Page 208 - Tourism The International Business

9. The management of tourism

face during their normal routine and of a sort they are not accustomed to handling. An executive who competently
manages tens or hundreds of subordinates may be completely frustrated by the pressures of controlling his own
children on a full-time basis. The trash dumper may have been a person who is normally neat and orderly

responding to unfamiliar pressures. Similarly, kind and considerate individuals may behave rudely as a result of
cumulative frustrations.
While the example, trash, seems trivial, there is an important principle involved. The more the community
understands and attempts to alleviate the problems of tourists, the fewer the problems the community will have.
Normlessness can be reduced if the tourist feels those he meets are interested in him. If he has been befriended by
someone in the area, he is less likely to act objectionably. Emphasize the necessity of responding readily to
questions, even if they seem absurd; they are very real to the person making the inquiry. It may not be apparent to

everyone passing through that the cute op-art frogs with gaping mouths are trash cans. By easing the frustrations
and pressures of traveling, your community can reduce the number of unpleasant incidents with tourists. Maybe
the litter in the park did not get there by careless dumping. Maybe, to borrow an American term from the late
sixties, it was a case of (subconscious) trashing!
Understanding tourists' motives

We are all familiar with the biblical golden rule. George Bernard Shaw's comment is less well-known, "Don't do
unto others as you would have them do unto you; they may not share your taste". Both are relevant to
understanding and responding to the tourist. It is important for the community to understand tourists are families
much like their own, rather than a mob or rude, intrusive litterbugs. Visitors appreciate and will respond to
friendly, courteous treatment.

On the other hand people differ. The area's primary appeal might not be one that would attract its own
residents, were they vacationing in the region. People in the community must be helped to understand, and accept
as legitimate, the various reasons visitors do come.
Suppose the major attraction is a geological feature that is only of real interest to those with formal training in
geology. Residents would not be likely to share visitors' enthusiasm. They might even feel anyone willing to spend
good money to come and "look at the silly rock" is a little weird. A task of the public awareness program is to help
the community understand and be supportive of travelers' interests even though they do not share them.
Further, even though an area may have a central appeal, say flat water recreation, different aspects will appeal to
different travelers. The community must be made aware of the multifaceted nature of its offering. Imagine the

plight of the tourist who hates fishing and is only seeking a little solitude, when he is cornered for a 30 minute
discourse on the best fishing techniques.
This facet of the public awareness program is largely a matter of promoting the area to its own citizens.
Residents must understand the reasons visitors come to their community: what it has to offer. Strategies for the
public awareness program are discussed below. Those encouraging the local populace to sample the area's offerings
seem most appropriate for this step. These could range from distribution of brochures within the local community
to programs encouraging citizens to visit its attractions.

The latter might include tours, off-season rates, resident passes and other devices encouraging local tourism.

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