Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt
International Tourism Management

 

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ITM Bachelor 1. Sem
8029: Introduction International Tourism Management

 

 DEMAND MEETS SUPPLY: DESTINATIONS

Destinations - Spatial and Space-ial

 

  

 Tourism changes places into destinations:

  

 Nature --> recreational area

 

 Example: Piers - going into the ocean without getting wet feet.

Brighton Pier - arcades, weddings and corporate functions on the sea.htm

 

 

 

The sea and especially the border between land and sea, the beach have become the typical destination for the age of mass tourism, the second half of the 20th century, a symbol of

Recreation

Body, sport, leisure orientation

Freedom from social, textile, moral borders

 

The ocean as a symbol of death

In European tradition the ocean is also the fountain of life

- "Aphrodite foamborn" -

 

 

but mainly a force to be feared,
the ultimate border.

In mythology and literature:

Gilgamesch Epos - the oldest western "traveller" is realizing on the ocean than all man are mortal (http://www.lyrik.ch/lyrik/spuren1/gilgame/gilgam01.htm)

Travelling by boat brings egyptians, greeks, romans into the hades, the area of death

The sea is the non-created part of the world in the bible, the Big Flood is ending all live but Noahs Arc, Leviathan, Neptun, mermaids, whales, giant octopusses threaten peoples live.

 

In reality:

Before the 19th c. travelling on the ocean is extremely dangerous, most people cannot swim, ships are often lost in bad weather.

 

 

So the ocean has been always seen as a threat, not a place to be on or look onto for pleasure.

            

The beach as a part of nature and a place for health

As the perception of nature changes from chaos and threat to "natural", original, picturesque scenery, the beach becomes a destination for the first time, boat trips (Gulf of Naples, gondola), fishermen songs and the ocean as topic of art become popular at the end of 18th c.

At the same time water (and fresh air) starts to be seen as positive for health, washing and bathing stop to been seen as bad for the human body

Seaside resorts are started in Britain and later also in Germany (1797 Doberan). The ocean becomes "blue" instead of "bloody red" or "dark".

 


Australia 1920s

 

 

20th century: The beach as a main tourism resource

Acquisition of places which before did not exist or which before were remote:

Traditionally most cities are not build directly at the seaside but on the next hill etc. to be safer from storms, floods, marauders, the "unhealthy air" etc.

The beach is used by fishermen or as a harbour or as a toilet

Seaside resorts are build especially for guests, fishermens villages change into tourists areas, the seaside promenade and the pier is developed

Access is provided by railway (before 2nd World War) and by aircraft after 1945, changing remote areas (f.i. mediterranean and caribic islands) into tourism hot spots, helped by airstrips build during the war

Beach holidays become standardised, the hinterland becomes less and less relevant - the tourists are "turning their backs" on the land

Tourists take over beaches from local usages

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Contact: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS
Bachelor and Master Program International Tourism Management
arlt@fh-westkueste.de, Office 2.018, Tel. 0481 8555-513
Consultation hours (during lecture period): Tuesday 16.00 - 17.00 h
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