Butlers model of tourism

The Butler Tourism Model Based on MEDC tourism Cycle of a resort development, tourism and decline. Tourism viewed as a resource The model has 6 Stages: Exploration Involvement Development Consolidation Stagnation Decline/Rejuvenation

The Butler Model

Exploration EACH STAGE EXPLAINED… Small number of tourist attracted by culture/natural beauty. Limited numbers. Few facilities exist.

Involvement EACH STAGE EXPLAINED… Some involvement by locals to provide tourists with facilities. Recognisable tourist season. Developing tourism market.

Development EACH STAGE EXPLAINED… Large numbers of tourists. Control of market moves from locals to external bodies e.g. TNC’s. Conflict between residents and tourists.

Consolidation EACH STAGE EXPLAINED… Tourism constitutes major part of the economy. Tourist numbers plateau. Older facilities seen as “second rate”.

Stagnation EACH STAGE EXPLAINED… Peak tourist numbers reached. Resort no longer fashionable.

Decline OR Rejuvenation EACH STAGE EXPLAINED… Decline OR Rejuvenation Attractiveness continues to decline. Visitors lost to other resorts / destinations. Resort becomes dependant on day / weekend visitors from limited geographical area. Unless efforts made to modernise and rejuvenate resort will continue to decline.

Case Study Spain – Costa del Sol

Development & Consolidation Exploration 1960’s only 0.4 million tourists to the Costa del Sol, visiting for the beach holidays. Involvement 1970's numbers rose to 3 million. Farmland built on, infrastructure improved. Transition from resource based to demand based. Development & Consolidation 1980’s numbers rocketed to 7 million (carrying capacity reached). Clubs, bars, restaurants and more hotels were built, leading to environmental degradation.

Stagnation Late 1980’s area began to stagnate, and was no longer fashionable. Attractive mountainous area blocked by large hotel developments. Beaches dirty from litter left by tourists. Polluted from excessive sewage. Strain on resources e.g. water It takes 60 000 gallons to run a luxury hotel for a day.

Decline OR Rejuvenation?? 1990s Costa del Sol began rejuvenation. Beaches tidied and achieved EU Blue Flag. VAT cut to 6% to encourage tourists and businesses. Tourism began to diversify to ecotourism and heritage tourism. Development of Coto Donana national park to 'Costa Donana’ abandoned Wetland area popular with rare birds Previous development had seen a drop in the water table and the death of 30 000 wild birds form pesticide contamination

Tourism spread more inland to Madrid and Barcelona. Historical & City based tourism gains popularity. Culturally diverse areas such as Almeria have also gained popularity. Spain has not seen a decline in tourism, but a spatial change moving inland. Spanish Tourism Today Costa Del Sol

Make a copy of Butlers model. (use a whole page) Using the worksheet, decide which statements match each stage. Annotate your graph in your exercise books. In another colour, add detail using your Costa Del Sol case study.