What are the key characteristics of emerging tourism destinations? Why are they becoming more popular, and what challenges do they face? This article explains what an emerging tourism destination is, its key characteristics and some current examples.
What is an Emerging Tourism Destination?
Before delving into the characteristics of emerging tourism destinations we must first understand what an emerging tourist destination is!
An emerging tourism destination is a place that’s starting to attract visitors but isn’t widely recognised or overrun by tourists yet. It’s kind of like a hidden gem that’s just beginning to sparkle in the eyes of adventurers and tourists seeking something different from the usual tourist spots.
These destinations offer unique, authentic experiences, often centred around nature, culture, or adventure. Because they’re in the early stages of being discovered, they might not be the easiest to get to, with less developed transport and basic facilities like energy, clean water, and waste management still being worked on. The local communities in these areas might live traditionally and might not have access to advanced healthcare and education. The charm of these places often lies in their unspoiled natural beauty and cultural authenticity, which attracts tourists looking for an authentic experience.
In the context of Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model, emerging tourism destinations can be seen as being in the “exploration” or “involvement” stages. At these stages, a destination begins to attract a small number of tourists attracted by its novelty and unique attributes, with minimal changes to the area.
The involvement of local communities starts to grow as they see the potential for tourism to boost their economy and improve living standards, though the volume of visitors remains low and the global awareness of the destination is limited. The TALC model helps us understand how destinations evolve over time from being unknown to potentially becoming popular tourism spots, depending on how they manage their growth and the impact of increased tourism.
Video: Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle model made simple
Key characteristics of emerging tourism destinations
Emerging destinations are becoming increasingly popular among those seeking new and authentic travel experiences. These destinations offer a unique blend of adventure, culture, and natural beauty, often untouched by mass tourism. Understanding the characteristics and significance of emerging destinations is crucial. The key characteristics are outlined below.
Seeking Authentic Experiences
Tourists are increasingly drawn to emerging destinations because they’re looking for real, authentic experiences.
They want adventures that let them dive into the local culture or explore nature in ways they can’t find in more commercialised spots. This quest for authenticity often means visiting places that offer unique cultural insights or breathtaking natural beauty that hasn’t been touched by mass tourism.
Access Challenges
One reason these destinations are emerging is because they’re not that easy to get to for people coming from other countries. This can be due to a lack of well-developed transport options, making these spots more secluded and exclusive.
While this might be a hurdle, it also adds to the charm and adventure of exploring these places.
Developing Transport Links
Emerging destinations often have transport links that are still in the early stages of development.
This means getting around might involve more adventurous modes of transport, from local buses to boat rides, adding an extra layer of adventure to the travel experience.
Basic Infrastructure
In these spots, the basic infrastructure like electricity, clean water, and waste management might be limited. This reflects the early phase of development in tourism and requires visitors to be adaptable and sometimes embrace a more rugged style of travel.
Local Community Resources
Often in emerging destinations, local people might not have easy access to things like healthcare and education.
This is part of what makes developing tourism here so important—it has the potential to bring in resources and improve living standards for the local communities.
Natural and Cultural Attractions
The main draw to these destinations is their untouched natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage. These places offer pristine environments and cultural experiences that are becoming harder to find in a world where tourism often leads to commercialisation.
Traditional Lifestyles
Local communities in emerging destinations usually live according to traditional lifestyles, which is a big part of what makes visiting these places so special.
Tourists get to see a way of life very different from their own, adding depth to their travel experiences.
Boosting Local Economies
A key reason why destinations start to open up to tourism is the potential economic benefits. Developing tourism can help boost local economies and raise living standards, providing new opportunities for people who live there.
Low Visitor Numbers
Emerging destinations typically see a lower volume of visitors.
This means tourists might have to plan more of their travel arrangements themselves, but it also means experiencing these places without the crowds, making the visit even more special.
Global Awareness
Finally, these destinations are often not widely known on the global stage.
This limited awareness means they remain hidden gems for tourists to discover, offering unique experiences away from the mainstream tourist trails.
Examples of emerging tourism destinations
Examples of destinations that have emerged on the international tourism map in recent years include Albania, which has seen rapid growth in visitors to its Riviera coastline; Uzbekistan, with its Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara; Georgia; Rwanda, known for gorilla trekking and its high-value, low-volume tourism model; and Mongolia.
Some countries are deliberately developing tourism from a low base. Saudi Arabia only began issuing tourist visas in 2019 and is investing heavily in new destinations as part of its Vision 2030 strategy, while Bhutan has taken the opposite approach, limiting numbers through a daily Sustainable Development Fee to protect its culture and environment.
Emerging tourism destinations: FAQs
Below are answers to some of the most common questions about emerging tourism destinations.
What is an emerging tourism destination?
An emerging tourism destination is a place that is starting to attract tourists but is not yet widely known or heavily visited. It usually has limited infrastructure and transport links, traditional local lifestyles and unspoiled natural and cultural attractions.
What are the characteristics of emerging tourism destinations?
Key characteristics include low visitor numbers, limited global awareness, developing transport links and basic infrastructure, traditional lifestyles, authentic natural and cultural attractions, and the potential for tourism to boost the local economy.
What are examples of emerging tourism destinations?
Examples include Albania, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Rwanda, Mongolia and Saudi Arabia, which only began issuing tourist visas in 2019.
Which stage of Butler’s model are emerging destinations in?
Emerging destinations are usually in the exploration or involvement stages of Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle, when small numbers of visitors arrive and local people begin to provide facilities for tourists.
What are the risks for emerging destinations?
Rapid, unplanned growth can lead to environmental damage, loss of authenticity, economic leakage and conflict with local communities. Careful planning and sustainable tourism management help emerging destinations to grow responsibly.
Characteristics of Emerging Tourism Destinations- To Conclude
There are several key characteristics of emerging tourism destinations which help us to identify destinations with growth potential. Understanding the characteristics of emerging tourism destinations is important for a range of tourism industry stakeholders and helps us to facilitate sustainable tourism practices.
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