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Last weekLast week• We looked at tourism• And particularly, the Lake District National

Park• We set about answering a number of

questions, such as– Why do people go there?– Who wins and who looses by having a tourist

industry?– What the advantages and disadvantages

• for the people?• for the environment?• for the economy (the way people make their living and

how money moves around)?

• We also looked at solutions to some problems, but in the case we are going to look at today, the solutions have been harder to find out!

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Introduction to SitgesIntroduction to Sitgesnear Barcelonanear Barcelona

Sitges is situated 36 kilometres to the south from Barcelona with a population of 20,000 (census January 2000) which increases to 60,000 during the summer peak tourist season.

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About SitgesAbout Sitges• The Sitges economy is mainly based on tourism

and industry (the construction industry and the cement factory, and the stone quarries in Garraf, which is a National Park).

• Tourism is mainly concentrated in Sitges, which offers excellent premises and services, and three marinas.

• Sitges has become a commercial centre with a great influx of tourists during the whole year.

• As a result, the construction industry has experienced a boom in second homes and houses for seasonal tourists.

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Why do Why do people people visit?visit?

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They visit because of ….They visit because of ….• The Physical Attractions• Mediterranean climate • Blue flag beaches

– but they are now very full in the summer, and erosion if the sand means groins have had to be added which are not always attractive!

• Garraf Natural Park: limestone landscapes • Surrounded by unspoilt mountain scenery

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They visit because of ….They visit because of ….• … The Human Attractions• Historic fishing quarter • Museums (including

Palau Maricel) • Old attractive and

historic buildings • Promenade • Shops and restaurants • Bars and nightclubs • Hotels and camp sites • Motorway and rail access • Close to Barcelona

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They visit because of ….They visit because of ….• … the activities• Art, music, theatre and

cinemas traditions • Festivals and cultural

events • Food tourism• Golf course and tennis

courts

Annual film

festival with over 200 films

shown

The xatonada is a traditional

food

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Port Aventura Theme ParkPort Aventura Theme Park

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Which groups win and Which groups win and which loose?which loose?

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The groups that …The groups that …

• ……….benefit • Businesses/workers linked directly/indirectly to

tourism. • Cultural groups that receive government support and

funding. • Tour operators. • Local Council and government who benefit from

taxes• Conservationists. Some buildings are preserved as

tourist attractions.• Local residents who benefit from the wider range of

services supported by tourism.• Beach replenishment company.

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The groups that …The groups that …• …. do not benefit • The majority of people not employed in the tourism

industry many of whom see it as a curse rather than a blessing.

• Environmentalists. Tourist developments destroy not only the beauty of the site but enable far greater numbers of visitors, which would increase the physical impact on the environment. Tourist trampling erodes footpaths and reduces biodiversity.

• Conservationists. Poorly planned tourist developments can destroy buildings of historic/cultural value.

• Workers unemployed in the winter season.• Businesses located next to beaches that have lost

their sand have lost many customers.

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What are the social What are the social benefits and costs?benefits and costs?

Social means to do with Social means to do with people’s quality of lifepeople’s quality of life

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The Social Effects of The Social Effects of TourismTourism

• Social Benefits• Brings in outside euros to support community

facilities and services that otherwise might not be there.

• Encourages civic involvement and pride. • Provides cultural exchange between hosts

and guests. • Encourages local festivals and cultural events

to carry on. • Facilities created for the tourists (e.g. the

promenade) are also good for the residents. • Encourages the learning of new languages

and skills.

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The Social Effects of The Social Effects of TourismTourism• Social Costs

• Some visitors may not behave as well as the locals.

• May change individual behaviour and family relationships.

• May lead to the loss of traditional values and culture through imitation of visitor behaviour or cultural diffusion resulting from normal, everyday interaction.

• Crowding and congestion on the roads and in the narrow streets.

• Leads to an increase in crime during the summer season.

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What are the What are the environmental affects of environmental affects of

tourism?tourism?

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The Environmental Effects of The Environmental Effects of TourismTourism

• The Benefits • Fosters conservation and preservation

of natural, cultural and historical resources.

• Encourages community beautification and revitalization.

• Sitges has a sustainable development plan.

• Could be considered a clean industry.

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The Environmental Effects of The Environmental Effects of TourismTourism

• The Costs • The development of a marina and breakwaters has

increased the erosion of beaches. • Increase in litter, noise, and pollution. • May lead to the erosion of sensitive habitats in the

Garraf Natural Park. • Golf Course uses large quantities of scarce water and

fertilizers pollute both the air and water. • Directly contributes to sewage and solid waste

pollution. • Transport emissions are one of the main

environmental problems of tourism. • During the hot and dry months, tourism is heavily

dependent on scarce water resources.

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The Environmental Effects of The Environmental Effects of TourismTourism

• More costs• Tourists compete with residents for

available services, facilities, and existing recreation opportunities.

Look at the graph. What do

you see?

This is not Sitges, but it’s a place not far away,

where figures are known

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Trampling Tourists using the same trail over and over again

trample the vegetation and soil, eventually causing damage that can lead to loss of biodiversity and other impacts. Such damage can be even more extensive when visitors frequently stray off established trails.

Trampling impacts on vegetation

Trampling impacts on soil

Breakage and bruising of stems

Loss of organic matter

Reduced plant vigour Reduction in soil porosity

Reduced regenerationDecrease in air and water permeability

Loss of vegetation ground cover

Increase in run off

Loss of vegetation diversity Accelerated erosion

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What are the economic What are the economic affects of tourism?affects of tourism?What are economic activities?What are economic activities?

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The Economic Effects of The Economic Effects of TourismTourism

• The Benefits• The governments gets extra tax through

accommodation and restaurant taxes, airport taxes, sales taxes, park entrance fees, employee income tax etc..

• Creates local jobs and business opportunities. These include those jobs directly related to tourism (hotel and tour services) and those that indirectly support tourism (such as food production and housing construction).

• The multiplier effect: – Brings new money into the economy. Tourist money is returned

to the local economy as it is spent over and over again. – Helps attract additional businesses and services to support the

tourist industry. • Is labour-intensive. • Earns valuable foreign exchange.

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The Economic Effects of The Economic Effects of TourismTourism

•The Costs• Increases the prices of property and of goods

and services. • Employment tends to be seasonal. Workers

are laid off in the winter season. • Outside events like terrorism or economic

recession reduce the number of tourists. This is a problem in Sitges for businesses dependent on tourism.

• Tourism follows a 'product life cycle', with is to do with whether a place is fashionable or not (see later)

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Mediterranean Tourism Life Cycle Mediterranean Tourism Life Cycle ModelModel

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Mediterranean Tourism Life Cycle Mediterranean Tourism Life Cycle ModelModel

• STAGE 1:  DISCOVERY a small number of visitors arrive seeking "unspoiled" destinations. The social impact in this stage is generally small and resident attitudes are fairly positive towards tourism.

• STAGE 2: LAUNCH During this stage the number of incoming tourists increases. More facilities are provided, increasing numbers of tourist. Businesses remain family based and the visitor-resident relationship is still harmonious.

• Later in this stage, visitor numbers increase and the community becomes a tourist resort.

• Outsiders invest. Migrant workers, attracted by the prospect of tourist-related jobs, may enter the community and reduce resident contact with visitors. The relationship becomes a business one.

• The "explorers" move on to new "unspoiled" areas and are replaced by the mass market.

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Mediterranean Tourism Life Cycle Mediterranean Tourism Life Cycle ModelModel

• STAGE 3: STAGNATION The stage in which saturation is reached. The quality of tourist services falls, demand levels off, and the environmental degradation of the tourist destination begins to be obvious and worrying. The tourist destination at this stage is said to have reached 'maturity'.

• STAGE 4: DECLINE which represents the current state of mature tourist destinations on the Costa Brava in Spain. Falling profits lead to foreign-owned businesses withdrawing and the community is left to "pick up the pieces".

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Tourism Maturity: Mediterranean Tourism Maturity: Mediterranean SpainSpain

• What is a mature destination?• Mature tourist destinations in Spain are those

resorts where mass tourism occurred primarily on the Mediterranean coastline in the 1950's and 60's.

• At the end of the 1980's they had become saturated with tourists and no longer offered new attractions.

• Quality of tourist services had diminished with the rise of competition and income was decreasing.

• This is an unsustainable process, and will lead to economic, environmental and social problems.

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Tourism Maturity: Mediterranean Tourism Maturity: Mediterranean SpainSpain

• The farming and fishing jobs are gone• Modern developments have replace them,• both of accommodation (hotels, apartments,

second-home estates, campsites) and • of complementary services for tourists (bars,

restaurants, discotheques, golf courses, water parks, etc.),

• There are also the effects of thousands of visitors year after year (contamination, overexploitation of resources, etc..)

• Grey concrete gradually replacing green trees.

• Most Spanish resorts look very similar to each other

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Tourism Maturity: Mediterranean Tourism Maturity: Mediterranean SpainSpain

• There are now fewer tourist because• People want:

– to plan their own holidays, and not go on package tours

– to experience the 'real' Spain, rather than the artificial mass tourist experience;

– to visit areas that have not been environmentally damaged; 

– to have activity-based holidays, not just sunbathing and nightlife

• The increasing degradation of the natural environment and of the quality of tourist services of the traditional or mature destinations.

• There are new emerging destinations, with a newer offer, of quality, that are cheaper.

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Tourism Maturity: Mediterranean Tourism Maturity: Mediterranean SpainSpain

• Solutions• In the face of this situation the mature

destinations can opt for various solutions:• 1. Continued decline, a bit like some English

resorts that have become tatty and not very popular any more

• 2. Stagnation, due to the application of piecemeal measures which do not attack the root of the problems but only the most evident effects.

• 3. Make BIG changes based on sustainability and the integration of tourism with the environment, the economy and the local population.

Which of these options do you think Sitges has opted for?

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HomeworkHomework• I want you to take on being a person living in

Sitges• You could be a teenager, or you could work in

a hotel or you could be a tourist guide or anyone you fancy.

• You are writing (it could be an email?) to a friend about living in Sitges (perhaps they are planning a visit?)

• Please include at least 2 things that you see as a benefit (in whatever role you are in) and 2 problems

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So ……So ……

• Paragraph 1: introduce yourself• Paragraph 2: explain who you are

writing to• The letter or email

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I am a retired English I am a retired English person who has bought a person who has bought a flat on the promenade.flat on the promenade.I am writing to my friend, I am writing to my friend, Mary who is coming out Mary who is coming out to visit.to visit.

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Dear MaryDear Mary• It will be lovely to see you next month when you come to

stay.• It is a good thing you are coming before the tourist season

has really started. It can get a bit noisy, and the litter is a real problem here in July and August.

• Our block of flats is not the most beautiful – they were built in the late 60s, all concrete and glass! But the old town has kept a lot of its charm, especially down in the fishing quarter. That is only a short walk.

• There should a couple of worthwhile concerts while you are here. Also we have a local carnival, which is very colourful. It is so nice that they have managed to keep these cultural things going.

• I know you enjoy walking so we must try and go up to Garraf National Park, before the weather hots up too much.

• Must go now, but I am really looking forward to your visit

Best WishesBest Wishes