It is recognised that tourism is only one of a number of global factors that impact upon the traditions and lifestyles of native peoples; hence measurement is difficult and management needs to be viewed holistically. The profile of the cultural tourist is changing rapidly; therefore it is difficult to generalise about the impacts of cultural tourism. The socio-political context of a destination must be taken into consideration. Equally, many of the models that have been cited so frequently in impact analysis are rendered less useful as tourists proliferate and destinations diversify. However, two of the best-known models are perhaps Butler’s ‘Lifecycle Model’ and Doxey’s ‘Irridex’, which complement each other rather well, and, despite their simplicity, retain a certain global relevance.
Although these models are by no means universal, especially given the complex trajectories of tourism destination development, and differing socio-political and economic contexts, they do allow us to visualise the progression (or, more often, regression) of many global destinations. Many of the earliest tourist destinations such as the Spanish coasts were generally visited by small groups of culturally interested tourists seeking contact with local people. In much the same way as some of the Thai beach resorts are now shifting from bohemian, hippy enclaves to mass rave resorts, the beaches and island resorts of the Mediterranean allowed the scale and nature of tourism to be determined by demand. Many of these destinations now find themselves languishing at the stagnation or decline phase of the resort lifecycle. Their people are often disenchanted, and rarely choose to retain their homes in the same location as the tourists.
In recent years, the regeneration or rejuvenation of destinations has become a more widespread phenomenon. Many destinations have upgraded their product, diversified into new forms of tourism, and are targeting higher spending visitors. In terms of the physical environment, it is perhaps not that difficult to regenerate a resort that has stagnated and declined. However, it is perhaps less easy to win back the goodwill of local residents, many of whom may have already moved out of the tourist destination due to sheer frustration and unhappiness. It could be argued that the economic and environmental impacts of tourism are easier to measure and manage than the socio-cultural impacts, which are often intangible.
It is not uncommon for tourists to be confined to ‘enclaves’ where contact with local residents is minimal. Chapter 1 discussed the concept of the postmodern ‘tourist bubble’ in some detail, but there, reference was made largely to themed attractions. In the case of all-inclusive resorts, there are few benefits for the local economy, but in some ways socio-cultural impacts can be managed more easily, as host–guest contacts are minimal and controlled. This relationship allows for little spontaneity, but it is worth questioning how far host–guest relations have ever been truly authentic given the contrived nature and typically short duration of the average holiday. Nevertheless, in many destinations, the problems of all-inclusive holidays have been a major cause for conce.
Religious Tourism the Oldest Type of Tourism in the World
