SUBJECT: TOURISIM IN THE COUNTRY
PURPOSE: This
briefing note is a recommendation for changes in policy pertaining to tourism
within the country.
ISSUE: There
is not enough action to promote tourism in the country.
Background:
Tourism helps
local business gain revenue. Tourist
serve as a stimulus for economic activity.
These people look to the culture of the city to be able to find value in
it when they visit these spots. A
tourist attraction is a specific location where tourist seek to be entertained. Tourist attractions come in many forms, they
could be nature spots, historical buildings, monuments etc. What is important with these tourist attractions
is that these visitors spend time around the vicinity so they can make transactions
which help the businesses thrive. It is
important for business to thrive in an economy because it generates tax revenue
for the government. Further, with regards
to these tourist spots, there are many small businesses owned by residents of
the city. These businesses help diversify
the business offerings of a city which help generate cultural identity. Culture is very important and it can be
defined as shared beliefs, values and norms.
Many of these small businesses offer domestically created goods and
services. These small businesses offer
enterprise in a world of consumption. It
is the varying perspectives of small business that helps shape the
culture of the city. As it pertains to
Canada, enclaves have developed. This
has caused a multicultural dysphoria where people are separated from one
another. It has resulted in the issue of
isolation. The BCCDC defines social
isolation as a “disengagement from social ties,
institutional connections, or community participation”. Social isolation results in effects to the
health such as anxiety and depression.
It can also affect the physical health of the individual in the form of “lower
back pain and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, [and even] cardiovascular
disease.” Specifically as it pertains to
Metro Vancouver, “A recent study … stated that young people in that
municipality are among those least likely to feel a sense of social connection
(46% of 18-24 year olds, 50% of 25-34 year olds)”. This is a pressing issue. The situation is especially of concern
because there is a fall and winter season.
Such change in season from summer can result in a health problem referred
to as “seasonal affective disorder.” It
is a form of depression wherein people withdraw from society as a result of the
cold, wet or snowy weather. In the BCCDC
2019 plan on mitigating social isolation, they specify that they aim to provide “socially cohesive communities” to combat the issue. The multicultural dysphoria found in modern
day Canada is contrary to social cohesion.
It is so because enclaves isolate from each other and compete with one
another. However, it is also theorized
that the current society in Canada is going to result in “cultural convergence.” What would essentially happen here is that
these cultures are going to compete to influence the government and society. “Cultural convergence” is similar to the “melting
pot” idea of America. However, the
difference is that America has safeguarded its foundation with consideration of
the “melting pot.” Canada is in a
situation wherein these cultures are going to act to have their say on societal
issues. A catalyst for culture is
through entertainment. Publications such
as Youtube, Twitch, Tiktok, Vimeo, and etc. serve to promote notable individuals to become
“influencers.” They became “influencers,”
because they seek to promote a product or service that are sold in the
market. “influencers,” are a far cry
from what was established in the 1990’s.
The fact that “influencers” emerged, a tool of corporations, reduced the
individual agency that these individuals had.
The agency that “influencers” have is less than their counterparts in
the early 2000’s and the 1990’s. The
interest of corporations has thus reduced the sphere of influence of North
America specifically to serve the interest of the corporations rather than the
interest of cultural development.
Despite this however, a balance can be achieved.
Considerations:
There are
many locations in Canada where such esteemed people can host events. One such location is GM Place in Metro
Vancouver. The current landscape in the
industry is that these “influencers,” seek to remain in their city as citizens
and residents. Rather than going “on
tour,” perhaps these individuals can promote tourism. The benefit of this model is that such
individuals, provided they remain in the city, can go to university, they can
hold notable jobs, they can continue to support the community and the culture
thereafter. Through this model, both the
city and the corporations can benefit while still maintaining the sphere of
influence of North America. With this
method, entertainment has a new function- to promote tourism which serves as an
economic stimulus for the cities economy.
However with such model, new taxes must be implemented to benefit the performer. There are cities that have partially
implemented this model however have failed to represent the equity of the
performer. Such is the case in Los Vegas. Many performers have “residencies”
in the city and they promote tourism. Equity
must be provided to these performers because they not only help the culture
thrive but also help the economy as well.
The problem with GM Place is in fact that it is surrounded by roads. Thus, there isn’t many small businesses to
profit from performer-initiated events.
A location that such event could take place is the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Staples Center is surrounded by a busy
strip of small businesses pushing and conveying the culture of the city onto
the tourist. Word of mouth from the
tourist helps more tourist be intrigued which results in more tourism. The issue is that performers have been
getting the short end of the stick when they do these performances. As mentioned, a temporary tax should be
devoted to help compensate these performers.
For example, a performer seeks to create an event at GM Place. For now, disregard the fact that it is
surrounded by roads, rather such roads are a strip of small businesses. The performers manager or agent, before the
event takes place would canvas the location X km from GM Place, notifying the
businesses that such performer is going to have an event at GM Place. The agent or manager would then offer these
businesses advertising spots in the performance. Such advertisements come in the form of “live
advertisements.” “Live advertisements”
are a performer taking several minutes to convey and promote a product near the vicinity of the event, during the performance. In addition
to these “live advertisements” a tax as mentioned is implemented. The temporary tax should be implemented
several hours before and after the event because the performer brought these
people into the event. This is the equity
that performers have not realized that they should receive. Further, with this model, air lines should
also be taxed. For example, a person
wanting to see a performer in Vancouver flies to the city and in the airport,
they are asked, to what reason or pleasure do they enter the city? In response the tourist seeks to see a
performance at GM Place. The airlines
should be taxed for that. These taxes
should be remitted to the performer in question. By implementing this model, the performers gain
equity, culture is promoted, and small business is supported. This all helps create a diverse culture in
the city and helps to involve performers in the city thus rectifying the issue of
social cohesion that the BCCCDC states its main mitigator to social isolation
faced in Canada and British Columbia. The
stakeholders for this matter are the city, the performers, the small business,
and the tourists.
Options:
Option
1: Promote performers through tourism.
If the city
were to implement the mentioned model, it would have to create a cultural
anticipation for notable performers.
Such performers would have to be promoted on social media and other
publications and outlets. Interest has
to be generated. Thus, the city must
collect quantitative data on the interest of its performers. The effect of the performer has to be
exceptional because, it is the effect that is going to cause the tourist to
purchase the flight and the hotel to see their event. This is not feasible and it is very difficult
to implement however, if done effectively, the city benefits as well as its
culture. This option provides the
performer equity because they can attain tertiary education, they can also gain
a notable job as well as be involved in the city of their residence. This is a sustainable option as tourism is
going to continue to help the economy. This
option is inclusive because it helps small businesses get exposure to the mass
market.
Option
2: Temporary tax within a specific vicinity from an event initiated
by a notable performer.
This is also
not feasible. It is also expected that
backlash would occur from this demand however, it is only equitable. Performers have been getting mistreated in
other cities. There have been incidents
where performers experienced items thrown at them. One such performer was also referred to as a “jedi
trained bitch.” It is evident that by
keeping performers in a city allows them to be supported by their fellow
citizens who all experience the same upbringing as them. By having the tourism model implemented and
taxes as an incentive to remain in the city as mentioned, it would promote the city, the businesses and
the performer. This option is
sustainable as it seeks to retain the sphere of influence of North
America. This is a secure option as it affords
the performer safety, and further, only those that genuinely like the performer
go through the hoops to see them rather than being mistreated in another
city.
Option
3: Mixture of option 1 and option
2.
This is not a
feasible option. This option however allows
the government to manage the needs of each stakeholder involved. This option has the potential to give each
stakeholder equity however negotiations must occur to promote a fair
agreement. This option is the most sustainable
option as it secures the sphere of influence while supporting the performer and
the businesses. This option helps build
the culture of Canada and it seek to rectify the cohesion issues caused by
cultural identity dysphoria.
Option 4: Status
quo.
This is the
most feasible option. However, selecting
this option doesn’t help fix the isolation issues experienced in Canada. This option results in the continued
mistreatment of performers by disenfranchising their due equity. This option is the least sustainable because
other states are going to take advantage of the deficiency.
Recommendation:
Option three
is recommended.
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