The locals are the biggest stakeholders when living in a town relying on tourists. They have the greatest impact and can make or break a place. There are various topics to consider covering both their personal day to day needs and general topics regarding the longevity of the town’s tourism industry. Sustainability (Eco) Cultural Preservation Industry Preservation Jobs and Infrastructure No one wants to go somewhere that is both overcrowded with noisy tourists and somewhere that is been destroyed by the carelessness of visitors and locals alike. Destinations along the great ocean road need to make sure that their natural environment is taken care of, it is what attracts the tourists in the first place and will keep more coming back.
It is important to remember that tourists come to mainly experience something different they they’re not traditionally used to. Cultural assimilation is a common problem in tourist hot spots and places can often lose their initial attraction. Apollo bay despite having a massive amount of visitors has managed to maintain their cultural identity to a large extent although from a visitors point of view this is often done in an unfriendly way by those not directly involved in the service industry.
Although the Great Ocean Road is an obvious tourism hot spot, other industries must not be forgotten or have any importance taken away from then. The tourism industry has it’s ups and downs. It’s largely dependent on high seasons and is often at the mercy of weather and other unpredictable factors.
Locals Locals
Jobs created by the influx of tourists come and go depending on traveller trends. Sustainable jobs are crucial in ensuring a region/town’s longevity. The infrastructure needed for these jobs also needs to be maintained. Striking a balance between these is often difficult yet has to be done with care and consideration to a variety of stakeholders.
Australian Tourists Australian Tourists
People Needs Peopleand and Needs International Tourists International Tourists
Australian Tourists make up a vast majority of those travelling in and around the great ocean road. Many simply passing through and others making the area a final destination. Their needs and wants are largely similar to that of International Tourists yet vary slightly Accommodation Accessibility
Many tourists coming into Apollo bay rely on the availability of accommodation on little or no notice. The areas of Skenes Creek and that surrounding them need to be able to accommodate them not only for the tourists sake but for that of the locals wanting to make money from the people coming in.
Although Australian transportation is largely based on personal means (cars, motorcycles, bicycle), there has to be an established infrastructure for those wanting to travel by public transport. The public transport systems in and out of the area seem to not only be lacking in frequency but variety. This can be viewed at both positively and negatively. Positive: Too many tourists coming into an area can often be too much for one place to handle. Negative: Lost tourists is lost money for the locals (IF they have the infrastructure to cope).
The aims of an international tourist versus people visiting from other parts of the country are greatly different. Those visiting from overseas are often entirely new to the place and face different challenges involving the following; Language Culture Shock Familiarity Accessibility People come from all over the world to experience Australia and part of that is getting out the city and experiencing what most Australians see as home. Those coming from overseas will have a hard time in Skenes Creek if they don’t know the language. Signs are all in English and the Visitors centre caters to people of an English speaking background.
Due to people’s background and their cultural and social upbringing, people’s degree of ‘culture shock’ when entering a new place and way of life will vary greatly. The way of life of Australians living in Skenes Creek and Apollo Bay may be completely normal to some and a huge departure to others. A town that relies on tourists needs to cater to their specific needs if they want them to keep coming.
A topic of debate for many; “Do we make visitors feel comfortable by including aspects of their lives that make them feel comfortable”. Many popular tourist towns often set up establishments that cater specifically to the needs and wants of the culture visiting. E.g, an Aussie Bar in the heart of a traditional Japanese skiing village.
For many Australians, travelling to Apollo bay is as simple as packing up the car for a weekend and travelling a few hours to a local campsite. For people coming from overseas, the trip is a lot more tiresome and much less ‘spur of the moment’. Trips take extensive planning and accessibility can often be a deciding factor when determining whether or not to visit somewhere.
Oscar Langley S3231372