April 2014 – Page 2 – Moving Through Space to Discover a Place

Visitor Attractions

Victoria Pamela Bell / April 25, 2014April 28, 2014 / Uncategorized, Visitor Attractions

There are hundreds upon thousands of tourism resources throughout the Americas, ranging from cultural to natural features as well as man-made attractions. This section will explore these features, focusing upon the main attractions.

Key Natural Resources

Coastal Resources

The Bahamas have hundreds of white beaches with coral reefs on its many islands. The waters are shallow, warm and clear (Burton, 1995) making them ideal for activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving and yachting. Many beaches within the Bahamas have been voted as the ‘best in the world’ with Treasure Cay Beach being one of the top ten (The Islands of the Bahamas, 2014).

Top 10 Beaches

Number Rating	Beach
1	Treasure Cay Beach
2	Great Guana Cay Beach
3	Tahiti Beach, Elbow Cay
4	Hope Town Beach
5	Gilliam Bay Beach, Green Turtle Cay
6	Bita Bay Beach, Green Turtle Cay
7	Cherokee Sounds Beach
8	Sandy Point Beach
9	Crossing Rock Beach
10	Casuarina Point Beach

(The Islands of the Bahamas, 2014)

Treasure Cay Beach is a 3.5 mile stretch of white sand with turquoise waters. Coco Beach Bar and Grill is located 100 yards from the beach and serves Bahamian drink specials and local grilled food (The Islands of the Bahamas, 2014). The average water temperature is 26°C all year round making it perfect for beach activities and water sports.

(YouTube, 2011)

Inland Water Resources

Niagara Falls is one of the most famous tourist destinations within the Americas with around 14 million visitors annually (Lonely Planet, 2014). It consists of three waterfalls; the Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls and lies on the border between the USA and Canada. Niagara Falls is certainly not the tallest waterfall in the world but it is unbeatable in terms of volume; more than 1 million bathtubs of water plummet over the edge every second (Lonely Planet, 2014). It is a great destination for couples and families as well as a popular attraction for honeymooners. Not only is Niagara Falls a set of waterfalls, it also has many other attractions such as world-class hotels and restaurants, good nightlife, golf courses and spas (Niagara Falls Tourism, 2014).

(Google Images, 2014)

Wilderness Resources

National Parks are the most popular wilderness resource in the Americas, with the most famous being the Grand Canyon. Situated in Arizona, it embraces canyons and river tributaries and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. 5 million people visit the Grand Canyon every year to admire the views but other activities are available (National Park Foundation, 2014). These include walking/hiking along the Rim Trail or along the historic Hermit Road, renting bikes or going on mule trips as well as many others.

(Google Images, 2014)

Key Cultural Resources

Heritage Resources

The Statue of Liberty in New York is perhaps one of the greatest icons of American history. It was given to the USA by the people of France as a gift and to this day is recognised as a symbol of freedom and democracy (National Park Service, 2014). A visit to the statue is a must do activity to the majority of international visitors to the city of New York. Thousands of people visit the monument daily to partake in ranger-guided tours to the pedestal’s observation platform to view the statue on the inside (Discover America, 2014). Even if people do not wish to visit the statue itself, it is still visible from lower Manhattan.

(Google Images, 2014)

Events/Festivals

Many Caribbean islands boast a wealth of colonial heritage and vibrant culture. One way of expressing their culture is through carnivals such as Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica, Junkanoo in the Bahamas and Cropover in Barbados (Boniface & Cooper, 2012). These festivals are a great way to express national identity and give tourists the opportunity to interact with the locals. Junkanoo is a street parade on the 26^th December throughout the Bahamas that has taken place for well over 500 years. In the early hours of the morning, the Junkanoo parade moves throughout Nassau with dancers, music and people playing drums, horns and whistles (The Island of the Bahamas, 2014). The carnival provides entertainment for thousands of people and brings together the local community.

(YouTube, 2010)

Modern Popular Resources

Theme parks are one of the best-known visitor attractions in the region of the Americas and make up a large sector of the tourism industry. They account for over 330 million visitors per year and provide the region with half a million jobs (Boniface & Cooper, 2012). Walt Disney World Resort is situated in Orlando, Florida. The resort was established in the 1970s and to this day continues to grow year after year. It consists of four Disney theme parks, two water parks, six golf courses as well as an entertainment complex suitable for shopping and dining. The total amount of visitors to the four theme parks is more than 700 million guests (WDW Magic, 2009). This tourist attraction is particularly popular amongst families and many travel from overseas just to visit the resort.

(Google Images, 2014)

Climate Patterns

Victoria Pamela Bell / April 24, 2014April 28, 2014 / Climate & Weather

The climate throughout the Americas is extremely varied due to the sheer size of the entire continent. The region stretches between two polar zones which has resulted in the continent having climates ranging from polar to tropical weather.

In North America the climate is quite extreme, with warm summers and cold winters. In the winter, the south suffers from arctic winds but in summer, most of the continent experiences tropical airstreams (Boniface & Cooper, 2012). The Northeast of the USA, New York being an example, has a climate that provides conditions for both summer coastal tourism and winter sports activity (Burton, 1995). Florida similarly has all year round tourism due to its sub-tropical climate. Contrary to belief, Canada’s climate is not cold all year round. Although its winter temperatures do fall below freezing, its south western coast is quite mild and during the summer months in the south, the climate tends to be warmer and has high levels of humidity (STA Travel, 2014).

Again, the climate of South America varies with each region but there is a distinct wet and dry season. The Caribbean boasts a hot tropical climate all year round although the summer tends to be the wetter season (Boniface & Cooper, 2012). The most popular time for visiting the Caribbean is during its winter months, mainly December through to April. This is due to the drier climate and also because the hurricane season is towards the end of the summer months. The varied climate throughout the Americas means tourism is feasible all year round which is beneficial for the entire region.

Transport

Victoria Pamela Bell / April 24, 2014April 28, 2014 / Transport for Tourism & Events

Due to the vast size of the entire continent, large distances to be traveled have resulted in a heavy dependence upon air travel. The majority if not all of international visitors reach the Americas by air travel, flying to cities such as New York and San Francisco in the US and San Juan in the Caribbean. New York is a primary point of entry and is a major gateway for European visitors (Burton, 1995) as is San Juan the main gateway to the Caribbean. This is one of the most popular modes of transport for both foreign and domestic travelers. Air travel is extensive and reliable with hundreds of airports and thousands of daily flights. Flights are also fairly priced due to numerous budget airlines in the US such as Virgin America and Spirit Airlines. The second most popular mode of transport within the Americas is by car, with 80% of trips taken using this type of transportation (Boniface & Cooper, 2012). The USA is particularly good for car travel due to the extensive network of highways. In addition to this, scenic routes are prevalent, with Route 66 being a prime example. Another mode of transport is by bus.

(YouTube, 2014)

Greyhound is a major long-distance bus company with routes throughout the USA and Canada. Public transport is not very reliable and coverage can be sparse outside of larger cities (DiscoverAmerica.com and Boniface & Cooper, 2012).

Domestic Travel

Victoria Pamela Bell / April 24, 2014April 28, 2014 / Domestic Travel

Domestic tourism throughout the Americas is a lot larger than outbound tourism. The UNWTO Tourism Highlights show that most tourists visit destinations within their own region, with 171.5 million people undertaking domestic travel throughout the Americas in 2012 compared to 163.1 million international tourist arrivals in the same year (UNWTO, 2013). Taking the USA as the first example, Americans typically travel within their own region due to the low amount of annual holiday they receive. Generally, they are given 2 weeks holiday per annum (Burton, 1995) which they spend on numerous short weekend breaks rather than one long holiday. Another reason for a large amount of domestic travel is down to the fact that only 27% of Americans have passports (Boniface & Cooper, 2012). For the other 83% of the population, domestic travel is a trouble-free option as no borders need to be crossed. Canada tends to be quite similar, with the vast majority of tourism gearing towards the USA. Furthermore, in Latin American countries, such as Peru, 10 million domestic trips are undertaken annually (Eijgelaar et al, 2008). Most domestic travel is undertaken by car due to the ease of this mode of transport; for the large percentage of the population that do not own passports, this mode of transport is one of the few options of travel which suggests why it is the most popular option.

Travel Flows

Victoria Pamela Bell / April 24, 2014April 28, 2014 / Travel Flows

NORTH AMERICA

Inbound tourism:

Most tourism within North America is domestic. The majority of visitors to the USA come from neighboring countries such as Mexico and Canada (Burton, 1995). In 2010, there were 60 million international arrivals, of which one third were Canadian (Boniface & Cooper, 2012). A similar pattern can be seen in Canada with most foreign tourists coming from the USA; less than 10% of its 16 million international arrivals come from European countries.

Outbound tourism:

Outbound tourism is similar to the pattern of inbound tourism. The majority of people tend to holiday within the region with most Americans holidaying in Canada or Mexico (Burton, 1995) and most Canadians travelling to America to states such as New York, Vermont and Washington (Boniface & Cooper, 2012).

SOUTH AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN

Tourism in South America and the Caribbean is still on a relatively small scale (Burton, 1995) when compared to that of North America. However, the two regions also rely heavily on intraregional travel with most of its tourists being from the North American market. Although this can be thought of as a positive, the two regions’ tourism sectors could suffer if there were ever a recession in the north of America. The destinations also have strong links with France and the Netherlands (Boniface & Cooper, 2012). Outbound tourism in these regions is also relatively low due to a relatively poorer source of income.

The following image highlights the total international tourist arrivals and international tourism receipts for the Americas in 2012:

(UNWTO, 2013)