With the increasing amount of tourist destinations around the world today, it seems that the tourism industry has gradually evolved and developed throughout the years. At the same time, with man’s discovery of new methods and alternatives to improve our lives, it has also strengthened many industries in becoming better and adaptive to change. Seeing this, it is essential for many actors involved in the tourism industry to constantly be dynamic and create appropriate planning strategies that can both maximize the potential for growth and improve on its ability to sustain itself.
The chapter focuses on the impact of planning in the tourism sector. In here, the document puts into consideration the importance of such initiative to maintain and develop an understanding of the complexity and difficulty of the practice. This is because the idea of tourism has evolved from the mere development of an area towards a variety of issues, practices, and considerations that need to be addressed (Gunn, 1994). As more and more industries offer tourism services to consumers, the idea of sustainability and resilience now becomes an important issue to consider.
Likewise, the chapter also specified that rather than thinking on the economic side, developers and actors involved must also take into consideration other factors that continue to drive the industry forward namely: (1) resources, (2) the community, (3) visitor perception, etc. (Gunn, 1994). This endeavor neither involves developing and then leaving it for others to judge and prescribe nor creating responses only when necessary. The concept of tourism in the 21st century requires an element of understanding, communication and collaboration among groups and actors.
This is where the importance of tourism planning is manifested and shown. Seeing the importance of planning, it is now essential for groups to ascertain the important elements associated with tourism planning. It must encompass areas from the arrival until the services rendered on the departure. At the same time, it must also seek to adhere and follow the goals and objectives it wishes to pursue. These tenets then in turn must correlate with the complexities of parties whose diverse intentions must also be united (Gunn, 1994).
Only by doing this can the overall concept of planning be successful and encompassing. Moreover, the document argued that planning must not only be initiated at the beginning. Rather, for it to become sporadic and expansive in nature, it must continuously seek changes. It must be responsive to the current needs of the times and adaptive the forces moving the industry either forward or backward. Since decisions are made everyday, careful planning must also actively share this idea (Gunn, 1994).
Opening up and becoming interactive is also another element towards effective tourism planning. The central role and decision making must not only come from the business sector since this is not the sole objective of any tourism industry. On the other hand, inclusion of other sectors can cater the needed motivation towards betterment and growth. Lastly, it must be encompassing to different levels. Each must be treated differently but at the same time used as an instrument for examples.
People and groups who are engaged in planning must actively decipher each need and work through with them to achieve such. In the end, I feel that tourism planning is one step that many organizations and groups can do towards sustainability and stability. By constantly reinforcing their objectives with appropriate mechanisms and practices, the tourism industry can maximize the potential of their services while catering to the needs not only of one actor but of all.
At the same time, man can be vital instruments to maintain the overall capability of tourist destinations to transcend over visitors and create the feeling of satisfaction one can never take away. That is why it is essential that groups pursue planning as a strategy to move forward and grow.
Reference
Gunn, C. A. (1994) Chapter 1: The purpose of Tourism Planning in Tourism Planning: basics, concepts and cases. 3rd ed. (Washington DC: Taylor and Francis) Retrieved March 11, 2009 3-32.