Lecture Eight

Attraction Planning
and Development

Lecture content
Understanding the need for planned tourism
development,
Understanding why travel motivators should be
kept in mind while planning for tourism,
Review factors which must be considered while
selecting a location,
Appreciate the need for conducting a feasibility
analysis and cost-benefit analysis.

Attraction Planning
Why planning:
1. Environmental Conservation,
2. Preservation and restoring on monuments,
3. Sustainable development,
4. Enhanced visitor satisfaction,
5. To increase the destination life cycle, and
6. Revenue generation

Attraction Planning Cont

Planning Process
Tourism planning is a complex process
which considers the various aspects as well
as the segments of the tourism industry.

Attraction Planning Cont

The logical sequence and basic steps in
planning:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Defining the system,

Formulating objectives to give directive,
Data Gathering,
Analysis and Interpretation,
Preliminary planning,
Approving the plan,
Making the final plan, and
Implementing

Attraction Planning Cont

Basic steps in planning Cont

The logical sequence and basic steps in planning:
1. Defining the system
Its is necessary to define the
- scale,
- size,
- character, and
- purpose of the plan.
2. Formulating objectives to give directive
Objectives must be comprehensive and specific with
a time frame for completion

Attraction Planning Cont

3. Data Gathering
Basic data needs to be collected through
research.
Data can be gathered, quantified, and
qualified by:
Preparing a fact sheet,
Conducting a market survey,
Undertaking site and infrastructure surveys,
Analysis existing facilities and competition.

Attraction Planning Cont

Basic steps in planning Cont

4. Analysis and Interpretation
The
information collected must be
interpreted so that facts gathered
will have meaning.
Then,

a set of conclusions and

recommendations is drawn out of that
leads to making a preliminary plan.

Attraction Planning Cont

Basic steps in planning Cont
5. Preliminary planning
Based on the earlier steps,
1. Alternatives are considered and
2. Solutions are drawn and tested
3. Scale models for land use, sketches to depict
the development image, financial plans, site
surveys,
and
layout
plans
to
show
investment need are prepared.
Question:
What is a scale model?

Attraction Planning Cont

Basic steps in planning Cont
5. Preliminary planning Cont
A scale model
Is a representative of an object that is larger
or smaller than the actual size of the object
being presented.
To be a true scale model, all relevant
aspects must be accurately modeled.
These could inlude:
-material properties etc.,

Attraction Planning Cont

Basic steps in planning Cont
5. Preliminary planning Cont
Scale model
Scale
models are used in many fields i.e.,
engineering, architecture, film making, etc.,
Planner has to be realistic of the scale of what she
/he working on.
-These may include size of market, the attraction
related to the infrastructure and facilities available or
to be put in place.
Its key to focus on the scale.
Example:
- You do not spend 10 to an attraction instead of 1M.

Attraction Planning
Basic steps in planning Cont
6. Approving the plan

Plans, drawings, scale models, estimates of

cost, estimates of profit, chances of success
or failure can be seen.

Attraction Planning Cont

Basic steps in planning Cont
7. Making the final plan
All aspects covered need to be defined.
Example,
In the destination
- a definition of land use,
- plans for infrastructure such as roads,
airports, bike paths, horse trails, sewage,
water etc.

Attraction Planning
Basic steps in planning Cont
8. Implementing

This means putting the tourism plan into

operation.
It also follows up monitoring and evaluation.
Note:
Good planning provides mechanisms that give
continuing feedback on the project and the
levels of consumer satisfaction reached.

Attraction Planning

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Various levels at which plans are

prepared:
International level,
National Level,
Regional Level,
Destination level,
Site level

Attraction Planning
Various
levels
at
which
plans
are
prepared:
1. International level

Planning, marketing are undertaken by

international organization such as
- UNWTO,
- ICAO (International Civil Aviation
Organization), and
- IATA (International Air Transport
Association).

Attraction Planning
Various levels at which plans are prepared
Cont
2. National Level

This
focuses
on
an
overall
tourism
development within the country such as
- defining tourism objectives,
- formulating a tourism policy,
- identifying major tourist attractions,
- designing tourism development regions,
- marketing,
- research and legislation etc.

Attraction Planning
Various levels at which plans are prepared
Cont
3. Regional Level
Planning is done for a state, a province, or a
tourist circuit.

Regional policies are formed within framework of

the national tourism policy or plan are more
specific.

Attraction Planning
Various levels at which plans are prepared
Cont
4. Destination level
Destination level or local level planning is more
specific than regional planning.

A destination level is an area which has a large

and diverse amount of attractions and
service to satisfy several market segments.

Attraction Planning Cont

Various levels at which plans are prepared
Cont
5. Site level

Individual land and property owners employ

the services of professional planners to plan
and design their property.

Attraction Development
Principles of attraction development
- Listing,
- Evaluation,
- Development Strategy,

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development
1. Listing

To take an inventory of existing and

potential attractions in the area.

To collect this information, the destination needs

to be surveyed, and

A survey format should be prepared to know

the attractions already presented in the locality.

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development
Listing Cont
These attractions include:
1. Archaeological sites,
2. Exhibition grounds,
3. Monuments
3. Theatres
4. Temples
5. Historical buildings etc.

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development
Cont
Listing Cont

Apart from the various attractions, both

existing and potential, it is also necessary
to survey and evaluate the institutional
elements.
Question:
What are institutional elements?

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont
2. Evaluation
Many attractions may be present in a given area,
but not all may be worth visiting.
Attractions should be evaluated based on:
- Quality
- Authenticity
- Uniqueness
- Activity potential
- Popularity or number of visitors to the attraction
- Category of attraction i.e., primary attraction

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont
Evaluation Cont
1.Quality
Is the attraction worth visiting?
Does it provide value for money?
2.Authenticity
Its important to know if the attraction is original
or its an imitation.
Tourist look for authenticity in alternative forms of
tourism such as agri-tourism, cultural tourism etc.

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont
Evaluation Cont
3.Uniqueness
Tourists
seek something different and
exciting at the destination.
They are not interested in seeing something
they have already experienced.
4. Activity potential
Tourists need something to do once they
reach the attraction.
If they have sufficient activities, they stay at
the attraction for a longer time.

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont
Evaluation Cont
5. Popularity
Popularity or the number of tourists, who visit the
attraction, the mode of transportation available,
and the distance visitor travel, tell us about the
attraction.
6. Category of attraction
An
attraction may be either a primary or
secondary motivator for travel.
Very often, secondary attractions are most visited
even if they are not the main reason of travel.

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont
3. Development Strategy
Development of an attraction mix strategy to
promote the attraction include:
1. Organic bunching
- This is the grouping together of like
attractions or supporting attractions to
create a synergistic effect.
- Organic bunching results in greater tourist to
the cluster than the sum of what each small
attraction could attract by itself.

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont
Development Strategy Cont
2. Thematic appeal

The theme approach is gaining popularity for

events and attractions.
Almost any attraction can have a theme which may
be based on
- fantasy,
- escape,
- history,
- rural lifestyle,
- urbanization etc.

Attraction Development
Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont

Development Strategy Cont
3. Feasibility Analysis
Any attraction needs some amount of investment
and investors are interested in knowing whether the
attraction will provide a return on investment.

Certain questions need to be asked such as:

What tourists products will developed?
Whom is the product being developed for?
Where is the market?
Are there any competitors in the vicinity?
What is the size of the market?

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont
Development Strategy Cont
4. Location
This needs to be considered and it depends on
the nature of attraction and whether it is a
primary or secondary attraction.
A primary attraction would consider existing
transportation network and infrastructural
facilities available.
A secondary attraction needs to select a location
near other supporting attractions.

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont
Development Strategy Cont
Location Cont
Other factors need to be considered include:
1. Supply/demand analysis,
2. Transportation modes serving the area and cost
of available transport,
3. Land ownership,
4. Trained human resource, and
5. Government policies in force.

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development Cont
Development Strategy Cont
Location Cont
Other factors need to be Cont
6. Tax concessions to private investors
7. Existing infrastructure
8. Safety and security
9. Service available in the vicinity
10. Source of finance
11. Competitor etc.,

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development
Cont
Development Strategy Cont
5. Identifying the market
The market area for an attraction needs to be
identified and because of the intangible nature
of the tourisms product, this is not an easy
task.

The market depends on the attractions and

activities available at the site.

Attraction Development Cont

Principles of attraction development
Cont
Development Strategy Cont
6. Cost-Benefit Analysis

Cost-benefit analysis is a ratio measure of

the relative benefits accruing to the
attraction developer versus the costs
incurred in development and operations.