Integrated Communication for Sustainable Development of Tourism: A Study on Kerala Tourism
Introduction
Tourism is now one of the most significant industries in the world in terms of employment, foreign exchange earnings and economic diversification. Exceptionally grown from being just a recreational activity that was accessible only to a few, to one of the largest industries in the world, tourism has become part and parcel of the modern society. Growth of tourism since the end of the Second World War was phenomenal. It was by the 1950s that international tourism became accessible to the general public. The number of tourist arrivals was 25 million in 1950; but when it reached 2014, the number of international tourist arrivals figured up to 1,138 million (UNWTO, 2015).Though tourism has been highlighted for its socioeconomic contributions, attention has also been focused on the impacts of tourism development on different spheres, in particular on the physical and human environment of destination, creating new and vitally important issues for consideration in tourism agenda. Increased tensions due to the negative impacts of tourism and the global concerns about tourism problems led to many discussions and summits which highlighted the importance of implementing sustainable development principles in the tourism sector. Further discussions and conferences accepted and adapted these concepts for the applicability in tourism sector, which eventually resulted in the evolution of sustainable tourism.
Tourism is a multi-stakeholder industry where each player has a unique and relevant role in promoting sustainable tourism. Effective communication among various stakeholders is vital for sustainable tourism. Communication has a cardinal role to play in supporting sustainable tourism development activities and managing its multiple dimensions.
Communication can create and facilitate a system that allows stakeholders to exchange opinions and arrive at consensual solutions. Effective use of communication tools can also link products to markets besides contributing to visitors’ safe and positive experiences.
In a sustainable tourism development scenario, all the key players have not only the right to participate in the decision-making process, but also the responsibility to adopt environmentally, socially and economically sustainable behaviors and practices. Communication processes can build awareness of these responsibilities of the stakeholders apart from persuading them to adopt sustainable practices which ultimately benefit their long-term interests.
A comprehensive communication strategy which identifies various information channels and networks and activities for awareness creation and conflict mitigation is essential for any successful sustainable tourism development activity. Against this background, an attempt is being undertaken to examine the role and relevance of effective and integrated communication in sustainable tourism; the effectiveness of the existing communication process among various stakeholders in Kerala Tourism, and to suggest measures to improve the existing scenario, from the perspective of sustainable tourism. Interviews followed by Delphi study are being considered in order to pursue the study.
Literature Review
Tourism is currently one of the most significance economic sectors in the world. Almost all countries in the world are now in a process to engage in developing tourism further and to attract more and more tourists. Hypercompetitive environment is prevailing among countries nowadays to ensure tourist inflow into the respective countries. According to the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization), the global governmental agency, “tourism has experienced continued growth and deepening diversification to become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. Modern tourism is closely linked to development and encompasses a growing number of new destinations. These dynamics have turned tourism into a key driver for socio-economic progress.Today, the business volume of tourism equals or even surpasses that of oil exports, food products or automobiles. Tourism has become one of the major players in international commerce, and represents at the same time one of the main income sources for many developing countries”. (UNWTO, 1995)
The number of tourist arrivals has grown significantly and last year 1.1 billion tourists have visited foreign countries generating an amount of US$ 1,245 billion (euro 937 billion) in 2014 (UNWTO, 2015). Yet the haphazard development of tourism has created a wide range of issues in the society, culture and environment (Weaver, 2001).In tourism, this happens at a massive level. Tourists generally may try to explore the social life at the destinations whereas the local community may attempt to imitate the life-style of tourists. Making friendship, learning from each other, better understanding among people etc., are considered as positive impacts of tourism. At the same time, there are some impacts, which have been termed as negative. Though in the beginning, tourism was treated as ‘smokeless’, ‘non-polluting industry’, the experiences have proven otherwise.
At many locations, anti-tourism propaganda emerged due to its irrevocable negative impacts. Planners and developers had limited alternatives to strive ahead with tourism, particularly in the 1980s. Many examples can be cited worldwide for the negative impacts of tourism in the social and cultural spheres of human life. Adopting pseudo behaviors, involving in drug and mafia activates, inspiring prostitution tendency, loss of indigenous and traditional culture etc., are considered as menaces due to tourism.
Commercialization of art and art forms is another one which can be added to the list of negative impacts. But, on the contrary, the preservation and maintenance of culture and cultural features are highlighted as very strong positive impacts of tourism. Apart from the economy, society and culture of the host population, environment and ecology are other important areas where tourism generates impact. Different kinds of tourism activities affect the naturally built environment. Environmental impacts are in wide discussion in every corner of the world due to uncontrolled development of tourism. In order to ameliorate the impacts of tourism, some innovative concepts like alternative tourism, ecotourism and sustainable tourism have been emerged in the sector.
Sustainable tourism has been in vogue world over for about two decades from now. The report of Brundtl and World Commission on Environment and Development, held in 1987, known as “Our Common Future” gave the base definition for the term Sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. This has been widely accepted as the fundamental concept of sustainable development priorities in every sector across the world. But later the concept of sustainability has broadened from the idea of just intelligent use of resources to a wider realm, which includes a variety of interrelated factors. 1990s saw many developments in the concept of sustainable tourism. The agenda 21, evolved as a byproduct of 1992 Earth Summit, is a comprehensive program of action needed throughout the world to achieve a more sustainable pattern of development in the following centuries and a new UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was set up to monitor the programme Agenda 21.
These initiatives suggested innovating and devising strategies to pursue development ethically and adhere to sustainable principles. Different perspectives emerged around the concept. Swarbrooke defined it as “the mass tourism which is economically viable, but does not destroy the resources on which the future of tourism will depend, notably the physical environment and the social fabric of the host community” (Swarbrooke, 2003). United Nations World Tourism Organization defined sustainable tourism as a model form of economic development that is designed to improve the quality of life of the host community, provide a high quality of experiences for the visitors, and to maintain the quality of the environment on which both the host community and the visitor depend (WTO, 1995).Sustainable development in tourism is to be ensured adhering to the principles of it.
The Principles of Sustainable Development of any Tourism Project Should Adhere to Most of the following:
To involve all those implicated by tourism in and around the protected area in its development and management.
To prepare and implement a sustainable tourism strategy and action plan for the protected area.
To protect and enhance the area’s natural and cultural heritage, for and through tourism, and to protect it from excessive tourism development.
To provide all visitors with a high quality experience in all aspects of their visit.
To communicate effectively to visitors about the special qualities of the area.
To encourage specific tourism products which enable discovery and understanding of the area.
To enhance the knowledge about the protected area and sustainability issues amongst all those involved in tourism.
To ensure that tourism supports and does not reduce the quality of life of local residents.
To increase benefits from tourism to the local economy.
To monitor and influence visitor flows to reduce negative impacts (European Federation, 2015).
Communication is an inevitable element that plays a significant role in supporting sustainable tourism development, tourism marketing and managing its multiple dimensions. In the realm of marketing, which is the most critical aspect of survival of a business, implementing effective communication programme can create and facilitate a system that allows stakeholders to exchange opinions and arrive at consensual solutions. Effective use of communication tools can also link products to markets, can contribute to visitors’ positive experiences and enhance the tourism business. A comprehensive communication strategy can help in information and awareness creation, advocacy and network building in tourism development (MaCabe, 2009; Fodness, and Murray, 1998). Exchange of information is critical to understand how communication works in different ways on audiences (MacQuail and Windahl, 1993).Various organizations, including tourism and hospitality, make considered choices to produce information and communicate with particular groups of individuals in the society (Mowforth and Munt, 1996). Purposes of communication can include, but not limited to, those for arranging tourism related facilities to complex policy decision making by the authorities. Effective communication between different players in tourism will stimulate a dialogue that will ideally lead to enduring business activities.
Adopting a strategic approach towards exchange of information and enhancing communication between different stakeholders ultimately help the organization to achieve its strategic goals. Further, interactive communication taking place among the various stakeholders will help to minimize the negative impacts, to make better decision for development, to have a proper awareness on tourism and so on (Dileep, 2011).
Availability of quality information is a vital determinant in the success of tourism. Its role can be considered equivalent to blood in human cardio vascular system. All stakeholders need information of various kinds on different aspects of travel and tourism process (Snepenger, et.al. 1990; Dileep 2011). For the smooth functioning of the tourism process, efficient and effective flow of information is crucial. Information flow from the supply and facilitator side to tourists and vice versa is highly prominent in tourism. Information flow can also take place between one sector to another, like from hotel to tour operator and from travel agency to airline. The suppliers and principals offer information to intermediaries, government agencies and tourism organizations and associations, and other players in the sector, along with offering information directly to the consumers-the travelers.
Intermediaries need information to coordinate the tourism activities to convert them into products, which are more accessible and easily consumable by tourists. Tourists also seek information directly from the suppliers. Intermediaries play the role of facilitator in information transactions (Sheldon, 2003; Buhalis, 1998). Also tourists can get these information directly from the suppliers or principals like Destination Management Organization (DMO), Airlines, Hotels, etc. (Buhalis, 2003). Intermediaries also seek information from both suppliers as well as tourists.
Principals/suppliers along with other information sources like travel guides, websites, tourism organizations are various sources of information (Connell and Reynolds, 1999). Government agencies, like tourism offices and tourism organizations, like UNWTO, and trade associations like IATO and TAAI, provide information on various aspects of tourism travel statistics, rules and regulations, such as customs regulations, health regulations, and the similar ones. This leads to the fact that information flow from these organizations to the suppliers, intermediaries as well as to consumers, and vice versa. These agencies also receive and collect information from them so as to generate information database, trend statistics, and repository of rules, regulations and guidelines.
Other stakeholders, like voluntary organizations, academic/research intuitions, and consultants, also form another category of groups that constitute a crucial link in the tourism information flow. Their main role is to help the planners, policy makers and developers to identify the issues associated with development; various concerns emerged as part of development and also to assist in organizing trade and client data into meaningful reports and analysis. Suppliers, intermediaries, tourists as well as some other stakeholders like tourism organizations can access the information formed by them. Hence, communication is a vital element in the successful competitive survival of a tourism destination along with ensuring quality information exchange among various key players in the system and other required groups.
Table 1. Foreign Tourist Arrivals to Kerala
Year
Number (Millions)
% Change
2010
6,59,265
18.31
2011
7,32,985
11.18
2012
7,93,695
8.28
2013
8,58,143
8.12
2014
9,23,366
7.66
Source: Department of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala
Kerala is a small state situated in the southern tip of India. Tourism is currently a major economic activity in the state. Since 1980s, tourism has been growing steadily in this beautiful land with rich cultural and natural heritage. In 2014, foreign tourist arrivals to Kerala stood at 9, 23,366, up 7.60 per cent from 2013, while domestic tourist arrivals for the year were at about 1.17 crore, up 7.71 per cent from 2013 (Kerala Tourism Statistics of 2014). During the last three decades or so, the industry in Kerala too has seen significant increase. Now, the hospitality industry and tour operation sectors are well established. As part of the multiplier effect of tourism, the industry has direct contribution in terms of economics to other sectors as well. Tourism in Kerala is poised for further development to become one of the leading destinations in the country for both domestic and international tourism.
Methodology
Efficient communication is vital in the success of a tourist destination. All the key players in tourism necessitate information of good quality with latest updates and accuracy. Hence, interactive communication should take place among all the players and every key player has to get information at the right time. Interdependence among the fragmented tourism industry components and other various stakeholders in tourism in Kerala is very high and therefore efficient communication has to take place among all of them in an integrated way, as discussed in the literature review. Interviews were conducted with a sample consisting of personnel at the managerial levels in the industry and in the government authorities to gather the nature of communication taking place among all the various key players. It was done to identify the nature of the interactive communication existing among all the key players in tourism in the state. The survey result remained the basis for a Delphi study that was designed to finalize a framework for the betterment of interactive integrated communication system in the tourism sector in the state. Forty experts were chosen from industry, authorities and other relevant fields. Three rounds of survey were conducted to get consent for the statements and mean and interquartile range are used to get the consent. The interquartile range varies from 0 to 2 are considered for acceptance. The discussion is as given below.
Discussion
The interviews conducted among the professionals reveal the following:
Tourism in Kerala has been successful in creating a good brand image for the state. Marketing communication worked well even within the limited availability of funds. Moreover the website developed by Kerala Tourism Department stands out with good aesthetic appeal. In spite of all these positive aspects, there are some areas that are of immediate concern.
The interactive communication among the various stakeholders is very limited. Local people don’t have much awareness about the development activities in tourism. Their opinions are rarely reaching the policy makers. Interaction between the industry and local community is also extremely rare. Industry too doesn’t get the feedback or suggestions from the local community. Media too get less information, their main information source being the press releases generated by the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. From a sustainable development perspective, such information exchange is so crucial in minimizing the negative impacts and maximizing positive outcomes. Hence, an integrated approach where information flows smoothly as per stakeholder requirements is essential. The entire stakeholders involved can have an easy access as a result of this. Information and communication technology have to be effectively planned and used for this purpose. An integrated system can be a solution for filling the information gap among various parties involved.
The interviewees are of unanimous opinion on this. Based on this, and from the literature available, a questionnaire consisting of 22 variables was created with the aim of getting a suggestion for formulating a conceptual framework for integrated communication system. Table 02 consists of the gist of those variables and the mean and interquartile values of the response collected from the experts.
Table2. Expert Opinion Survey: Mean Value and Inter-Quartile Range of Response
Sl.No.
Statements/Variables
Mean Value
Inter- Quartile Range
1
Form an expert group comprising mainly Information Technology persons. Organize regularly information dissemination programmes
3
1
2
Initiate the organizations to form groups for sharing information systems facilities Initiate through trade associations
1
0.5
3
Form a consortium of tourism stakeholders Setting up of a Destination marketing information system will be useful
2
0.5
4
The system can have internal and external users
2
0.5
5
The data from secondary sources can be gathered
1
0.5
6
Data can also be collected from the destination as well as from the markets The data collected has to be processed and to be given to the users
2
0.5
7
Security of the data and information has to be assured
2
0
8
Internet can be one source for the dissemination;
1
0.5
9
Traditional methods can also be used along with Electronic Data Interchange The external users can be charged nominal fee
1
0.5
10
Using the money, maintenance can be done. Developing a GIS would be more beneficial-
1
0.5
11
This GIS have to be developed exclusively for the tourism in Kerala.
1
0.5
12
The major beneficiaries will be tourists, tour operators, travel agents, planners, etc.
2
1
13
The GIS and MIS have to have interface. A portal is required for dissemination.
2
1
14
Initiative has to be taken up by Govt. sector.
2
1
15
The systems development can be outsourced.
3
1
16
2
1
17
2
1
The analysis of the interviews raveled that Kerala tourism has been growing for the last several years and same trend will continue in the future as well. The role of each and every stakeholder of tourism in Kerala is very high. The availability of quality information required by the tourists and the stakeholders of tourism in Kerala is limited. The need for more accurate, timely and relevant information in tourism is extremely high. Industries are not getting proper information about tourism in Kerala especially about the demand, tourist behavior, tourists profile, etc.
Other stakeholders who suffer from lack of sufficient and accurate data are also in need of information. Researchers, students, journalists, planners, etc. also are not getting sufficient data about tourism in Kerala in a precise manner. The quality of the available data is also not up to the mark. Hence, the expert opinion survey attempted to go into the details of forming a conceptual framework for utilizing information and communication technology in order to have an integrated system that gather, process and disseminate information as and when required. All the statements included in the questionnaire (gist of the statements are given in table 02) were got consensus after two rounds of survey and the analysis is following. According to the expert opinion survey, an expert group of information technology, tourism and management professionals has to be formed to eliminate the gap between technology evolution and market needs in the destination as well as the government level in relation to tourism. They will be able to identify the latest changes in the relevant fields in the international context and to suggest means and measures to be taken up by the authorities to compete globally. In fact, a National Tourist Office (NTO) have to engage with many activities for disseminating information on different aspects of tourism in the world, changes in every sphere including technological changes in the industry under its jurisdiction. This is very important especially in the case of small and medium enterprises for which the international exposure is limited. In the case of information systems also, either the NTO or the concerned agencies/authorities can take up the responsibility of organizing various programmes aimed at disseminating the relevant information. This will expose them to various developmental activities in the area of information systems and make them realize the necessity of information systems in their business environments.
The members of the associations can initiate necessary steps for implementing information systems. They can also share the systems with other members in all possible manner. Seminars, orientation programmes, workshops, evolving consortiums, etc. will help to disseminate ideas besides inspiring them to go ahead with the use of information systems. Forming quality circles as well as consortiums of different firms from the tourism industry in Kerala along with multinational firms with Information technology exposure will surely benefit in information sharing and understanding what is happening in relation to this, outside the destination. The next three variables were on the categories of major stakeholders who require accurate, precise and timely information for the better performance and global competence of Kerala tourism.
Industry stakeholders such as hotels, travel agencies, tour operators and others require proper, accurate and timely information on tourism market and demand that would enable them to perform better. For any industry in this modern and highly competitive world, the data and information as per the requirements of the user is extremely important. Industrial stakeholders require timely and precise data. Apart from the industrial stakeholders, other groups such as policy makers, planners and professionals working with governmental agencies also require information.
Tourists are another category in demand of extensive information about the destinations. Setting up of a destination management/marketing information system-one of the best systems used internationally-will be useful for the tourism industry stakeholders in Kerala. Destination management systems are being introduced by many international tourism destinations. The applicability of such systems are many. They collect data about tourism mainly in the destinations and process them to give proper information to the users as per their requirements. Collection, selection and processing of data and information, providing the information required by the users, function as an information providing center for various training and educational agencies, act as a consultancy agency for the information required groups, promotion and exchange of information with other similar documentation centers in different parts of the world, etc. could be the major activities of the system, according to the unanimous opinion of the experts interviewed.
The system can have two categories of users such as internal users from the developing agency and external users. Internal users include planners, decision makers for development, professionals working as the official tourism developers of the destination, statisticians and researchers from official agencies, etc. A variety of external users such as students, industrialists, entrepreneurs, brokers, consultancies, market researchers, service providers, investors, tour operators, transport providers, etc. can make use of the system. Experts gave consensus on the statement on this.
Secondary data sources for the system can include tourist surveys, publications, annual reports, survey reports of private agencies, etc. Data from local and regional tourism bodies, trade associations, international tour operators, academic studies, newspapers, national/ regional travel surveys, tourism related publications, and international agencies like WTO, WTTC, etc. from other sources. Data can be collected exclusively from the destination as well as from the markets possible for finding out trends in tourism. The data sources for the primary research can be market researches and surveys conducted by the agency which maintains the system. Experts agreed that these sources can be used for getting primary data.
The data collected has to be processed and disseminated to the users as per their requirements. Categorizing the users of the system is very important to identify user-requirements. Data management and analysis, recording, sorting, documentary analysis, indexation, classification, etc. can be done as part of this. Dissemination of the information produced by the system is another crucial area in the establishment of destination information systems.
All the information cannot be given to all the users. Restrictions have to be set up and security of the information being processed has to be ensured. Information can be disseminated in different formats like summary reports, annual reports, specific reports, search results using key words, electronic products, electronic newsletter, etc. News on international tourism, economic monitoring and analysis, events, laws and regulations can also be transmitted to the users for their requirements.
Internet is the most appropriate channel for distribution of information worldwide thanks to its reach and low cost. Internet can be used as a medium for dissemination of information especially the external users. Request forms can be developed in the website for external as well as internal users. For transmitting information to various users, different channels of communication can be employed. Traditional methods such as telephones, fax and others also can be used along with electronic data/document interchange and new media technologies. A multi-media mix is highly recommended. Experts have consensus on this. The external users can be charged nominal fee for availing data and information. Setting up of the system and its regular maintenance will require large amount of financial resources. If the users are charged a nominal fee, expenditure for maintenance of the systems can be met.
This will also make the system provider responsible in giving most relevant and precise information. The aspect was given in two statements and the experts have unanimously agreed to those. Along with this, developing a GIS would be beneficial for the tourism sector in Kerala. Developed exclusively for Kerala tourism, this should include information on attractions, facilities, geographical features, fairs and festivals, destinations, training institutes in tourism, distances among places, routes to destinations, environmental features, etc. The major beneficiaries of the system will be tourists, tour operators, travel agents, NGOs, policy makers, planners, etc. All the stakeholders can use the systems, but the specific aim should be for giving information to the tourists and also for the planners and policy makers. It would be better if an interface is developed between MIS and GIS. The advantage is that the users can access data from both MIS and GIS without altering the database of the other. Both of them together will be able to give comprehensive information on tourism in Kerala. For providing the information at a global level, a technically and aesthetically sound portal has to be set up. Users including tourists always search for large volumes of information. Developing a web portal will be definitely useful for the industry as has been agreed upon by the experts.
Government of Kerala can take up initiative to set up both the systems. Considering the data diversity required and in ensuring the authenticity of the data and information, the government agency can function in a better manner. This can be entrusted with a specialized agency including experts in the field of information systems under the department. This group will be able to look into the matter of developing the systems and maintaining it. Experts have agreed to this. Developing a system is not an easy task because of various complexities involved with it. Outsourcing is a common practice in such cases. The human resource required in the beginning of development of the system may not be required later. Hence it is better to outsource the development of the system with a reliable and expert agency. Experts gave consensus for these statements.
Conclusion
Kerala tourism has been progressing well and has become one of the most sought after destinations in the country. Yet there is considerable lacuna in interactive communication among various stakeholders. Some of the stakeholders face much difficulty in getting proper information. Sometimes, they find themselves out of the communication network. In a sustainable tourism development scenario, all the key players have not only the right to participate in the decision-making process, but also the responsibility to adopt environmentally, socially and economically sustainable behaviors and practices. Communication processes can build awareness of these responsibilities of the stakeholders apart from persuading them to adapt sustainable practices which ultimately benefit their long-term interests. Hence, there is ample scope for improvement in inter-stakeholder communication. An integrated information system particularly at the destination level is suggested based on an expert opinion survey. The system permits all users to access data at any point of time. The system can be managed under the supervision of the public sector agencies. Moreover, geographic information system can also be integrated with it so that much more details about the tourist destinations at the spatial level can be provided. This system can be linked with the web portals as well, so that the information access can be there from anywhere. Implementing the system can minimize the data scarcity for various stakeholders in the tourism sector in Kerala.
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