Special Interest Tourism Nicos Rodosthenous PhD 08/10/ /10/20131Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1 1. Introduction The aim of this course is to explore the demand for specific tourism products and services that satisfy consumer needs and wants. Examine the concerns of all stakeholders, including the host community, tourism partners and government at all levels by maintaining the principles of sustainability. Examine the Special Interest Tourism (SIT) which includes alternative, sustainable, cultural, eco, environmental, responsible, green. 08/10/20132Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism What is Tourism: 2.1 What is Tourism Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure, or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment...travelrecreationleisure businessWorld Tourism Organization 2.2 What Is Special Interest Tourism (SIT)? “SIT is travel for people who are going somewhere because they have a particular interest that can be pursued in a particular region or at a particular destination.” (S.E. Read, 1980) 08/10/20133Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1 Definition of SIT May be also defined as the provision of customized leisure and recreational experiences driven by the specific interests of individuals or groups. 2.3 What Are Special Interest Groups: 2.3 What Are Special Interest Groups Special Interest Groups refer to a group of people who want to learn more about a specific topic. Some Special Interest groups are Arts and Humanities, Religious and Ecotourism. 08/10/20134Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism Characteristics of SIT Ensuring the delivery of products and services based on ecologically sustainable principles and caring for heritage resources. SIT is characterized by flexible delivery, market segmentation and advances in technology affecting management and distribution. Depends on the life-cycle theory Changing fashion Developing perceptions 08/10/20135Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1 Education levels Competition New Destinations 2.5 Who are “special interest tourists”? Some individuals are happy to share interests with others during their travel experiences. Bicycle touring, for example, is very popular and when people are on bicycles they are not tourists but are active participants. Generally can be people of: – Any age between – Individual or group traveller 08/10/20136Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1 Most often this tourist has a minimum of further education, although there are some travellers that have no education at all Has a specific interest 3. Issues associated with alternative tourism 3.1 Critical arguments Criticism of emerging special interest or alternative tourism identifies limits to its potential for solving the major problems of the global tourism industry (Butler 1990). 08/10/20137Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1  These arguments include:  It is not realistic to propose that the tourism industry can be controlled by local communities and be self-sustaining.  Alternative tourism is inequitable because it will increase the cost of travel  With maintaining the environmental status quo, is unrealistic in the light of projected increases in world travel. 08/10/20138Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1  SIT is a high-risk strategy created by the shift from traditional mass tourism attractions to more sophisticated better-informed tourists.  Products are based upon the decline in some industries and are seen as a panacea for regional development, e.g. rural crises create farm-stay attractions.  However, the problems facing both mass and 08/10/20139Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1  alternative tourism could be addressed with guidelines such as:  Secure an appropriate scale of development, i.e. carrying capacity.  Safeguard the interests of the local people.  Ensure tourists experience and understand the genuine culture of the destination.  Encourage a responsible treatment of the environment.  Ensure local economic benefits 08/10/201310Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1  Ensure socio-cultural, economic and physical harmony. 3.2 Sustainability and SIT Sustainability was sponsored by World Tourism Organization (WTO, 1993) by the initiative to develop indicators to assist industry managers, regulators and communities in better understanding the future risks of tourism development. Sustainable tourism development is also in the context 08/10/201311Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1 of wider concerns for community wellbeing. SIT is seen as an alternative approach in addressing some of the concerns for limiting the impacts of mass tourism. Managing the growing impact of these alternatives tourists wishing to experience the lifestyle and culture of a host community raises serious issues, like: planning, implementing and monitoring development. 08/10/201312Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1 4. Influences on the development of SIT Today, leisure activities are not only at home but also on holidays, and this sector has been developed by the SIT. The changing patterns to meet the demand for shorter, more frequent and more intensive tourism experiences and the link between holidays and personal interests lead the SIT to exploit those interests more intensively. 08/10/201313Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1 Retirees who are free to travel and have a wide range of income will take different demands. (i.e. health or religious tourism) A criterion based upon what is visited (such as monuments and religious places) is being replaced by one that concerns how they are visited (Wood This shift reflects a move from cultural tourism’s being as a way of protecting these places from tourists, to its use in an educational role to teach 08/10/201314Dr Nicos Rodosthenous

Explain Special Interest Tourism-1 people to respect them and its economic power to maintain them. Cultural tourism also consists of customized excursions into other cultures and places to learn about their people, lifestyle, heritage and arts and their historical contexts. 08/10/201315Dr Nicos Rodosthenous