Be better at 'the business of tourism'

AC 2.1 - The UK business environment

Introduction

Imagine that you are a manager of a tourist attraction. 

On a weekend off, you are called at home to be told that torrential rainfall has caused flooding in parts of the park and the fire service has had to evacuate all of the customers.

Two days later a major road accident closes the motorway closest to the theme park.

At the end of the week you have a meeting with directors of the company which owns the park to explain why less families are visiting the park this year than in previous years.  Research shows that some families find the entry price to the park more expensive.

The following week you receive notification from the local council that you will be required to recycle 50% more waste in the next year.  You also discover that the local tourist board has had its funding slashed and can no longer sell tickets to the theme park through its TIC’s.

Later that week you have discussions with a coach tour operator planning to bring groups of visitors from France to your attraction.  You realise that you will need to invest in new signs and information in French.  The coach operator also wants to know if you can offer a special price for parties of pensioners who are increasingly taking holidays with the operator.

All of the above events are outside your control as the manager of a theme park.  Natural events such as flooding, people having more or less money to spend and other economic factors can all affect the operation of tourism organisations.

This section is all about the external factors which managers of tourism organisations have no control over, and the effects these factors might have on the organisations.