Destination Life Cycle Model Research Articles

Applying Smarta to the analysis of tourist networks

The framework of the present study was the destination life cycle model, a classical model that describes the development of tourist destinations. We examined mass tourism in Benidorm based on tourist accommodation supply and demand statistics over the January 2016 to October 2018 period, provided by Spain's National Institute for Statistics. The objective was to analyze the life cycle and competitiveness of Benidorm's tourism system and interpret whether the tourism product was sustainable and at what stage in the cycle Benidorm is currently in. To do this, we used Smarta software, which, based on network analysis, enables to interpret the system's virtuous cycles and analyze causality by observing relationship patterns in the system's attractors, thus complementing typical processing based on causal maps and the study of social networks. The results obtained by this application (which has been developed by our research team) show six sets of attractors that mark the trends of the tourist system. Finally, the analysis of the significant variables of these attractors has helped us to justify that the tourist system of Benidorm is in the rejuvenation phase.

Development Characteristics and Evolution Mechanism of Homestay Agglomeration in Mogan Mountain, China

The homestay business has contributed to the development of the tourism industry, and it has revitalized tourism resources and boosted the tourism economy. This article takes the Mogan Mountain homestay agglomeration of Yangtze River Delta, the most developed and actively invested in business in the industry, as a research site focus to discuss the recent trends in the Chinese homestay business. Standard deviational ellipse analysis, spatial analysis of nearest-neighbor, and density are empirically tested with the data from the inn/homestay channel of Qunar.com, which is a widely acclaimed website with high page views. Based on the above researches, this paper uses the standard deviation ellipse analysis, the nearest neighbor analysis, and the kernel density estimation analysis method to explore the development characteristics of the Mogan Mountain homestay agglomeration. Combined with the Butler tourist destination life cycle model, it can be concluded that the Mogan Mountain homestay agglomeration area experienced a stage of initial development (2007–2011) and rapid development (2012–2015) and now is in a mature development stage (2016 up to now). This study proposes five actors: physical geographical conditions, traffic location conditions, tourism self-organization mechanism, policy influence, and community residents’ willingness to develop and significantly drive the evolution of Mogan Mountain homestay agglomeration. The formation and evolution of the Mogan Mountain homestay agglomeration are the results of the accumulation of resource-driven effect, scale effect, and differentiation effect at different stages. The unique organization and incentive mechanism promote regional sustainable development.

Tourism to the Battlefield Memorials in Fromelles

The Battle of Fromelles, fought in northern France in 1916, was virtually forgotten until recent years, when the activities of a small group of people brought it to light. The discovery of a mass grave of Australian and British soldiers and their subsequent burial in a new Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the village of Fromelles has been widely reported in the media. As a result, many people have begun to visit the village and the cemeteries. The village presents an issue that is common in the tourism literature, whereby a very small destination without large-scale visitor facilities is experiencing sudden increases in tourists. This study involved a sample of committed, older, and retired Australian and British tourists who were visiting the village. Differences in the travel patterns of tour-based and free independent travelers, as well as between British and Australians, were identified. Some of these differences were perhaps a result of the time and financial costs involved for Australians to visit the battlefields. The study found support for the war-distorted destination life cycle model, which argues that a major war can provide long-term positive benefits for a destination.

Historia del turismo en Ibiza: Aplicación del Ciclo de Vida del Destino Turístico en un destino maduro del Mediterráneo

Ibiza is a Mediterranean island whose economic development is highly dependent on sun and beach tourism. Tourism in Ibiza began its development in the first third of the 20th century but experienced its highest growth rates along the sixties and seventies. Nowadays, Ibiza is a mature tourism destination with a strong brand image. The aim of this paper is to analyze the evolution of tourism in Ibiza, taking the Tourism Destination Life Cycle model as a basis. Ibiza seems to follow the model described by Butler (1980) with high accuracy and only some external negative impacts (wars, crises, etc.) seem to cause a certain delay in the different life cycle phases. To improve the Life Cycle model is proposed to introduce a Pretourist Phase, measure the demand in overnight stays and define the region studied as the marketed product.

Sistemas de conocimiento Mayas y turismo Premium en la Península de Yucatán

Ibiza is a Mediterranean island whose economic development is highly dependent on sun and beach tourism. Tourism in Ibiza began its development in the first third of the 20th century but experienced its highest growth rates along the sixties and seventies. Nowadays, Ibiza is a mature tourism destination with a strong brand image. The aim of this paper is to analyze the evolution of tourism in Ibiza, taking the Tourism Destination Life Cycle model as a basis. Ibiza seems to follow the model described by Butler (1980) with high accuracy and only some external negative impacts (wars, crises, etc.) seem to cause a certain delay in the different life cycle phases. To improve the Life Cycle model is proposed to introduce a Pretourist Phase, measure the demand in overnight stays and define the region studied as the marketed product.

Tourist Destinations’ Life Cycle & Communication Strategies: The Cases Of Spain And Chile

A tourist destination’s life cycle constitutes one of the most relevant themes in the analysis of tourism competitiveness. It shows the evolution of a destination over time and can identify the most coherent strategy to follow. This article proposes to apply the tourist destination life cycle model to evaluate the competitive situation of the destinations at different stages in the model, in order to analyse the business strategies that optimise their positioning. Thus in order to carry out this analysis, Richard Butler’s 1980 theory on Tourist Destinations’ Life Cycles is the reference framework that will be used, and the use of promotional tools at different stages in the destination’s life cycle will be analysed using the case study as a methodological tool. Given the current situation of established tourist destinations, the afore-mentioned method has been applied in the Spanish (destination in phase of stagnation) and Chilean cases (destination in the early development phase as a tourist destination) to make a diagnosis of the situation. It is therefore hoped to offer a better understanding of tourist destinations’ life cycles, taking into account that the Butler model is a diagnostic and not a decision-making tool, and its application in this analysis is of an exploratory manner.

Residents’ Attitudes toward Existing and Future Tourism Development in Rural Communities

Building on the model by Perdue, Long, and Allen, this study examined residents’ attitudes toward existing and future tourism development in several rural areas at different stages of tourism and economic development. Social exchange theory and destination life cycle model were used to examine the impacts of tourism development on residents’ attitudes when considered in conjunction with a community’s total economic activity. New social predictors and endogenous factors were tested in the model. Overall, residents of three distinct rural county-level areas were supportive of tourism development, and little evidence was found that suggests that attitudes toward tourism become negative with higher levels of tourism. After considering the level of tourism development in conjunction with the total economic activity, residents of the three county-level areas showed some signs of destination life cycle influencing their own relationship with tourism.

Human Activity in Landscape Seasonality: The Case of Tourism in Crete

As an integral quality of the landscape, seasonality greatly affects, informs and interweaves with human livelihood systems, such as the tourism-based economies of Greek island communities, currently almost entirely dependent upon summer holiday tourism for their survival. The multiple facets and impacts of seasonality produced and inscribed by tourism on the landscape, and specifically on the landscape of northern Crete, are described and discussed. For this purpose, a three-fold analytical framework of tourist resort evolution for a Greek island or rural tourist destination, from the stage of discovery to the stage of establishment and institutionalization of tourism, is employed. The three different stages of this tourism destination lifecycle model are roughly represented by three different zones of tourism impact in the broader region of Hersonissos in northern Crete. Here, tourism-induced changes roughly attenuate with distance from the coast, acquiring distinctive geographical patterns that follow those of spatial tourist concentration, scale of development, and incorporation of tourism into Cretan society and space. It is illustrated that the role and impact of tourism-induced seasonality seems to be most pronounced and significant during the second stage of the lifecycle of a tourism area such as the Cretan region under study.

Revisiting the destination lifecycle model

An air of crisis pervaded tourism during the 90s after the growth decade of the 80s in Lancaster County, the United States. During these two decades, the tourism landscape also underwent significant transformation. This study, based on a mail survey of tourism businesses, focus groups, and other collected data, describes and interprets recent tourism trends. The relevance of Butler's proposed later stages in his destination lifecycle model is examined. The study concludes that Lancaster County is characterized by the coexistence of growth, stagnation, decline, and rejuvenation and that this combination is better termed a stage of maturity. Nevertheless, the potential for significant decline exists in the future if there is no effective strategic planning to promote sustainable tourism.

Shoring the foundations of the destination life cycle model, part 1: Ontological and epistemological considerations

Butler's destination life cycle model has been a popular source of research inspiration within tourism geography. After 20 years, the model still stands as the theoretical benchmark. This paper attempts to shore up the model's theoretical foundations by specifying and elaborating upon ontological and epistemological elements. Giddens' structuration theory and Glaser's concept of 'basic social process' are utilized for ontological aspects. Comparative examination of four types of process (human life cycle, product life cycle, port development and ecosuccession) indicated that seven features were of epistemological concern: the unit-entity; its characteristics; its users; stages as conceptual units; change mechanisms; macro-structural conditions; and typical stage sequence. These are discussed in relation to the existing destination area literature. A synthesis presents a modified form of the model and a suggested method for how to incorporate the ontological and epistemological elements into case research.

Shoring the foundations of the destination life cycle model, part 2: A case study of Kona, Hawai'i Island

This paper presents a case study of the destination life cycle model in the Kona district of Hawai'i Island. Ontological and epistemological elements developed previously are integrated to show better the aspects of 'place-as-process'. An initial analysis shows that the Kona region represents an appropriate spatial scale for study. A sequence analysis describes the stages chronologically. This is itself comprised of two sub-analyses, done for each stage. The first identifies the mechanisms, the particular critical events and blurry transitions that have been chosen to define the dates for stages. The second, a pathway analysis, considers internal characteristics (including attraction resource development), developments occurring in the tourist industry, important government activities and macro-structural conditions. The sequence analysis reveals that Kona has experienced a classical set of stages, from 'pre-tourism' to 'involvement', 'development' and 'maturity'. The region is interpreted as now being in the 'stability' phase of 'maturity'. Success at tourism has led Kona into an 'urban' era in its sequent occupance. The idylls for tourists are likely to continue into the future but growth proponents now face challenges from anti-tourism community forces and also from urban-orientated development at large.

Movers and shakers: chaos makers in tourism development

Like most of their counterparts in other social sciences, tourism researchers have traditionally focused on aspects of tourism phenomena that exhibit order, linearity and equilibrium, while eschewing situations where disorder, non-linearity and disequilibrium are more apparent. Although constructs such as the Destination Life Cycle Model demonstrate the heuristic value of this approach, it results in aspects of tourism development that are intrinsically chaotic, being overlooked. Thus, for instance, the fundamental role of entrepreneurs in destination development has received scant attention, largely because their behaviour is not readily understood in terms of the conventional analytical framework. This paper argues that the Chaos/Complexity perspective provides a potentially useful alternative framework for providing insights into the underlying dynamics of tourism development and a case study involving the examination of entrepreneurial activity on the Gold Coast in Australia is used for illustrative purposes. In this context, chaos is presented as essentially a creative process and entrepreneurs play a primary role both as chaos-makers and as initiators of adaptive responses to chaos induced by external events.

The destination life cycle: International tourism in Peru

The destination life cycle, a concept first publicised in 1939 in the Scottish Geographical Magazine by E. W. Gilbert is reviewed. The destination life cycle model of Butler (1980) is used to examine the main trends in the total numbers of international tourists visiting Peru between the late 19th century and 1995. Possible extensions to Peru's tourist life cycle are considered in the light of the country's tourism resources, government promotion of the industry, tourism infrastructure and security issues. The relevance of case study material to the applicability of the model is briefly considered.

Applying the life cycle model to Melanesia

This study adopts a multidisciplinary approach to compiling the history of an important but neglected component of development in Melanesia. It uses historical methodology and data and applies Butler's destination life cycle model as a framework on which to develop a comparative history of tourism in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. The hypothesis is that while the three island nations have many geographic, climatic, and ethnic similarities, their colonial pasts have been significant factors in explaining why their tourism industries have developed at such widely varying rates. The study concludes that while the life cycle model is a useful theoretical tool, there are weaknesses in its application to colonial and post-colonial societies.

Applications of the life-cycle model in tourism

The destination life-cycle model was applied to the Smoky Mountain region in order to better understand the economic effects of the tourism industry over time. This model fits the region sufficiently well to be useful in analysis of the evolution of second- and third-order economic impacts. Although the involvement stage provides greater benefit for the local population, what seems to be of critical importance for social welfare is not the stage of development but the degree of diversity in the area where development occurs. In order for a local population to benefit from tourism development, policies need to be implemented to control growth and emphasize economic diversity.

Caribbean small-island tourism styles and sustainable strategies

This article focuses on developing a sustainable tourism in small Caribbean islands, defined here as those that have populations of fewer than 500,000. Such islands share a very fragile ecology and a high dependence on tourism. They differ in their degree of tourist penetration and visitor density and the related degree of environmental degradation. To explain the link between tourism intensity and ecological vulnerability, the so-called “destination life-cycle model” is presented. This suggests that islands pass through three primary stages of tourist development low-density exploration, rapid growth and consolidation, and high-density maturation involving the substitution of man-made for natural attractions. A broad empirical test of the model is performed through a quantitative examination of the tourism characteristics and visitor densities of a cross section of 23 small Caribbean islands. The three basic stages or tourism styles are identified: low-impact emerging areas, high-density mass-market mature destinations, and rapidly growing intermediate islands in between. Some broad strategies consistent with the systems framework for a sustainable tourism with moderate densitites are briefly explored.

Life Cycle Models for Pacific Island Destinations

Recent studies on the growth of tourist destinations have been based upon extending the concept of the product life cycle to portray the development of a destination. This study suggests that a general destination life cycle model as proposed by Butler does not apply to most Pacific island destinations. At best, the life cycle model can be used after the fact as a diagnostic tool, but it still can be misleading in the case of Pacific island destinations given the large variation in growth patterns.