Potential Socio Cultural And Environmental Disadvantages And Advantages In The Development Of A Clipper Bay

Introduction to Clipper Bay

Question:

Discuss about the Potential Socio Cultural and Environmental Disadvantages and Advantages in the Development of a Clipper Bay.

The essay is a discussion on the Chief Officer’s Plan on the sustainable economic development of Clipper Bay while considering the environmental and socio cultural elements. Clipper Bay is a small town with a location of at the peninsula tip with population coverage of only 5000 people. The town is located near the sea therefore the town’s economy primarily revolves around fishing. The essay also puts forward a description on the approach for determining the best possible way for revitalizing the economy with consultation with the relevant parties. The essay also makes use of the comparative advantage analysis for indentifying an industry that will support economic revitalization of Clipper Bay. There is also discussion in the economic disadvantages and advantages for development of tourism. Further, the essay discusses about the potential socio cultural and environmental disadvantages and advantages in the development of tourism at Clipper Bay. Thus, the motive behind undertaking the planning is to convert the small town of Clipper Bay into a beautiful tourist destination. However, one thing that needs consideration is that planning should take place in a sustainable manner since it helps in determining the economic competitiveness of Clipper Bay.

The Clipper town is located by the sea with an abundant marine life therefore the primary occupation of people in the area is fishing (Cohen et al., 2014). Fishing remained the professions of the people for generations that were also the reason for no other vocational development in the town. It is however, a common belief that for cultural and economic development of a place sufficient education and training of the local inhabitants is necessary. The inhabitants will not be able to implement an improved living standard since they belong to a backward section and will require financial assistance to bring about any substantial change. The nation’s microfinance institutions for the initiation and implementation of the learning and skill development program can provide financial aid (Blanke & Chiesa, 2013). Such programs will not help in educating the local inhabitants but also play a role in nurturing and enhancing them thereby enabling them to become business ready. For the implementation of the seaside development plans, the contribution of the Coastal Communities Minister needs consideration. The help provided by coastal minister also helps the development of job growth or business opportunities and review and monitoring activities in a proper manner.  When it is the matter of economic recovery of the locality then the local leaders and local businesspersons needs to play a crucial role(3). This is necessary because the local inhabitants primarily engaged in the activities of fishing will not be able to set up new business on their own terms. There is also the necessity of setting up a coastal community team that would hold the sole responsibility of providing financial support directly to local inhabitants and help them in communicating with the business leaders locally.

Approach for determining the best possible way for revitalizing the economy

The cost benefit analysis (CBA) considered an important issue since it helps in the evaluation of new project and in the determination of feasibility of capital purchase (Hastings, 2015). The hospitality industry can also benefit largely at Clipper Bay through introduction of seaside resorts, hotels and spas. Presently the tourist structure at Clipper Bay that is not up to the mark will be in a position to draw in new investors and tourist through development of seaside infrastructure that will also help in increasing the revenue of the place (Leigh & Blakely, 2016). Limestone caves, hills and adjoining forest that contribute in enhancing the beauty of the resorts surround Clipper Bay (Smith, 2014). The women inhabitants of the Clipper Bay town not only cook tasty food but also are also quite efficient in weaving activities. Financial assistance provided to these people might help in utilizing their skills for earning benefits. Along with the financial aid, the inhabitants must also have the encouragement for setting up interactive industrial and create workshops that will help in economic revitalization of the locality and help in drawing huge consumers. This will help to convert Clipper Bay into not only an attractive tourist spot but also a centre for business thereby giving rise to enterprise culture (Loures, 2015).  The development of business activities through investments in the locality will enable setting of workshops for common tourist that will include ceramics, glass, decorative products that also help in driving tourist attention to the place. The economic self-sufficiency will benefit the local Clipper Bay inhabitants since they get an opportunity to engage them in the activities of the tourist.

Clipper Bay is in dire need for economic regeneration for developing it into an attractive tourist destination (Waligo, Clarke & Hawkins, 2013). Much of the population of Clipper Bay lacks education therefore providing them with employment opportunities on a random basis remains quite an unrealistic idea. Thus, the open hiring model employed will help in the economic revitalization of the place. The adoption of this model helps in poverty and unemployment alleviation (Getz & Timur, 2012).  The model also helps in providing employment opportunities for the backward people through proper training.

The revival of the seaside towns for economically revitalizing the place requires introduction of varied business activities that helps in bringing about a social change in addition to revival of the economy of Clipper Bay (Timur, 2012). Government can also contribute in the revival of the economy through introduction of hospitality ventures. This initiation of the government requires the development of an authority that will encourage and manage the business proposals put forward by different entrepreneurs showing interest in setting up resorts and spas in the town of Clipper Bay. To make the town of Clipper Bay more attractive, revival of the infrastructure of the place is necessary. Thus, in order to this, there is a need for development of number of home stays along with a few resorts. Moreover, for encouraging the external entrepreneurs for investing in Clipper Bay, the government have incentive scheme in the interest of the entrepreneurs so that they are encouraged to create newer infrastructures for the development of the place (McCabe, Sharples & Foster, 2012).

Comparative advantage analysis for identifying an industry

Tourism can prove to be an attractive option as it might prove to be beneficial for the inhabitants of Clipper Bay. However, activities related to tourism can impose tremendous pressure on the energy resources existing locally that include energy, soil, food or sea (Benur  & Bramwell, 2015). Therefore, in addition to taking steps for improvement of tourism there should be measures for ensuring activities related to tourism are sustainable.  The factors that needs utmost consideration for improvement in tourism activities includes that there should not be drastic change in the landscape due to any new construction. The tourism activities should not find the seas or the beaches as the dumping ground of their waste (Swarbrooke & Page, 2012). The tourist activities should not create clamor and noise that leads to a local disturbance.  The huge flow of tourist might also badly affect the ecological balance and natural conservation of Clipper Bay. Therefore, there should also be measures for maintaining sustainability through controlled use of water and prevention of degradation due to huge amount of disposal of waste. Necessary steps must ensure that construction of tourist facilities does not result in deforestation.

The economic advantages of development of tourism in Clipper Bay results in a multiplier effect since the development of tourism in the town also results in the benefits of the other sectors of the economy especially the inhabitants. The development of tourism results plays a key role in balancing the payments between the nations (Deery, Jago & Fredline, 2012). Tourism also results in employment creation amongst the rural inhabitants and decrease in rural migration. Through tourism, tax revenue ensured to the government. The development of tourism also acts as a pole of growth that helps in stimulating the economy of the place. In addition, tourism brings in opportunity for small business and support many jobs in informal sector.

There are also various economic disadvantages put forward by the development of tourism in Clipper Bay. Tourism can lead to economic leakage to about 60 to 70 percent of the money paid that they pay for the packaged holidays. The development of tourism is labor intensive thereby leading to creation of lot of job opportunities that are mostly low paid and seasonal. Moreover, tourism is location specific therefore; any kind of external shock in the area can reduce the number of visitors (Song et al., 2012). The deals included in the tourism packages may not always encourage the tourist in spending money on local communities. The host government mostly supports local investors but due to the international trade agreements, global companies have an access in most of the countries though the government might not support.

Potential socio-cultural and environmental disadvantages and advantages in the development of tourism

Sustainable coastal tourism helps in adding vitality to the communities in various ways. For instance events and festivals involving the local residents often get developed and refreshed in the interest of the tourist (Stylidis et al., 2014). Moreover, the creation of jobs with evolvement of tourism not only acts as motivation but also helps in reducing emigration in the rural areas. The tourism development can be increasingly influenced by local people that in turn can provide prospects of earning through development of organizational and business skills.

Sustainability in coastal tourism has the potential of promoting social development through income redistribution, poverty alleviation and employment creation. The socio cultural impact of tourism development refers to the significant change brought about in the lives of Clipper Bay inhabitants (Scott, Simpson & Sim, 2012). Clipper Bay has been a barren land inhabited mostly by illiterate people leading an impoverished life due to their inability in gaining access to the vital life resources. Tourism has however brought about a positive change in the lives of people by ensuring them with a way of income and financial stability. Tourism also acts as supportive force for creation of peace that will not only help in fostering cultural pride but also helps in the prevention of urban relocation through creation of jobs for inhabitants. Tourism also leads to reconstruction of ethnicity that implies that the regional festivals as well as traditional rituals of the place modified for conforming to the tourist expectations (Mowforth, & Munt, 2015). The growth of tourism at Clipper Bay will also help in the identification of the weaving skills of the inhabitants and enable their growth of dignity and self worth through creation of an increased demand for their products. The town of Clipper Bay has become similar to a forsaken island. The growth of tourism will therefore breathe a life into the place due to its distinct culture and beautiful locality.  Thus, the growth of tourism at Clipper Bay not only supported the creation of services and community facilities that might not have been developed. This results in enhancing the standard of well being at Clipper Bay.

There exist certain disadvantages of tourism because the places considered as sacred by the local inhabitants might not be respected when used for the purpose of trade thereby resulting in adversely affecting the local inhabitants. The growth of tourism will result in the rise of class conflict and ethnic tension since the visitors would be rich and affluent while the service providers will be people from the society’s lower strata. Although there is a huge economic prospect of tourism but it is the local government and the tax payers who will have to spend a substantial amount of money for the growth of infrastructure that is related to tourism (Cohen et al., 2014). In addition, the tourist might also fail in respecting the moral views and local customs of the place which might result in cultural clash. An increase in tourism activities at Clipper Bay also results in an increase in criminal activities which might threaten the security of local inhabitants. The spread of tourism can also result in unchecked inflation since Clipper Bay in order to sustain tourism forced to adopt internationalization.  

Economic regeneration of Clipper Bay and role of local leaders

It is seen that both the manmade and natural quality of environment is necessary for tourism. However, there exists a very complex relationship between environment and tourism. Tourism can involve activities that might pose adverse environmental impacts (Horng & Tsai, 2012). Some of the impacts are linked to construction of general infrastructure that includes airports and road and other tourism facilities that includes restaurants, hotels, resorts, marinas and shops. These negative impacts caused by development of tourism helps in gradually destroying the environmental resources.

The growth of tourism will enable the development of infrastructure at Clipper Bay but this will result in various downsides. These included air and water pollution, deforestation, soil erosion that severely impacts the environmental sustainability of the place. These things can however be avoided with efficient planning. However, there is a huge amount of revenue generation in the locality which can be used for the management and protection of issues that are environmentally sensitive. The revenue collected also contributes in carrying out conservation of natural resources and operations of the park.

There are however various educational programs and environmental campaigns undertaken by the government and nongovernmental organizations for increasing the public appreciation of natural resources and the environment. This helped the authorities of the resorts and the hotels in understanding the importance of ecological balance. In addition the government will also have to ensure promotion of sustainable consumption which will result in tourist asking for products manufactured with the use of production techniques which are cleaner. Thus, tourism development with combination of environmental conservation through development of resorts that follows a nature path with the help lagoons of fresh water, mangroves, fruit tree garden, plant life and Caribbean birds. This not only results in highlighting the unique aspect of the place thereby enabling Clipper Bay in enjoying a sustainable growth.            

Thus, tourism has the potential for creating beneficial effects on environment through contribution of conservation and environmental protection. This also helps in raising awareness for the environment and also serves as a tool for protecting the natural resources and thereby enhancing their economic importance.

Conclusion:

The essay ends with a discussion on environmental disadvantages and advantages of tourism development at Clipper Bay that is located at the tip of the peninsula and having a small settlement of around 5000 people. The essay also discusses about how increase in activities of tourism results in socio cultural advantages and economic advantages. Through the discussion one can also find that there are also certain socio cultural and economic disadvantages of tourism development. In the essay one can also find discussion on the stakeholder model that fits sustainable approach in tourism. There is also a discussion on the cost benefit analysis that helps in supporting the economic revitalization. The essay also puts forward the best ways for determining economic revitalization at Clipper Bay.

Importance of cost-benefit analysis (CBA)

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