E.2 - tourism and sports at the local and national scale

Question 1

What is a tourism hotspot

Answer 1

Tourism hotspots are places that experience high levels of tourist arrivals. These places can also be called tourist honeypots. The term honeypot usually refers to a small area such as a village in a national park, while hotspots operate at a variety of scales from small villages to entire regions.

Question 2

What sort of places do hotspots exist in

Answer 2

Areas of outstanding natural beauty
Historic city centres
Coastal areas with sandy beaches in hot countries

Question 3

What attributes must a tourism hotspot have

Answer 3

Easy to access
Secure (not susceptible to terrorist attack, for example)
Safe (free from disease; not experiencing frequent natural hazards)

Question 4

What are six factors that make a tourist hotspot successful

Answer 4

1. Accessibility: The ease of getting to the destination is an important factor. This includes the availability of transportation options, such as flights, trains, buses, and highways.
2. Attractions: Tourists are drawn to destinations that have unique and interesting attractions, such as historical sites, natural wonders, cultural events, and entertainment venues.
3. Accommodations: The availability and quality of accommodations, including hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and camping facilities, can greatly influence the success of a tourist hotspot.
4. Infrastructure: Good infrastructure, including roads, public transportation, and other amenities, can make a destination more appealing and easier to navigate for tourists.
5. Safety: A safe and secure environment is crucial for attracting tourists. Destinations with high crime rates or safety concerns may deter visitors.
6. Marketing and Promotion: Effective marketing and promotion can greatly influence the success of a tourist hotspot. This includes advertising campaigns, social media presence, and partnerships with travel agencies and tour operators.

Question 5

How does government policy encourage the development of a tourist hotspot?

Answer 5

Government policy can encourage the development of a tourist hotspot. Deliberately attracting tourists to one location can help keep other locations tourist free. This is very closely connected to the issue of ‘zoning’.

Question 6

How does zoning encourage the growth of a tourist hotspot?

Answer 6

Local government plans often involve the ‘zoning’ of an area. This means that some areas are put aside for conservation, others for tourism, others for local use, and so on. Each zone has specific activities within it. Tourist hotspots may develop in areas such as parts of a city centre, village centres or specific mountains that are deliberately chosen to develop the infrastructure required for large numbers of visitors.

Question 7

How does Gateway an entry points? Encourage the growth of tourist hotspots?

Answer 7

Several tourism hotpots are not actually destinations in themselves, but places where people have to pass through in order to get to the place they are aiming for. Due to the number of people passing through, these places often develop secondary tourist attractions and become tourist centres. These places include Lukla in Nepal, which is the main town at the beginning of the trail to Everest Base Camp. Another example is towns on international borders where people can cross from one country to another, such as Calais in France which has a high number of visitors because it is the nearest continental port to the United Kingdom.

Question 8

How does advertising promote the growth of tourist hotspots?

Answer 8

Advertising and travel programmes often promote the same locations to the extent they become very popular. For example, the Grand Canyon is known across the world as a primary tourist attraction, resulting in around five million tourist visitors each year (GrandCanyon.Com, 2017).

Question 9

How does social media and word-of-mouth encourage the growth of tourist hotspots?

Answer 9

Some places are less well known but still attract a large number of visitors as word of mouth travels. Social media, including sites like Instagram and Facebook, can ensure that travel trends spread quickly. This can sometimes result in the rapid development of a tourist hotspot to the extent that the local services cannot effectively cope. The Philippine island of Boracay was inundated by 1.56 million visitors in 2015, over the government’s target limit of 1.5 million (Burgos, 2016). The excessive tourism caused traffic jams, air and water pollution and lead many visitors to question the over-development of the island and its role in destroying the beach paradise promised on many social media posts.

Question 10

What is Oxford?

Answer 10

Oxford is world famous as a historic university city. Although Oxford is not heavily promoted as a tourist destination, it attracts a large number of tourists both from within the UK and from abroad.

Question 11

How many people visit Oxford each year?

Answer 11

Outside London,Oxford is one of the most important visitor destinations in the UK, attracting over 5 million visitors each year.

Question 12

How many jobs does tourism in Oxford Create?

Answer 12

Tourism is a large source of employment in Oxford, providing over 5,000 full-time jobs.

Question 13

What are the most popular attractions in Oxford?

Answer 13

The most popular attractions included the Botanic Gardens, the Ashmolean Museum and a number of Oxford colleges. A number of other attractions included Blackwell’s Bookshop, the Old Bodleian Library, the Sheldonian Theatre and the carfax tower. The majority of visitors visited the University colleges.

Question 14

How much money is generated by tourism in Oxford and where is the majority of it put?

Answer 14

Tourism generates are in £200 million, spent directly into the tourist sector with linkages and the multiplier effects and the value to the city economy is nearly £300 million. Number of jobs sustained directly and indirectly by tourism is estimated at about 7300 or 3 to 4% of the economically active population in the Oxford travel to work area.

Question 15

What is the biggest complaint about tourism in Oxford

Answer 15

However, traffic levels in the city, in particular the number of coaches and buses, the availability and cleanliness of toilets, pedestrian signposting, and the range, standard and value for money of accommodation were not viewed as favourably. In terms of improvements, most visitors said that there was too much traffic (22 per cent), that the city was overcrowded (9 per cent), and too expensive (5 per cent).

Question 16

What does Oxford tourism strategy plan to do

Answer 16

The Oxford, tourism strategy aims to ensure visitors satisfaction, encourage an increase in tour spending within the city, and minimise environmental problems, which result from tourism

Question 17

what are seven things in particular, the Oxford tourism strategy is intending to do?

Answer 17

• provide a larger coach park and enforce on-street parking regulations

• increase the use of public transport and park and ride as a means of getting into the city; as part of the publicity material that Oxford City Council sends out there are maps which show the locations of the park and rides, the major coach routes and the main bus routes encourage walking tours, registered sightseeing buses and cycles

• provide comprehensive on-street information to encourage visits to lesser-known attractions and places of interest

• liaise with foreign language schools about the congestion and conflict their students cause

• increase the number of visitors off-season in order to spread the tourist load

• reinvest money generated by tourism into the fabric, infrastructure and facilities of the city, to support long-term sustainability.

Question 18

What are the economic benefits of the Oxford tourism strategy

Answer 18

There are also a number of economic benefits that could be increased. For example, Oxford City Council is targeting high-spending visitors who stay overnight. These bring more money to the city and create more jobs, for example in accommodation and catering, compared with coach visitors on route to Woodstock or Stratford upon Avon, who spend little time or money in the city. Nevertheless, the Council is also trying to attract independent day visitors, that is, not on coach journeys, and business visitors. The Oxford colleges are free of university students during the university vacation and this provides an ideal opportunity to use the accommodation for conference delegates.

Question 19

How is the Oxford tourism strategy going to enhance visitor experience?

Answer 19

The Oxford information Centre attracts up to 500,000 people annually, making it one of the most visited attractions in Oxford. It is vital for the visitor satisfaction that the information centre is also able to meet the demand and provides information required.

Question 20

Explain leisure hierarchy

Answer 20

A hierarchy is when a phenomenon is placed in an order using grades or classes placed in sequence (Mayhew, 2015). In geography, the most common feature that is organised in a hierarchy is settlement. The bigger the settlement, the higher it is towards the top. At the same time, the fewer of that type of settlement, the higher it appears.

Question 21

What is the order of a basic settlement hierarchy around leisure?

Answer 21

1. Primate city.
2. City
3. Town.
4. Village

Question 22

Name three factors hierarchies can also be organised according to

Answer 22

1. Importance: The more important sporting facilities such as national stadia go towards the top, while the less important such as recreational football pitches go to the bottom.
2. Frequency: The least common facility goes to the top, while the most common goes to the bottom.
3. Size: The bigger the capacity of the facility, the nearer it goes to the top.

Question 23

What does the sphere of influence describe

Answer 23

It describes where the customers at a particular retail location are from, and explains why they attend that location instead of a neighbouring location. Sometimes this is also called the ‘catchment area’.

Question 24

Where Will a larger settlement attract people from

Answer 24

A larger settlement will attract people from further away than a smaller settlement. In practice, there may well be some overlap, as individual people make decisions based on a variety of factors other than distance.

Question 25

What does the sphere of influence for sporting events refer to?

Answer 25

In the study of the sphere of influence for sporting events, the sphere of influence refers to the total area from where people come to attend the event. If the event is small, it will likely have a small sphere of influence – i.e. people will only come to it from nearby. If it is a large event, it may have a sphere of influence that extends around the globe. However, the features of the event will be balanced against the desire of individuals to participate or support in the event and there are a number of geographical factors that link to this.

Question 26

What does the Sphere of influence mean in leisure terms?

Answer 26

In leisure terms, the sphere of influence means the area from which people will be attracted to a sports or tourist facility. The higher up the hierarchy the facility, the bigger the area from which it will attract people.

Question 27

What is the range?

Answer 27

The range is the maximum distance that a consumer is willing to travel to use the facility. In practical terms it is the limit of the sphere of influence.

Question 28

What are examples of sports places at three levels of the Sphere of influence?

Answer 28

An example of a sports place at the bottom of the scale could be a playground, with a sphere of influence of about 1 km, providing facilities/activities for young children. At a higher level, there may be a sports facility with a variety of indoor and outdoor activities - a sports centre - providing for a range of up to 10 km. At the top end of the scale, there may be a top-level sports complex and athletics stadium/ swimming pool, serving a larger population from a greater distance

Question 29

In the UK, what is the suggested threshold population for an 18 hole golf course?

Answer 29

Is it is 30,000 people, and that’s about 3 1/2 playing fields shipwreck provided for every thousand people

Question 30

What is the threshold population for baseball and tennis courts in the US

Answer 30

In the US baseball pitches and tennis courts should have a threshold population of 6000 and 1000 respectively 

Question 31

Explain the correlation between population size and the number of clubs in France and the USA

Answer 31

In France and the USA, it has been shown that there is a clear positive correlation between the population size of a region and the number of clubs. For example New York with a population of over 17 million had nine franchises. In Pittsburgh with two. 4 million people had three franchises while Salt Lake City with 1 million people had one franchise.

Question 32

Factors affecting the sphere of influence

Answer 32

Functions of nearby facilities – if nearby facilities do the same thing, then they will have a smaller sphere of influence as they share the population

Competition with other facilities – if a nearby facility is better at providing a service, that facility will have a larger sphere of influence. For example, if a local gym does not have a pool, a gym further away might be more attractive to people and therefore have a larger sphere of influence

Characteristics of local population (including affluence) – in some places, identical services may have a smaller sphere of influence due to the difficulties of accessibility

Question 33

What is the threshold population?

Answer 33

Threshold population is the minimum number of people required for that facility to be viable. The smaller the threshold population, the smaller the sphere of influence.

Question 34

What are three examples of government and commercial organisations guidelines that suggest minimum number of people for any given facility?

Answer 34

Education in Hong Kong: There should be 765 children aged 6-11 years old for a primary school with 30 classrooms. (HKPD, 2014)

USA retail: grocery stores require between 20000 and 25000 people (Stephens, 2015)

EU definitions of urban: 300 people per km² and 5000 people in total (Eurostat, 2017)

Question 35

How is the existence of a good transport link significant extending the sphere of influence?

Answer 35

The existence of good transport links can significantly extend the sphere of influence of a tourist or sports facility. For example, most major sports stadia have public transport hubs adjacent to them, such as railway stations. London’s Olympic stadium in 2012 involved the complete redesign of Stratford Railway Station as a way to ensure that people could arrive at the Games from much further away.

Question 36

What are four examples of specific facilities in the relationship to sphere of influence?

Answer 36

Neighbourhood parks are found nearby to where people live. They have a small sphere of influence.

Neighbourhood gyms are similar to neighbourhood parks. They are often located in ‘high street’ areas, i.e. shopping districts which cater to local people.

City stadiums are generally found in the inner city for historical reasons, or on the edge of the city where they have been built due to the lower cost of land.

National parks are almost always found in areas further away from urban centres. However, they are often not in the most remote areas because the point of designating an area as a national park is to protect it from visitors. Remote areas don’t usually have many visitors and so aren’t often given national park status. This is partly why many national parks are within a few hours drive of major cities.

Question 37

State four reasons why urban areas are important for tourism

Answer 37

1. Destinations in their own right
2. Gateways for tourism entry.
3. Centres of accommodation.
4. Bases for excursion.

Question 38

How does population density affect the geography of a national sports league?

Answer 38

The distribution of people in a region can have a significant impact on the location of a national sports league. Areas with a high population density may have more teams in the league as there are more potential fans and players.

Question 39

How does economic factors influence the geography of a national sports league?

Answer 39

The economy of a region can also affect the geography of a national sports league. Areas with a strong economy may attract more teams as there are more resources available to support the league, such as sponsorships and advertising revenue.

Question 40

How does infrastructure impact the geography of a national sports league?

Answer 40

The economy of a region can also affect the geography of a national sports league. Areas with a strong economy may attract more teams as there are more resources available to support the league, such as sponsorships and advertising revenue.

Question 41

How does infrastructure impact the geography of a national sports league?

Answer 41

The availability and quality of infrastructure, such as stadiums, transportation, and hotels, can also impact the geography of a national sports league. Cities with modern and well-equipped stadiums and efficient transportation systems are more likely to attract teams.

Question 42

How does competition impact the geography of a national sports league?

Answer 42

The presence of other sports leagues in a region can also impact the geography of a national sports league. Areas with multiple competing leagues may make it more difficult for a new league to establish a foothold, while areas with a limited number of sports leagues may be more open to new teams.

Question 43

What is the Currie cup?

Answer 43

The Currie cup is the premier provincial rugby competition in South Africa and was first contested in 1892. The former of the Currie cup varied from year to year and finals were held intermittently until 1968, after which the final became an annual event 

Question 44

Who is the most successful province in the Currie cup up until 2015? 

Answer 44

Up until 2015. The most successful problems in the history of the Currie cup was the western province, West in Cape Town. What is 33 titles followed by the Northern Transvaal play bills with 23 titles

Question 45

Costs of a Large-scale sporting, musical, cultural, or religious festivals

Answer 45

Environmental impact: Large events can generate significant amounts of waste and can have a negative impact on the local environment. This can include pollution, damage to natural habitats, and increased energy usage.

Security concerns: Large events can be a target for security threats, and the costs of ensuring adequate security measures can be significant.

Infrastructure costs: Hosting a large-scale event requires significant infrastructure, such as temporary structures, transportation, and sanitation facilities. The costs of building and maintaining this infrastructure can be substantial.

Social costs: Large events can lead to disruptions in local communities, such as increased traffic congestion and noise pollution. This can be particularly disruptive for residents who live near the event site.

Question 46

Benefits of holding a Large-scale sporting, musical, cultural, or religious festivals

Answer 46

Economic benefits: Large events can generate significant economic benefits for the host community, such as increased tourism, job creation, and revenue from ticket sales, merchandise sales, and sponsorships.

Cultural benefits: Large events can help promote cultural exchange and can contribute to a sense of community pride and identity.

Social benefits: Large events can provide opportunities for social interaction and can bring people together from different backgrounds and regions.

Environmental benefits: In some cases, large events can promote environmental sustainability and can raise awareness about environmental issues.

Question 47

What is Glastonbury

Answer 47

The Glastonbury Festival is the largest open-air music festival in Europe and is globally recognized. It comes under the heading of cultural tourism which embraces many activities including visiting heritage sites, exploring historical and religious buildings and attending music, fine arts and drama festivals. The music concerts and festivals industry is gaining popularity across the world. Festivalgoers are attracted by the opportunity to see a particular type of performance or a particular performer and to be part of the festival culture. This will present an opportunity to socialize with friends and maintain friendships as well as listen to music

Question 48

How has Glastonbury developed?

Answer 48

Glastonbury began as the Pilton Pop Festival in 1970, and with we exception of 2001, it has been held every year since its inauguration. The festival is held in a huge open air arena which covers approximately 800 acres. This site now accommodates up to 250,000 people.

Question 49

Where does the money visitors spend at Glastonbury go?

Answer 49

Visitors to the festival spends on average £293. The income from the festival makes a substantial contribution to charities such as water aid, Greenpeace an Oxfam and may also be used to support local park.

Question 50

How does Glastonbury contribute to air pollution?

Answer 50

cO, emissions increase dramatically during June when the three-day festival is running. Car transport is still most popular because of its flexibility, but attempts have been made to encourage supporters to use public transport. Green coaches using environmentally acceptable fuels have been encouraged.

Question 51

How does Glastonbury effect waste disposal?

Answer 51

The creation of waste is one of the greatest problems at the site. This consists mainly of human waste, empty plastic water bottles and tents. The tents present an enormous problem because many of the fans leave them behind at the end of the festival and their condition is not good enough for charity use.

Question 52

How does Glastonbury contribute to noise pollution

Answer 52

Many of the performances continue through the night, which causes disturbance to local residents.