GEOGRAPHY O LEVEL(FORM TWO) NOTES – TOURISM

TOURISM

Tourism involves the temporary or permanent movement of people away from home to other places of interest for leisure, pleasure, recreation, or research studies.

It includes visiting places of interest such as wildlife conservation areas, historical sites, museums, beaches, and more. In developing countries, tourism is the largest foreign currency-earning sector of the economy.

Tourism can be categorized as a territorial or service industry.

TYPES OF TOURISM

Basically, there are two types of tourism industry:

1. Domestic tourism.
2. International tourism.

Domestic tourism

It involves people travelling to places within the country, for example, from Dar-es-Salaam to Mikumi or from Tabora to Serengeti National Park.

International tourism

It involves the movement of people from their home countries to other countries for leisure or studies (research).

Factors that encourage the development of tourism in the country

Physical factors

1. Presence of good climatic conditions, especially sunny weather, attracting tourists from cooler countries during winter.
2. Attractive landscapes due to physical features like mountains, craters, lakes, coastal beaches, canyons, and deserts.

Social cultural factors

1. Presence of historical and architectural sites such as cities, churches, temples, palaces, and pyramids.
2. Presence of conventional resorts like swimming places.
3. Good social services including shopping centers, medical facilities, food and water supply, and well-trained staff.
4. Presence of national parks like Serengeti, Yellowstone, Yosemite, etc.

Economic factors

1. Availability of capital to invest in the tourism industry.
2. Advancement in transport and communication such as air, road, railway, water, and internet services, facilitating accessibility to places of interest.

Political factors

1. Peace in the country encourages tourism development since tourists prefer visiting peaceful countries like Tanzania and avoid areas with political problems such as civil wars.
2. Government policies can encourage tourism development by providing financing or favorable conditions.

Importance of tourism

1. Provides employment in hotels, guiding sections, game parks, and travel agencies.
2. Generates foreign currency for the country.
3. Facilitates rapid improvement in technology related to tourism.
4. Offers opportunities for recreation and enjoyment.
5. Introduces new cultures.
6. Strengthens international relationships.
7. Enables marginal land to be used for economic development, such as national parks occupying previously unproductive areas.
8. Promotes international recognition; for example, Switzerland is known as “the playground of Europe” due to its flourishing tourism industry.

Why tourism has increased nowadays

1. People have accumulated greater wealth and enjoy a higher standard of living, enabling them to afford travel.
2. There is a greater need to study other cultures in different countries.
3. Introduction of long holidays with pay.
4. Development of better transport facilities, especially air transport, making travel fast and easy; increased car ownership and affordable charter flights overseas.
5. Cheaper transport services, particularly air travel.
6. Development of attractive national parks worldwide.
7. Increasing number of active people.
8. Greater awareness of locations, facilities, and opportunities through education, advertising, and media.

Negative impacts of tourism

1. Environmental degradation such as deforestation, erosion, and pollution (water, soil, and air).
2. Spread of diseases like AIDS.
3. High capital requirements; low capital can hinder development and discourage other economic sectors.
4. Potential acceleration of terrorism as terrorists may enter countries as normal visitors.
5. Destruction of local culture as people imitate Western culture in dressing and dancing.
6. Conflicts arising from cultural destruction.
7. Traffic congestion due to increased numbers of tourists.

Solutions to the problems

1. Educate visitors about native cultures to avoid interference with cultural aspects like dressing styles.
2. Reduce the number of visitors to conserve the environment.
3. Open new areas to reduce congestion in existing tourist centers.
4. Governments and international organizations should actively support and regulate tourism activities.
5. Involve local communities so they benefit and help conserve tourism centers like wildlife conservation areas.
6. Integrate tourism with environmental promotion through eco-tourism.
7. Provide education to local people about the importance of tourism.

ECO-TOURISM (GREEN TOURISM)

Eco-tourism combines ecological aspects with tourism activities and is sometimes called green tourism.

It is an integrated approach involving tourism activities with minimal negative impacts on the natural environment.

Tourism activities should promote environmental conservation.

In principle, Eco-tourism includes:

1. Based on undisturbed natural environments and encourages non-damaging activities.
2. Enhances a conservative attitude among people.
3. Improves local communities economically and socially while conserving the environment, aiming at poverty alleviation through job creation.
4. Promotes positive interaction between tourists and local communities, as conservation benefits all.
5. Raises awareness among locals through education about the importance and strategies of conserving the environment.
6. Emphasizes proper planning and monitoring of tourism and conservation activities.

Hence, eco-tourism is a broad concept involving travel, business, economics, local community attitudes and behavior, participation and benefits, research and environmental education, natural environment management, and other human activities.

Importance of eco-tourism to the local community

1. Empowers local communities to design, organize, and control activities in conservation areas, gaining profits and motivation to participate in conservation.
2. Promotes living standards and responsibility through income generation and employment.
3. Preserves cultural aspects and the environment of local communities.
4. Improves relationships between local communities, visitors, and conservationists, promoting peace.
5. Helps control diseases like AIDS through community participation in managing tourism areas.
6. Promotes environmental awareness among locals, helping them recognize their environment’s potential.
7. Local communities gain new technology and education through visitors and conservation training centers.
8. Helps reduce water pollution through waste management.
9. Improves markets for locally produced goods, such as Makonde carvings of Tanzania.
10. Stimulates development of transport and communication systems in local communities.

In general, eco-tourism in Tanzania can help fight poverty (poverty alleviation).

TOURISM POLICY

Tourism policy refers to statements, guidelines, or plans of action established by authorities like governments to influence, direct, or guide tourism activities. These plans contain principles, goals, objectives, and strategies to manage tourism for maximum benefits while encouraging sound social, cultural, and environmental status. Developed countries like the USA, Canada, Switzerland, South Africa, and the Netherlands have well-established tourism policies.

Importance of tourism policies

1. Guide how to manage tourism by stimulating objectives, principles, and strategies.
2. Guide the evaluation process.
3. Provide suggestions for improving tourism in a country.
4. Help avoid or reduce losses in the tourism industry.
5. Insist on how to distribute benefits while promoting local people’s living standards.

CASE STUDIES

TOURISM IN KENYA

Tourism is the second largest source of foreign exchange revenue after agriculture. The main tourist attractions include:

• Mosque at Mombasa
• The Great Rift Valley
• Coffee plantations at Thika
• View of Mount Kilimanjaro across the border into Tanzania
• Amboseli National Park
• Lake Nakuru National Park

Factors for the development of tourism in Kenya

1. Kenya is richly endowed with fauna and flora, attracting visitors.
2. Attractive scenery, climate, and beaches; mountains like Mount Kenya and lakes attract visitors.
3. Proximity to the coast facilitates easy movement of visitors.
4. Kenya’s tourism industry is managed more efficiently than other East African countries.
5. Strong government support for tourism.
6. Relative political stability attracts visitors.
7. Wide advertising of tourism worldwide, with promotional centers in England, Zambia, Switzerland, Germany, and the USA.
8. Industrial base and agricultural prosperity, like tea plantations, encourage tourism development.
9. Knowledge of English among Kenyans attracts visitors from English-speaking countries.
10. Development of transport systems like roads and railways.

Attractions (honey pots) in Kenya

• National parks: Tsavo, Meru, Nairobi, Amboseli, Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon, Lake Nakuru, Marine National Park, Malindi.
• Historical and archaeological national parks: Sibiloi, Oblonyo, Sabuki, Saiwa National Park.
• Game reserves: Shimba Hills, Maasai Mara, Marsabit, Buffalo Springs.
• Coastal attractions: fishing grounds, beaches, hotels, swimming areas.
• Scenery: Great Rift Valley, Mount Kenya, lakes, and rivers.
• Developmental schemes: Galole and Mea-Tebere irrigation schemes, large-scale tea plantations in Kericho and other areas.
• Antiquities and historical sites: Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Gedi ruins in Malindi, sites at Voi and Kilagoni.

TOURISM IN TANZANIA

Tanzania, with its unique features, is a famous tourist country with a bright future because of the following reasons:

1. The government shows great interest in promoting tourism; the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism is active in this sector.
2. Promotional offices in different countries advertise tourism in Tanzania, e.g., Germany (Frankfurt), Sweden (Stockholm), North America (New York), and England (London).
3. Wide variety of tourist attractions.
4. Permanent stability and peace attract visitors; tourists avoid countries with conflicts like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi.
5. Local people are involved, promoting tourism and peace in conservation areas; various communities have established wildlife conservation projects like the Serengeti Regional Conservation Strategy (SRCS) and Amani Nature Reserve (ANR).
6. Increasing number of tourists yearly; for example, tourists visiting Tanzania increased from 326,188 in 1996 to 360,000 in 1997, earning over USD 393.4 million; in 1999, visitors increased to 627,325, earning USD 733.2 million (Source: BOT journal 1997).
7. Improvement of transport and communication, such as roads.

Tourist attractions (honey pots) in Tanzania

• Attractive landscapes with mountains like Kilimanjaro (snow-capped), active volcanoes like Oldonyo Lengai, large lakes like Tanganyika and Victoria, the Rift Valley, and the Indian Ocean.
• Large network of national parks and game reserves covering about 25% of the land area, including Serengeti, Manyara, Tarangire, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mikumi, Ruaha, and Katavi.
• Prehistoric sites like Olduvai Gorge in the Serengeti Plain, Bagamoyo, Kondoa-Irangi.
• Shifting sand across the Ngorongoro plains (shifts 17 meters per year).
• Coastal attractions: mangrove plants, fishing grounds, coral reefs, beaches, hotels, islands like Mafia Island, and swimming areas.
• Conducive climate: cool mountains and warm coastal climate suitable for swimming.
• Languages: Kiswahili (national language), French, and German facilitate communication between visitors and locals.
• Cultural aspects: Makonde carvings, Maasai dressing style, and paintings at Kondoa Irangi.
• Improved accommodation in hotels, restaurants, and lodges.
• Peaceful political atmosphere attracts tourists.
• Improved transport and communication: air, road, and water.

ADVANTAGES OF TOURISM IN TANZANIA AND KENYA

1. Creation of employment opportunities.
2. Generation of government revenue; e.g., Tanzania earned over USD 393.4 million from 360,000 tourists in 1997 and USD 733.2 million from 627,325 visitors in 1999.
3. Promotion of local people’s living standards.
4. Facilitation of fast development of science and technology due to visitor influence.
5. Improvement in standards of hotels and lodges in tourist centers.
6. Countries become well known worldwide through visitors sharing information.
7. Promotion of markets for locally produced goods.
8. Encouragement of positive attitudes towards environmental conservation.
9. Strengthening of international relations with countries like Germany, France, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Japan, Norway, Britain, etc.
10. Source of foreign currency.

Disadvantages of Tourism in Tanzania and Kenya

1. Environmental degradation like erosion and deforestation.
2. Facilitation of terrorism as terrorists can act as normal tourists.
3. Spread of diseases, especially sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like HIV/AIDS.
4. Cultural destruction as locals are attracted by foreign cultures like dressing, dancing, and eating styles.
5. Conflicts between local people and government due to government policies.

THE WILDLIFE POLICY OF TANZANIA

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism’s vision for the wildlife sector is to “involve all stakeholders in wildlife conservation and sustainable utilization as well as fair and equitable sharing of benefits.” Challenges include:

1. Promote involvement of local communities.
2. Integrate wildlife conservation with rural development.
3. Outline strategies for integrating wildlife conservation and rural development, especially benefit sharing.

The policy for the national parks in Tanzania

The policy states the purpose of national parks as “to ensure optimum levels of revenue and benefits accrue to the national economy, the parks, and the communities without impairing park resources.” Issues pertaining to local communities include:

1. Facilitate coordination and shared benefits with local communities.
2. Provide material services and facilities for public information and education, including selected local community groups.

TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks) will have an outreach program focusing on local people and government up to district levels. Guiding principles include:

1. Local people should be approached as equal partners with TANAPA in solving mutual problems.
2. TANAPA should seek ways to share conservation benefits sustainably and promote sound development.
3. Neighborhood relations, dialogues, and partnerships should be sought with all local communities without prejudice, forgetting past conflicts and establishing new relations.

Law enforcement staff should cooperate with local communities and the public to gain confidence and support in fighting illegal activities affecting park resources.

Limitations of tourism development in East Africa

1. Low capital availability, especially in Tanzania with a low economy.
2. Transport and communication problems; some roads are impassable in the wet season.
3. Tourism is seasonal in East Africa, unlike Switzerland where it occurs year-round.
4. Population encroachment on tourism potentials like national parks and game reserves due to high population growth near gazetted areas.
5. Poor managerial skills causing problems in tourism center management.
6. Political instability and terrorism, e.g., Uganda’s instability and 1998 bombings of American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, scaring American tourists and discouraging investment.
7. Low advertisement due to low capital and poor communication systems.
8. Poor quality of services compared to other countries, including accommodation and health services.

What has to be done to improve tourism in East Africa?

1. Reequip or rehabilitate existing lodges and hotels to good standards.
2. Increase advertising efforts for East African tourism.
3. Provide comprehensive training for those engaged in tourism, e.g., train game rangers to protect parks from poaching.
4. Open new areas like coastal and lake regions for tourism development.
5. Launch massive campaigns to educate local people on the importance of gazetted areas and conservation participation.
6. Encourage private tour operators through government support and loans for transport investment.
7. Control population growth to prevent encroachment into conservation areas.
8. Establish anti-poaching units in East Africa to protect animals.
9. Emphasize extensive advertisement outside the region to attract more tourists.
10. Maintain peace and harmony in East African countries.

TOURISM IN NAMIBIA

Namibia is a newly independent country, but its tourism sector has grown rapidly. Tourism is the third largest contributor to GDP after mining and agriculture.

Visitor numbers have increased yearly: over 368,000 in 1993, 560,000 in 1996, 615,000 in 1997, and over 800,000 projected for 2007. The tourism sector targets 10-12% growth per year.

Factors contributing to tourism growth in Namibia

1. Strong policy promoting tourism.
2. Well-developed infrastructure facilitating accessibility.
3. Government and private sector advertising with promotional offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Germany, Spain, New York, UK, and planned offices in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
4. Attractions including:
   • Beautiful climate with sunshine.
   • Abundant wildlife in game reserves like Hardap and Mahango, national parks like Etosha and Malili, Caprivi Aaan and Viljoen game parks.
   • Grand canyons like Fish River Canyon with hot springs at Ai-Ais.
   • Namib Desert landscapes.
   • Beautiful rivers.
   • Diverse cultural attractions including traditional crafts like wood carvings, baskets, jewelry, embroidery, carpets, beading, metal forging, and traditional dances and music.
   • Geological and geomorphologic diversity, e.g., Daan Viljoen Game Park with gravel surfaces and rolling hills ideal for game viewing.
   • Sand dunes of spectacular nature in the desert.
   • Windhoek, the capital, as a business hub with an international conference venue.
   • Influence of SADC promoting tourism among member countries through RETOSA.
   • Establishment of Namibia Stock Exchange attracting foreign investors.
   • Hard work by public and private sectors investing in infrastructure.
   • Development of other activities facilitating tourism growth.
   • Aid from European countries enhancing tourism development.
   • Favorable investment potentials due to free market economy and government commitment.

Importance of tourism to Namibia

• Stimulates infrastructure development.
• Creates employment.
• Contributes to GDP as the third largest sector after mining and agriculture.
• Improves social services through community-based tourism.
• Promotes environmental conservation to maintain the country’s beauty.
• Preserves and boosts cultural values and norms.
• Earns Namibia international recognition.
• Improves people’s lives.

Problems facing tourism development in Namibia

• Namibia is not yet well marketed due to recent independence (March 21, 1990).
• Initial focus was on mining, agriculture, and fishing rather than tourism.
• High costs of maintaining tourism quality.
• Strong competition from other countries.
• Lack of service culture and market understanding.
• Slow implementation of tourism policy since 1994.
• Young economy with limited capital for high-quality tourism investment.
• Economic crises in Far East and Europe in 1994 negatively affected tourism development.

Tourist resorts in Namibia

• Cape Cross Seal Reserve: home to 23 colonies of Cape seals breeding along South African and Namibian coasts.
• Caprivi Game Park: located between Angola and Botswana, extending from Okavango River to Kwando River.
• Daan Viljoen Park: weekend retreat for Windhoek residents and tourists.
• Duwisib Castle.
• Etosha National Park: a shallow depression with various game species.
• Fish River Canyon: features hot spring resorts.
• Gross Barmen Hot Spring Resort: built on an early mission station site.
• Hardap Recreation Resort and Game Reserve: situated along Hardap Dam, the largest dam in Namibia.
• Khowdum Game Park: with a wide range of game species.
• Mahango Game Reserve: features riverine forest, broad floodplain, baobabs, large herds of elephants, and red lechwe.
• Mamili, Mudumu, and Namib-Naukluft National Parks.
• Sandwich Harbor, Skeleton Coast Park, Von Bach Dam Recreation Resort.

TOURISM IN SWITZERLAND

Switzerland is famous worldwide for tourism and is called the playground of Europe because tourism occurs year-round. Many tourists visit due to its attractions and various games and sports.

Factors influencing the development of Swiss tourism industry

Physical factors

1. Ideal climate allowing activities in both winter and summer.
2. Beautiful scenery formed by the Alps Mountains with U-shaped valleys, pyramid peaks, and snow cover; water bodies like Lake Geneva add to the beauty.
3. Central location in Europe leading to high accessibility from Europe and other countries like America.

Human factors

• Improved transport system: electrified railway network, low transport costs, modern tracks and locomotives.
• Availability of hydroelectric power from rivers, hanging valleys, and waterfalls.
• Good hotel management to meet tourist demands.
• Capital availability invested in tourism, accumulated from Swiss foreign trade.
• Availability of skilled labor for efficient tourism industry operation.
• Hospitality of Swiss people attracting tourists.
• Policy of stability ensuring peace, encouraging tourism.
• International institutions like banks and conference centers used by various nations.

Importance of tourism in Switzerland

• Major employer, employing over 120,000 people during peak season, six to seven times more than Tanzanian tourism employment.
• Contributes significantly to foreign exchange earnings and capital accumulation.
• Stimulates development of science and technology, e.g., railway electrification.
• Accelerates foreign responsibility and improves international relations.
• Provides employment opportunities.

Problems facing tourism in Switzerland

1. Severe cold during winter causing railway line blockages.
2. Landslides and avalanches dangerous to tourists.
3. Competition between tourism and transhumance in the Alps.
4. Steep mountain slopes causing transport problems; Alps occupy about 60% of the area, limiting tourism diversification.
5. Environmental pollution due to visitors.

Touristic areas in Switzerland

Summer tourism centers where tourists view snow include capped peaks, clear blue skies, cascading waterfalls, sunbathing, and swimming. These centers include Swiss plateau towns like Lausanne, Geneva, Bern, and Zurich; around Lake Lucerne; and towns like Locarno and Lugano. Visitors come from June to August.

Winter season areas visited from November to March offer abundant snow on slopes and glacial lakes for ice-skating and skiing (or tobogganing). Main resorts are on the Alps slopes and called alpine centers, including St. Moritz, Mönchen, Grindelwald, Kandersteg, Gstaad, and Lauterbrunnen.

Tourism in USA

The USA has a very advanced tourism industry due to several factors:

1. Strong government support and favorable investment policies.
2. Availability of capital due to the advanced economy.
3. Leading economic development facilitating tourism investment.
4. Well-established transport and communication networks.
5. Internet communication facilitating advance arrangements; good and efficient roads.
6. Many tourist attractions (honey pots) like national parks (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite), volcanic eruptions (Old Faithful geysers), lakes (Great Lakes), and cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco).
7. Strong political stability due to advanced defense.
8. Variable climatic conditions encouraging travel.
9. Good social services in lodges, restaurants, and hotels.

Tourist attractions in the USA

1. Lakes used for swimming, fishing, and viewing, like Great Salt Lake and Crater Lake National Parks.
2. Spectacular gorges in desert areas like the Grand Canyon.
3. National parks with diverse animals like Yosemite, Yellowstone, Redwood, Zion National Parks, with species such as bears, elk, and buffalos.
4. Volcanic features like geysers and hot springs, and impressive features like the Grand Canyon formed by water erosion.
5. Centers for sports and games: swimming, skiing, fishing, and surfing centers.
6. Monuments like the Dinosaur National Monument.
7. Strong economy attracting tourists.
8. American English and social aspects attracting tourists to learn American ways of living, speaking, dressing, and general interaction.

Problems facing tourism in the USA

1. Water supply problems affecting arid areas like California; climate change has caused this, but water conservation measures are in place.
2. Terrorism, e.g., the destruction on September 11, 2001, in Washington DC, including attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, causing loss of lives and property.
3. Population pressure in tourism centers leading to land degradation; strict rules restrict tourists from entering national parks with private cars.
4. Frequent fires affecting national parks caused by natural hazards or humans.
5. Competition from other countries active in tourism development, possibly decreasing tourist numbers.
6. Animal attacks, e.g., buffalos attacking visitors.
7. Some animals like elk are shy and run away, making photography difficult.
8. Noise pollution from cars causing distress to animals.
9. Water pollution in lakes and rivers.