Importance of Tourism Ethics

Importance of Tourism Ethics The significant growth of tourism activity without a doubt marks tourism as one of the most notable economic and social occurrence of the past century. According to the World Tourism Organization (2005), the number of international arrivals shows a growth from a 25 million international arrivals in 1950 to over 700 million in 2002, matching to an average yearly growth rate of 6.6%. In addition to the statistical growth of tourism, there has been a change of the tourism product from the conventional sun, sea and sand to a product that would be more beneficial for those living in the tourism destination. Tourisms growth has meant the industry now stands for the foremost source of foreign exchange earnings in most countries (WTO, 2005). However, in addition to the often cited economic pointers displaying the control of the tourism industry, there has been a matching rise and recognition of the possible negative impacts of the growing tourism industry; this has led to calls for the indus try to exercise greater responsibility in order to protect various destinations (Archer et al., 2005). However, in the last few decades, responsible tourism has come into view as a wider consumer market trends towards lifestyle marketing and ethical consumption have spread to tourism (Goodwin, 2003). Tourism organizations are beginning to realise that promoting their ethical position can be good business as it has the ability to increase a companys profits, management effectiveness, public image and employee relations (Hudson and Miller, 2005). There has been not only a significant change in the products and patterns of tourism across the world over the past decade, but also an increasing concern with how it might contribute towards sustainable living, mainly for the worlds poor and how the huge environmental impacts can be controlled (Godwin 2003). This essay will look at the issue of ethics in the tourism industry, highlighting the need for responsible tourism; what instigates responsible tourism; related approaches to responsible tourism; companies that promote responsible tourism; set guidelines for tourism and then conclusion. Ethics and the Tourism Industry Tourism has come into view as a major force in the worldwide economy, with most countries, having increasing opportunities to participate, as both tourism destinations and tourists (Ashley et al, 2001). However, many local populations are faced with not only a loss of their traditional livelihoods, but also the viewpoint that they may be moved from where they lived to make way for new tourism developments. Many of the problems faced by the tourism industry are ethical in nature, including destruction of the environment, pollution, depletion of natural resources, economic imperialism, and sexual exploitation. In response to these ethical tensions, there has been recognition of the need to consider the concept of responsible tourism, tourism that creates better places for people to live in, and better places to visit. It extends the idea of eco-tourism or sustainable tourism to include social and ethical as well as environmental considerations. The World Tourism Organisation (2002) described responsible tourism as a concept that relates to all forms of tourism which respect the tourism destination, the natural, built and cultural environment, and the interests of all. Also, the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations (2002) describes Responsible Tourism as tourism that reduces harmful economic, environmental and social impacts; create more economic benefits for local communities; provides interesting experiences for tourists through meaningful interactions with local communities and cultures and improves the well being of tourism destinations. Responsible Tourism is ab out the legacy and the consequences of tourism for the environment, local people and local economies. Various countries and organisations such as South Africa, United Kingdom, United States, Gambia, India, Sri Lanka, are already practicing responsible tourism. Drivers of Responsible Tourism Globally, concerns about global warming, destruction of the environment, wearing away of cultures, and poverty, are increasing. The number of initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions for the worlds vulnerable people, increases daily (WTO, 2000). The awareness of the earths predicament is spilling over into the way people behave in their homes, how they spend their money and the way businesses are run. Driven by changing personal ethics, individuals contribute financially or otherwise to environmental and humanitarian initiatives. For instance, in the UK, the market share for ethical products grew by 22% between 1999 and 2004 (The Ethical Consumerism Report, 2005). Business ethics are also changing, with companies adopting business practices that are based on ethical values (Goodwin, 2000). Responsible Tourism is no longer seen as a passing trend and has now become a recognised and accepted sector within the industry with holidaymakers becoming more aware of their responsibilities as travellers (UNEP, 2000). In 1996, South Africa was the first country to take on responsible tourism as a nationwide policy; the White Paper on the Development and Promotion of Tourism in South Africa (1996) sees responsible tourism as a positive approach by tourism industry and partners to develop, market, and manage the tourism industry in a responsible manner. The White Paper state that the environment is the responsibility of the tourism industry, through the promotion of balanced and sustainable tourism, and a focus on environmentally based tourism activities; it is the responsibility of government and business to involve the local communities that are in close proximity to tourism infrastructure and attractions, through the development of meaningful economic linkages; tourists, busines s and government should respect, invest and develop local cultures, and protect them from over commercialization and over-exploitation; local communities should become actively involved in the tourism industry, to practice sustainable development, and to ensure the safety and security of visitors; and tourists should observe the norms and practices of South Africa (DEAT, 1996). Related Approaches to Responsible Tourism Pro-poor tourism, community-based tourism, volunteer tourism, are different approaches to tourism, they are all based on the three pillars of sustainable development. However, each approach has a precise goal. Responsible tourism is a unifying term that embraces all these approaches. This section will focus mainly on pro-poor tourism in relation to responsible tourism. The concept of pro-poor tourism was developed in 1999 with the aim of increasing opportunities for the poor and to control all forms of tourism at different location (DFID, 1999). According to Ashley et al (2001), pro-poor tourism generates net benefits for the poor; these benefits may be economic, social, environmental or cultural. The core activities needed includes: increasing access of the poor to economic benefits by increasing business and employment opportunities for the poor; providing training so they are in a position to take up these opportunities and spreading income beyond individual earners to the wider community; addressing the negative social and environmental impacts often associated with tourism such as lost access to land, coastal areas and other resources and social interference or exploitation; policy restructuring by creating a policy and planning framework that removes some of the barriers to the poor, by promoting participation of the poor in planning and deci sion-making processes surrounding tourism; and by encouraging partnerships between the private sector and poor people in developing new tourism products (Goodwin, 2000). Case Examples of Companies promoting Responsible Tourism UK Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) AITO is the first tourism industry association to incorporate into its business deed a commitment to Responsible travel. Companies such as AITO identify the need to respect other peoples domicile and culture. As tour operators, they acknowledge that wherever a tour operator does business, it has a potential environmental, social and economic impact on the destinations involved (Goodwin, 2005). As a result, AITO aims to be responsible in all their dealings on each of these three levels. In order to achieve this goal, a set of guidelines has been planned to help companies, customers and local suppliers recognise their general tasks which includes protection of the environment; respect of local cultures and customs; benefit for local communities; conservation of natural resources and pollution control (AITO Responsible Tourism Guidelines 2000). Responsibletravel.com According to Responsibletravel.com launched in 2001, responsible travel involves bringing tourists closer to local cultures and values. Since their launch, they have worked with large numbers of tour operators to help establish effective responsible tourism policies; they have led the way in offering outstanding holidays worldwide that benefit local communities and stand as the worlds leading travel agent for responsible holidays. The company through public relations is one of the most active voices in the responsible tourism movement today. Responsible travel maximises the benefits, and minimises the negative effects of tourism. Their activities have been grouped into four: before booking for holidays; before travel, while on holidays and back home. Before booking for holidays includes encouraging travellers to choose a responsible operator to enquire about eco-friendly accommodations; reducing carbon emissions by taking some holidays closer to home, travel by train and public transport where possible, booking direct flights avoiding transfers; before travel states the need for travellers to read up on local cultures and learn a few words of the local  language, remove all excess packaging as waste disposal is difficult in remote places and developing countries, ask tour operators for specific tips for responsible travel in chosen destination; while on holiday emphasizes the need to buy local produce, hire a local guide, respect local cultures, traditions and holy places, use public transport, hire a bike or walk when convenient; and back home state that tourists should give feedback to tour operator or hotel about holiday, and include any suggestions on reducing environmental impacts and increasing benefits to local communities (responsibletravel.com). Guiding Principles for the Tourism Industry Numerous codes of ethics have been developed that are aimed first at tourists and second at the tourist industry as a result of a growing concern over alleged irresponsible practices by tourists, the tourist industry, and governments. These codes generally address ethical principles focusing on a sense of responsibility (WTO, 1999). Table 1 and 2 shows a summary of the recommended guidelines for the tourism industry. Guidelines for the industry Aid meaningful interactions between tourism destinations and tourists and respond to the special travel needs of diverse population groups. Strengthen and improve landscape character, sense of place, community identity, and benefits flowing to the community as a result of tourism. Protect and enhance natural, historic, cultural and aesthetic resources as a legacy for present and future generations. Encourage tourism research and education which lay emphasis on ethics, heritage preservation, and the tourism destination; and the required information to ensure the economic, social, cultural and environmental sustainability of tourism. Promote greater public awareness of the economic, social, cultural, and environmental significance of tourism. Table 1: Guidelines for Tourism Industry (Tourism Industry Association of Canada, 2005). Guiding Principles for Economic Responsibility Considering the opportunity costs of tourism for local communities; maintaining and encouraging economic diversity. Maximising local economic benefits by increasing linkages and reducing leakages Ensure communities are involved in tourism. Considering co-operative advertising, marketing and the promotion of new and emerging products. Recruit and employ staff in an equitable and transparent manner and maximise the proportion of staff employed from the local community. Guiding Principles for Social Responsibility Involve the local community in planning and decision-making. Identify and monitor potential adverse social impacts of tourism and minimise them. Maintain and encourage social and cultural diversity. Be sensitive to the host culture; respecting and developing local heritage. Guiding Principles for Environmental Responsibility Follow best practise guidelines on the design, planning and construction of buildings and associated infrastructure to minimise environmental impacts. Use local materials appropriately. Avoid damaging the environmental quality of the enterprises neighbourhood by noise or light pollution. Use local resources sustainably. Maintain and encourage natural diversity. Table 2: Responsible Tourism Guidelines for the South African Tourism Industry (Spenceley, 2001) Conclusion Responsible tourism is rising as new ideas which aim to push the mainstream tourism industry. Model projects and successful multi-stakeholder ideas, are also beginning to grow (UNEP 2000). These few examples perhaps prove that tourism has the potential to meet many of the objectives of sustainable development such as renewal of economies, supporting local communities, protecting the environment and even generate cost savings and efficiency gains for tourism companies. Promotion of responsible tourism, through the development of policies, awareness-raising schemes, local participation, guidelines for good practice and actual implementation remain essential goals (WTO, 1999). Responsible tourism should aim to directly support poverty eradication and sustainable production and consumption. Making progress on a larger scale will be an appropriate balancing act and will require a massive turn around in approach from the whole Travel and Tourism industry nevertheless it is an approach that obviously requires support from all stakeholders interested and involved in the industry (UNEP, 2000). Tearfund (2001) highlights that ethics in tourism is an issue of concern in most countries. As the public have more free time available and more money to spend on leisure, and as a rising number of people travel to developing countries, they will want to make certain that their holiday will benefit, and not deter, the local people, environment, customs and heritage.

The Lottery Essay -- essays research papers

When you hear the word lottery, you probably think of winning a large sum of money before being stoned to death. " The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson brings this horrible idea to life. While the overall mood of the story depicts a typical day in a small rural town, through great use of imagery and irony, one is set up for an unusual ending. Shirley Jackson uses the element of surprise. The way of the story ends is unlike anyone could predict. The main object of The Lottery is the action of the lottery itself and perhaps the slips of paper. The actions that make the story are all connected to the preparation for, drawing of, and consequences of the lottery. Mr. Summers treats the lottery with cold precision as if this duty was as normal as all the other duties he performs for the town. The Townspeople respect the lottery and actually appear to fear it ever so slightly. Mrs. Hutchinson when faced with the possibility of winning the drawing panics and tries everything she can think of to decrease her chance of winning or avoiding it altogether. Mrs. Hutchinson is the main female character of the story and is probably the strongest example of a weak, powerless, scared woman in all the stories we reviewed. She is the last to show for the drawing, she disputes the results of both drawings once completed, and she makes every attempt to lower her chance of winning by drawing her married daughters into her families drawing. Mrs. Hutchinson sho...

Cmi 3004 & 3006

In this assignment I will look at the ways in which data is gathered and selected, I will show my understanding of how to interpret data and information, and how I communicate the results of the information analysis. For the second part of the assignment I will show my understanding of the following: * The process of recruitment and selection * The process for recruitment, and * The process for selection The Process of Human Resource Management Plan â€Å"The human resource planning process, demands the HR manager to first understand the business requirement. Only if he comprehends the nature and scope of the business, will he be able to employ those who will deliver the required performance. When it comes to engaging the manpower, the manager should have a keen eye for spotting the talent. It ensures that the workforce is competent enough to meet the targets. Additionally, the existing ‘talent pool' in the workplace should be taken into consideration, so that people with complimentary skills can be employed. The functions of the HR manager are varied; he has to assess the currently employed workforce and their shortcomings. Identifying these shortcomings goes a long way in choosing an efficient workforce. While recruiting the new employees, the HR manager must calculate the expected workload. This way the HR department can design an accurate job profile and job expectations. Once you have the decided job descriptions, looking for candidates who fit the job will be easy. Don't be fooled by their qualifications, it is only the relevant experience that matters more. A good HR manager is one who has the zeal and passion to motivate his prospective employees to perform to their potential. Human resource planning process, thus, can be considered as one of the strategic steps for building the strong foundation of an efficient workforce in an organization! † www. buzzle. com Human resources use data by processing it into information, any data on its own is raw facts that cannot be used unless it is given a meaning or a context only then it can be processed into a usable form. Qualitative Data The term qualitative data is used to describe a type of information that can be counted or expressed numerically. This type of data is often collected in experiments, manipulated and statistically analysed. Quantitative data can be represented visually in graphs, histograms, tables and charts. Qualitative Data Qualitative data is extremely varied in nature. It includes virtually any information that can be captured that is not numerical in nature. Here are some of the major categories or types: * Interview transcript * Field notes (notes taken in the field being studied) * Video * Audio recordings * Images * Documents (reports, meeting minutes, e-mails) Human resources make the decision on having 8 housing support workers based on data and information that affects their decision. Data and information relating to these factors have a major influence on the decision of how many Housing Support Workers are needed in the sheltered housing schemes. * Economical factors * Number of tenants needing support * Funding provided * Budget for salary * Required hours for support (24hr) There are 200 elderly people living in 6 sheltered housing schemes, HSW’s are required to see all of them on daily basis. The organisation provides a personalised service to the sheltered housing tenants; each scheme is monitored and assessed in relation to the tenant’s needs, health conditions, mobility, and general wellbeing. There are seven schemes in total, but overall there are four, this is because in six schemes, two schemes are combined into one. The hours that a HSW is needed on each scheme vary depending on the needs of the tenants, although all schemes have an emergency call system in which enables them to contact a housing support worker 24/7. Two of the schemes have HSW’s on site 24 hours a day, these schemes have tenants who need more support, this is due to them being more frail and dependant, also the scheme is attached to the MAAZ Community centre, which has a cafe that provides hot meals 6 days a week, this location is very convenient for our tenants. Need for change Staff numbers have declined since 2008; the team consisted of ten Housing Support Workers and two Senior Housing Support Workers. All Schemes but one had a HSW onsite 24/7. Four Housing Support Workers retired, and the two Senior Housing Support Workers were made redundant. At the time the total of the sheltered accommodation flats was 150, now the total is 200 flats, the amount of Housing support workers is eight. An assessment was done, and it concluded that two schemes do not need a HSW onsite 24 hour. The hours were reduced from 24 hours to 8 hours a day in one scheme, and reduced from 8 hours to 4 hours a day in another scheme. â€Å"According to a report written by Professor Ian Philip in 2004, National Director for Older People’s Health, older people are living longer. † www. direct. gov. uk According to the above fact, the demand for various services for older people is increasing. Sheltered Housing is a great way for an older person to remain independent in their own home and have support available if they required it. Taking that fact into consideration; LJHA has provided two schemes that have 24/7 support available on site. The decision to have the HSW’s on site 24 hours a day at those two schemes was based on many factors including the age of the tenants. The average age of tenants at those two schemes is higher than all the other schemes, therefore the tenants are more likely to be frail, have mobility difficulties, and health problems, this is why more support is allocated at those schemes. Average age in (SH ; QHL 92), (SGW 91) Average age in (BH; LPC 79), (BC ; GP 74) Recruitment and Selection Job: Housing Support Worker Job Description:The Housing Support Worker’s job is to deliver appropriate levels of support to tenants living in designated housing complexes. The post holder will be able to work on their own initiative and also as part of a competent and efficient staff team. The job requires professionalism, confidentiality, flexibility, and good humour to ensure a smooth running and safe service for tenants/residents. Range of Duties: Ensure new tenants are welcomed and given relevant information about the scheme and service available * Maintain contact with tenants in accordance with agreed support plans * Provide appropriate and necessary support to enable the tenant to sustain their tenancy * Work individually and as part of the housing support team * Be alert to individual tenant’s circumstances and condition and take appropriate action to promo te the wellbeing of the individual * Liaise with and co-ordinate other professionals/ agencies for the wellbeing of the tenant * Contribute to the maintenance of up to date records and ensure that all relevant information is noted * Respond promptly to alarm calls and emergencies and take such appropriate action as may be required * Monitor and promote security and health and safety within the scheme and tenants’ homes * Develop and facilitate tenants groupings and activities * Ensure/ support tenants to make the best use of resources * Comply with ractice/ administrative processes for Supporting People * Ensure compliance with all relevant statutory and regulatory procedures * Undertake such training courses as are thought necessary by management and work towards achieving relevant recognised and professional qualification as determined by the Housing Services Manager The Process of recruitment and selection â€Å"Recruitment is the process of identifying that the organizat ion needs to employ someone up to the point at which application forms for the post have arrived at the organization. Selection then consists of the processes involved in choosing from applicants a suitable candidate to fill a post. † www. thetimes100. co. uk At LJHA the recruitment process involves working through a series of stages: * Defining the role * Attracting applications * Managing the application and selection process * Interviewing process A job role is either advertised internally or externally, this decision is based on the role and the expectations of the organisation. Internal advertising provides opportunities for development and career progression within the organisation. Advertising externally allows the organisation to attract new skills, LJHA usually advertises through the Job Centre or by Word of Mouth. Candidates who are interested in applying for the role are invited to an open day, the role is explained to them in depth and they are shown around the work environment, and are encouraged to ask questions about the role. This allows the candidates to consider whether the organisation is one where they would like to work for. An application form, job description, and skills specification (Appendix 1,2,3) is given to the candidates who are interested in the vacancy, after completing the application form the manages discuss which candidates are suitable. The short listed candidates are then invited to an interview. For the role of a Housing Support Worker the selected candidates are interviewed by two managers and one tenant’s representative, they are introduced and briefed on the job description. The interview includes a scenario test (Appendix 4) in which the candidate is asked to prioritize eight tasks in order of importance. Then the candidate is asked seven questions (Appendix 5). During the interview the candidate is scored based on their knowledge and skills, I have included a copy of the skills specification scoring sheet (Appendix 6). Candidates are selected after the managers deliberation, meeting the criteria set for the role is important, this criteria includes, experience of working with older people, ability to use own initiative, ability to work as part of a team, having administrative skills, and ability to use computers. (Appendix 6) When the successful candidate is chosen, an offer of employment is then made; this offer is conditional to two satisfactory references and a full CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check. Ethical ; Legal considerations that may impact the recruitment and selection process Every employer has the legal responsibility to ensure that no unlawful discrimination occurs in the recruitment and selection process on the grounds of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. Equality of opportunity is an integral part of the recruitment and selection process, and to this end employers may offer training and encouragement to any under-represented groups. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Employment Equality Regulations (covering sexual orientation, religion or belief, and age)  and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 set out the legal requirements for employers. Organisations should be aware that the rovisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 not only make it unlawful to discriminate against disabled individuals without justifiable reason but also require employers to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace or working arrangements. Employers also have the responsibility of ensuring tha t the employee’s personal details are respected and properly protected, this is supported by the Data Protection Act 1998. The Data Protection Act 1998 requires employers to use data in accordance with the principles of data protection. These require that data shall be: * Fairly and lawfully processed * Processed for limited purposes * Adequate, relevant and not excessive * Accurate * Not kept longer than necessary * Processed in accordance with the data subjects rights Kept securely * Not transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection. Job postings â€Å"According to the BC Human Rights Code (Discrimination in employment advertisements), you must not publish job postings or advertisements that give preference to: * Race * Colour * Ancestry * Place of origin * Political belief * Religion * Marital status * Family status * Physical * Mental disability * Sex * Sexual orientation * Age† www. go2hr. ca Methods of communicating infor mation to staff, and their effectiveness In our organisation we use four methods of communicating, they are, Visual, Written, Verbal, and Non Verbal. Visual: it is common to incorporate visual communication in order to share ideas that relate to tasks in the workplace, this could include using, charts, pictures, presentations. Written: Written communication is also quite important when it comes to the workplace. This form of communication involves either writing or typing out information, facts, figures, and other types of necessary information in order to express ideas. Examples of this type of communication include reports, evaluations, emails, instant messages, physical and electronic memos, training materials, and other types of documents that are similar in nature. In the workplace, this is a flexible type of communication as it could be formal or informal – depending on the message(s) that are being expressed. Verbal: Verbal communication is a core component when it comes to the overall success of an organisation Non Verbal: means that a physical manner of communication is being used to share ideas and meanings among others. The physical activities may include the way that you move your body, the tone that is displayed when it comes to the tone of an individual's voice, and touching. In the workplace, it is not appropriate to touch another individual, but it is possible to ensure that the voice tone and the stance of the body is held appropriately so that the ideas, information, and thoughts are successfully shared with the intended audience. Verbal & Non Verbal Meetings have proven to be much more effective when trying to ascertain the facts, not only by making the member of staff feel at ease but also by watching their body language and prying all of the relevant information from them to resolve the problem efficiently† www. managers. org. uk For any communication method to be effe ctive, the following should apply: * The sender and receiver of information are properly matched * The message is communicated clearly – i. e. without misunderstanding or misinterpretation * Communication is made using an appropriate communication channel and/or method * The receiver of the communication is able to pass on any relevant and appropriate feedback (i. e. wo-way communication) There are many reasons why it is important for an organisation to achieve effective communication: * Motivates employees – helps them feel part of the organisation * Easier to control and coordinate work related activity – prevents different departments of an organisation going in opposite directions * Makes successful decision making easier – decisions are based on more complete and accurate information * Better communication with customers/clients will increase profits * Improve relationships with external agencies â€Å"The link between communication and motivation i s particularly important. Good communication is an important part of motivating employees and the main motivational theorists recognised this; Mayo emphasised importance of communication in meeting employees’ social needs, and Maslow and Herzberg stressed the importance of recognising employee’s achievements and self-esteem needs† www. cliffsnotes. com Bibliography www. buzzle. com www. direct. gov. uk www. thetimes100. co. uk www. go2hr. ca www. managers. org. uk www. cliffsnotes. com

Application Of Theory And Values That Will Impact The...

Many people try to pretend to be someone else only because they aren’t happy with their self. Moreover, many people commit suicide because of not feeling accepted. In order to be genuinely happy in life one must understand that they have the potential for self-directed growth. In other words accepting one’s own flaws and being more self aware can help one move forward and become what they are capable of becoming. With Person-Centered Therapy humans are generally capable of self-direction and understanding thyself. Also, it is viewed upon humans to be able to make constructive changes. Self-esteem plays a huge part in one’s life. It can either make or break one. This paper will address the presenting problems, the application of theory and†¦show more content†¦It is clear that the violinist isn’t living up to his fullest potential. Instead of taking the rejections from auditions as a negative thing he could take it as a lesson to practice harder an d concentrate more. Abraham Maslow also believed that one had three self’s: the perceived self, actual self, and ideal self. The violinist see’s his self as a waste. He feels like he would be better off dead. Others see the violinist as an extremely musically talented young man. It is clear that the violinist wants to be successful music player since he is so passionate about music. The violinist is in a state of incongruence. His ideal self and perceived self has a huge gap between them, which is why his self esteem is so low. Goal Person-Centered therapy aims to help the client become more independent, fully aware of them selves and opens the client up to growth and experience. â€Å"The goal is to assist clients in their growth process so clients can better cope with the problems as they identify them† (Corey 1996). In order to do this the therapist must focus on the client instead of the client’s problem. Person-Centered therapy wasn’t intended to merely solve the client’s problem. The objective is to set clients free and to make those conditions that will empower them to take part in important self-exploration; once the client is free they will have the capacity to locate their own specific manner. In order to accomplish these goals the violinist