This paper was written in 1992. It was an attempt to introduce a different, more holistic mindset to thinking about tourism and contains many themes that have consistently and persistently underpinned my thinking.

1. SHIFTING GEARS:
Building a New Tourism for a
New Century
TravelWatch Number 2 June 1995
The Context our ability to understand and respond to those forces
in creative ways.
As we approach the turn of the millennium, there is
overwhelming evidence that the earth and humankind
is experiencing changes of a fundamental nature The Tourism Sector as Change Agent
which are affecting: Traditionally tourism has had a tendency to follow not
lead the forces for change and growth in our society. 1
The Environment: a succession of environmental We have been responsive not anticipatory - when the
crises and warning signals from Mother Earth are steam engine was invented we climbed on board the
reminding humankind that, as physical beings, we steamships and the railways to expand our reach;
operate within the limits of time and space. We share when the jumbo jet was created we moved the masses
this planet with other life forms and our survival is into more exotic places with greater frequency and
dependent on their health and well-being. ever greater numbers. Our values and objectives in
tourism have reflected and followed those of our
The Economy: while wealth was once a factor of society. Destinations became commodities - pieces of
horsepower and the manufacture of things and was sunny, exotic or adventure-filled "real estate" that
associated with a place, affluence is now a factor of could be "packaged" and sold. Guests became, at best,
brainpower harnessed to create fresh ideas, concepts nameless passengers and, at worst, mere person-nights
and techniques that can be spread around the globe in - mobile generators of revenue, foreign exchange and
an instant. As a consequence, old economic structures positive multipliers.
are crumbling, new flexible and fluid corporate and
political "structures” are emerging to populate At the same time, tourism has traditionally been
geopolitical landscapes that would be unrecognisable viewed by other economic sectors as the "poor cousin"
to previous generations. and for many years its existence and contribution was
hardly recognised. Tourism managers and leaders
Society: our societal structures creak and strain under were not the originators of new economic models,
the environmental and economic pressures from management styles nor strategic visions for the future.
without as well as the personal pressures exerted from Instead, they followed or adapted the management
within - by billions of individuals whose aspirations fashions of the day - management by objectives, yield
are changing and whose ability to predict and control management, brand management, total quality control
the future is dissipating. In the so-called developed etc.
world, we are fed a litany of social woes on a daily
basis (congestion, crime, addiction, family But the very success of tourism - especially since the
breakdown, declining health and educational demise of the Cold War and the emergence of the
standards, growing distrust of government etc. ) service sector as the dominant, influential economic
engine, is thrusting one of the world's largest and most
The Individual: most importantly, more and more ubiquitous sectors onto central stage. The tourism
individuals are changing the way they think; the way industry is maturing and slowly attracting a new breed
they see the world and interpret reality. As we ascend of thoughtful, strategic thinkers and leaders less
Maslow's hierarchy of needs, growing numbers of obsessed with short-term operational problems, who
people are recognising that there is more to life than might influence as well as be influenced.
material acquisition. There is evidence of a search for
spiritual meaning, value and purpose; a deeper
understanding of and appreciation for the inter- There are several compelling reasons why tourism has
connectedness of all life forms and the sacredness of a responsibility to spawn the leaders of the next
life. century and focus more attention on the pressing
issues of sustainability and peaceful co-existence:
1. Our Size: tourism cannot claim to be the world's
Since this is the context in which global tourism largest industry and then duck responsibility for
operates, our success - however defined - depends on
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2. addressing the problems that affect the global selling products or commodities to nameless
community. consumers.
2. Our Livelihood Depends on It: the environment and We have made a habit of referring to the tourism
the diverse cultures that inhabit planet earth are our "industry" implying a mechanical, formal structure
base product. Our future rests directly on our ability to with neatly interlocking parts, where every part has a
protect and steward those environmental and cultural fixed and clearly defined role. Traditionally, our
resources. compartmentalised, building block approach to
tourism has divided this dynamic phenomenon into
3. Our Universality. Tourism has reached every nook eight, tidy sectors - each seemingly separate and
and cranny of this globe and involves people of all distinct from the other: Accommodation. Food &
races, religions, colours and stages of Beverage, Outdoor Recreation,
development. We have the option to
Wise men and women Ecotourism and Adventure Travel;
be the vanguard rather than the over the years have Transportation; Travel Trade;
rearguard of change. What our consistently warned that Attractions; Meetings & Events;
industry chooses to do can affect so Support Services etc.
many, can set new models of hope change must start from
and positive change. within - we cannot hope But in the same way that we have
ceased to view the planet, our galaxy
4. Market Demand: research has to change the planet and and the universe as a static structure
shown that the majority of travellers improve both the quality made up of discrete building blocks,
are more likely to support companies of our natural or nor should we view tourism as an
that help preserve the environment industrial machine. Instead, we
and are willing to pay more on cultural environments should view it as a living organism, a
average for the goods and services unless we first start at body - the "body politic" (to borrow
supplied by those environmentally from Shakespeare). The flesh, bones
responsible companies. home and many of the organs of the
tourism body are equivalent to the
5. Good Businesses Sense. Following the three R's of lodging, food, beverage, attractions, recreation and
the environmental ethic - reduce, reuse and recycle - retail enterprises. The energy or blood flow that
has consistently been shown to improve the bottom courses through the tourism body is the market - the
line. tourists - and without that flow of energy the tourism
body would atrophy and collapse. The transportation
6. We’re in the Healing Business: We go on vacation sector provides the arteries along which the blood can
to "get away from it all" to rest, relax, recuperate, flow to all the extremities of the body. Those involved
rejuvenate, re-charge our batteries and "come alive". in research, planning, and policy etc. are the glands
Consequently, tourism is already playing a major role and nervous system of the tourism body which, like
as a Force for Renewal - as a Force for all organisms, do not exist in a vacuum, but within a
Transformation. larger host environment.
How Might Tourism Lead? The tourism system is not a closed, self-contained
structure but a dynamic "open system" where the
Wise men and women over the years have whole is greater than the sum of the parts. And as an
consistently warned that change must start from open system, its survival and development depends on
within - we cannot hope to change the planet and a balanced exchange of matter and energy with its
improve both the quality of our natural or cultural host environment.
environments unless we first start at home - within the
tourism sector itself. Unless we can alter the way we As an open system, tourism is connected with every
view the world; unless we experience our own aspect of life on this planet and, as a result, both its
"paradigm shift" or have our own "change of heart". survival and its health is all about achieving balance
between the four core elements of the tourism system:
In tourism this calls for a new model, a new paradigm
for tourism that meets the need of the whole man:
physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. A new
model that measures growth in qualitative terms
instead of merely quantitative ones. A deeper more
inspiring vision that sees tourism embedded within a
matrix, an intricate web of inter-connected
relationships, A clearer more accurate perspective
that views tourism as an organic system - like a living
organism - and not a mere set of discrete sectors,
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3. 1. Guests: the market of travellers and consumers who The economy and society operate within the
The problems brought on by tourism’s growth are beginning to cause real concern. Tourists are
returning home dissatisfied with the experience; destinations are experiencing unanticipated
problems; local people feel disenfranchised; and businesses are feeling increased pressure on
their ability to make a profit. 2
create demand for the products and services ecosystem of the planet whose health depends on an
supplied by intricate balance being held between the elemental
forces of earth, air, fire and water.
2. Suppliers: those business enterprises who ensure
that the tourists needs for a resting place, food and Each individual also enjoys health and develops his or
drink, entertainment and transportation are met in her full potential as a human being only to the extent
a way that sustains their business; that they achieve a balance between their four aspects:
body, mind, spirit and soul.
3. Host community: those employees and community
residents who also are knowingly or sometimes Traditionally theorists and philosophers have argued
unknowingly involved in the act of welcoming that the three pillars of sustainability are the balance
and providing hospitality to a guest; and between economy, society and environment. But they
have neglected the fourth and most important pillar of
4. The Natural Environment of land, water, air and any "system" - the individual expression of that
their inhabitants of animals and plants that totality - the person. If we as individuals are living out
provides the setting in which the encounter of balance, then our participation in the social,
between guest and host can take place. economic and environmental spheres will be out of
balance too.
By drawing on the powerful symbol of the Medicine
Wheel, we can envision the tourism system as having Valuable as sustainable economic models may be in
wheel-like qualities. In two dimensional terms, this reducing ecological damage, they will not on their
system can be represented as follows: own be sufficient to meet the challenges ahead. The
changes we need to make go far deeper. In order to
develop a caring attitude towards the world, we need
to develop a new model of ourselves, a new sense of
who we are and what it is that we really want. We
Host have to move beyond the limited perception that sees
Community Guest fulfilment only in the joys we can derive from the
world around. We must come to value our inner
development as much as, if not more than, our
material development. In other words we need a
change of attitude - a change of heart. 3
Supplier Environment
This circular, connected model of a dynamic tourism
system manifests itself on both a macro and a micro
level. On the macro level it means balancing the four
elements of the system:
In reality, there are a whole series of interlocking
circles or spheres of influence. Tourism is one circle - insufficient attention to the tourist, the guest, and the
within a much larger economic and social system now market will dry up - the body will starve and die;
encompassing the entire globe - the global economy.
And within each of the four elements of the Tourism - insufficient attention to the needs of the supplier for
Wheel, there are further circles and cycles: profit, for return on investment, security of tenure etc.
and they will also wither;
Tourism suppliers (businesses in tourism) form part of
an economic system whose health depends on the - insufficient attention to the needs, hopes and
balance of capital, labour, resources and technology. aspirations of the host community and they may say
"enough is enough"
The economic system operates within a social system
- the Host Community - whose health involves - insufficient attention to the natural environment and
balancing the needs and powers of individuals, we will destroy what attracted the visitor in the first
families, communities and institutions, place.
On the micro level it again means ensuring that we
cater to the whole person:
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4. care for a temporary in-migration of residents to a
- on the physical side we must ensure our guests' community etc. There is room to improve the
experience is comfortable, clean and safe; we must economic accounting of tourism to ensure we know
clean up our beaches, freshen the foul air, dispose of the true costs and benefits of this economic activity.
our waster properly and restore our heritage;
Environment
- on the social/emotional level it means enriching our What ecological footprint does the tourism industry
guests' experience while ensuring that those who serve leave? How might our sector "tread more lightly" -
them also retain their sense of dignity, pride and self use less energy, water and scarce resources; generate
respect; less toxins and pollutants; engender less destruction of
natural habitats needed by fellow inhabitants of the
- on the mental side, it means providing sufficient planet? What action can individual enterprises take to
intellectual stimulation and information that interprets improve their environmental performance? How many
and enriches our guests' experiences and enhances residents and visitors can our community safely and
their knowledge and understanding of the place and sustainably absorb?
people they encounter on their travels;
Host Community
- on the spiritual side, it means ensuring that both our To what extent is the entire community involved in
guest and their hosts find meaning and fulfilment from the act of hospitality? How do our fellow residents
their encounters with one another. feel about tourism and the way we extend the
welcome and hospitality to others - are our guests an
In this context and given this vision of balance and unwelcome intrusion or are they honoured and
wholeness, the challenge becomes one of valued?
operationalising the balance through wise tourism
management. The task to be undertaken, is to develop Tourism can provide us with a mirror in which we see
ways of achieving balance and methods of measuring ourselves; tourism can engender a sense of pride in
what balance or imbalance looks like. our community. How do we realise and nurture a
sense of place? What is the Soul, the Essence of our
The role of the destination marketing organisation town that we want to convey to and share with our
shifts from being concerned with increasing the guests? What chance do our residents have to express
number of visitors and the health of their supplier and share their values, aspirations and concerns with
members to one of ensuring a balanced wheel. The incoming tourists? To what extent does the
focus shifts from destination marketing to destination composition of the destination marketing organisation
management and, as such, catapults what was once reflect the social and cultural mix of its entire
perceived as a fringe, even trivial group, within the community?
body politic of the city, to a lead player, a crucial
actor on the stage of community health and To what extent are the employees working in tourism
development. in our community treated fairly, with respect and
dignity? How are the values of tourism infused in all
From Vision to Reality our major institutions - is tourism perceived as an
How is the vision of balance achieved? How do we honourable profession or marginalised as supporting
know when we are in balance or out of it? What are only servile occupations of low value and status?
the stress or health indicators? This is where much
work needs to be done and new topics for discussion The Individual Traveller
raised. How well are the visitors, our guests cared for in
terms of:
Economy Body are the physical amenities and services clean,
The economic quadrant of the tourism circle has been efficient, safe and comfortable?
the one to gain most attention in the past. On the
macro level, economic impact models have been Mind is their experience stimulating, informative,
developed to measure the input and outputs of tourism uplifting? Do they leave feeling enriched, stretched
from an economic perspective. On the micro and informed? Did they get a sense for the unique
perspective, balance sheets, pro formas and other expression that is Vancouver, Amsterdam, Dallas,
forms of financial statement have been used by Tokyo, London etc.?
managers and their auditors to measure the corporate
health of individual enterprises. But many important Spirit did the experience make them feel more alive?
factors have been treated as "externalities" and Did they have a good time? Were their spirits
excluded from the accounting process - e.g., the social uplifted? Did they feel better for the encounter with
cost of air pollution from diesel engines running at a the community and its peoples?
popular landmark; the community cost of additional
waste disposal or water consumption associated with a Soul was the experience transformative? Were our
major hotel; the cost of additional policing and health guests touched at a deeper level? Did their encounter
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5. with a new place and a different people leave them A B
with a sense of wonder, a deeper sense of connection
with people or places associated with another part of
the planet than the part they call home? To what
extent did the experience help them learn about
themselves as well as their hosts?
Old Tourism Cycle New Tourism Cycle
In the same way that current environmental
consciousness has been founded on three R's, this At what stage are we in the cycle of tourism
model of a new, holistic balanced tourism is based on development - at point a, b, c or d? In either case, the
three core principles or core values: wise leader knows that a quantum leap or
metamorphosis is needed to shift from the declining
* Respect first curve to its replacement. In the tourism system,
* Restraint the most likely shift is from growth as measured in
* Renewal. terms of volume to growth as measured in terms of
quality of experience; from a system that perceives
The value of respect is acknowledged when we itself as separate from its environment and host
recognise our inter-dependence and our inter- community to one that lives in balance and harmony
connectedness. In a circle, no one member of the with all its elements.
circle is any less or more important than another. Each
brings their unique perspective. Each quadrant of the And finally, back to the essence of the travel and
tourism wheel is equally important and contributes to hospitality industry - our core value is all about
the balance of the overall system. Relationships renewal. Tourism can be promoted and positioned not
between the elements of the system are reciprocal and just as a good thing in itself but as an agent for change
an emphasis is placed on adding value to every and renewal: a justification for protecting our natural
transaction between the elements. resource, for healing our environment; for providing
diversity and balance in our economy, for fostering a
The value of restraint is a practical and realistic sense of place and nurturing a sense of pride in
response to the limits imposed by physical reality. community; for adding value and quality to people's
There are no straight lines in nature and it is folly to individual lives and experiences, and, through
assume that each year we can insist on more growth - respectful encounters between guest and host, for
as expressed solely in quantitative terms - when there providing opportunities for meaning and fulfilment.
are practical limits to the number of people and their
artefacts that can be contained within a finite space. This paper has outlined a conceptual model for a
tourism management approach based on the notion of
No system continues in its current form in perpetuity balance and wholeness and is inspired by the concept
but obeys a natural cycle of birth, development, of the Medicine Wheel sacred to the indigenous First
maturity and decay. What may appear as a straight Nations of North America and shared by aboriginal
line in a chart of change over time is, in fact, a small peoples and cultures around the world.
section of a traditional S-shaped curve (the Sigmoid
curve) that charts the rise and fall of empires, product It is a powerful symbolic model that can integrate the
cycles, corporations and even personal relationships. currently discrete and disconnected activities
Luckily, there is life beyond the curve. The secret to associated with tourism - marketing, development,
constant growth is to start a new sigmoid curve before customer service, and environmental protection. It is
the first one peters out. The right place to start that an integrated model for a New Tourism better suited
second curve is at point A where there is the time, as to the New Century that lies just around the corner.
well as the resources and the energy, to get the new
curve through its initial explorations and flounderings The challenge - the work that needs to be done - is to
before the first curve begins to dip downward. This find practical ways of turning the model of balance
would seem obvious; were it not for the fact that at and harmony into reality. While the task may at first
point A all the messages coming through to the appear "awesome" in its grandeur and sweep, there is
individual or the institution are that every thing is comfort in knowing that many of the elements have
fine, that it would be folly to change when the current already been developed - albeit in isolation. What is
recipes are working so well. All we know of change, needed is a small critical mass of conspirators, both
tells us that the real energy for change comes only visionaries and practitioners who are willing and
when you are looking disaster in the face, at point B committed to translate the vision into practical action
on the first curve..... 4 so that all participants in the community can identify
with and adopt, as appropriate to their involvement,
interests and roles. What is needed are some
courageous and leaders, standing at point "A" of the
Old Tourism curve, with the vision to see how to
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6. initiate a New Tourism curve based on the principles Where are you making for? It takes
of wholeness and balance espoused in this paper. So many thousand years to wake
But will you wake for pity's sake?
In practical terms, and from the perspective of the
destination management organisation, New Tourism Christopher Fry, A Sleep of Prisoners
could involve action within a number of "spheres of
influence" concurrently: References
1. Pollock, Ann The Need for Corporate Leadership:
* modifying existing economic impact and financial Is Tourism a Trojan Horse?” in Proceedings of the
models to ensure that "externalities" are internalised; 1992 World Congress in adventure Travel and Eco-
Tourism, Whistler, British Columbia, September
20-23, 1992
* finding ways of measuring quality of experiences as 2. Mill, Robert Christie, Key Success Factors in
a success factor in addition to measuring quantity of Community Tourism” paper presented to the
return; international T.T.R.A. conference, Acapulco,
Mexico, June 11-15, 1995.
* identifying and measuring the "ecological footprint' 3. Russel, Peter, The Awakening Earth, The Global
of the tourism sector and determining what limiting Brain, Penguin Books, 1992.
factors exist in the natural world to require restraint 4. Handy, Charles, The Age of Paradox,
or re-direction;
* helping businesses reduce their ecological footprint About the Author
by giving them information and practical tools with Anna Pollock is principal of the Strategy Group, an
which they can reduce waste, energy and water international tourism consultancy. All comments
consumption and minimise production of pollutants; (affirming, questioning, critical or creative) are welcomed.
Please e-mail the author at apollock@ fleethouse.com. A
web site is under construction to create a focal point and
* providing new ways of absorbing visitors into the forum for the exchange of ideas and to identify persons,
community and giving residents greater opportunity agencies, destinations and enterprises interested in
for expression and interaction; developing practical, applied models of tourism
management.
* ensuring the benefits of the guest industry are shared
by as many members of the community as possible;
* empowering all service providers ( from front-line
to senior management) with the shared
responsibility of treating each guest as an individual;
* identifying the Soul, the essence of the community
and finding ways in which guests have can have
meaningful experience of the place and its peoples.
Thus this paper is a "call to arms" so to speak. Not
arms of the offensive, divisive and violent kind, but
arms of creativity, shared purpose, hope and
wakefulness. Nothing less than a quantum leap in
thinking is required to catapult us from one curve, one
cycle to another so there is room for everyone and
every person's individual effort is equally important.
This paper is an invitation to both visionaries and
practitioners to share ideas, contribute expertise,
communicate experiences, and conspire to build a
sustainable tourism that nourishes the whole
individual, lives in harmony with nature, enriches the
host community and sustains a healthy livelihood for
suppliers.
.....Thank God our time is now when wrong
Comes up to face us everywhere,
Never to leave us 'til we take
The longest stride of soul men ever took.
Affairs are now soul size.
The enterprise is exploration into God.
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