Tourism Concepts & Models
 The
advantages of models over
definitions
is
that
certain
complexities inherent in tourism can
be more easily expressed or
represented in a model with a dynamic
&
multidimensional
capacity
as
opposed
to
the
more
static
definitions.
Tourist Area Life Cycle
(Butler’s Curve - 1980)
 Exploration
 involvement
 Development
 Consolidation
 Stagnation
 Decline
Rejuvenation
Number of tourists
Butler’s Curve (1980)
Exploration
Time
Exploration
 characterised
by small numbers of tourists
 adventurous
 visit
“new” places
 attracted by some unique feature
 few tourist facilities  reliance on local
facilities
 high level of contact between tourist &
host
 small impact on the host community.
Number of tourists
Butler’s Curve (1980)
Involvement
Exploration
Time
 local
Involvement
residents begin to provide
facilities for tourists
 high degree of contact between
tourists & locals
 locals may start to change usual
patterns to accommodate tourists
 pressure on local government to
provide more & better facilities for
tourists.
Number of tourists
Butler’s Curve (1980)
Development
Involvement
Exploration
Time
 tourism
Development
market: well-defined because of
promotion at tourist generating areas
 local control of facilities & development of
tourism starts to decline
 international
organisations take root
(Holiday Inn)
 physical nature of resort changes (not
universally accepted)
 number
of tourists approaches (or
exceeds) local population (take notice at
this point, can start to see negative
impacts)
 type of tourist  mainstream, conservative
Number of tourists
Butler’s Curve (1980)
Consolidation
Development
Involvement
Exploration
Time
 rate
Consolidation
of increase of tourist arrivals starts
to decline (even though absolute numbers
may still grow).
 number
of tourists now exceeds local
population
 marketing & promotion well developed
 market is almost saturated, therefore new
development/building slows down
 growing discontent among host population
Butler’s Curve (1980)
Number of tourists
Stagnation
Consolidation
Development
Involvement
Exploration
Time
 peak
Stagnation
number of visitors has been reached
(carrying capacity)
 environmental, social & economic problems
(beach erosion, local businesses sold,
dissatisfaction with locals)
 area is not as popular with tourists (beach
is dirty, crowded, not enough parking)
 original features which attracted tourists
in the first place will have been
supplemented by new “attractions”. (theme
parks, museums, bungee jumping, something
that wasn’t there before)
Butler’s Curve (1980)
Number of tourists
Stagnation
Consolidation
Development
Decline
Immediate decline
Involvement
Exploration
Time
Immediate Decline & Decline
 immediate
decline: an abrupt death of the
resort
 decline: a more gradual decline, where
number of visitors gradually tapers off
 infrastructure changes (hotels converted
to condominiums because not enough
visitors)
 local population begins to buy tourist
facilities because of affordability
Butler’s Curve (1980)
Rejuvenation
Reduced growth
Number of tourists
Stagnation
Consolidation
Stabilisation
Development
Immediate decline
Involvement
Exploration
Time
Decline
Stabilisation, Reduced Growth &
Rejuvenation
 Stabilisation:
the area stabilises and
changes very little over time
 Reduced growth: the area continues to
grow but at a reduced rate of growth
 Rejuvenation: can take place in 2 ways:
– building a new attraction
– taking advantage of previously untapped
resources.
– Strong government or corporation
involvement
Butler’s Curve (1980)
Rejuvenation
Critical range of
elements of capacity
Reduced growth
Number of tourists
Stagnation
Consolidation
Stabilisation
Development
Immediate decline
Involvement
Exploration
Time
Decline
Critical Range of Elements of Capacity
 This
is the stage when carrying capacities
become critical (cc has been reached)
 can be exceeded or managed
 Tourism Carrying Capacity:The number of
visitors that an area can accommodate
before negative impacts occur, either in
the physical environment, the psychological
attitude of the tourists, or the social
acceptance level of the hosts.
•Assumes destination went through all stages
(exploration)
Psychograph
Mass
Tourists
Near Allocentrics
Near
Psychocentrics
Psycocentrics
Midcentrics
Allocentrics
Plog’s Psychographic Typology (1972)
 Different
destinations are attractive
to different types of tourists based
on their different personalities.
•stagnation
Psychocentric
 need
for consistency & reliability
 avoid stress/unusual situations
 prefer familiar destinations
 want to be surrounded by similar
people
 impact on host community: large
•exploration
Allocentrics
 thrives
on new experiences
 prefer to explore areas on their own
 likes to befriend local community
 impact on host
community: small
Mid-centric
 fall
between psychocentrics
& allocentrics
 looks for familiarity
 prefers to be with
friends/relatives
 not overly adventurous, but
willing to try new things
•People may visit a place, but
not fall under a certain
category
DOXEY’S “IRRIDEX”
 direct
link between increased
community irritation & continual
tourism development
EUPHORIA
Initial phase of development, visitors &
investors welcome, little planning or control
mechanism - exploration
APATHY
Visitors taken for granted, contacts
between residents & outsiders more formal
(commercial), planning concerned mostly
with marketing
ANNOYANCE
Saturation points approached, “hosts” have
misgivings about tourism, policy makers
attempt solutions via increasing
infrastructure (rather than limiting
growth) - critical on butlers curve
ANTAGONISM
Irritations openly expressed, visitors seen
as cause of all problems, planning now
remedial but promotion increased to offset
deteriorating reputation of destination
(Niagara-on-the-Lake)
Limitations
 Whole
population may have the
same attitude
 The chart goes in one direction, not
multi-directional, only progress in
one direction
•Dynamic, assumes interests change,
flexible, multidirectional
Negative
Positive
Attitude/Behaviour Model (Bjorkland &
Philbrick after Butler 1975)
Active
Passive
Aggressive promotion
of something
favoured
Silent acceptance
of something
favoured
Aggressive
opposition to
something disliked
Resigned
acceptance of
something disliked