THL Toolbox > Places & Geography > THL Place Dictionary > THL Tourism Site Assessment Tool
THL Tourism Site Assessment Tool
Contributor(s): Bill Sugaya (chief editor/author).
Overview
Tourism Site Assessment Tool
The following table is intended for use in assessing a site in relationship to tourism. The site might be a village, monastery, lake, natural reserve, or any other type of place. The idea is that one goes through each issue and tries to assess the site in question with regards to it. In this context, "research means investigating sources of available data and information about the audit item using internet web sites, repositories (libraries, museums, institutions), and other available documentation. "Evaluation" means on-site investigation of audit items using appropriate methodologies such as direct observation, mapping, oral interviews, questionnaires, focus or discussion groups, and workshops/charettes.
The tool is designed to be easy to understand and use, so that it can be applied by a variety of individuals and organizations. It should also be used together with the "Principles of Tibetan Community Tourism" document, which provides a general framework for understanding how to structure tourism so that the local community benefits economically, and the local culture, society, and ecology are enhanced rather than damaged.
VISITOR EXPERIENCE
| Item | Methodology | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Ambiance and setting | Evaluation | |
| Well-known outside of local area | Research | |
| National icon or symbol | Research | |
| Can tell a “good story” – evocative place, provide an experience | Research and Evaluation | |
| Has some aspect to distinguish it from nearby attractions or attractions of a similar nature | Research and Evaluation | |
| Appeals to special needs, or uses (e.g. pilgrimages, festivals, sports) | Research and Evaluation | |
| Complements other tourism products in the area/region/destination | Research and Evaluation | |
| Competing tourism products | Research | |
| Tourism activity in the region | Research | |
| How asset is positioned in the marketplace | Research | |
| Critical mass of assets | Research | |
| Visitor profile (length of stay, trip purpose, first or repeat visitor, demographics | Research | |
| Sources of tourists | Research | |
| Pricing (airfare, ground transportation, accommodations, tour fees, attraction fees) | Research and Evaluation | |
| Accommodations and local eating opportunities | Evaluation |
Product Design Needs
| Item | Methodology | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility or restrictions to asset’s features | Evaluation | |
| Good transport/access to asset from population centers and tourism nodes | Research | |
| Proximity to other heritage assets | Research and Evaluation | |
| Amenity (toilets, parking, pathways, refreshments, availability of information | Evaluation | |
| Ability to sensitively commodify the asset to maximize visitor satisfaction without losing authenticity | Evaluation |
Marketing
| Item | Methodology | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing and promotion – what has been done so far | Evaluation | |
| Marketing plan in place? | Evaluation | |
| What is the product? | ||
| Pricing | ||
| Promotion | ||
| Distribution channels – by the attraction itself, or through the travel trade |
CULTURAL PRESERVATION, RELIGION & NATURAL SYSTEMS
Cultural Significance
| Item | Methodology | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Aesthetic/architectural Value | Research and Evaluation | |
| Historic Value | Research and Evaluation | |
| Educational Value | Research and Evaluation | |
| Social Value | Research and Evaluation | |
| Religious value | Research and Evaluation | |
| Rare, or common (locally, regionally, nationally, internationally) | Research and Evaluation | |
| Representativeness (locally, regionally, nationally, internationally) | Research and Evaluation | |
| Integrity of asset | Evaluation |
Robusticity (ability to withstand visitation pressures)
| Item | Methodology | Assessment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fragility of asset (carrying capacity) | Evaluation | ||
| State of repair and maintenance | Evaluation | ||
| Management plan or policy in place, code of ethics | Evaluation | ||
| In-house staffing capabilities; level of people skills and gaps in management and conservation (need for education) | Evaluation | ||
| Regular monitoring of visitation and its impacts | Evaluation | ||
| Financial resources available to support the asset | Evaluation | ||
| Potential for negative impacts of high visitation on: | Evaluation | ||
| fabric of the asset(s) | |||
| life style and cultural traditions of local community(ies) | |||
| Potential for modifications (as part of product development) to have negative impacts on: | Evaluation | ||
| fabric of the assest(s) | |||
| life style and cultural traditions of local community(ies) |
COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Government
| Item | Methodology | Assessment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourism program/policies/legislation (national, regional, local) | Research | ||
| Tourism agency: national, state, local (e.g. CVB) | Research | ||
| Conservation legislation (national, regional, local) | Research and Evaluation | ||
| Land use, zoning, development guidelines | Research and Evaluation | ||
| Infrastructure and facilities (roads, water, wastewater, solid waste, electricity, etc.) | Research and | Evaluation |
EDUCATION & AWARENESS|
Community
| Item | Methodology | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Support for tourism/visitation | Evaluation Questionnaire | |
| Support for conservation/development | Evaluation Questionnaire | |
| Motive for tourism - tourism as a means to an end or as an end in itself | Evaluation | |
| Identifying, inviting participation, listening to stakeholders | Evaluation | |
| Stakeholders: governments, government tourism agencies, conservation organizations, indigenous groups, ethnic minorities, religious groups, tour operators, local guides, local community | ||
| Potential for ongoing involvement and consultation of key stakeholders | Evaluation | |
| Potential for community benefits, economically and socially | Research and Evaluation |
