FEATURES OF WORLD WIDE
DESTINATIONS
Unit 2
LATITUDE
CLIMATE
CHARACTERISTICS
0 TO 5
EQUATORIAL
HOT AND HUMID
5 TO 23.5
TROPICAL
NO COLD SEASON BUT
SUMMER RAINS
23.5 TO 30
SUB TROPICAL
HOT AND HUMID SUMMER
AND DRY WINTER
30 TO 66.5
TEMPERATE
MILD TO WARM SUMMER
AND COOLTO COLD WINTER
66.5 TO 90
POLAR
SNOW AND ICE PREVAILS
MOST OF THEYEAR
Time Zones
Daylight saving time (DST)- A particular time of the
year in some regions of the world when clocks are set
forward by one -two hours to extend daylight into
evening hours.
Elapsed travel time- Actual time spent travelling from
one destination to another. Also, called transport time.
Greenwich mean time (GMT)- The time at Greenwich,
London which is used as a reference to calculate time
anywhere in the world.
International Date Line- An imaginary line or meridian
that runs through the Pacific Ocean and is both 12 hours
ahead of and 12 hours behind GMT and marks the
change of the day.
Destination management
Different ways in which the site is being managed to avoid negative environmental
impacts.
visitor center – manage arrivals avoiding congestion
opening times – management strategy to limit access
litter bin – reduces pollution
no smoking/fires – reduces fire risk
no dogs/music and no touching – disturb penguins
no drinks/glass – reduces pollution
How to protect a destination from possible negative impacts
crowd control measures
limit numbers through different pricing mechanisms zoning
education
more guides
reduce visitor numbers
government intervention with policies on pollution
laws introduced to prevent the River becoming over polluted.
introduce a new restoration programme
Key influences on the decision-making process include:
• General influences on destination awareness such as: past family holidays;
friends, family and colleagues; TV and films; mass media; brochures,
advertisements and promotions; school/college and work-related trips.
• Factors limiting destination choice such as: amount of disposable income;
employment status; size of household and number of children; number of trips
taken last year; amount of free time; age and health status; cost of transport in
terms of time and money; personal preferences, needs and wants.
Tourist destinations as
amalgams (combinations) of
specific environmental factors
such as attractions (natural
and man-made), shopping
centres, support facilities,
hospitality and organisation
The features which attract tourists to a - particular destination
► However, the following factors will strongly influence the relative
popularity of any destination:
▪ Cost of accommodation
▪ Cost of transport
▪ Costs at destination
▪ Destination promotional activity
▪ Crime and social problems
▪ Political instability and civil unrest
▪ Positive or negative media coverage
▪ Positive or negative tourism management
▪ Growth in independent travel
▪ Growth in short breaks
▪ Exclusivity
▪ Increased accessibility
▪ Water, air or noise hazard
► ▪ ToNatural
help indisasters.
understanding the importance of the above ideas, here are a
▪ couple
Terrorism
of research tasks for you to apply to your local area.
▪ Over-commercialization
▪ Tour operator promotion activity
The features which attract tourists to a - particular destination
► Different people will be attracted to particular destinations for a variety
of reasons. However, as a general rule, it is useful to think about the
attractiveness of any destination in terms of the following key features:
▪ Scenery and landscape
▪ Vegetation and wildlife
▪ Historical and cultural attractions
▪ Modern built attractions
▪ Indoor/outdoor activities
▪ Accommodation options
▪ Events and festivals
▪ The weather and climate of the area
▪ Food/drink and entertainment facilities
▪ Accessibility and gateways in the area.
► The above features will be attractions for different types of visitor.
Factors that make a destination successful/Ingredients
of a successful destination
Attractions (includes natural resources e.g. climate, landscape
etc.).
Accessibility
Available packages
Activities
Accommodation
Ancillary services
Some of the more significant ones for
international travellers include:
• Tropical storms (hurricanes, cyclones and
typhoons)
• Monsoon rains (see Bangkok’s climate graph
• Monsoon winds (influencing beach conditions
in Sri Lanka for example)
• Drought conditions in dry summers and
subsequent danger of bush fires.
How natural disasters disrupt travel and tourism
Volcanic eruptions with ash clouds disrupting flights
and lava flows cutting off access to tourist sites
Tsunamis and their associated tidal waves and floods
cutting off whole areas, ruining local economies and
resulting in no visitors
Hurricanes laying waste to tropical and sub-tropical
destinations
Droughts and related bush fires limiting
camping/hiking access and also causing water
shortages as restrictions are introduced
Disease outbreaks causing travel restrictions etc.
►