Principles of Sustainable Tourism Final – Stakeholder Immersion – Resort

Principles of Sustainable Tourism Final – Stakeholder Immersion – Resort

Only 4 sources are required (instead of the regular 7).

You are welcome to ask me questions about the assignment throughout the week, however I will not be able to review your work before you turn it in.

This final is designed to test your understanding of the class materials as covered from the first day of class (not just since the mid-term).

Assignment Details

You are being assigned a role in a hypothetical town faced with an unexpected explosion of tourism. Please read through the entire assignment carefully before beginning.

You will be writing this paper in the first person, assuming the role of your assigned stakeholder.

Setting the Stage The Current Situation in Destiny, Arizona

The town of Destiny, Arizona has existed quietly outside of Flagstaff near the Grand Canyon National Park for many years. Recently, though, a very well-known celebrity vacationed at the small Destiny Inn B&B in the town and pictures of their wonderful vacation emerged in magazines and websites everywhere. Business is now booming for everyone and the town is overrun with tourists. While the influx of spending is great, it has become clear that growth is quickly on the way and some actions need to be taken to manage it.

Land has already been purchased on the edge of town by a large national hotel chain, and they have proposed the building of a large 200-room eco-friendly luxury resort and conference center. The potential tax income could provide desperately needed improvements in local schools and infrastructure such as roads and a water treatment plant, and will significantly increase the marketing budget of the local tourism marketing office.

To build this resort, though, a great deal of land will undergo construction and clearing, and the property will be located alongside the Destiny River, which is very popular with kayakers.

In addition, the Destiny Riverside Nature Preserve is a 300-acre wildlife preserve with a few rudimentary trails that is exactly opposite the proposed resort on the other side of the river. The resort has proposed a footbridge across the river to access the Nature Preserve, but has offered no funding or assistance with improving the trails or preparing for an influx of new tourists from the resort. The Nature Preserve gets a small annual stipend from the Town to pay for a director and maintenance/upkeep, and it does not currently charge any admission fees or have any other source of revenue.

Many of the residents of the Town of Destiny are older; some who have retired there from other locations and some who have lived their entire lives there. Residents are very polarized on the issue of the resort some see the value of the increased tax income and business growth, some moved to Destiny for its small-town charm and dont want to see that destroyed, and some are extremely concerned with the potential environmental impact that a large resort will have on the beautiful yet fragile local natural environment.

An outside sustainable development specialist has been hired to moderate a major stakeholder meeting which will gain input from key local stakeholders involved in this development decision.

Each stakeholder will bring a different agenda to the table, based on their interests and responsibilities to their own stakeholders (e.g. voting public, business investors, guests, etc.).

Amazingly it just so happens that all of them have, at some point, studied sustainable tourism in college!

The stakeholders at this table are:

Owner of the Destiny Inn B&B
Mayor of Destiny, Arizona
a prominent retired resident of the Town of Destiny
Director of the Destiny Riverside Nature Preserve
Director of Destination Destiny, the local tourism marketing office
And YOU, who are assuming the role of the Corporate Manager in charge of the Destiny Luxury Eco Resort development.

The specialist has asked that you prepare a short (up to 3-page) document stating:

1) Your position on the development of the Destiny Luxury Eco Resort

2) Concerns you may have about the impact (if any), and

3) What your best case scenario/outcome is based on the role you represent.

Finally, he asks that you consider the long-term sustainability of the project (and community as a whole) and the likely concerns of the other stakeholders at the table. In your conclusion, indicate some compromises youre willing to make (if any) to address the long-term sustainability of Destiny, Arizona as a tourism destination.

Rubric
Final Ruberic
Final Ruberic
Criteria    Ratings    Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSources and Citation
5 pts
At least 4 sources from relevant peer-reviewed publications and/or scholarly texts with correct APA 6th edition citations
4 pts
At least 7 sources from relevant publications with correct citations
3 pts
7 or more less-relevant sources or less than 7 good sources, and/or poor citations
2 pts
Few relevant sources and/or very poor citations
1 pts
Few sources and/or completely incorrect citations
0 pts
No marks
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAnalysis
5 pts
Displays a full understanding of the assignment and topic, and reaches original conclusions based on analysis of the research/sources
4 pts
Displays an acceptable understanding of the assignment and topic, and exhibits analysis and reaches good conclusions
3 pts
Displays limited understanding of the assignment and topic, but still exhibits some analysis and reaches conclusions
2 pts
Displays very limited understanding of the topic, and shows little analysis
1 pts
Displays clear misunderstanding of the topic, and no analysis
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeContent
5 pts
Clear and original ideas covering all aspects of the assignment
4 pts
Clearly covers all aspects of the assignment
3 pts
Some aspects of the assignment under represented or unclear
2 pts
Poor coverage of numerous aspects of the assignment
1 pts
Extremely poor coverage of numerous aspects of the assignment
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOrganization
5 pts
Clear organization of the paper, with an introduction and conclusion and excellent flow of ideas and research
4 pts
Clear organization of the paper, with an introduction and conclusion in standard formatting
3 pts
Some organization, with less than clear direction and/or incompletely formed introduction and conclusion
2 pts
Poor organization with unclear or mission introduction and conclusion
1 pts
Confusion organization with no attempt at organization or structure
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGrammar
5 pts
Excellent grammar
4 pts
Some grammatical mistakes
3 pts
Recurring or numerous grammatical mistakes
2 pts
Clear misunderstanding of correct grammar
1 pts
Visibly little effort and/or very poor understanding of correct grammar
0 pts
No Marks
5 pts
Total Points: 25