Factors influencing the location of tourism

Sun, sea, and the resort

The most important factors that explain the location of tourist attractions and facilities are physical. The growth of mass tourism in Europe is explained by the fact that there are large urban areas in the north of Europe that experience cool and cloudy weather and relatively underpopulated areas in the south with warm, sunny weather.

As a result, the summer months see major movements of Germans to Spain and Italy to bask in guaranteed sunshine at the beach. When the same attraction is sold (sunshine, beach, warm water) cost becomes important. As an example, tourist traffic has moved away from Italy and the south of France to Spain because that country was able to provide the same vacation experience while holding down the costs of accommodation and food. More recently the Eastern European countries of Yugoslavia, Romania and Bulgaria have been competing successfully for the same business.

As more and more people have been able to afford both summer and winter travel, resorts in the north of Europe have experienced a decline. In Britain, Brighton served the population of London while Blackpool acted as the getaway by the sea for Britain's industrial north. In the United States, Atlantic City served the same function for the New York/Philadelphia area. With advances in transportation and economic growth of the population these resorts suffered greatly. Atlantic City looked to the legalization of gambling to revitalize itself. It could no longer compete on the basis of climate and beach.

A major part of the physical resource of resorts, in addition to the sunshine, is the quality of the beach. In general, a "good" beach is one that offers good-quality sand and a gentle slope into the sea without dangerous currents. The character and slope of the beach also create the conditions for surfing, so popular in California, Hawaii and Australia.

For many resorts, boating and sailing are important. In these instances the beach is less important. What is important are a sheltered bay or channel, the lack of reefs and rocks, and a good harbor.

A major criticism of resorts is that they tend to isolate the tourist from the host population. This is probably the way the majority of tourists want it. When people travel to swim in clear water or lie on the beach they are thinking of pampering themselves, not understanding another culture. Yet this can create an "elitist" type of tourist and tourism where the economic benefits of tourism do not extend to many of the local people. It is argued that tourism can be a stimulant to peace because it encourages contact between different peoples. By keeping tourists physically separate from the host culture the benefits of that interaction are lost.

Winter resorts. The French Riviera originally debuted as a winter resort area. Because of its mild winter temperatures, the area appealed to a high-class clientele who could afford to take a winter break. There still is tourist traffic in the winter that seeks the sun and the warmth. In North America this movement is apparent in the winter when droves of northerners descend on the state of Florida.

However, when we think of winter resorts we think of cold climate areas and winter sports. Most people take their annual vacation in the summer months. However, a growing number of people can afford a second vacation in the winter. The growing popularity of winter sports has meant significant business for winter resort areas.

Of all the winter sport activities skiing is the most popular. It is of relatively recent origin, having been introduced into the Swiss Alps in the 1890s from Norway. It took the invention of the ski lift in the 1930s to spur the development of skiing and the introduction of the safety binding in the 1960s to start the mass appeal of the sport. Alpine skiing in the Alps has formed the model for downhill skiing.

Successful ski resorts require a good snow cover, hilly, if not mountainous, terrain, bearable temperatures, relatively long hours of daylight, and accessibility to the market. The success or failure of major resort areas depends on the presence or lack of these factors. Much of the southern Alps, for example, cannot guarantee sufficient snow for extended periods of time. Even in the northern Alps the combination of snow and sunshine is sometimes lacking. The mountains of Norway can offer the snow conditions, but the cold temperatures combined with the short daylight hours limit their popularity in the winter months. They manage to attract the spring skier in impressive numbers.

Scotland has attempted to develop its ski facilities. It has a west coast marine climate and the snow conditions are very variable. But Scotland attracts few skiers from outside Britain.

Some skiing is done in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. The areas on the French side, however, do not offer easy access to major centers of population. In the west the snow cover cannot be guaranteed. In Eastern Europe the best overall conditions are in the Carpathians.

In North America, the Laurentians (outside Quebec) appeal to American tourists from the East and Midwest. In the Rockies, most tourists come from Texas and the Midwest. The major markets are regional and national.

In addition to the physical factors, the successful resort must invest heavily in a variety of facilities. Hotels must be built to house the skiers, ski lifts to transport them up the mountain, snow plows to keep the roads clear, grooming equipment to keep the slopes smooth, and apres ski bars and restaurants to allow for socializing.

Two types of development are apparent. The village that is self-contained, having a "life" of its own as well as a transportation system, is referred to as a resort development. A "center", on the other hand, is a much larger area with ski lift stations some distance apart and linked by public transportation. In some cases centers have been created from scratch, most notably in France and Italy. Vail, in the US state of Colorado, is an example of such a center.

A fairly recent move has been the construction of condominium complexes rather than the traditional hotel development. In a condominium each room or suite is owned by an individual or individuals. The common areas, walkways, reception areas, etc., are owned jointly by the suites' owners. A maintenance fee is paid for the general upkeep of the facility. In some types of development the owners put their units into a pool and hire a management company to rent the facilities to others like a "regular" hotel.

For years cross-country skiing has been popular in Scandinavia. It did not grow in popularity in the United States and Alpine Europe until the 1970s. It is much cheaper than downhill skiing, is good exercise, is not dangerous, and can be done even on flat terrain. It is more important as a local type of recreation as distinct from an attraction that will bring tourists from afar.

A final note on mountainous resorts is the development of areas to appeal to tourists wishing to escape the summer heat. In the Himalayas, Darjeeling and Simla were developed as summer resorts for the British wishing to escape the heat of the plains. Resorts in the Catskills served the same purpose for those from New York City.

Scenery

Prior to the middle of the eighteenth century, nature was not regarded as an attraction. The Alps, for example, were to be avoided if at all possible during the Grand Tour. The Romantic movement changed this attitude. Now it became fashionable to enjoy the scenery rather than ignore it.

Scenery can be classified as landforms, water, and vegetation. Landforms are such things as mountains, canyons, or cliffs. The size of the Grand Canyon or of Mount Kilimanjaro cannot fail to impress. Water adds beauty to any scene. Water is important not only for its effect on the attractiveness of the area but also because of the recreational possibilities it opens up. Swimming, boating and fishing are all activities enjoyed by many. The vegetation of the temperate forests of the Amazon, the moors of England, the fall colors in New England, and the tulip fields of Holland all attract the tourist.

Two important points can be made in regards to scenery. First, it does not cost the tourist anything to enjoy it. There is no "admission charge". Second, the variety of scenery is important. An area that offers a different type of landscape every few minutes can successfully compete with such giant landforms as the Rockies and the Grand Canyon in the United States.

Hunting and fishing

While many people travel to view animals in captivity or in their natural surroundings, others travel to hunt them. Hunting is typically a local sport. However, a certain amount of travel is done to shoot wild game in Africa. Eastern European countries also advertise hunting vacations to Western tourists to shoot species of animal not found in the West.

Fishing tends also to attract from a local base. Countries like Scotland, Canada, Ireland and Norway have successfully sold the idea of fishing in unspoiled surroundings to tourists from other countries. River and lake fishing tends to be done in northern areas. These areas make special efforts to breed sport fish such as salmon and trout. Deep-sea fishing, on the other hand, is found primarily in the tropics or subtropics. Fishing for swordfish and tuna is particularly popular. There have been some, largely unsuccessful, attempts to introduce shark fishing into northern waters. Spear fishing by divers with snorkels or breathing apparatus is also popular in the warmer waters of the Southern Hemisphere.

Spas and health resorts

The importance of spas as part of the historical development of tourism has been covered earlier. Advances in medicine and a lack of faith in the powers of mineral waters have combined to reduce the importance of spas. However, a great deal of faith in the curative properties of spa treatments still exist amongst the Germans. Some spas in Central and Eastern Europe remain popular. Rheumatism is treated in Slovakia through mud-bath treatments and attracts a large number of visitors from Arab countries.

The movement toward a greater health consciousness has given rise to so-called fat farms that offer a strict regimen of diet and exercise.

Urban attractions

Many cities have a special character and atmosphere all to themselves. Paris, London, San Francisco, New York, and Amsterdam are obvious examples. This comes from a combination of distinctive architecture, pleasant streets or canals, good food and drink, and the lifestyles of the people who live there.

The two major groups of cities, as far as tourism is concerned, are old and modern. Rome, Athens and Jerusalem attract the tourist seeking ruins, classical architecture, and museums. New York, West Berlin and San Francisco offer modern architectural features, theaters, luxury hotels, and excellent cuisine. Some cities, such as London, Paris and Rome, offer a combination of the two.

Some smaller cities are known for a particular feature and tend to be included as part of a tour. Examples are

Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare), Edinburgh (the Castle), and Pisa in Italy (the Leaning Tower).

Cities of the non-Western world are known for their exotic appeal. Marrakesh, Istanbul and Bangkok are cities that bring an image of excitement.

When young people travel they tend to make cities their destination. This was particularly true in the "hippie travel" of the 1960s. Many cities tried to prevent or restrict this type of travel because the visitors did not spend much and often created problems with drugs and thievery. Amsterdam, however, seemed to encourage it. This in itself was an attraction to the many "regular tourists" who came to stare at the young hippies.

Travel to towns for religious pilgrimages has been important throughout history. While this still generates some tourism, in the Christian world only travel to Rome and the Holy Land are of major significance. Shrines of more recent importance at Fatima in Portugal and Lourdes in France attract many believers annually. In the Moslem world the pilgrimage to Mecca is the most important of all religious reasons to travel.

Rural attractions

Attractions of a rural nature tend to have a historical basis. It may be a castle, palace or monastery. It may be a battlefield such as Waterloo in Belgium or Gettysburg in the United States.

In the developing countries such attractions are primarily the ruins of ancient civilizations. Examples are the Pyramids and the Sphinx in Egypt and the Mayan ruins in Mexico.

Sporting events

Events like the Olympic Games, the Super Bowl, and the World Cup can bring many visitors to a destination. The event itself is usually short lived but the publicity generated can increase the public's awareness of the area.

Developed attractions

Developed attractions tend to capitalize on the location of an area. In the case of Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California both in the United States, the locational factor is climate. A good climate can be guaranteed year-round. In other cases, attractions are developed around the culture or history of the area. Opryland in Nashville (US) is a prime example.