7.

PLANNING PROCESS
It must be reiterated here that good planning is requisite for any endeavor that must be
successful. Ezeani (2015) defines planning as “an act or process of drawing up plans or
layout for some project or enterprise” (p. 1). Haphazard tourism development has proven to
be disastrous in many ways. Tourism developers who focus on the economic gains of tourism
without due consideration of a thought-through and carefully prepared all-encompassing plan
usually end up with results that are inimical to the industry, host community and even tourists
in the long run. To underscore the need for tourism planning, it suffices to say that every
country should have a national tourism policy that will address issues on tourism and
champion the need for tourism planning. Planning is needed to sustain tourism. According to
Roday, Biwal and Joshi (2010), “the need for planned development of attractions is of utmost
importance if they are to remain as attractions in the years to come” (p. 455).

7.1 LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION

Based on the case study of theme park in Malaysia, which is a type of project that is
developed in a theme park to increase commercial and industrial growth in the tourism sector.
The level of organization involved in Sunway Lagoon is National level with tourism policy
the global sustainable tourism council (GTSC) which involves project contribution to the
local community and architecture in National M&E Engineering in theme park planning and
design for sustainable development. A physical structure plan is to focus on environmentally
protection and sustainable planning of hospitality and building development with the concept
of the national theme park to benefit the community organization style that reflects the local
way of life and values. In fact, this project attracts major routes in the country and regional
relations between Malaysia and foreign countries towards the development of tourism in
Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. For marketing strategy and promotion programs run by Sunway
Travel Sdn.Bhd. This project enhances theme park in terms of planning and development for
cultural, educational, scientific, adventure and successful in industrial wasteland Malaysia to
attract visitors about what is in a theme park development and economic increased tourism
sector for local job growth has benefited the Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. Project planning and
development in theme park at Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia has an impact on the physical,
social-cultural, environmental, and economic considerations. Indeed, the project and
implementation technique are a project carried out at the national level only.
7.2 PROCESS PLANNING

Defining the system, goals, and objectives: The first step in the planning process is a
clear-cut definition of the nature of the tourism development, size of the site and intention of
the development, including a time frame for the development. Specific objectives of tourism
development at this point will help give direction to the plan. Questions about the reason for
tourism development, expectations from the development, the kind of tourists to be attracted
and so on are considered at this stage.

Gathering of relevant data: Quantitative and qualitative research or fact-finding is

carried out in this phase to gather relevant information on existing and potential tourist
attractions and their status quo, the feasibility and marketability of the attraction, the kind of
regulations and policies that will be needful and so on.

Analyzing and interpreting the data: At this stage, the data gathered is interpreted and
analyzed. This will serve as a good footing for drawing conclusions and making
recommendations that will set the stage for and guide the preliminary plan.

Preliminary planning and review: This step have to do with the actual drawing of a
preliminary plan from the conclusions drawn and recommendations made from the
interpretation and analysis of the data gathered. In this phase, according to Roday, Biwal and
Joshi (2010), “scale models for land use, sketches to depict the development image, financial
plans, site surveys, and layout plans to show investment need phase wise, etc. are prepared”
(p. 441). The preliminary plan is usually reviewed and further polished to ensure feasibility
before it is approved.

Approving and finalizing the plan: When the preliminary plan has been perused,
necessary modifications made, and the nitty-gritty of the plan crystallized, the plan is
approved as a final plan. This final plan, which is supposed to be meticulously arrived at and
well detailed, then becomes the working document for tourism development.

Implementing and monitoring of the final plan: This step has to do with carrying out
the final plan and constantly evaluating the progress and result of the plan. During
implementation and monitoring of the final plan, adjustments can be made, when necessary,
in line with tourism policy. To underscore the crucial place of monitoring the progress of a
final plan, Bhatia (2006) avers that “preparation of a plan document is not an end in itself” (p.
233).
 7.3 BASIC PRINCIPLE OF PLANNING

The basics of planning this with specific principles that are closely related to the
principles of theme park planning in the case study of Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia. In this
project, the conservation of special environmental features is one of the principles of theme
park planning as this is a major attraction feature such as water park, amusement park,
wildlife park, extreme park, and others. In the Sunway Lagoon project is also very important
to sustainable features, especially careful environmental preservation. Even the development
in the local community also has a lot of theme park staff to be recruited from the local people.
Features of Attractions also features the theme park has recreational facilities including
adventure, water park, nickelodeon lost lagoon and more. Moreover, the second principle is
maintenance of view plans and corridors. For example, this project, developing theme park
among attraction about multi park is essential to maintain. Next, the principle about grouping
of facilities and activities in Sunway Lagoon project includes preparations for grouping of
different types where the emphasis is on accommodation, recreations, and commercial
facilities to enjoy the tourism. Finally, proper relationship of major accommodation area to
main theme park attraction involves siting of adventures how to sustainable environmental in
Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia.

REFERENCES
WAN NAIMATUL ASIAH WAN MUHAMMAD, “A Study on Water Theme Park: Sunway
Lagoon”, International Islamic University Malaysia, 2004.
Bigne, J. E., Andreu, L., & Gnoth, J. (2005). The theme park experience: An analysis of
pleasure, arousal, and satisfaction. Tourism Management, 26(6), 833-844.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2004.05.006
Gologlu, C., 2004, A constraint-based operation sequencing for a knowledge-based process
planning, Journal of intelligent manufacturing, 15:463-470