.

I continue with the implication of the transition of Eastern countries.

What tourism is concerned, usually only business tourism was a subject, meaning the tourism industry capable to become a development factor. The lack of communication between the East and West European countries, before 1989 has brought the Eastern peoples disastrous advice and measures leading to the immediate and complete withdrawal of the state, which deserted its responsibility as tourism administrator. After 50 years, we gave up traditions and took over the American system of the "free market", which generated fierce competition and a primitive search for wealth. The history of these past years records that the political factors in Eastern countries, while waiting for foreign investments, often deliberately encouraged a savage tourism market and the destruction of the existing touristical base by faulty management. But people can not forget that they could afford a holidays for half of a month' s wage - true, on communist resorts but as expensive as for Western ones - and now mass tourism is only a dream. I do not point these out as a " nostalgic one ", but because I know, as you do, that the " state of health " means nowadays not only cure and drugs, hospitals and social protection but also tourism, that means that part of the common income as the average life standard.

Different way to pass from socialism to capitalism:
Kompas branches


For example : the company Kompas from Yugoslavia has reminded intact despite the war between the republics of the former country, has opened 15 offices abroad, bringing Canadians to Italy and Czechs to the USA and has already started investments in view of opening the first offices in Asia in order to collect information, transmit offers, entice tourists. Where does Eastern countries stand within this fierce competition?

The role of the state - public sector?

Lionel Stoleru stated in an inquiry entitled " The State Tomorrow" ( published in L'Expansion No. 422): ".... Europe doesn't have an organized backup. The US have established an integrated economic area together with Canada and Mexico (...), Japan (...) has attached an "area of the Dollar" through its "four dragons", Thailand and other South East Asian countries. Europe could have done the same with Eastern Europe on the one hand and North Africa on the other. These two areas should have allowed Europe to "play" with production costs and other comparative advantages for the profit of the entire area..."
Western Europe is modernizing its touristical base and prepares to adapt its offer to Asian tourists. In order to integrate, Eastern countries should look for that services which are not offered on the market and, like the Yugoslavs, build up their offer, bases on their heritage. All this, after they meet the domestic demands, which could be solved very quickly. The main problem of today tourism in this area is the lack of political will, of a "sector policy" as it is called today, which should catalyze energies and simultaneously cleanse legislation.

We can go on but let me conclude
As Western Europe has welcomed us back today and listen to what we have to say with the tolerance shown to the newcomer who still doesn't know to play by the rules I still BELIEVE in the rebirth of Europe in a new Universe, in a common effort along with the other continents. The UE is compulsory. " And there is hope: some 1500 years ago a European culture evolved that was to unfold, exploit, but still educate with its values the rest of mankind. Thus, everything happening in the world now and eventually taking place in the universe tomorrow bears the imprint of Europe" ( C. Noica - De Dignitatae Europae ). Our chance in the nowadays apocalyptical competition offered by our heritage

The future might be like this:

Top destinations for next 15 years

Top spenders for next 15 years

Source: AIT Delphy Study 1998

What tramendous upsidedown reffering the countries But also about the importance of actors in carring on the tourism activity. Just look to the travel agencies and national authorities. Will these trend be real? May be. At least part of them Any way, even if it will be a small fire we can have a lot of smog

All this allow me to say:

Purposes that can be reached by using tourism as mass media to capitalize heritage:

- in the tourism business
- to appreciate the European heritage by a large range of European "commodities "
- to " naturalize " incoming, outgoing or domestic activities for a better value
- to develop certain areas, activities or means of production using the local "niches"
- to rise the standard of living and / or cut down social costs, for instance: by developing balneary-climatic therapies in spas the consumption of chemical medicine will decrease

- in political or social areas:
- to gain sympathy or interest in order to win a better place for European peoples in the world
- to offer a " compensation " for the quasi monopol of Europe in human civilization during the last millennium.

 


Conclusion

In a global world we have to live globally. But integration cannot be achieved without learning the rules of world tourism, without learning and respecting its rules of conduct. Especially since we cannot ignore the fact that the outcome of tourism stretches out in the future. Tourism is not only a lecture about others but it also determines what attitude we will have towards others, how we will live together. Our world, the one created by the producers of tourism is a global empire, a single community : the human race, presented with all its distinguishing elements, with its past, its present and its hopes. Any mistakes can lead to incurable traumas for the crowds of people we call " tourists ".And Europe has, is and will contribute with its heritage.


I have started to study tourism from another point of view : as a means of mass communication. As we have seen, the area is gigantic and there is no such thing as a scientific research in this field. But the history of tourism after the second World War proves that there was a certain line in the politics of many countries to support this movement. The downfall of the "Wall" and the past years have proven the necessity of setting up a theory and practice for the use of this tool : for building or destroying social movements through persuasion, self suggestion and animation through tourism , for the conscious use of tourism as a means of communication, to boost the European heritage in this case.


The way we present the world we are simultaneously physicians and wizards and businessmen. And now, as the world is shaking under the desire for power and greatness, under blood, famine or disease we are among the few ones capable to heal the wounds. This is why I think we should meditate on this new dimension of our craft, the outcome of our actions. In the struggle for the money, glory, power or organizational perfection we shouldn't break that imaginary vow of Esculap we ought to have made before we started in this business. An European " heritage " too!

Sibiu, 2000 December 7

Ilie ROTARIU





Bibliography:
1. Davidson, Robert - Tourism - Pitman Publishing 1991
2. Sheldon, Pauline.J - Tourism Information Technology - Cab International, 1997
3. Thompson, Kenneth - Media and Cultural Regulation - The Open University 1997
4. Burton, Graeme - More than meets the eye -Arnold 1997

 

Tourism as mass media

a suitable global tool acting locally

a possible option to appraise the European heritage on the 21st century


The ATLAS Winter University - January, 2001, Pecs, Hungary
"The past 1000 years - Our common heritage?"

 

Ilie ROTARIU