Key participants in the growth of the tourism sector
This article seeks to pinpoint the primary stakeholders involved in tourism development. Stakeholders play a crucial role in any organization or industry, as achieving success becomes unlikely without their backing and dedication.
A stakeholder is an individual, collective, or entity that influences or is influenced by an organization. Johnson, Scholes & Whittington (2006) define stakeholders as parties who rely on the organization to achieve their objectives and who are also essential to the organization’s functioning.
Engaging stakeholders in the decision-making process is crucial for achieving sustainable tourism development. As highlighted by UNWTO (2005), numerous stakeholders can influence tourism planning and development, either directly or indirectly. These stakeholders fulfill diverse roles and may occasionally have conflicting goals and priorities.
To grasp the significance of stakeholders in tourism development, recognizing the primary stakeholders is essential. The subsequent discussion explores this matter in detail.
National governments are crucial in shaping tourism development. They oversee and coordinate tourism initiatives on a national scale. Effective planning at this level demands the creation and execution of suitable policies.
The responsibilities of national governments encompass developing and sustaining infrastructure like roads, railways, and ports, as well as marketing destinations to both domestic and international travelers. Additionally, they must guarantee the safety and security of tourists.
The 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy by the U.S. government seeks to establish the nation as a top-tier destination while fostering a travel and tourism industry that spurs economic expansion, generates quality employment, and enhances conservation and sustainability efforts (ITA, 2023).
The UK government has made significant investments to promote tourism beyond London and improve transportation throughout Britain, with the goal of enabling both domestic and international travelers to discover the diverse attractions available nationwide.
Local governments responsible for tourism-related affairs significantly contribute to the growth of the tourism sector. They enhance regional tourist destinations, offer necessary infrastructure and amenities to facilitate tourism, and oversee the effects of tourism activities.
In 2022, the Mayor of London reinforced his dedication to enhancing tourism in the city. Tourism plays a crucial role in both the social and economic fabric of the capital (GLA, 2023).
Local governments are better equipped to recognize the distinct qualities of a destination and can craft a genuine experience for potential visitors.
Tourism establishments and businesses fulfill diverse functions in the growth of tourism. For instance, airlines, trains, and buses facilitate the movement of tourists between destinations, while restaurants offer meals and beverages, and hotels supply lodging.
Tour operators, travel agencies, and tourist information centers also belong to this group. Indeed, international travel is nearly unattainable without the involvement of tourism organizations.
Tourists, whether traveling for business or leisure, are among the most critical stakeholders for destinations, sites, and attractions. They contribute economically by spending money and can amplify the appeal of these places through positive reviews, word-of-mouth recommendations, and social media sharing.
A negative experience may deter tourists from revisiting the attractions and could lead them to share unfavorable reviews. Such an outcome can be extremely damaging for any destination.
Tourism workers, experts, and advisors are crucial to the growth of the tourism industry. Visit Britain (2023) reports that the sector has consistently led in job creation across the UK. By 2025, it is projected to sustain nearly 3.8 million jobs, accounting for approximately 11% of the country’s total workforce.
The data highlights the critical role of tourism workers and experts. Without sufficient staff or a lack of qualified professionals in the industry, businesses such as restaurants, hotels, airlines, buses, and trains would face significant challenges.
Local communities play a crucial role in the growth of tourism. They might have valid reservations and could oppose certain tourism initiatives. As a result, it’s essential to include them in relevant decision-making processes whenever suitable.
Local communities offer essential perspectives on the needs and issues of residents, along with meaningful input regarding planned tourism development initiatives.
The unique values and cultural richness of local communities enhance the appeal of any tourist destination. Visitors can gain numerous advantages through interactions with residents.
Non-government organizations play a crucial role as stakeholders in tourism development. They frequently address social and environmental concerns, offering essential perspectives on the possible effects of tourism development initiatives.
Tourism planners must also account for additional stakeholders. These include financial institutions backing tourism initiatives, labor unions representing tourism workers, professionals in the tourism sector, educational institutions focused on tourism, and other specialized organizations involved in tourism development. Each contributes in distinct ways to the growth of the industry.
This article shifts its focus to the significance of stakeholders in tourism development after exploring their roles. As previously outlined, tourism planners need to account for the various stakeholders involved in the process.
The contemporary tourism industry operates as an intricate network of interdependent stakeholders. Consequently, recognizing their requirements and aspirations is essential for achieving optimal outcomes in the planning and execution of tourism initiatives.
Stakeholders offer essential insights on planned initiatives, enabling the detection of possible issues before they escalate. This proactive approach can result in reduced expenses and improved project oversight.
Involving stakeholders in tourism development is a multifaceted endeavor. Recognizing their interests is crucial to guarantee their perspectives are considered. Equally vital is making certain they believe their contributions are respected and acknowledged.
Various approaches and techniques can be employed to involve stakeholders in tourism development. Options such as direct communication, public meetings, focus groups, and surveys are commonly utilized. Choosing the appropriate approach and technique for each stakeholder group is essential, as their responses may vary depending on the engagement method used.
Direct communication allows stakeholders to be engaged individually or in small groups. This interaction can occur face-to-face, via phone calls, or through email exchanges.
Public meetings serve as an effective platform to involve numerous stakeholders. They provide a space where everyone can share their views and address any issues. Proper organization and inclusive participation are essential for these meetings to be successful.
Surveys offer an effective way to involve stakeholders broadly, delivering useful information about their priorities and issues. Yet, they typically yield only numerical results.
Engaging stakeholders in tourism development presents several difficulties.
A major obstacle in engaging stakeholders for tourism development is the absence of trust among them. Such distrust often results in disputes, hindering effective collaboration throughout the tourism development process.
A further obstacle is the scarcity of resources. Engaging stakeholders becomes challenging when insufficient resources hinder the process, such as limited time, funding, or staff. As a result, securing enough resources is essential for effective stakeholder engagement.
Effective approaches to address the difficulties of engaging stakeholders in tourism development
Several approaches can be employed to address the difficulties of involving stakeholders in tourism development. A key method is to guarantee that all stakeholders receive necessary information and believe their contributions are respected and acknowledged.
A different approach involves maintaining transparency and inclusivity throughout the engagement process. This fosters trust among stakeholders and ensures their active and meaningful participation.
Involving stakeholders in tourism development offers numerous advantages. By recognizing their concerns and including them in decision-making, projects are more likely to be effectively planned, adequately financed, and efficiently executed.
However, it should be noted that not all stakeholders possess equal influence or interest in a given tourism initiative. As a result, planners must determine which stakeholders hold the greatest significance in tourism development to formulate an effective communication plan. The article onStakeholder analysis—identifying and evaluating stakeholdersoffers additional details on determining the key stakeholders.
We trust you found the article ‘Stakeholders in tourism development’ useful. Feel free to spread the word by sharing its link on your social media platforms to back our efforts. You might also enjoy these related reads:
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GLA (2023) Mayor reiterates dedication to enhancing tourism, available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/mayor-reaffirms-commitment-to-boosting-tourism (accessed 22 January 2023)
Johnson, G., Scholes, K., & Whittington, R. (2006). Investigating Corporate Strategy, 7th Edition.thedition, Prentice Hall
ITA (2023) 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy, accessible at: https://www.trade.gov/national-travel-and-tourism-strategy (retrieved 22 January 2023)
Pearson Education Limited (2011) *Travel and Tourism Management: Study Guide*, Essex: Pearson Education Limited
Visit Britain (2023) Facts about Britain’s visitor economy, available at: https://www.visitbritain.org/visitor-economy-facts (accessed 22 January 2023)
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Author: M Rahman
M Rahman is an accomplished writer, contributing both online and offline, with a focus on business management, marketing, and tourism. He serves as a lecturer in Management and Marketing. Rahman earned an MSc in Tourism & Hospitality from the University of Sunderland. Additionally, he holds a BA in Business & Management Studies from Leeds Metropolitan University and a DTLLS (Diploma in Teaching in the Life-Long Learning Sector) from London South Bank University.
