Melbournes Native Art in Tourism Industry - Term Paper Example

Promoting tourist attraction Name Course Institution Instructor Date Executive summary In order to avoid cases of uniformity, a region’s cultural attractions need to be presented intelligently and creatively. Cultural diversity should be greatly encouraged. Then, the local color or flavor of a region would be distinctive from other cultural tourism destinations. Without any doubt, Melbourne’s ancient decorative art specifically painting was truly exotic and exquisite with unique designs and motifs together with its complex rituals, process and mythology of the paints. The ancient native art of painting was an important cultural characteristic of the native community of Melbourne. Still, a creative presentations and cleverly set touristic programs of the ancient art might even more enhance the Melbourne’s total tourism experience package. This paper suggested several recommendations to market this vanishing art of painting. Excellent concepts such as “Life-Seeing Tourism” and “People-to-People Program” were also introduced as excellent means in providing a perfect opportunity for visitors who have interest in arts to learn and gain exclusive knowledge on the Melbourne’s native painting. Findings from a simple survey conducted also revealed that Melbourne’s native arts has a potential to be marketed as one of Melbourne’s excellent tourism product. Table of Contents Executive summary 2 Introduction 4 Background 5 Tourist Attraction 6 Environmental forces that affect tourism. 7 Objectives 8 Target market & Key message 8 Execution 9 Conclusion 10 References 12 Introduction Melbourne is very keen on developing its tourism industry. Tourists visiting Melbourne have greatly intensified from year to year. Undeniably, Melbourne is rich with unique culture and heritage, exceptional natural biological assets and wide-ranging venues and resources for recreational and adventure activities. These attractions and resources are and would always be important elements for Melbourne’s total tourism promotional package.Surely, Melbourne wants to maintain such positive situation, for the profits of economic development and progress of its people. To sustain continuous arrivals of tourists, Melbourne must offer superior and appealing tourism products and services. Melbourne needs to be strong and brilliant in today’s global competitive business. Apart from the current tourism products and services, Melbourne has to continuously coming up with new inspiration of marketing and promoting Melbourne. Definitely, this task could be made easier with the beautiful natural and cultural resources that Melbourne possesses. The Melbourne’s distinctive culture and heritage are especially of great interest of foreign and domestic visitors alike. One paramount description of the community of Melbourne is ‘diversity’. More specifically, the population consists of different indigenous ethnic groups with different languages, lifestyles, culture and history. Thus, Melbourne has long prided itself for having the ability to satisfy most travelers’ dreams of exotic mystery, legend, romance and adventure. Essentially, these valuable local resources constitute the key attractions for the tourism industry in Melbourne. Like any other Melbourne’s traditional cultural heritage aspects, the native’s art or art of painting is extraordinary and exquisite. Painting was once very important to the local native community. Essentially, each picture and symbols of the native paints have their own significant meaning. Initially, these painting were believed to be a sacred activity that has connection with other facets of traditional native culture, specifically on worshipping and in matters of war and headhunting. Unfortunately, the practice of this ancient art form is sadly disappearing and becoming rarity along with pressure from modernization and globalization. Due to its individuality and authenticity, this exotic art of painting could be an excellent tourist attraction in Melbourne. These unique images and knowledge together with myths and legends of the paints might enhance total Melbourne’s touristic experience package. Background Painting has existed since centuries ago. Ancient sculptures found by archaeologists have revealed that people have been decorating their houses by painting since ancient time. General aim of painting in the past and today’s societies is to differentiate and express distinction of one’s identification and identity from one person to another. Painting used to be widely practiced by the ancient native people of Melbourne. There are various reasons why the natives practiced painting. Mainly throughout Melbourne, painting is associated with success in war. A person that has showed courage in a difficult journey or expedition, a war campaign, or killed an enemy was supposed to be painted accordingly. Oftentimes, a man’s status was established after he had proven triumph in headhunting, an ancient ritual component. Thus, the painting was the most important symbol marking this promoted level of status. Generally, the ancient native paints possess styles that are unique and uncommon from the modern tattoos. Designs of the traditional native Melbourne paints were mainly from images of humans, animals, and plants that are commonly found in the local forest. Examples of old- fashioned paints motifs are tree trunk, snake-like motifs, tuba plant, faces of tiger, shoots of bamboo, floral images, etc. Additionally, these arts were handtapped using tools and natural ink unlike any modern art instrument. Naturally, certain ritual was often strictly observed during the painting operation. Tourist Attraction Tourist attractions are an essential “pull factor” for tourism, while destinations should benefit from having diversity of such resources into the local region. Melbourne is one of those potential tourism destinations with a strong “pull factor” – a compilation of attraction inventory, which ranges widely from natural sites to cultural sites, and specialized recreational attractions. One of the specialized recreational attractions is art-related tourism. Melbourne has widespread amazing arts, which have been originally develop to meet the international standard, as its main tourism destinations. This study attempts to analyze whether or not whitewater art activities in Melbourne have supported tourism development. Also, this study tries to evaluate possible opportunities in developing stronger awareness of the international market, to include Melbourne, as one of the art-tourism destinations. Using this framework of thinking, the plausible theoretical perspective on this study, mainly refers to the three major theories on tourism development, which are; [a] the understanding of basic tourism, and its relations with leisure and recreation, [b] an explanation about art tourism, particularly in painting, and [c] the existence of ancient painting as a potential tourism attraction. Environmental forces that affect tourism. Essentially, there are many factors that can influence the attractiveness of a tourism destination. Tourists travel to all parts of the world generally to seek out varied type and level of experiences. Moreover, their reasons and motivations of traveling would also be varied. According to Ritchie and Zins (1978), a tourism region can be attractive to tourists for its convenience and ease of access to the region. Some tourists might prefer tourism regions that offer quality shopping, sporting, recreational and educational facilities and superior infrastructure. Thus, the tourists are able to indulge themselves in touristic activities with comfort. For fastidious tourists, they might be attracted to particular tourism regions because of certain price levels, and some even sensitive towards the host attitudes. But, most of the tourists would think a tourism region is attractive if it has beautiful natural environment and ideal weather conditions, and distinctive local cultural and social characteristics. All in all, Environmental forces are crucial element in determining the overall attractiveness or magnetism of a destination. These forces often govern and regulate our behavior in a society thus reflects the way we live, work and play. Therefore in reality, Environmental forces are believed to be very diverse. Alongside the traditional leisure and recreational touristic activities, most tourism regions have added and promoted their local color or flavor (local culture) to general tourist markets. In order to avoid cases of uniformity, Goeldner and Ritchie (2003) had suggested that a region’s cultural attractions be presented intelligently and creatively. In simple meaning, they are actually implying that the cultural tourism of a region should be presented apparently distinctive from other regions, and cultural diversity should be greatly encouraged. Objectives Help the tourist department of Melbourne to prepare yearly art work calendar exercising the painting education method; Educate Australians on art work available in their community and encourages utilization of arts as tourism services. Inform and encourage active community participation in the painting processes; Encourage people to manage arts by encouraging participation and proper feedback Target market & Key message The art of painting could be creatively presented and interpreted in a gallery or museum. Special exhibitions and presentations could be established for common tourists. Short films or specific promotional programs on the traditional paints could be produced especially for interested visitors. Particular academic study and research, and archaeological expeditions might be also advantageous. Exclusive courses and conferences would also resulted positively towards preserving the traditional art of painting. Other than the traditional tourist activities such as visiting common tourist attractions or lying on the beach, travel agents could suggest purposeful activities related to arts. A unique concept called “Life-Seeing Tourism” fashioned by Axel Dessau, former director of the Danish Tourist Board, suggested the idea of providing activities and experiences that match the traveler’s interest (Goeldner and Ritchie, 2003). Following this concept, in Denmark, a visitor that has interest in geology would be arranged to meet up with the local person who hold the same interest in geology or who is familiar with the field. Besides going shopping and doing other touristic recreational activities, the visitor would be visiting people and places that meet the visitor’s personal interest. Hence, the concept of Life-Seeing Tourism provides a perfect opportunity for visitors who have interest in painting to learn and gain exclusive knowledge on the Melbourne’s native paints. Travel agents could organize interested tourists to meet and connect with local painting artists and experts for more insights and socialization. Trips and visits could be arranged with particular native tribes so that they can see and talk with the older generations that still have the ancient paints with them. Moreover, this would lead to greater interaction and lasting friendships between host and guests. Intentionally, this kind of opportunity can considerably increase visitors’ appreciation and empathy towards the local people and culture. Execution We will conduct art tourism campaigns with the support of local tourism such as museums, game reserves, and beaches. It will also utilize its network relationship for this purpose. Management of the campaign will be decentralized with full authority to the partner tourism board. The project will be based on Local art and also contribute to acknowledge people to exercise their roles and responsibilities as painters at local level. It would Keep its educational messages impartial and independent through formal or informal means or keep apart from any pulls and pressure or any alignment with any particular individual or institution or political party or will not use any issue implied to any political controversy while forming the committee to support local art tourism. The activities will be carried out in a coordinated manner under the overall supervision, monitoring and guidance of District tourism office There will be a qualified and experienced team leader under him/her there will be three campaign specialists who will be responsible for design and development of the campaign mentioned under activities. They will bear all the responsibility of the assigned activity. Conclusion Melbourne’s native art has its own unique attraction as one of tourism attraction in Melbourne. Moreover, people / tourists are willing to discover and learn more about this painting art if it is enough promotion and exposure is given to them. Therefore, it is about time for tourism related organization/ agencies to take immediate necessary action to support the enforcement of pushing these exotic native art as one the tourism attraction products. By doing this, we believe that, it is one of the way to maintain and sustain the preserving the rich ethnic cultural diversity in melbourne. References Goeldner, C.R. and J.R.B. Ritchie. (2003). Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies.9th edition. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Ritchie, J.R.B. and M. Zins. (1978). “Culture as Determinant of Attractiveness of a Tourism Region”. Read More