Tourism role for local govt. widening

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 260, 25 October 1988, Page 5

Tourism role for local govt. widening

Local authorities have a greater role to play in the visitor industry than simply trying to attract tourist ventures.

Local Government Association chief executive Brian McLay says coimcils have duty to nuture tourist devel-

opment. But, he said, this really involved constant change, reflected in the life cycle of any organisation.

"A tourist project is started, it expands, matures, may relocate, regenerate or contract and may eventually die," he said. But some local authorities have made the mistake of concentrating on attracting tourism to their area. "A balance must be struck between what should be spent attracting a venture and the project's return in rate value, employment and other spin-offs for the community." He said councils should also develop strategies for dealing with loCal tourism. Global "The global tourist industry is fast paced, turbulent and not always certain. It does not treat kindly those who cling to passive, reactive and narrow perspectives. In a changing environment, local authorities will need to think and manage more strategically," he said. "In its simplest form, strategic management means developing the ability to regularly anticipate changes that will affect the local authority wherever they may occur, to be flexible and proactive in adjusting policies to account for those changes, and to

integrate related policies." He said most authorities have planning officers but many have followed the historical pattern of town planning, focusing narrowly on land use considerations to the neglect of a relationship with economic and social factors. "While town planning has b e c o m e highly sophisticated in many areas (indeed it can be seen as having a life of its own and

for itself), it can overlook important forces affecting tourism. "For example, local authorities experiencing increased tourism growth frequently d o not fully anticipate and prepare to deal with increasing traffic coming from other areas." Shifts Mr McLay said some authorities have tried to strengthen and expand their planning capabilities by adding qualified staff of other I disciplines to their I

planning teams, creating integrated strategic planning. "However, while this may help the authority's ability to anticipate and prepare for change, it needs to be matched by shifts in local government thinking and management." Authorities have to make political choices that will affect the area's tourist future. Strategic management

requires more effective interaction with community groups, including business, nonprofit, education, and voluntary organisations, he added. One choice he said was whether to focus on short run economic gain or to invest for the long run. He thought a balance between the two based on an assessment of risks for the area as a whole was the answer.