Tourism Strategic Planning: The Tried and True, Recovery Services: Building a Resilient Post COVID-19 Future, Attractions: Creating a compelling experience for visitors to enjoy, Enhancement and new product / event opportunities, Support for and partnerships with attractions, Tourism Infrastructure: Helping visitors successfully navigate their experience, Availability, variety, quality, and competitiveness of accommodations, restaurants, transportation, signage, visitor centers, retail, and visitor domains, DMOs crucial role in improving the tourism infrastructure, Marketing: Getting the right message to the right audience. Harlow: Prentice-Hall. sensitivity and environmental pressure points.
This provided insights into areas where progress had been made (e.g. In many respects it might be labelled a question asking approach, with the principal sets of questions being what are the key issues facing tourism in Samoa? and how might these be best addressed? Drawing in stakeholders from industry and government through interviews and planning sessions is an effective means to develop a detailed understanding of the destination and its nuances, and in setting the groundwork for recommendations with sufficient collective buy-in to make subsequent implementation realistic. Market research included an analysis of statistics from the Samoa Visitors Bureau and, to provide the regional context, the South Pacific Tourism Organization. Thus, the regional development of tourism generally must have an increase in the volume of participation which in turn depends on heightened demand and expanded supply, these being respectively a function of expanded markets and resource development. Sustainable Tourism in Islands and Small Sates : issues and policies. More than ever, DMOs need to think strategically about the economic, political, and cultural, changes they are facing. Each strategy was accompanied by a list of specific recommendations, with a total of 61 recommendations resulting from the plan. The area strategy was particularly aimed at increasing village participation in the development process and was presented in a practical format consisting of a set of checklists relating to the theme, stakeholders, issues, opportunities and possible solutions for each area. This enabled a more tightly focused discussion on the development of each strategy. 8Its successor, the Samoa Tourism Development Plan 2002 2006, was prepared in 2001-2002. 32Particular attention was also given to the question of what forms of tourism should be developed in Samoa, that is what forms are the most appropriate and what is the right product/market mix for the country. 26Moreover, the scale of tourism can be measured in different ways, for example visitor arrivals or bednights, number of hotel rooms, foreign exchange earnings, contribution to Gross Domestic product (GDP), jobs in the tourism sector Each of these dimensions provides some understanding of the size of the sector and together they provide a good overview of the level of tourism development in a destination as Table 1 showed. institutional strengthening and infrastructural development) and others where issues were proving more intractable (e.g. telecommunications, power supply, roading, harbour) work more. This provided insights into areas where progress had been made (e.g. New Zealand holiday travel to Samoa: a distribution channels approach. What is an appropriate and realistic annual rate of growth for arrivals to Samoa? However, involving the public in tourism planning is not without its constraints as Jenkins (1993) and others have noted. Finally, the diversity of possible forms of tourism and processes of development needs to be recognized if the most appropriate path forward is to be followed and if the generalized mass sun sand sea model of tourism is not to be adopted by default. The workshops generally brought together six to ten people plus two or more team members who led the group through a series of questions designed to elicit views on the key issues facing tourism in Samoa. Community Tourism Assessment Handbook. A mix of methods (quantiative and qualitative, primary and secondary) is the best approach to develop a depth of understanding of a destination and its strengths and challenges. Tourism Resource Consultants.
18Such an approach was less appropriate for input from the village level so more traditional meetings were held between the Samoan members of the planning team and the village chiefs, womens committees and youth groups of selected villages where tourism is a significant activity and where the level and nature of development varies. Apia: SVB and NZODA. The tourist industry in Samoa, however, is still at a relatively youthful stage of development, the total number of visitors received, especially holiday visitors, is not large, and the accommodation sector is modest in scale and concentrated in Apia. 23These are fundamental questions that might be raised for any destination, not just Samoa. - Qu, tipologas de turismo deben desarrollarse y d. nde? Jenkins J. Cuatro preguntas principales resultan de este proceso:- Cmo quiere Samoa dimensionar su turismo? This is a crucial first step but one which is not always taken nor readily achieved. In this respect the team was fortunate in having access to a range of reports, studies and other documents covering key topics as the time for the generation of primary research was limited. Concluimos que la participacin local es imprescindible pero, sola, no permite la preparacin de un plan de desarrollo turstico eficaz. Planners in all destinations would do well to consider explicitly at the outset just how much tourism development is desirable and feasible. Relationships with other plans and projects is something that is commonly neglected in tourism planning but given the number of cross-sectoral matters that tourism development involves, discussion at an early stage of the tourism dimension of their activities proved invaluable in terms of identifying common issues, sharing information, reducing duplication of effort and responsibility and setting priorities. This unified framework for tourism planning affords destinations with the best opportunity to recover from the exigencies of the current crisis and achieve their objectives in a competitive and challenging recovery. In this respect the team was fortunate in having access to a range of reports, studies and other documents covering key topics as the time for the generation of primary research was limited. En prsentant la mthodologie utilise dans la prsentation du Plan dAmnagement Touristique de Samoa 2002-2006, ce chapitre cherche claircir certains aspects de lamnagement touristique dans les petites les tropicales, ainsi que ceux de la planification touristique en ces lieux. Government of Western Samoa/Tourism Council of the South Pacific. Samoas agricultural sector in the 1990s suffered from cyclone damage and problems caused by taro leaf blight and the African. In this regard, the synthesis of the other sources of information in association with the stakeholder input was important in enabling the planning team to come to their recommendations. West Sussex and New York: Wiley. The, , the traditional and distinctive Samoa way of life, remains strong and continues to have a marked impact on all aspects of Samoa society and economy. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/etudescaribeennes/1393; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/etudescaribeennes.1393, Professor of Tourism Management in the Victoria Management School, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. WTO. Samoa: location and place names, Table 1. For example, the central thrust of the marketing strategy is to raise levels of awareness in selected markets and to develop a stronger image of Samoa based on the combination of opportunities outlined above, all underpinned by the. Tourism plan reviews: methodological considerations and issues from Samoa. 
Pearce D.G. Les contenus dtudes caribennes sont mis disposition selon les termes de la Licence Creative Commons Attribution - Pas d'Utilisation Commerciale 4.0 International. Table 5. A system of chiefly rule in which every person is expected to know their place and the correct behaviour patters of their place. In particular, progress has been made in terms of infrastructure, institutional strengthening, marketing and provision of basic attractions facilities. New York: Taylor and Francis (3rd Ed.). - Cules son los procesos de desarrollo ms apropiados para Samoa? Addressing the appropriate target audiences and ensuring that the destinations marketing helps: attract new and repeat visitation; extends stays; increases tourist spending; Reflects the destination so that the visitors expectations are met, The right mix of paid, earned, owned and shared media for promoting the destination, Organizational Structure: Effectively and efficiently improving local tourism, The most appropriate organizational structure to meet various responsibilities and achieve a strong return on investment, Ensure that the tourism organization figures prominently in political, policy, and planning discussions. The questions were structured in such a way as to obtain input for goal formulation and to address the core matters raised in the TOR product development, infrastructure, marketing, human resource development, impacts and institutions- while also allowing broader issues to be raised (Questions 1 and 2). Jenkins (1999, p.58) argues that at the macro-project level At all times, methodology is driven by pragmatism and is informed by experience rather than theory. Formal and informal meetings were held with leading Government and industry officials. Moreover, the Sustainable Tourism Indicators Project showed that although there were warning signs in areas such as waste-water disposal and efficiency of water use, if these areas were addressed there was still scope for further tourism development. , was prepared in 2001-2002. from all over Samoa was also organized in Apia to discuss tourism issues. That on product development aims first and foremost to upgrade and extend the attractions and activities while also making provision for increased accommodation and ensuring accessibility, both external and internal. Many plans are still prepared by external consultants, especially in small, developing destinations, but different approaches to tourism planning are emerging with increasing emphasis being given to a greater level of community involvement and public participation in the planning process (Hall, 2000; King, McVey and Simmons, 2000). What are the three most important changes in tourism in Samoa that you would like to see happen by 2006. Where possible, a distinction was made between all arrivals and holiday arrivals. National and Regional Tourism Planning: methodologies and case studies. 
Development during the 1990s was guided by the, Western Samoa Tourism Development Plan 1992-2001. There is also a call for developing a common vision and fostering better coordination among stakeholders in order to avoid the fragmentation of effort that had characterized much previous development. Over this period all arrivals grew by 5.1% per annum and holiday arrivals increased by 4.8% a year (Table 6). A degree of ambivalence or indifference to tourism was apparent in the wider community and a village level. A starting point was a re-reading and re-evaluation of the Mid-Term Review of the Samoa Tourism Development Plan 1992-2001 followed by an assessment of the extent to which the recommendations of the Samoa Tourism Development Action Programme, which had resulted from the mid-term review, had been successfully implemented. It was also recognized that tourism development in Samoa would be affected by broader environmental conditions, within the country and elsewhere, over which the Samoan tourist industry might have little influence but whose impact they would need to recognize and react to. Finally, the diversity of possible forms of tourism and processes of development needs to be recognized if the most appropriate path forward is to be followed and if the generalized mass sun sand sea model of tourism is not to be adopted by default.
28A key notion underlying the development of strategies in the plan is Gunns (1988) concept of a hierarchy of dependency. There is also a call for developing a common vision and fostering better coordination among stakeholders in order to avoid the fragmentation of effort that had characterized much previous development. Estimation of future accommodation needs was based on visitor projections under a range of scenarios and observed ratios of hotel use and room occupancies rather than stakeholder input though that was central to recommendations about the size and location of new accommodation development. Many parts of the plan have been, and continue to be implemented, though at a slower rhythm and with less depth than envisaged. Tourism development plans, for islands and other destinations, vary in scope, scale and approach and a significant body of literature on tourism plans and planning has appeared (e.g. This is a crucial first step but one which is not always taken nor readily achieved. 1994. 19This multi-source approach permitted a wide range of material to be compiled and analysed and enabled diverse views to be heard and taken into account. and Palmer C. 2000. Sustainable tourism development will be undertaken at a rate and in ways that will: In line with the goal developed, the emphasis in preparing the plan was on developing practical strategies and getting ownership of the plan from the outset through widespread consultation and input at all stages. Samoa is introduced in the next section, the planning approach adopted is then presented, issues identified are discussed and then the overall strategy is outlined before conclusions are drawn. In: Tourism: a gender analysis, ed. WTO. A degree of ambivalence or indifference to tourism was apparent in the wider community and a village level. Particular attention was also given to the question of what forms of tourism should be developed in Samoa, that is what forms are the most appropriate and what is the right product/market mix for the country. The need to plan for tourism on islands is especially crucial given their limited size and resource base. This chapter has outlined a methodology for how this might be carried out. 16Four field visits were undertaken to Savaii, the south coast of Upolu, Aleipata and in the Apia urban area- in order to understand better the realities of planning for tourism in Samoa, to assess resources and development processes and to gauge the impacts of tourism.Consultation took several forms in order to engage a diversity of stakeholders, obtain information and ascertain their views on the opportunities and challenges facing tourism in Samoa. Samoa is introduced in the next section, the planning approach adopted is then presented, issues identified are discussed and then the overall strategy is outlined before conclusions are drawn. Scope was seen for the participation of a wide range of stakeholders in the development process, including Samoan developers and entrepreneurs, expatriates and foreign investors, more community participation and a continuing role for Government. At the end of end of each phase, the planning team reported to the steering committee and responded to suggestions made. 1995. What role might the Samoa Visitors Bureau play in this process? Quels sont les processus damnagement touristique les plus appropris pour Samoa? In terms of tourism development, what are the priorities for infrastructural improvements on Savaii? 17Workshops were organized with a diversity of other stakeholders including: the Samoa Visitors Bureau, government departments, the tourist industry, other businesses, NGOs and other interested parties. The plan was prepared in accordance with the terms of reference (TOR) and under the guidance of a steering committee of senior government officials and industry representatives. The single most significant recurring message to emerge from all the stakeholder consultations was that the growth of tourism in Samoa must not occur at a scale or rate that would endanger the, . In this regard, the synthesis of the other sources of information in association with the stakeholder input was important in enabling the planning team to come to their recommendations. 2Tourism development plans, for islands and other destinations, vary in scope, scale and approach and a significant body of literature on tourism plans and planning has appeared (e.g.
In the first two phases this stakeholder consultation and participation provided invaluable inputs into the identification of issues and development of strategies. 41, n2, p. 197-205. Consulting a variety of stakeholders inevitably results in a diversity of views being expressed, not all of which are pertinent, feasible or compatible. What should the basic goals for the development of tourism in Samoa be over the period 2002-2006. Recent marketing reports were also available, for instance the, Report on the New Zealand Holiday Market for Tourism in New Zealand, which provided not only details on the visitor characteristics and attitudes in that key market but also an analysis of distribution channels (Pearce, 2002). The questions were structured in such a way as to obtain input for goal formulation and to address the core matters raised in the TOR product development, infrastructure, marketing, human resource development, impacts and institutions- while also allowing broader issues to be raised (Questions 1 and 2). 1992. In particular, the chapter presents a question-asking approach that involves wide-ranging stakeholder consultation to identify and then address key issues, namely: - How much tourism does Samoa want and at what rate should it be developed over the next five years? Preparation of the plan was undertaken in three phases between August 2001 and January 2002. 5Samoa is a small multiple island state in the South Pacific. Tourism Planning: policies, processes and relationships. In particular, he asserts, the main concern is to devise a methodological approach to cover the activities and to produce the outputs required within both the time-scale and budget. questions of land tenure).