The tourism industry is important not only to the developing nations but also to the industrialized countries of the world. Tourism has a positive impact on economies and results in the creation of new jobs through new avenues for income not only in the public but also in the privates sectors (DeMello, Pack and Sinclair, 2002). Additionally, tourism proves highly profitable to governments through financial benefits such as earning foreign exchange and the higher impetus on growth and investments due to the tourism. Thus, as a system, tourism can be affirmed as a catalyst to the host country with regard to impetus given to the economy of the host country and more importantly, the positive influence on the macro-economy of the nation. However, growth in the tourism sector necessitates optimal management with regard to several sectors, which could initiate several challenges to host nations.
Research confirms that the tourism industry in among the fastest growing and leading industries of the world and is tourism is particularly popular in natural and protected areas all the world over (Newsome, Moore, & Dowling, 2002). Rise in tourism if unplanned could initiate several management challenges including visitor management, resources management and even environmental management. However, when tourism is on the rise due to popular natural destinations, management of natural resources and the environment rather than visitors could pose as a challenge to managers (McArthur, 1994). This is because tourism activities in protected areas of the country occur through the management and partnership of tourism managers and special managers who are responsible for the area protection of the popular tourist destination (Worboys, Lockwood, & De Lacy, 2001).
While tourism managers have the responsibility of ascertaining tourist satisfaction, management of tourism could be a challenging task to them because of the numerous difficulties and problems which visitors might have to face. Home countries could provide currency restrictions and conditions and procedures for the issues of visas and other important travel documents which could hinder the plans of tourists (Akerhielm, Chekitan and Noden, 2003). Management of other regulatory issues could include visas for entry and the limitations of stay on tourists by the host country in addition to other crucial formalities such as driver licenses. Managers could encounter challenges with regard to travel services which could inhibit investments and participation in equities and governmental and public investments of the host nations (Akerhielm, Chekitan and Noden, 2003). Management could also be affected by restrictions on work permits and visa extension to tourist visiting the country for employment and educational purposes (Akerhielm, Chekitan and Noden, 2003).
Management problems which could affect tourism activities could result from hindrances of transportation due to regulations on tourist movements through commuting modes such as airlines or ships (Akerhielm, Chekitan and Noden, 2003). Tourism managers could also be faced with daunting tasks of resolving legal restrictions on crucial goods, such as medications and other necessities and import of other goods and materials which are monitored in the upkeep of national safety and security (Akerhielm, Chekitan and Noden, 2003). Thus, while tourism is a highly lucrative industry with tremendous potential for growth, there are numerous management challenges which could prove to be a hurdle, not only to managers but to the visiting tourists. |
References
Akerhielm, Peter, Chekitan S. Dev, and Malcolm A. Noden (2003). Europe 1992: neglecting the tourism opportunity: tourism has largely been over looked in the effort to combine the 12 members of the European community into a single market. But the further development of European tourism is too important to leave to individual efforts. Cornell Hotel & Restaurant Administration Quarterly 44.5-6: 81(14).
De Mello, Maria, Alan Pack, and M. Thea Sinclair (2002). A system of equations model of UK tourism demand in neighbouring countries. Applied Economics 34.4: 509(13).
McArthur, S. (1994). Acknowledging a symbiotic relationship. Better heritage management via better visitor management. Australian Parks and Recreation, Spring, 12-17.
Newsome, D., Moore, S.A., & Dowling, R. (2002). Natural area tourism ecology, impacts and management. Sydney, Australia: Channel View.
Worboys, G., Lockwood, M., & De Lacy, T. (2001). Protected area management principles and practice, South Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press. |