Destination Promotion of Violence
Prone Areas
Abstract
Every
country has something to offer to a tourist, it may be in the form of natural
products like scenic spots or man made wonders. Many of the developing
countries are blessed with such a vast amount of cultural heritage, material
artifacts and life styles embedded with fairs and festivals that tourism
industry can serve as a great source of revenue generation. Despite the
nature’s gift in abundance in countries and particularly in South Asian region,
the tourist traffic has remained dismally low and the region receives a minute
percentile of the global traffic. This paper is an attempt to find out the
reasons of this poor response world over and identify the perceived barriers of
risk. The paper identifies two kinds of socio-political barriers like
regionalized socio political risk and global socio-political risk responsible
for poor traffic in the violence prone areas. This article highlights the
various issues responsible for the poor traffic flow to the area.
Promotion
of the violence prone areas is very difficult and it is not easy to attract the
tourists to these places easily.
Key Words: Tourism, Socio-political risk,
terrorism, image issues, Promotion, Role of media, Role of governments, Special
tourism activities, tourist police, Conflict Tourism.
Introduction
Tourism
is the second largest growing business area after information technology in the
global economy. Many of the economies are successful in marketing their country
and destinations and generating a substantial amount of foreign exchange from
tourism Sector. Even countries with poor level of infrastructure and facilities
are able to attract investors to invest money in their country for tourism
promotion.
Tourism
promotion like other forms of marketing largely depends on the Customer
traffic. If there is a growing customer traffic trend then more and more money
shall flow to an economy in the form of gross revenue earnings and also as
foreign direct investments for tourism destination marketing. The product
marketing does not involve much complexity like tourism marketing. Tourism
marketing is a very complex phenomenon because the number of uncontrollable
factors is more than the number of marketing mix variables. Though the
conventional marketing wisdom says that the larger social and political factors
affect the marketing offer in product marketing but it is more prominent in the
case of tourism marketing.
The
political up-spring, terrorism, religious fundamentalism, level of crime
perception by the foreign tourist affects the prospects of a destination. The
violence prone areas are facing a down turn in the tourism business due to the
above reasons. The geo political developments and the kind of social background
have largely affected the perception of the foreign tourists negatively for
which the inbound traffic is in a down turn.
Socio-Political
risk always plays a negative role to reduce the availability of factors and opportunities
of tourism promotion. Investment in destination promotion, Infrastructure
development to connect the destination, accommodation facilities, food service,
transportation services and retail investments will be discouraged, as the risk
of capital loss will tend to rise due to the increasing uncertainty in the
future net return associated with investment projects. Such increased risks
would also raise the cost of capital, as the likelihood of loan defaults would
go high and the period of completion of various projects will also rise. Both
domestic and international inbound tourism would be discouraged due to such
risks. Indeed, capital flight and leakage might be additional outcomes as well.
The Problem and Factors Responsible
Despite
its variety and immense tourism potential, Violence prone areas share of the
total global tourist arrivals and revenue receipts is meager. One of the most
important factors responsible for this poor growth is the phenomenon of
socio-political risk events. Since tourism is an extremely fragile industry a
crucial consideration in a potential traveler’s decision to visit a foreign
destination is that country’s political stability, social coherence and other
real or perceived barriers like service quality, poor infrastructure and health
issues.
Various
other factors responsible for making a destination Violence prone are:
Revolution
Civil
war
Factional
conflict
Ethnic
violence
Religious
turmoil
Widespread
riots
Terrorism
Nationwide
strikes/ protests/ boycotts
Cross-
national guerrilla warfare
World
public opinion
Repatriation
restrictions
Leadership
struggle
Border
conflicts
Review of Literature
In
the tourism literature, few researchers have examined the issue of violence
prone areas and its effects on tourism promotion. Authors have cited
sociopolitical risk, lack of investment capital and distance from major
tourist- generating markets as barriers to tourism promotions. Negative images,
lack of foreign exchange for tourism development, lack of skilled manpower,
weak institutional frameworks for tourism planning, political instability
caused by communal violence, civil war conflicts are inhibitors to tourism
development. However, little is known about how international tourism firms
perceive socio-political risks and other general barriers and threats to
tourism promotion in violence prone areas.
In
analyzing the impact of socio-political risk events on less- developed
countries three reasons that may have negative impacts on tourism. For
developing nations, instability in a region may negatively affect neighboring
nations due to interruption of air, sea or overland routes and also publicity
about instability makes the whole region appear volatile. Internal upheaval
within a country may be far from tourist areas or close enough to spill over
into areas frequented by tourists. Sometimes foreign tourists are deliberately
targeted by anti-government forces to embarrass the government, weaken it
economically, and draw attention abroad to the political conditions in the
country.
One
of the most common problems of socio-political instability and tourism is that
episodic violence or conflict or conflict far removed from tourist areas
receive so much media attention that it appears the entire nation is engulfed
in violence.
Thus
in tourism marketing, perceptions of insecurity by potential travelers is more
significant deterring variable for a destination marketer compared to the level
of real socio- political problems in the country.
Image Issues
The
purpose of much destination marketing is to alter the existing image held by
the target market segment so that it fits more closely with the destination’s
desired position. While some fears and concerns of tourists and potential
visitors to violence prone areas may be based on the result of inadequate or
inaccurate information. Positive images can be developed through astute
advertising of the unique and diverse tourism facilities of a given area. It
would therefore, seem that most marketing techniques aimed at targeted tourist-
generating markets, and more specifically travel intermediaries, must also
address the perceived image issues identified.
For
example, the idea that many countries in the South Asian region are relatively
safe and inexpensive must be emphasized. Thus, the product strategy challenge
for South Asian tourism planners as identified should be the redesign of the
tourism experience so that it satisfies not only perceived customer desires but
also specific development demands at the same time.
The
information revealed in this research could have many practical uses for
planning and marketing managers of violence prone destinations to western
travelers. As previously mentioned, socio-political risk arises from the
uncertainty of social and political events which affect business rather than
from the events themselves.
In
simple terms, social and political risk should be treated as business risk
brought about by political sources or social environment.
For
violence prone countries to successfully promote international tourism in the
21st century and beyond, activities such as research, planning, promotion and
education, and infrastructural facilities such as airports and roads must be
embarked upon. Perhaps these tasks can be best accomplished through the utilization
of effective and dedicated tourist promotion boards and private participations
in tourism promotion by entrepreneurs. This will further facilitate the
creation of package tours with attractive schedules conducted on a regional
basis, and can encompass the tourist attractions of multiple countries. Through
effective coordination, their role could be vital in the improvement of
facilities for training local personnel for skilled jobs and high level
management positions.
The removal of many of the administrative obstacles to
travel like rigorous visa requirements, corruption, inconsistent Government
policies etc would make travel more convenient. Further, liberalization of
entrance formalities could help curb perceptions of hassle at customs and immigration
and corruption at checkpoints.
Promotion of Violence Prone Areas
The
promotion of violence prone area is to be done to change the negative image of
that destination. Special promotion campaigns should be launched to make
tourist friendly environment, so that more and more tourists can be attracted.
Steps
which can minimize the violence related activities can be taken by the
government of that country. Government can play the most crucial role in
promoting the tourist destination by creating tourist friendly environment of
that area and try to minimize the violence related activities and those
activities which affect the tourist activities like strikes etc.
Restricted
areas should be make open for the visitors with some restrictions. The paper
work or getting special permissions for special permission zones should be
minimized to attract more tourists.
Private investors should be encouraged to invest for
the infrastructure development for the tourists to provide better facilities
for the tourists. Private investors can play role in the promotion of the
destinations and can make it attractive for the tourists by creating good
infrastructural facilities and also creating the better image for attracting
the tourists. Private parties can do a lot in making the image of a destination
favorable for tourists across the world by participating in the various tourism
fairs and festivals and representing their countries image safe for tourists.
Role of Media
Role
of media is one of the most helpful tools for creating awareness among the
masses for attracting the tourists and changing the image of a country from
violence prone to tourist friendly. Media is the only who can make any
destinations image good or bad. Media can make any destination’s promotion
negatively or positively.
The
role of responsible media is very important for the promotion of the violence
prone areas fit for the tourist visit. Media should do their best for creating
the violence prone areas image safe for the tourists. They should refrain from
presenting the negative news repeatedly or presenting these kind of news by
adding more fear and making them more dramatic. They should also avoid
presenting live show of the terror incidents.
For
example, the live coverage of the 26 Nov 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai created
more panic and fear in the whole world and the way of the news presentation was
such it created the image of whole India as violence prone. This news was
presented in the media like the attacks were done in the whole India. It all
created such impact in the world, the inbound tourist activities declined and
it badly affected the whole Indian tourism industry.
This
affect could be minimized if the media acted responsibly while covering the
news of the Mumbai attacks responsibly.
Media
should remain cautious while making any news, they should define the things
like the location of the attacks from the major destinations and in foreign
countries it the news should be in such a way the distance from the capital
city or from the major tourist destinations should be defined so that tourists
can understand that the destinations are safe to visit or when the conditions
became better after any turmoil then this kind of news also be highlighted by
the media to attract the tourists by informing that the environment is good for
tourism activities.
Role of Foreign Governments
The
role of the foreign governments, foreign embassies and foreign high commissions
is also very important for the publicizing the image of a country or
destination as positively or negatively.
If
the government and other tourist agencies of a tourist destination try to
convenience to promote that place fit for the tourist arrivals then it is
possible to attract the tourists easily of that country to the respective
destination.
But
if the government or the other tourist agencies fails to convenience the other
countries government to consider that destination safe for their people to
visit then it will be difficult to make positive image in the minds of the
people of that country due to adverse campaign of their government.
For
example, After the Mumbai attacks of last November, number of western
governments started issuing adverse travel advisories asking their nationals to
cancel all plans of visiting India without even the actual details being fully
known. The US Government website states, "The Department of State warns
U.S. citizens that there is a high threat of terrorism throughout India, and
advises U.S. citizens travelling to or already in India to maintain a high
level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security
awareness.
They
have put the entire India as a terrorist threatened destination. No sane person
would have the courage to travel to India after reading such a discouraging
advice.
The
British have gone a step ahead and their website states, "There is a high
threat from terrorism throughout India. Future attacks may target places
frequented by Western visitors and expatriates. British nationals should
exercise particular caution when in the vicinity of key government
installations and tourist sites, attending public events (including religious
and sporting events), and in public places including hotels, airports, shopping
malls, markets and on public transport".
This
kind of negative publicity of the country affects the tourism industry badly.
In such cases the role of the government of the tourist destination should talk
to the respective governments of the tourist generating countries to make the
situation clear that there is no need to panic and the conditions are not much
worsened.
Other
stake holders of tourism industry like Tour operators, travel agents and other
tourism organizations should try to make and increase putting pressure on the
other countries governments to stop their negative publicity of the tourist
destination. And they should launch campaigns in those countries to show the
safety and security concern of the government and other stake holders of the
tourist destination for the visitors. They should also focus campaign to make
the potential visitors aware that the conditions are not bad at the tourist
destinations and everything is favorable for the visiting of tourists.
To
convenience the foreign embassies, high commissions and governments must be
taken into confidence for the promotion of violence prone areas safe for the
tourist visit.
Tourist Police
Creation
of tourist police for the violence prone areas specially to protect the
tourists from the activities of terror or protecting them from the local ethnic
violence, helping tourists during frequent strikes and on such events. Tourist
police can help in making the image of violence prone areas better by
facilitating the tourists in any problem.
Special Tourist Promotion Activities
Special activities should be organized to attract the
more and more tourists and to aware the people by organizing such events that
the conditions are favorable for tourism in that area.
These
kind of events can be like fairs and festivals of that area or special theme
based celebrations for the promotion of the tourist activities.
For
example, organizing of the Great Indian Travel Bazaar to attract the foreign
companies related to travel and tourism field to increase tourism business by
showing that India is safe for the tourists. Or like the Sikkim is Government
is going to celebrate the year 2010 as year of tourism and in which various
tourism related festival and other activities will be organized during the
whole year to attract the tourists and also to send a message that Sikkim is
safe for tourist activities.
Promotion of Violence Prone Places for “Conflict
Tourism”
The
idea of promoting violence prone areas as a ‘Conflict Tourist Destination’ may
seem strange but this is what various tourism experts wish and should plan.
Government and tourism related agencies of those places should encourage
marketing of the place for "tough" adventure travelers. It was all
despite the security problems of those areas. In fact, they considered it an
additional challenge for the adventure seekers.
For example, Nepal where trekkers came during the
worst of political instability and they were facing extortion as well. You can call it a Conflict Tourism. Such tourism seems to be a thrill of being
in a place where no one else can. Such tourism is basically cherishing a
thrill of being in a place where no one else can go.
Conclusion
Regionalized
risk is perceived to have higher negative effects on profits than globalised
risk. The promoters to multiple destination regions perceive a slightly higher
globalised risk than those who promote tourism to single regions. In the
tourism literature, little published research focuses on international tourism
image as a marketing problem. This study sheds some light in this area by
demonstrating that the socio-political risk factors in violence prone areas as
perceived by other tourism and travel intermediaries firms contribute
negatively to the organization’s performance, leading to negative image
formation.
The
above study shows that violence prone areas can be promoted for tourism in two
ways. One is that to promote the destination by making its image positive and favorable
for tourists. Second way is to promote that destination specially for those
people who want to experience thrill and study the events of violence or those
who want to visit those places where major violent activities or terror attacks
are happened.
Refrences:
www.unwto.org
www.pata.org
www.hvs.com
www.allbusiness.com
www.ezineArticles.com
www.amezon.com
www.informaworld.com
www.encyclopedia.com
www.Wikipedia.com
www.Questia.com/Journals
www.manchesterconferences.com
The Social Science Journal
Action Plan Crisis and Recovery Management for Tourism
Destinations and Tourism and Hospitality Businesses By Dr David Beirman,
Director Struan & Associates
Social Radar by Karl Albrecht
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