Travel Guidebooks and Websites in Australia - Report Example

Travel guidebooks and websites in Australia xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lecturer xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date Introduction Tourist guiding has been and continues to be one of the most common human activities across the globe. Guides have been in existence since two millennia ago and they are increasingly gaining importance in the tourism industry. Emergence of the internet is revolutionalised the art of tourist guiding as destination marketing organizations can now use travel website to communicate with prospective travelers. Hudson and Richie (2006) maintain that it is difficult to plan and actually organize for tourism without the help of tourist guides for both tourist guides and tour leaders/managers. This is because the roles played by these guidebooks and websites are numerous, inevitable and complex. Kim and Fesenmaier (2008) point out the guidebooks and travel websites act as the interface between the visitor and the host destination. They should essentially shape the experience of the tourist by providing him with the relevant information concerning his interest about the destination. In order to influence the overall tourists satisfaction, guides should be designed in a cultural-sensitive and interesting manner. They should serve as intercultural mediators; to make the tourist understand the culture of his prospective destination better. Nevertheless, contemporary guidebooks and travel websites have not served their objective role in providing the necessary information for which they are intended to but rather they are now used as commercial materials to advertise several aspects of markets found in the host destination. Unlike the past decades, where guidebooks were strictly designed by tourism organization, independent commercial publishers are now authorized to make guidebooks and travel websites (Buzzard 1998). Unfortunately, most of these publishers are interested in influencing the purchasing power of the tourist thus often overlooks the cultural aspect of the guides that is required by the prospective tourist. According to Kim and Fesenmaier (2008) trusted guidebooks and travel websites are those that keep their information free of commercial information. Content and correspondent analysis of Australian guidebooks and travel related websites Tourism is a key economic driver in Australia. It actually accounts for 3.7% of the total GDP and has employed over 482,800 people which is about 4.7% of the total employed population. The Australian tourism industry is basically founded on three major cornerstones: its cultural landscape, biodiversity and natural features. Numerous travel and tour agencies have come up over the past few decades to meet the needs of the rapidly growing demand in the country. These organizations are under the umbrella of Tourism Australia which is a government agency that oversees matters pertaining to tourism. Due to high competition, organizations in the industry have modeled distinctive strategies so as to attain a competitive edge. Exemplifying this is the use of a range of travel guidebooks and websites to inform prospective tourists. A general overview of some of the travel guidebooks and websites in Australia indicates that they have not been left out in providing insufficient information to prospective travelers in terms of cultural matters, which is usually the main travelling intention (Rengger 2008). Examination of a number of these texts provided the findings presented below and analysis thereof. Australia Eguide The Australian Eguide is one of the most successful guidebooks in Australia. It has made significant progress since its inception in 2001. The aim of the guidebook is to provide its readers with the most comprehensive information about tourism in Australia. It covers major destinations within the country including Melbourne and Sydney. Contrary to other tour and travel guidebooks, Australia Eguide defies the proposition that contemporary guidebooks and travel websites are concentrating more on commercial advertisements and less on cultural information. First, it provides all details the necessary information all in a single leaflet. It first begins by giving disclaimers, warnings and advice to new arrivals; those who are foreign in the country. Such advice includes the best time to make visa applications which is essentially a fast process during peak times like in the morning. Foreigners are also expected to undergo the usual airport customs of strict bag checking through x-rays and trained dogs. Second, it has given essential information regarding banking services basically providing the reader with the knowledge about the places where to withdraw or deposit money and at what time (Carson et al 2009). In addition, the article has provided information about the etiquette of Australian people. It has well articulated that Australians are quite informal and generally friendly. They are submissive and corruption is highly prohibited. Any kind of food can be found in Australia at very reasonable prices. The guidebook also lists some of the Aussie slag words that would make a visitors stay enjoyable. It gives a general advice about health facilities and health insurance but does not make reference to specific hospitals. This further underscores the fact that the tourism guidebook is not intended to be commercial but to provide necessary information. A notable characteristic of the article is that it targets people of all walks of life. This implies that its gives information that is required by people of all financial classes, educational backgrounds, age groups and religions. For instance it gives details about all modes of transport such driving, ferries, railway, flight and cycling. Climate conditions across different areas of Australia have also been outlined in the article. It can be conclusively stated the guidebook is sufficient enough in providing most of the cultural aspects that are required in a guidebook. It however fails to provide imagery that it also crucial in influencing the purchasing power of the reader (Australia eguide 2008). Introducing Australia (Lonely planet) The website makes explicit the fact that is it intended to capture the attention of a prospective tourist into Australia by making use of imagery as well as videos of the country dominated by diverse natural features, biodiversity and cultural landscape. It is one of the publications of Lonely Planet; one of the most popular travel guide companies in the world. The article is indeed market oriented although it has a hidden cultural manifestation. The article emphasizes on the level of urbanization of the country and actually gives specific statistics regarding this. It states that about 70% of Australians live in urban areas which basically include the major towns including Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. This clearly targets a civilized kind of customer group who prefer to visit countries that are modernized. Giving specific attributes of each town actually reinforces the article as the reader has a variety of options to select. The article also expressly states that the traditional culture of Australian dieting has subsequently changed over time and has adapted to modernized eating techniques. Besides that Australians have trained in preparation and cooking of foreign dishes in addition to their conservative dishes. This is indeed a potent tool for attracting tourist from conservative backgrounds and at the same time gives tourists the chance to taste food from different cultures. The website makes reference to the fact that seafood is highly regarded in Australia due to its closeness to the sea which again makes it appealing to prospective tourists from landlocked countries. The website also gives some details about the transport system found on Australia. A fundamental aspect considered by many travelers while deciding on their destination is road network. The website clearly endorses this argument and gives the reader a clear picture of the major roads connecting main tourism sites in the country. To a more adventurous target group, the website has given options of the best model of vehicle to use during such tours. In light of the key features of the website, it is evident that it lacks a cultural touch. In actual fact, the article simply uses a market-oriented approach to attract readers but lacks to focus on the key issue that forms the intent of tourism, which is basically to explore the cultures of others. Nevertheless, the description of cities provided indicates that Australia is rich in culture especially in gallery and art work. Sydney Eguide The guidebook provides an in-depth analysis of all tourism features and information that would be required by a prospective tourist. However, similar to other guidebooks discussed previously and many others, the guide emphasizes on market orientation and fails to orient the reader with the culture of the host destination. It sufficiently provides climate conditions of the country which is a fundamental consideration of the traveler especially when making plans for the kind of clothes to pack. In addition, it has provided security issues that the client should expect and some of the counteractive measures that can be used such as the police number to use in case of an emergency. Social amenities including road networks, worship houses and hospitals have also been addressed in the guide. To influence the decision of the reader to visit Sydney, the guide has outlined some of the most magnificent natural areas, fun and animal attraction sites including Sydney Worldlife World, Luna Park, Garigal National park, Parsley Bay Reserve and Taronga Zoo. Even with the notable market orientation tactics, the Sydney Eguide has easily defined the culture of the Sydney people although in a hidden manner that would still require the reader to extract. Several aspects of the guide underscore the fact that the people of Sydney uphold the value of life. This is exemplified by the fact that certain life threatening habits such as smoking and substance are highly prohibited in the city. In addition, the guide has clearly given advice to tourists travelling at night and also highly condemns drinking while driving. It is also evident that the people of Sydney are quite conservative but also flexible with regard to their culture, that is, they are open to interaction with foreign cultures. This is revealed when the guide states that the British influence is still evident in the kind of delicacies prepared by the people of Sydney but even so, the recent influx of immigrants into the country has seen gradual divergence into foreign kind of dishes. Adequate supply of internet and other modes of communication is also evidence that Sydney people are quite resilient towards globalization and technological development (SydneyEguide.com 2008). Communication is a key theme raised in the Sydney Eguide. For instance the article has provided names of common commodities and activities of which tourists can use so as to easily bond with the local people. This observation indicates that the people of Sydney believe in effective communication to make the process of trading easier. Besides language, the postal system of Australia is quite elaborate with both national and international capabilities. The people of Sydney are also religious revealed by the large number religious institutions such as churches, temples and mosques. This is also evidence of freedom of worship in the city. Prohibition of tipping indicates a sheer dislike of corruption by the people of Sydney which means that their culture embraces honesty and integrity. Sydney guide is undoubtedly an efficient travel guidebook that would easily influence the purchasing decision of the reader. Nevertheless, it does not expressly state the culture of the people which the prospective traveler anticipates to find in the host destination. Conclusion Evidently, majority of the travel guidebooks and websites have focused more on orienting the prospective traveler into the market and have neglected the need for cultural orientation. The three articles: Australian Eguide, Introduction to Australia and Sydney Eguide exemplify this argument. Market orientation themes that come up in the article are all common and they are basically geared towards advising the prospective traveler on good approaches that can be use to make the experience more comfortable and enjoyable. Such include matters of communication, food, transport, social amenities such as hospitals and tourism attraction sites found in the country. Although fundamental, market orientation is not sufficient in influencing the purchasing decision of the prospective tourist. This is because beside physical variations, tourists seek after social and cultural variations that are distinct from their own. Therefore, it is recommendable for travel guidebooks and websites to make more emphasis on cultural orientation of the host destination. For instance, the Australian Eguide should essentially incorporate the kind of cultures found in Australia and more specifically about the Aboriginal people who would serve as a powerful tourist attraction due to their special kind of culture. References Australia eguide 2008, Australia Eguide: the definitive Australian travel guide. Retrieved on 19th June 2012 from http://www.utntyh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/australia-travel-guide.pdf. Carson, D, Schmallegger, D, Thompson, G, Jones, R, and Pilgrim, Alan, 2009. iVisit: An Information Exchange Tool for Self-drive Tourists in Remote Australia. In: Carlsen, J, Hughes, M, Holmes, K, Jones, R (Eds) CAUTHE 2009: See Change: Tourism & Hospitality in a Dynamic World. Fremantle, W.A.: Curtin University of Technology: [848]-[867]. Hudson, S, and Richie, B 2006, Promoting destination via film tourism: An empirical identification of supporting marketing initiatives. Journal of travel research, Volume 44, Issue 5, p. 387-396. Kim, H, and Fesenmaier, D 2008, Persuasive design of destination websites: An analysis of first impression. Journal of travel research, volume 20, Issue 4. Lonely planet 2009, Central Australia to Darwin. Footscray, Vic: Lovely Planet. SydneyEguide.com 2008. Sydney Australia. Retrieved on 19th June 2012 from http://www.vulcanhotel.com.au/site_files/file/sydney-guidebook.pdf. Buzzard, J 1998, The beaten track European tourism, literature and ways to culture, 1900-1918. Oxford: Oxford Clarendon press. Rengger, N 2008, Special issue: Cultures and politics of global communication. Cambridge: Cambridge university press. Read More

The Australian tourism industry is basically founded on three major cornerstones: its cultural landscape, biodiversity and natural features. Numerous travel and tour agencies have come up over the past few decades to meet the needs of the rapidly growing demand in the country. These organizations are under the umbrella of Tourism Australia which is a government agency that oversees matters pertaining to tourism. Due to high competition, organizations in the industry have modeled distinctive strategies so as to attain a competitive edge.

Exemplifying this is the use of a range of travel guidebooks and websites to inform prospective tourists. A general overview of some of the travel guidebooks and websites in Australia indicates that they have not been left out in providing insufficient information to prospective travelers in terms of cultural matters, which is usually the main travelling intention (Rengger 2008). Examination of a number of these texts provided the findings presented below and analysis thereof. Australia Eguide The Australian Eguide is one of the most successful guidebooks in Australia.

It has made significant progress since its inception in 2001. The aim of the guidebook is to provide its readers with the most comprehensive information about tourism in Australia. It covers major destinations within the country including Melbourne and Sydney. Contrary to other tour and travel guidebooks, Australia Eguide defies the proposition that contemporary guidebooks and travel websites are concentrating more on commercial advertisements and less on cultural information. First, it provides all details the necessary information all in a single leaflet.

It first begins by giving disclaimers, warnings and advice to new arrivals; those who are foreign in the country. Such advice includes the best time to make visa applications which is essentially a fast process during peak times like in the morning. Foreigners are also expected to undergo the usual airport customs of strict bag checking through x-rays and trained dogs. Second, it has given essential information regarding banking services basically providing the reader with the knowledge about the places where to withdraw or deposit money and at what time (Carson et al 2009).

In addition, the article has provided information about the etiquette of Australian people. It has well articulated that Australians are quite informal and generally friendly. They are submissive and corruption is highly prohibited. Any kind of food can be found in Australia at very reasonable prices. The guidebook also lists some of the Aussie slag words that would make a visitors stay enjoyable. It gives a general advice about health facilities and health insurance but does not make reference to specific hospitals.

This further underscores the fact that the tourism guidebook is not intended to be commercial but to provide necessary information. A notable characteristic of the article is that it targets people of all walks of life. This implies that its gives information that is required by people of all financial classes, educational backgrounds, age groups and religions. For instance it gives details about all modes of transport such driving, ferries, railway, flight and cycling. Climate conditions across different areas of Australia have also been outlined in the article.

It can be conclusively stated the guidebook is sufficient enough in providing most of the cultural aspects that are required in a guidebook. It however fails to provide imagery that it also crucial in influencing the purchasing power of the reader (Australia eguide 2008). Introducing Australia (Lonely planet) The website makes explicit the fact that is it intended to capture the attention of a prospective tourist into Australia by making use of imagery as well as videos of the country dominated by diverse natural features, biodiversity and cultural landscape.

It is one of the publications of Lonely Planet; one of the most popular travel guide companies in the world.

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