The Reason Why the Average Age of Holiday-Makers Staying in the Town Rise Significantly - Assignment Example

WDC has witnessed the average age of holiday-makers staying in the town rise significantly. What could have motivated such a position Table of Content Serial Number and Topic Page Number 1.0 Introduction 02 1.1 Client Profile 02 1.2 Client's Background 03 2.0 Executive Summary 04 3.0 Research 05 4.0 Findings 07 5.0 Appendix 07 5.1 Community Development: Revitalisation Action Plan 10 5.2 Waste Mobalisation Strategy 11 5.3 Environmental-Friendly Accommodation 12 5.4 Joint Ventures 12 5.5 Development as a Heritage Centre 13 6.0 Conclusion 14 7.0 References 15 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Client Profile: Walmington-on-Sea was the wartime home of George Mainwaring, Arthur Wilson, Mavis Pike and the other characters from Dad's Army. Located on the south-coast of England, in Kent or was it, East Sussex Whichever, Walmington is in real earnest, a small hamlet not known for its sophistication or royalty. It's more of a poor man's resort that boasts of a trail of history, not known to many. During its heydays, Walmington had a string of neat and comfortable Georgian guest houses which accommodated aristocrats and well-mannered families during the summer months. The Novelty Rock Emporium turned out crisp mint rock and giant humbugs. But all that is gone. Today, there is nothing to show of its glorious past. Till recently, this sleepy town attracted only a few travelers, but there seems to be a change. WDC saw the average age of holiday-makers staying in the town rise significantly. It is, but a small place. It's a mixture of the past and present. The only attraction, if any, is the trade-mark tranquility that the sea offers to its visitors. It's more of a home for the not-too-rich people, who think of spending their retired lives close to history and tranquility. The beach still retains its pristine beauty and houses cottages, close to the beach for the beach lovers. If its peace and tranquility by the sea that one is looking for, look no further, Walmington is the place to be in. The town hall still preserves the old clock that stopped at ten past three in 1939. It's an architectural marvel and an added attraction to visitors to these parts. Consideration: Walmington is not what it used to be. The beach is a sophomore's nightmare; it bristles with barbed wires, criss-crossed scaffoldings, pill boxes and concrete anti-tank blocks. That's right! Anti-tank concrete blocks. When Hitler invaded Britain from across the channel, Walmington-on-Sea was in the Front line of fire. The scars of the war remain to this day. One still gets to hear of Stead, Simpsons, and Timothy Whites carrying on their chore; just as Jones the Butcher, Frazer the undertaker, Hodges the Greengrocer and the Marigold Tea Rooms, and Mr. Mainwaring of the Bank went armed with only arm-bands to repel a possible invasion by thousands of German army personnel. Walmington attracts a substantial number of day visitors and holiday-makers through the summer season, and tourism is a major source of income to the local economy. 1.2 Client's Background Walmington District Council (WDC) has on its rolls approximately 1,000 support staff to handle the town civic activities. This strength includes 600 full-time-equivalents, and handles all kinds of service that all such councils typically provide, from refuse collection to street cleaning, cultural services to tourism services, such as the town's visitor information centre. It is therefore imperative to say that WDC is responsible for the maintenance of its beach, the cliffs behind it and related foreshore service and infrastructure. Cash benefits to residents, and staff maintenance account for the major of the council's annual expenditure budget. It derives its revenue through grants from central government, payments received through tourism activities, and income from council taxes. 2.0 Executive Summary Walmington-on-Sea is located on the south-coast of England. Considered a poor man's resort, this heritage spot has seen a lot more activity lately. WDC, which maintains the town, has seen a spurt in activities, especially from above-average age holiday-makers who has been attracted to this sleepy town. This has been a boon, especially to the town exchequer, which depends a lot on tourist income. There could be many reasons for this turn of events. It could be due to the tranquility that prevails in Walmington, or it could be because of its heritage; it could be the low cost of living standards that has attracted the above-average aged folks, or it could be because of its proximity to the sea. Whatever, the influx of people has made the WDC take notice and seek a contingency plan to ensure proper facilities to accommodate the increasing numbers of tourists. Also the council would do justice by identifying areas that could be improved to increase the flow of tourists, as it was an area that brought in more revenue to the town, at the same time keeping in mind the importance of addressing the environmental concerns. Since Walmington receives most of its revenue through government grants and tourism, WDC needs to draw a master plan that would eventually help bring more government funding for infrastructural development and maintenance, apart from generating handsome income through innovative tourism practices. 3.0 Research There has been a marked improvement in the movement of above-average holiday-makers to Walmington recently. This sleepy town has a history dating back to 1930s, when Hitler in his quest to capture Britain, invaded the country through this town. The historical aspect and its tranquility has become a source of attraction to many holiday-makers in the past. In addition to this, Walmington was cheap in comparison to other popular resorts. This was an incentive for holiday revelers to enjoy more days under the sun. However, the town Council needed to get their act together to bring in more tourists and increase the exchequer. The problem lay here. With the limited resources available to them, they had to draw up a master plan to increase occupancy and at the same time improve amenities. The current state of affairs in matters of finance was not very encouraging. The limited resources would not create a healthy turn-around. Most of the revenue through government funding, and tourism went to payments of staff salaries and maintenance. This was not going to get WDC anywhere in terms of luring more tourists. There was a need to attract more inward traffic with available resources. Limited space was also not going to help the cause. Thus, to lure more holiday-makers, the Council needed to improve and increase infrastructure. The beach was more than attractive, what with barbed wires, criss-crossed scaffoldings, pill boxes and concrete anti-tank blocks occupying most of the beach. This was more of an eye sore. What the council needed was to draw a contingency plan to clean the beach, improve the conditions of the live-in cottages for holiday-makers, and explore the possibility of expanding cottages and motels to accommodate the increasing holiday crowd. In order to bring about a complete turnabout to existing trends, WDC should go for an overall fillip to showcase Walmington as an attractive destination for holiday-makers. The current crop of holiday-makers belonged to the above-average age group. Walmington currently does not have the infrastructure to deal with huge influx of tourists. With its limited cottages and houses, a dilapidated beach, and poor civic amenities, Walmington will find it difficult to encourage more holiday seekers. These points will have to be highlighted to attract more tourists. Walmington must consider retaining its heritage status, while supporting expansion and modernisation activities. For hundreds of millions of workers "taking a holiday" is a major goal of working life. It provides relief from the stresses and strains of the daily grind which people look forward to all year (Tourism and Sustainable Development, www.gdrc.org). Holiday-makers are open to new ideas. The idea is to escape the routine stress and strain associated with daily routine, to enjoy eternal freedom, a changed perception, awareness and one's state of being. However with growth of tourism, environmental concerns begin to surface. Environmental protection and trade must be fully translated into national and local law and must not conflict with sustainable development transition measures, or undermine basic environment and labour standards. With a reasonable workforce to handle civic duties in this small eastern town, the WDC can reign in unexpected expenses through further manpower recruitments. The town boasts of a clock tower from the 30s which is an added attraction to visitors seeking a sojourn to the past. The tranquil atmosphere offered by Walmington is undoubtedly the biggest attraction to the current crop of holiday-makers. Expansionism must be environmental friendly, and should not disturb the ecological balance of the town. The behaviour of tourists are influenced by social and economic factors, and this an important aspect of town planners and developers. WDC has seen the rise of above-average aged holiday-makers in recent times. The reason for attracting such an age group would be the ambience and closeness to nature. A haven for the peace-loving crowd, Walmington would do justice to keep its identity intact, an escape to nature. 4.0 Findings Walmington is a small heritage centre on the east coast of Great Britain. It is known for its tranquility. WDC which runs the civic duties in Walmington has been in the limelight recently. With a reasonable workforce, WDC has not been able to rid the town of eye sores mostly observed at the famous beach. The civic sense leaves a lot to be desired. In spite of this, the town has seen more and more above-average aged holiday-makers staying in town much longer than usual. This has been an area of concern for the civic body. The town itself is not known for its competitiveness in accommodating large influx of tourists. This is because; there were no record of long residing holiday-makers staying there. WDC employs approximately 1,000 support staff, of which, some 600 are full-time-equivalents. It is responsible for all kinds of civic activities such as refuse collection, street-cleaning, street-lighting, housing and planning-related services, cultural services, and tourism services. The beach is a nightmare for the tourists as it bristles with barbed wires, criss-cross scaffoldings, pill boxes and concrete anti-tank blocks. History beckons visitors to Walmington. Walmington-on-Sea was the wartime home of George Mainwaring, Arthur Wilson, Mavis Pike and the other characters from Dad's Army. The town hall still sports the old clock that stopped working at ten past three in 1939. It's an architectural marvel and an added attraction to visitors to these parts. This, along with the unattended beach, reminiscences a world gone by, a world, that witnessed the invasion of the Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler. During its heydays, Walmington had a string of neat and comfortable Georgian guest houses which accommodated aristocrats and well-mannered families during the summer months. In their place, stand small houses and cottages. Walmington is a haven of the retired lot. With their houses and cottages facing the sea, these hermits, enjoy morning walks on the beach front, and share their life, close to nature. There is no hustle and bustle of city life, and tranquility, their companion. Since Walmington doesn't have any kind of industry, activities in times other than summer (Holiday season), is confined to social service, and theatre. The Novelty Rock Emporium turns out crisp mint rock and giant humbugs. WDC owns a small theatre in the town, the only entertainment centre available in Walmington. Come summer, and this sleepy town bustles with activity. Holiday-makers seeking solace and tranquility, pour in from all over the country. Walmington is perhaps among the few heritage centres left in Britain that still identifies itself with nature. Not much infrastructural development takes place here. It is only in summer that the town brims to its limit. However, the influx of more than usual holiday-makers staying longer is making WDC worried. With its limited infrastructure to accommodate more visitors during the summer period, WDC sees problems for the future. This problem needs to be addressed immediately. It is also no secret that Walmington manages its operations through government grants, and revenue generated through tourism. Tourism is very important for the sustainability of this town. If tourism failed, the town would feel the impact of a resource crunch. Apart from small cottages and houses to accommodate holiday-makers to Walmington in summer, revenue is also generated from car parks available for those tourists. WDC also runs the town's visitor information centre 5.0 Appendix In order to bring about a more professional attitude to improve amenities and services, WDC needs to develop eco-friendly accommodations, which do not pollute the atmosphere in and around Walmington. These structures can be constructed along the beach coast, without interrupting the tranquility within the town. The beach which is sprawled with bristles of barbed wires, criss-cross scaffoldings, pill boxes and concrete anti-tank blocks, should be cleared to attract beach lovers. The town clock tower must be preserved in its pristine splendour to become a designated national monument. The following practices can address the predicament faced by WDC: 5.1 Community Development Revitalisation Action Plan: To achieve a sustainable community, all members of the community have to play an active role in identifying what is important and requires protection. They must also be made accountable to focus on community needs and how this can be attained. WDC spends most of its annual expenditure budget as cash benefits paid to residents, and staff cost. Thus, WDC must make the residents aware of their prerogative in developing tourist infrastructure to improve the inflow of revenue. The action plan can include the following: 1. WDC must work in partnership with the community to achieve social cohesion. 2. Improvement to the existing tourist services; improving the visitor's information centre, and including recreational services will enhance more productivity. 3. Health services must be improved from the existing facilities. The health centre in Walmington is not equipped to take on emergencies. This will not attract many holiday-makers to Walmington. Health services are a source for better health and generating more revenue. 4. Despite the number of workforce available to it, WDC would be better of improving learning skills to develop the capacity of the voluntary sector (CDRAP, www.chiltern.gov.uk, 2006). Community Appraisals and town health checks, issues related to the regeneration of areas of the town, provision of local heritage facilities, improvement in health facilities in a leisure setting, and community action to support gardening schemes for older people are some of the areas identified. This will not only help the local community, but will also serve as a notice to all, that Walmington, is not just a recluse to peace and tranquility, but also a healthy destination for other sections of society as well. 5.2 Waste Minimisation Strategy A waste minimisation strategy is just a source for eliminating waste from the community, but also a source for generating amazing revenue. Dairy Produce Packers Ltd based in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, one of the largest manufacturers of processed cheese slices in the UK, undertook a waste minimisation strategy which, in turn, saved the exchequer of over 46 000/year, apart from environmental benefits. Walmington is a relatively eco-centric heritage centre. There are no big production houses here to interfere with the environment. Because of this, holiday-seekers come here for the fresh air and its trademark tranquility. However, the beach, the backbone to Walmington's tourism attraction, is not really something worth writing about. In order to make it more pleasing and attractive, the volunteers and residents can come together and achieve what most dream of; hygiene. 1. Question wasteful practices. Design waste management processes that benefit the community and the exchequer. Conduct workshops to enlighten the residents as well as the holiday-makers on developing a greener Walmington. Create awareness, and elucidate the importance of a clean and green environment. 2. Gain endorsement for initiating such moves. Corporate bodies will be only too willing to participate in such novel initiatives to save the flora and fauna. Walmington being a heritage centre will only attract more revenue for such activities. The positives are far more advantageous. Disposal of waste will reduce contamination. This will reduce pollution and improve health. A greener Walmington will only attract more tourism and this will increase the town exchequer (Pamela J. Gordon, 2002). 5.3 Environmental-friendly Accommodation We saw that Walmington is but a small town on the east coast of Britain. It is becoming a more popular destination for holiday-makers. In lieu of this, WDC should draw up a contingency to construct environmental - friendly cottages to improve its image and exclusiveness. The fundamental aspect of this is to provide the holiday-makers a sense of being in oneness with nature. One may wonder whether the vast usage of wood decoration may be harmful to the imbalance of the eco-system, but in reality, concrete or some other components may be more harmful to nature. Despite more cost to renovate, the ambience and closeness to nature is what tourism escapism is all about. What better way to attract more tourists (CoCo Cottage Koh Ngai, 2006, www.ehotelbooking.com). 5.4 Joint Ventures Collaboration between two like-minded persons or institutions under mutually acceptable terms is what joint collaborations are about. In the case of WDC, we saw that the increasing tenancy level of holiday-makers was exerting pressure on the community. Walmington was a town that survived from revenue generated from tourism and government grants. Most of this revenue was disbursed to the community as cash benefits to residents, and staff maintenance. This ate into most of the revenue that WDC generated over the year. In order to expand their reach and business, WDC must take into account the benefits of the community-private sector joint venture. Such joint-ventures are defined as a contractual partnership between a community or a local institution and a private investor, who work together in establishing and operating a single tourism or hunting enterprise. While they may not both own the company assets in legal terms, both have rights and responsibilities to contribute to and benefit from the enterprise (Caroline Ashley & Brian Jones, Joint Ventures between Communities and Tourism Investors: Experience in South Africa, 2001, www.propoortourism.org.uk). 5.5 Development as a Heritage Centre Walmington is an important tourist destination. It is sparsely populated and has no major industry to generate other source of income. The major company in Walmington is WDC. WDC handles all civic and social activities of the Walmington community. What attracts Walmington is its rich and varied cultural heritage. Dad's Army is synonymous to Walmington. The beach that witnessed the landing of the German army during World War II is the source of inspiration for the local community. The most prominent monument that escaped decapitation is the town clock tower. The serenity and fresh air brings holiday-makers to Walmington. However, the beach is in need of serious change. The civic amenities too need to be looked into. In order to do so, there is a strong community commitment to economic and social development by the whole community of Walmington. The Novelty Rock Emporium that turns out crisp mint rock and giant humbugs is another source of tourist attraction. There needs to be a balance between development and conservation (Rock of Cashel, Cashel Co. Tipperary, http://www.cashel.ie/). 6.0 Conclusion Walmington is a heritage centre with difference. This small town situated on the east coast of Britain is more of a recluse for the elderly citizens. The town has no activity other than community service. WDC is the forcing guide behind Walmington's sustainability. The town shows a lot of character and can be developed into a national trove. It is conspicuous by its wrest with destiny. The beach sprawled with bristles of barbed wires, criss-cross scaffoldings, pill boxes and concrete anti-tank blocks are all indicators of the world gone by. These monuments need to be preserved as artifacts. The town clock tower needs to be brought back to life. Though the clock has stopped functioning, the world of Walmington is kicking and alive. The money-starved community can benefit through joint-ventures to bring more visitors and improvement of infrastructures. With rising holiday-makers, the town needs to rise to the occasion and develop eco-friendly accommodations to house them. Civic bodies, WDC included, must address the need of the masses. Public amenities, including hospitals and health centres need to be established. 7.0 References 1.0 Tourism and Sustainable Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, International Confederation Free Trade Union & Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD, http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/icftu2.pdf 2.0 CDRAP, 2006, http://www.chiltern.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.phpcategoryID=3088&documentID=431 3.0 Pamela J. Gordon, Pulling Out of the High-Tech Slump Reduce Waste, to Boost Profits, http://www.reed-electronics.com/semiconductor/article/CA236457pubdate=8%2F1%2F2002&kicker=Last+Word 4.0 CoCo Cottage Koh Ngai, 2006, http://www.ehotelbooking.com/thailand/krabi/coco-cottage-koh-ngai/index.htm 5.0 Caroline Ashley & Brian Jones, Joint Ventures between Communities and Tourism Investors: Experience in South Africa, 2001, p.3, http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/ashley_jones.pdf 6.0 Rock of Cashel, Cashel Co. Tipperary, http://www.cashel.ie/ Research Introduction The following section relates to the conclusion of this project. In order to derive at a logical conclusion, a group of holiday-makers, in the age group of 55-65 years at Walmington were interviewed to understand why they preferred Walmington to holiday, rather than other more popular holiday destinations. Purpose of the Exercise The focus group was asked to indicate the reasons behind choosing Walmington as their preferred holiday destination. Focus Group The focus group consisted of above-average holiday-makers in the age group 50-65 years. 3 men and an equal number of women were chosen for the interview. Questionnaire 1. What were the main attractions of holidaying in Walmington 2. Were you able to relate to your needs after coming here 3. What is it that attracts more the upper middle-aged and elderly couple to Walmington 4. What would you think would be needed to be doe to attract younger holiday-seekers here 5. If you were given the option to stay here for longer period of time, what would be your opinion And why 6. Are you enjoying your stay here 7. What in your opinion does the WDC need to do to bring in more holiday-makers Responses Admittedly, the views of the men differed from their womenfolk. The Men were forthright in their assertion that the escape to Walmington was for its tranquility and being a part of history. The men found the lazy atmosphere most attractive. Peace and solace was what they looked for, which, Walmington provided them in ample. They found the cottages facing the sea very comforting. They were very happy to see the historical imprints in the form of bristles of barbed wires, criss-crossed scaffoldings, pill boxes and concrete anti-tank blocks on the beach, which according to them reminiscences their tryst with history. The only reservation that they all had was that the decaying beach could be maintained to retain its pristine beauty. This they said would bring in more tourists. Walmington was also a cheap holiday destination that could be used as a tool to attract younger crowds. But in their heart, they felt that with the growth of tourists, the place would become crowded, lose its identity, turn more commercial, and raise the cost of living, which they all were against. The women on the other hand did share a few commonalities with their men. The peace and tranquility, they loved. Apart from that, Walmington had nothing to offer. They wanted more shopping arcades, better medical facilities, a better and well organized transport system to see them through the town, cleaner surroundings and better civic amenities. Entertainment was also limited. With just a theater to boast of, the women felt the town would be better of with more entertainment centers. The focus group was unanimous in their response to the cost of living. They all agreed that, Walmington was ideal for the low-budgeted elders and wanted it to remain thus. The cost of living was very reasonable, and this attracted most of the above-average couple to stay and holiday here. Read More