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 |
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"? -"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"?
|
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.
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:
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 |
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:
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.
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: |
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