PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA
PLM Business School
Department of Hospitality Management
Module 8: TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND THEME PARKS
MODULE OBJECTIVES
I. The Nature and Scope of Tourist Attractions
ITM 1204 MICRO PERSPECTIVE OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY
By the end of the module students will:
1. Describe the nature and scope of tourist attractions;
2. Explain the evolution of tourist attractions;
3. Define and clarify tourist attractions;
4. Differentiate theme parks from amusement parks;
5. Discuss the main issues in the management of tourist attractions;
6. Clarify the role of technology in tourist attractions;
7. Explain the future of tourist attractions; and
8. Describe the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.
Tourist attractions are major components of the tourism Industry that function as main motivators for
travel. Without attractions that draw tourists to destinations, there will be little need for other tourist
services such as transportation, lodging, food distribution, and others. The natural attractions,
entertainment attractions, events, and recreation are included in the extensive list of attractions that
brings the tourists to a destination area. Figure 7 shows the overview of attractions.
Natural attractions are the chief reasons why people travel. Examples of these are the botanical,
zoological, mountain and seaside parks, national forests, and national parks of the United States,
Canada, India, Australia, and Japan. The natural beauty of these attractions entices and inspires the
travelers.
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 Figure 7. Overview of Attractions

Source: Goeldner, C.R. and J.R. Brent Richie. Tourism Principles, Practices, and Philosophies. New
Jersey: John Wiley Inc., 2009.

Heritage attractions such as the prehistoric and archaeological sites appeal to those who want to learn
about ancient and contemporary civilizations. The ancient monuments of Egypt, Greece, Israel, Turkey,
Indonesia, India, Mexico, and Peru are examples of heritage attractions.

Recreation attractions on the other hand are for those who seek exciting adventures. These attractions
provide access to indoor and outdoor facilities where tourists can participate in sports and other
recreational activities such as bowling alleys, swimming pools, ice skating rinks, golf courses, ski resort,
biking trails, bicycle paths, and marinas.

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 Commercial attractions are retail operations which deal with gifts, handicrafts, souvenirs, and art.
Recent surveys show that shopping is the principal activity of both domestic and international visitors.

In addition, industrial attractions such as wineries and breweries have long been tourist attractions.
Factory tours have increased, and manufacturers have developed elaborate facilities to handle tourists.

Modern cities that are rich with cultural treasures also attract millions of visitors every year. Because of
this, sightseeing tours which make the city attractions accessible are provided. Theaters, museums,
zoos, aquariums, cultural arts, festivals, shopping, and dining are some of the sites and activities that
appeal to tourists.

Entertainment, particularly musical entertainment, has become popular with tourists as well.

II. The Evolution of Tourist Attractions
Tourist attractions are considered a modern creation. The evolution of tourism depended on the
existence and development of attractions. As far back as the Roman Empire, travelers went to Egypt to
see the pyramids. Later on, the Grand Tour routes were around the major cultural attractions of Europe.
Table 4 shows that some of today's tourist attractions existed in the late 19th century and early 20th
century. It was in the postwar period that tourist attractions really developed. These include theme
parks by using efficient marketing techniques and state-of-the-art technology.

Table 4. Selection of the World's Most Popular Theme Parks

Year Approximate
Opene Country Visitor Numbers in
d 2014 (million)
1896 Black Pleasure Beach UK 6.5

1951 De Eheling Netherland 3.5

s
1955 Disneyland, Anaheim USA 13
1964 Universal Studios, Hollywood USA 5
1971 Magic Kingdom, Orlando USA 15
1971 Sea World, Goal Coast Australia 1
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 1977 Ocean Park Hong Kong 3
1982 EPCOT, Orlando USA 9
1983 Tokyo Disneyland Japan 13
1989 Lotte World Seoul South Korea 8
1990 Universal Studios, Japan USA 7
1992 Disneyland Paris France 10
2001 Universal Studios, Japan Japan 7
2001 Disney Californian Adventures USA 5.5

Source: Page, Stephen and Joanne Connell. Tourism: A Modem Synthesis, 2006.

The United States of America is considered to be the pioneer in the development of theme parks. The
first theme park was Disneyland created by Walt Disney in Anaheim, California in 1355, which attracted
four million visitors in its first year of operation. The Disney vision is to create a magical place where
children and parents could enjoy. Disney's second larger resort, the Walt Disney World in Orlando,
Florida, is now the world's most visited tourist destination. The development of the attraction sector is
not only concerned with theme parks; since the 1980s, there has been a rapid growth in all types of
attractions from country houses to industry-related visitor centers.

III. Definition of Attractions
According to Pearce (2001), a tourist attraction is a named site with a specific human or natural feature
which is the focus of visitor and management attention. On the other hand, Swarbrooke (2001) defines
attractions as single units; individual sites or very small, delimited geographical units based on a single
feature. Destinations are different from attractions because destinations are large areas that include
several individual attractions together with the support services required by tourists.

Classification of Attractions

Attractions may be classified according to its features such as its core product. Attractions can be
grouped as:

1. Historic houses;
2. Museums and galleries;
3. Wildlife attractions;

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 4. Castles;
5. Botanical gardens;
6. Steam railways;
7. Visitor centers;
8. Country parks; and
9. Leisure parks.

Physical Environment

Attractions may be located in the:

1. Natural environments such as forests, mountains, and national parks;

2. Built environments which are not originally designed for visitors but are adapted as attractions
due to its increasing popularity among people, such as historic houses, workplaces, steam
railways, and castles; and
3. Built environment and designed for visitor purposes such as visitor centers and leisure parks.

In addition, attractions may be located in indoor or outdoor environments.

Ownership

Attractions are owned and managed by organizations, trusts, and individuals working in the public,
private, and not-for-profit-sectors. State involvement in attractions funding is shown in Europe, Canada,
and Singapore. In the United States of America, many attractions are subsidized by charitable donations
as well as the voluntary sector. The voluntary sector includes organizations that own and manage
attractions on a nonprofit basis.

Admission Policy

Some attractions charge admission fees while others are free to the public. Attractions operated by
membership subscription organizations allow members free entry. Voluntary donations are requested
in other attractions such as churches and cathedrals.

Appeal

Attractions may appeal to a local market, regionally, nationally, or internationally. Domestic tourists

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 usually dominate the market for tourist attractions. However, there are different types of attraction that
appeal to different types of tourists. Foreign tourists make a large percentage of visits to distilleries and
castles. Visits to steam railways and country parks are prevailed by domestic tourists. Historic houses
and gardens attract mature visitors.

Size and Capacity

Attractions differ in land coverage. Some are housed in small buildings while others occupy several
hectares. Attractions designed for mass tourists are able to receive a large number of visitors.
Moreover, such attractions may incorporate services and facilities that enable visitors to prolong their
stay. Understanding the capacity of sites is important in terms of management and marketing.

Composition

Many attractions are located in or around a specific point such as a capital city. Some follows line or
route. Events may also be found in one venue or may occur in a variety of locations as part of the
festival.

Degree of Performance

Built tourist attractions are usually designed with a high degree of performance. Events and festivals
have a short duration. Hence, temporary sites and mobile infrastructure are often used.

Number of Visitors

Tourist attractions receive varying visitor numbers. Some attractions regularly record approximately
more than 500,000 visitors while others attract smaller number of travelers.

IV. Amusement Parks and Theme Parks "Amusement park" and "theme park" are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and
other events in a specific location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people. An amusement park is
more elaborate than a simple city park or playground because it provides attractions to people of all
ages.

Amusement parks evolved in Europe from fairs and pleasure gardens which were established for the
people's recreations. The oldest amusement park in the world is Bakken, which was opened in 1583 at
Klampenborg, north of Copenhagen, Denmark.

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 "Theme park" is often used as a synonym for "amusement park." A theme park is a distinct type of
amusement park which promotes a specific theme or exclusive set of themes. Disneyland in Anaheim,
California is considered as the first theme park.

Theme park trips are ideal for family vacations, including children below 19 years of age. Theme park
travelers usually fly to their destinations and rent a car once they arrive. They engage in various
activities such as shopping and visiting historical places, museums, and beaches.

Theme parks are popular in all parts of the world. New parks are established in the United States,
Europe, Latin America, Middle East, and Asia. Asia is the home to five of the 10 most visited theme
parks in the world: Tokyo Disneyland, Ocean Park in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland, Lotte World in
South Korea, and Dubailand in Dubai. All of these theme parks cater to the family market. Theme park
owners have found out that adding new attractions on a regular basis increases the number of visitors
and thus, the revenue.

V. Main Issues in the Management of Tourist Attractions face several threats from the external and internal environments which affect the product
Attractions quality, operational capability, and visitor experience. Thus, it is important for managers of attractions
to develop a strategy that recognizes threats and focuses on managing potential impacts to attain long-
term capabilities.

Management Planning

In a study of Australian tourist attractions, Benckendoff and Pearce (2003) found that attractions with
the highest level of management planning perform best and are more profitable. The following are the
effects of higher levels of planning:

1. Higher visitor numbers;

2. Increased revenue;
3. Longer asset value;
4. Greater local profit;
5. Lengthened visitors stay;
6. Better growth; and
7. Greater confidence.

Managers of attractions must plan ahead, decide what actions will be taken, and identify objectives,
time scales, funding, and implementation of projects. Planning is necessary for the long-term survival of
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attractions based on renewal and innovation.

Environmental Impacts

Environmental impacts caused by visitors raise a number of issues for managers of natural, built, and
event attractions. While natural attractions and those that charge admission, fees are highly susceptible
to seasonality, places of worship and country parks are less susceptible. In addition, attractions in cities
suffer less from seasonality than those located in the external areas.

Visitor Numbers

There are several factors that affect visitor numbers. These are promotions, global issues, and the
weather. Mechanisms for recording visitor numbers include admission tickets, car parking receipts, and
manual or mechanical tools. However, recording visitor numbers at some sites is a problem particularly
when the entry is free, when the site has multiple entry points, and when the installation of mechanical
Counting is not feasible.

Destination Planning

Gunn (1988) found out in his study that attractions function more effectively when they are clustered
together. Several areas have adopted the strategy of clustering attractions and events which provide
more activities to tourists. The rationale for clustering attractions is greater tourist mobility, competition
among tourist areas, stronger marketing mechanisms, and higher investment in development.
Managers of attractions are able to collaborate with one another to attract visitors to an area rather
than to a simple attraction together with the motivation to visit all attractions by means of big discounts
and visitor passes. Collaboration enables attractions to become more receptive to changes in the
marketplace and helps in the formation of strong regional identities through destination marketing
rather than specific attractions. Investment in popular attractions can be a tool for regeneration. The
development of attractions in urban areas is undertaken not only to attract more visitors but also to
stimulate urban renewal.

Diversification

Many attractions have developed from an existing business such as farm attractions to a diversified
agricultural business. Industry attractions have developed through a similar process where company
identifies an opportunity to promote its products and create brand awareness through the visitor

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 market. Globally, there are examples of companies that operate visitor centers that are linked to a
product offering such as nuclear energy production and chocolate. On Alaska, even oil installations are
considered tourist attractions.

Renewal and Innovation

Innovation is a principal concept in tourism business. Many attraction managers find it necessary to
incorporate technology and innovation to their featured attractions to retain and stimulate the interest
of the visitors. An example is the virtual reality ride through New York called New York Skyride at the
Empire State Building.

VI. The Future of Tourist Attractions Pearce, Benckendoff, and Johnstone (2000) identified four areas that will affect the future of tourist
attractions. These are:

1. management;
2. marketing;
3. product development; and
4. interpretation and communication.

Management: Revenue Generation

Other than ticket sales, attractions can generate revenue through several means. Efficient management
is necessary for the success of attractions. Table 5 shows the alternative mechanisms for revenue
generation in attractions.

Table 5. Alternative Mechanisms for Revenue Generation in Attraction

1. Encouraging educated visits.

2. Providing a venue for corporate hospitality, meetings, and product launches.
3. Hosting weddings and birthday parties.
4. Generating rental income from alternative usage of infrastructures, such as retail outlets,
clubs, and offices which utilize redundant building or space on-site.
5. Introducing car parking charges or leasing of the car park to a management company.
6. Improving retail and catering initiatives that offer unique and distinctive products and
experiences that reflect the ethos of the attraction.

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 7. Attracting more visitors and more frequent repeat visit.
8. Increasing length of stay by offering more activities (such as children's sleepovers at the
Boston Children's Museum).
9. Extending opening hours to expand experiences on offer (such as nighttime visiting (as in the
case of Singapore Zoo).
10. Introducing members or friends’ schemes giving privileges and discounts.
11. Hosting high-profile events.
12. Attracting corporate sponsorship.

Source: Page, Stephen and Joanne Connell. Tourism: A Modern Synthesis, 2006.

Marketing

Marketing is significant in the success of attractions. Marketing is not only concerned with promotion
and advertising but also with pricing, products, and distribution channels.

Several attraction managements produce a promotional leaflet which contains either a single attraction
or a collection of attractions in a region. These leaflets may be displayed in tourist information centers
or in leaflet racks maintained by distribution companies in principal tourist locations. Some attraction
managements have websites that show important information to lure visitors. Other means of
promotion are tourist brochures, magazines, newspapers, and television. Among the channels of
advertisement, word-of-mouth (WOM) remains as the most powerful and cheapest tool for many
attractions.

The most successful attractions have produced professional media kits which are used in public
relations work such as photographs, brochures, maps, and posters for different markets. Managers of
attractions should prepare effective marketing strategies that appeal to the consumers, such as offering
the right product to the right person at the right time in the right place.

Product Development: Creating World-Class Destinations

Product development is a process in which managers of attractions engage in innovations that tend to
develop a new concept and use new technology such as virtual reality and animations which enliven the
product offering through tours, reenactment, and personal forms of interpretation.

The main factor in creating a world-class destination is the establishment of a superior product. The

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 product must be centered on a clear understanding of the visitor experience, the principles of human
resource management, and a commitment to product development. In addition, other important
factors are understanding and anticipating consumer needs and expectations, understanding the wider
market and the supply of competitive products, and the ability to innovate.

Interpretation and Communication

There are two brand themes that are significant in interpretation and communication. These are:

1. The role of technology known as "high tech"; and

2. The role of personal interaction known as "high touch."

There are several reasons why operators of attractions invest and develop technology-based elements.
These are:

1. To create a unique product;

2. To enhance visitor experience through entertainment, education, and interaction;
3. To be competitive;
4. To manage visitors by means of technology-driven transport such as the one found in York
Museum New York; and
5. To improve systems management with the use of computerized ticketing, online booking,
customer feedback, and client databases.

In general, helpful, and friendly staff is also an important element in tourist attractions even if
technology plays a big role in the attraction experience.

VII. International Association of Amusement Parks
and Attractions
The world's largest amusement parks and attractions association is the International Association of
Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. The association was founded in
1918 and has more than 4,500 members in 90 countries. It represents and serves as operators of
amusement parks, tourist attractions, water parks, miniature golf courses, family entertainment
centers, and manufacturers and supplies of amusement equipment and services. The association
conducts research, compiles statistics, and publishes Fun World and an annual International Directory
and Buyer's Guide. In addition, it holds an annual convention and trade show.

Chapter Activities 1. Research on the principal appeals of theme parks.

2. Suppose your company is planning to build a theater in your community, what kind of data

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 would be needed?
3. Conduct a study on the main reasons why attractions are growing in popularity.

REFERENCES Romeo D. Lim, Micro Perspective of Tourism and Hospitality, Mindshapers Company, Inc., 2019

Micro Perspective of Tourism and Hospitality, 3G E-Learning LLC, 2019

Zenaida Lansangan-Cruz, Micro Perspective of Tourism and Hospitality, REX Bookstore, 2019

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