Recreation &
Entertainment
Hospitality and Tourism 110
Recreation & Entertainment
• Projected to be the fastest growing sector
by 2015
• Offers some of the most unique work and
career opportunities
Segments
• Attractions
• Adventure Tourism and Recreation
• Events
Attractions
Attractions
• Attractions are either resource-based
(natural) or human-made.
• Attractions draw visitors to locations and
are the reasons that other services exist.
• The more special the attraction, the more
visitors it draws.
Definitions
• Visitor attraction – place, venue or activity
that attracts visitors. A fee may or may not
be charged.
• Natural attractions – beaches of PEI,
Rockies, northern lights
• Constructed attractions – Confederation
Bridge, National Art Gallery (Ottawa)
Funding in the Attractions Industry
• Public: museums, zoos/aquariums, historic sites,
casinos
– taxes, admission fees, donations, grants
• Non-profit: museums, zoos/aquariums, historic
sites
– admission fees, donations, grants, memberships
• Private: theme parks, amusement parks,
carnivals/circuses, theatres, shopping malls
– admission fees, food & beverage, merchandise,
entertainment, parking
Amusement Parks
• The trend is to provide a new ride or a new
form of entertainment every year
• Another trend is to provide people with
interactive computer games
• Special events at the parks are becoming
increasingly important
Videos
• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/howstuffw
orks/4661-how-roller-coasters-workvideo.htm
• http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/dailyplanet/february-2008/daily-planet-feb-152008/#clip17436
• http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/3479985/
Adventure Tourism &
Recreation
Adventure Tourism & Recreation
• A major motivator in attracting tourists
• An annual growth rate of 15% makes this
the fastest growing industry in Canadian
tourism
• More than 80 different occupations in this
sector
Parks Canada
• Parks Canada and Canadian Heritage are
responsible for:
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Our national historic sites
Our seven heritage canal systems
Our national battlefields
Our national heritage river systems
All national museums and galleries
Library and Archives Canada
Canadian cultural activities, including television, radio,
film, and the arts
Crown Land
• Much of our Canadian wilderness is owned by
the federal or provincial governments – known
as Crown Land
• Most adventure tourism occurs on Crown land
– E.g. province of British Columbia
• 92% is provincial Crown land
• 1% is federal Crown land
• 5% is privately owned
• 2% covered by water
Adventure Tourism – Three
Categories
• Hard adventure – involves risk, challenge and
strenuous physical exertion, special equipment
and prior training
– Example: mountain climbing
• Soft adventure – less risky, less strenuous and
requires little or no preparation
– Example: hiking on a trail
• Eco-tourism – nature-related experiences that
help people appreciate and understand natural
resources and the importance of conservation
Hard Adventure – West Coast Trail
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Open from May 1 to Sept 30
75 km walk
Takes 5 – 7 days to complete
Average temp in July 14C
Hikers must provide Parks Canada with an
itinerary in case of accident – rescuers
may take 24 hours to arrive
Ecotourism
• One of the most misunderstood and overused
terms in the tourism sector
• Most ecotourists are more mature, have postsecondary education, prefer longer trips (8 to 14
days) and are willing to pay a higher price
• Must ensure that no damage is done to our
ecosystems
– E.g. low-impact camping, take everything out with
you, no picking or taking ‘souvenirs’, etc.
Ecotourism
• Examples in Canada:
– Tours flying into the heart of the Great Bear
Rainforest , BC
– Tracing the early path of European explorers
across Davis Strait to Baffin Island
– Travelling the coastal waters of the Arctic
Ecotourism
• Greenwashing – too many tour operators
and suppliers using ecotourism to
encourage clients yet NOT doing anything
to ensure they are being responsible to
our ecosystems
Outdoor Recreation
Winter Sports
• Skiing – 35 percent of Canadian
population skis during the winter
• Types
– Track skiing– done on groomed trails
– Touring skiing – done on ungroomed trails
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Cross-country/Nordic
Downhill/alpine
Heli-skiing
Snowboarding
Winter Sports
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Dog-sledding
Luge
Snowmobiling
Hockey
Ice skating
Tobogganing
Curling
Ice sailing
Spring, Summer & Fall
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Hunting and Fishing
Camping
Golf
Tennis
Marine Activities
Walking
Tourism’s Impact on the
Environment
Impact
• Tourism is a user and abuser of the
environment.
• Establishing tourism management practices that
limit harm to the environment is becoming a top
priority for the tourism sector.
• The Great Barrier Reef is a prime example of
environmental damage by tourists who
knowingly or unknowingly kill the corals by
stepping on them or taking them home as
souvenirs.
Impact
• Carrying Capacity – maximum number of
people who can use a site without
damaging it too much for the next visitors.
• Some areas preserve the experience by
limiting the number of visitors per year.
Environmental Components
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Vegetation
Water Quality
Other Pollutants
Wildlife
Coastlines
Mountains
Deserts
Canada’s Green Plan
Green Plan
• Recommends that 12 percent of Canada’s
lands be protected space for parks,
historic sites and wildlife.
• Reduce waste sent to landfill sites by 50%
• Redesigning purchasing policies to ensure
waste reduction
• Collecting and recycling all recyclables
• Using environmentally friendly hotel
supplies
Fairmont Hotels
• One of the first chains to ask guests to use their
bed linens more than once
• Blue recycle boxes have reached 100%
compliance
• 86% of paper is recycled
• 90% of used soap is recycled to local charities
and less developed countries
• Chateau Montebello uses its own compost as a
fertilizer
• Royal York donates leftover food to relief
agencies in the city
Events
Events
• Important industry because it makes use
of:
– Accommodations
– Food and beverage
– Travel services
– Recreation and entertainment
• Creates jobs (full and part-time)
• Every community holds special events
Special Events
• “A onetime or infrequently occurring event
outside the normal program or activities of
the sponsoring or organization body. To
the customer, a special event is an
opportunity for leisure, social or cultural
experience outside the normal range of
choice or beyond everyday experience.”
Special Events
• Examples:
– Olympics and Paralympics
– Live 8 Concert
– Calgary Stampede
– Nova Scotia International Tattoo
Festivals
• Public celebrations centered on themes of
local, regional or national interest
• Celebrate jazz, blues, winter, tulips, etc…
• Examples:
– Folklorama – Winnipeg
– Symphony of Fire – Victoria
– Pumpkinfest – Port Elgin
– Carnaval de Quebec – Quebec City
Fairs
• Fairs focus on agriculture or history
• Agricultural fairs feature livestock,
produce, local arts and crafts, carnival
rides, food
• Examples:
– Canadian National Exhibition – Toronto
(August)
– Royal Winter Fair – Toronto (November)
Other Events
• Circus – concern for the welfare of circus
animals has caused a decline in this type
of event
• Hallmark Event – bring tourists from
around the world and have a huge
economic impact on a community
• Fundraising Event – people have a chance
to enjoy a special activity while supporting
a cause
Other Events
• Civic Events – municipal to global
– Canada Day, Remembrance Day, New Year’s
Eve
• Spectator Sporting Events – can be a
large event (Olympics, Stanley Cup, Super
Bowl) or a sport that is in a big city
(Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Raptors)
Conferences, Conventions and
Meetings
• Association meetings are a) Conventions
or b) Conferences
• CONVENTIONS – delegates come
together to share ideas and to reach
agreement
– Often has a strong recreational element
• CONFERENCES – delegates usually
come from a single industry or occupation
– Often has a more educational tone
Difficulties in holding an event
1. Finding volunteers
2. Community businesses and residents
who don’t agree with the event
3. Inadequate planning
4. Large number of visitors
5. Damage to the environment
6. Until well known, difficulty attracting
visitors