Tourism is said to be the largest industry in the world. More and more people have the possibility to travel around the globe thanks to cheaper flights and increased leisure time. More than 760 million international tourist arrivals worldwide were counted in 2004 WTO, 2005). According to the WTO, international tourism revenue reached a new record high of US $ 622 billion in 2004. 52% of it was earned by Europe, 21% by the Americans, 20% by Asia and the Pacific, Africa and the Middle East contributed with 3% each (South African Tourism, 2005). Moreover, the tourism and travel industry supports directly and indirectly approximately 200 million jobs worldwide, this is 8% of the total employment at present, which is expected to grow to 260 million jobs in 2011 (Hall and Page, 2002). These figures give us a short impression of the importance of this sector. However, the tourism industry is very volatile. Political changes, the opening of former communism countries like China or Cuba, permanent economic fluctuation as well as social, environmental and technological changes influence the tourism industry. Nowadays tourists prefer high quality standards, safety environments and interesting locations and are more concerned of environmental impacts (Gunn and Var, 2002). All the above mentioned facts show the necessity of effective and sustainable tourism planning.
This assignment will assess the theories of strategic planning and will investigate its application in practice on the basis of two case studies. One case, The ‘White Paper Plan’ South Africa, is an example for good practice and the other, Disneyland Paris, is an example for bad practice.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theory of Strategic Planning
2.1. What is Strategic Planning?
2.2. Five approaches related to tourism planning
3. Practice of Strategic Planning
3.1. When Strategic Planning is done right
3.1.1. ‘The White Paper on tourism’, South Africa
3.2. When Strategic Planning goes wrong
3.2.1. Disneyland Paris
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This assignment critically assesses the theories of strategic planning and evaluates their practical application by contrasting two distinct case studies: the ‘White Paper Plan’ for tourism in South Africa, representing a successful public sector initiative, and the development of Disneyland Paris, representing a private sector approach with significant initial challenges.
- Theoretical foundations of strategic planning and tourism development models.
- Strategic planning approaches including classical, processual, evolutionary, and systematic perspectives.
- Public sector strategic planning in the context of post-apartheid South Africa.
- Private sector strategic implementation and the risks of cross-cultural adaptation at Disneyland Paris.
- Integration of stakeholder interests and local community needs in tourism policy.
Excerpt from the Book
Main critics of Disneyland Paris:
The main critic points can be seen in the fact that Disney failed to analyze effectively the external environment in which it attempted to compete (Tribe, 1997). They did not recognize that economic and cultural differences existed between the U.S. and Europe. Moreover, they treated Europe as a single country, with no cultural differences (Cooper et al., 2005). Disney simply copied its operations from the U.S. and Tokyo to Europe. This can be considered as logical, as the concept of Disney was known as something very American and very successful. A more European concept could risk failing.
However, exactly this was the problem: it was criticized as a form of Cultural Imperialism. Especially the French, or as they call themselves “La grande nation” are very proud of their history, they even have laws to protect their language against English words. Another fact was that mainly American food was served rather than local foods no alcohol or cigarettes were sold, and the employees were required to act in ways that conflicted with their social customs (Swartbrooke, 1995). The employees had to adhere to the proven Disney formula which means no conversation from Mickey Mouse or Goofy, not too much make up for the girls (Bennett, 1992)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the global tourism industry and outlines the assignment's purpose to compare two case studies of strategic planning.
2. Theory of Strategic Planning: This section defines strategic planning and introduces four academic models (Classical, Processual, Evolutionary, Systematic) alongside five specific approaches to tourism planning.
3. Practice of Strategic Planning: This chapter applies the previously discussed theories to the successful tourism policy in South Africa and the initial operational difficulties faced by Disneyland Paris.
4. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes findings from both case studies, highlighting the necessity of integrating diverse interest groups and local cultural considerations for successful strategic outcomes.
5. Bibliography: This chapter lists the academic books and journals consulted for the research and analysis within the assignment.
Keywords
Strategic Planning, Tourism Industry, South Africa, Disneyland Paris, White Paper on tourism, Public Sector, Private Sector, SWOT Analysis, Cultural Imperialism, Tourism Development, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Framework, Economic Planning, Sustainable Tourism, Corporate Strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this assignment?
The assignment provides a critical assessment of strategic planning theories and their practical application in the tourism and leisure industry.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work explores theoretical frameworks for strategy, different approaches to tourism planning, and the practical implications of these theories in both public and private sector contexts.
What is the ultimate research objective?
The objective is to demonstrate how strategic planning is applied in reality by evaluating a successful case (South Africa's White Paper Plan) against a case that initially struggled (Disneyland Paris).
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a comparative case study analysis, applying theoretical perspectives like the classical, processual, evolutionary, and systematic models to evaluate real-world tourism projects.
What content is addressed in the main body?
The main body contrasts the government-led tourism development strategy in South Africa with the private, corporate-led expansion strategy of the Walt Disney group in France.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Strategic Planning, Tourism Industry, Stakeholder Management, Cultural Imperialism, and Sustainable Tourism Development.
Why was the South African 'White Paper on tourism' considered successful?
It is highlighted as successful because it integrated the public sector, involved diverse stakeholders, and aligned tourism development with broader national social and economic goals like poverty reduction.
What was the main reason for the initial failure of Disneyland Paris?
The failure was primarily attributed to a lack of effective analysis regarding the external cultural environment, leading to accusations of 'Cultural Imperialism' due to the rigid application of a standardized American business model.
- Quote paper
- Nicole Burkardt (Author), 2005, Critical assessment of the theory and practice of strategic planning for tourism and leisure - Analysed on the basis of Disneyland Paris, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/66427
