Basic Resort Concepts

BASIC RESORT CONCEPTS The term 'resort' continues to be used in tourism literature and is associated with a variety of contexts and geographical scales, although it is rarely clearly defined or explained. In general, a resort is a place used for recreation and relaxation that primarily attracts holidaymakers. The first resorts were spa resorts, which emerged in Europe in the 17th century largely due to the discovery of the medicinal properties of mineral waters (Lehn, 2004). In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, seaside resorts emerged and became the focus of visits by many British and European tourists to cities such as Bournemouth, in southern England, and Nice, France, both of which soon became important tourist destinations. With the emergence of other tourism niches, new resorts have emerged, such as those dedicated to winter tourism (e.g. Aspen, Colorado) or thermal resorts such as Rotorua, New Zealand, and Caldas Novas, Brazil (see Figure 56). Pearce (2003) discusses the development and structure of beach resorts. The author mentions both traditional European resorts and newer tourist resorts that have emerged in recent years, such as Cancun, Mexico. He also found that, while many resorts have been specifically designed to be resorts, others have emerged in an unplanned way. In terms of the morphological aspects of these resorts, three important factors must be taken into account: local characteristics, existing tourist elements and other urban functions. The physical and cultural contexts play a key role in the spatial structure of the resort. It is also important to note that Butler's (1980) model specifically refers to the stages of development of tourist resorts. Papatheodorou (2004) examines the evolution patterns of resorts from an economic and geographical perspective. As an example of the interaction between market forces and territory, Papatheodorou describes the concentration and power exercised by German tour operators in Mediterranean destinations dominated by the British and German tourism markets. Given this situation, the author proposes to adapt Butler's (1980) traditional evolution model of tourist resorts to consider different scenarios. These scenarios are summarized into two types of evolution patterns. First, the flow of tourism either increases or decreases gently, accompanied by the development of the economy and the resort area. As an example of this resort, Papatheodorou (2004) considers various resorts in the Mediterranean. Secondly, there are sudden changes in tourism flows, whether due to policy changes (for example the political opening of former Soviet Union countries), natural disasters or the bankruptcy of investors who drive the rapid growth of certain locations. Resorts are generally places that can provide for all the needs of tourists during their vacation; therefore, they can range from very small towns to large areas. For this reason, many hotels have come to be called resorts because they offer food and beverage, lodging, sports, entertainment and shopping opportunities on their own property. Disney World is a prime example of a modern resort. Private resorts exist throughout the world, particularly in Central America and the Caribbean, attracting visitors from all over the world. Examples include Atlantis in the Bahamas; Costa do Sauipe in Bahia, Brazil; Laguna Fuce in Thailand; City of the Sun, near Johannesburg, South Africa, and The Venetian in Macau. One type of commercial resort that has become popular in recent years is the all-inclusive resort, which charges a flat fee that covers all activities, entertainment and meals, including alcoholic beverages.