Tourism Planning Policy and Development
10
“Tourism Policy and Planning Processes”
MS. AIRA MAE PAPA
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“Tourism Policy and Planning Processes”
❑ Know what is tourism policy and planning
processes.
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WHAT IS POLICY PROCESS?
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The policy process is a complex, multilayered process
involving many institutions and actors; it is the
process whereby issues are mediated and
appropriate actions and interventions are identified.
Therefore, and logically, good policy relies on a
process of policy formulation that is rigorous,
informed and grounded in its engagement with
diverse stakeholders and communities of interest.
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Understanding Policy-Making
In addition to the relevance of this framework, two
important factors underpin interpretations of
policy-making:
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First, policy formulation takes place within a system
that is generally quite stable in terms of the
macro-environment, ever-changing at the middle and
micro-levels, sometimes unpredictable and generally
laced with conflict and compromise.
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o System approach recognizes that interactions occur between
actors and agencies within a policy and planning system and
between these actors and the institutional and environmental
frameworks. This approach also acknowledges that policy
development takes place both inside and outside government
frameworks and that it involves diverse contributions from
community, business and government.
o Meta-problems or constellations of interrelated policy issues
exist within the system and change in one issue necessarily
affects all other issues.
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Second, a wide range of policy metaphors and models
lend themselves to describing planning systems and
policy processes.
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▪ Policy-making as a cycle. Policy is a process of
series of stages or decision-making points that
shape the nature and outcomes of succeeding
stages.
▪ Policy-making as decisions. Policy formulation in
this perspective is a process or series of processes
principally geared towards decision-making about
issues.
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▪ Policy-making as issue identification and
management. Policy is a process in which issues
are identified, and the way they are managed
determines how the policy process plays out.
▪ Policy-making as a sociopolitical construction.
From this perspective, policy processes reflect the
way policy percolates through multidimensional
socio political and economic contexts that shape
government involvement and action.
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Managerial Economics
Development of the Policy Cycle
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o The policy cycle divides policy formulation into a series of
sequential stages and sub-stages whereby policy-makers
move from one stage to the next in an orderly manner
(Howlett & Ramesh 1995).
o In the modern policy sciences, “stagist” models of the
policy process first started to emerge in the 1950’s. It is
important to note, however, that simplified processes
have long been advocated in planning, such as Lewis
Munford’s survey – plan – analysis’ formula (1899).
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Gary Brewer, proposed a six-stage process:
1. Invention/initiation
2. Estimation
3. Selection
4. Implementation
5. Evaluation, and
6. Termination (Howlett & Ramesh 1995)
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Tourism Planning and Policy Cycle in Park
Interpretation and Education
Best practice guidelines set out by the Victorian
Department of Natural Resources and Parks Victoria
adopt a cyclic model. Cyclic process broadly
comprising of four stages:
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1. Definition, the rationale for providing interpretation and education services is
articulated and linked to the agency’s mission and legislative roles and
responsibilities.
2. Development, requires the identification of key results to be achieved within
the corporate context.
3. Delivery, requires that the roles and responsibilities for all stages of
interpretation and education are clearly articulated, key performance
indicators are identified and communication links between all suppliers are
established.
4. Evaluation, requires the systematic assessment of interpretation and
education effectiveness, including the measurement of key performance
indicators.
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The strategic planning process described by Gunn and
Var (2004) follows this model and includes five broad
stages:
1. Setting objectives
2. Research and analysis
3. Synthesis and conclusions
4. Concept (or strategy) development, and
5. Recommendations and review.
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Policy as decision-making
Policy formulation is also viewed as a process in which issues
are identified, decisions are made (or not made) and events
unfold as a result of those decisions (or non-decisions). Three
broad streams for conceptualizing policy formulation as
decision-making are:
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Rational Comprehensive
Policy-making is a rational and logical process based on the setting of goals, the
identification and analysis of problems and the implementation of a “best-fit” solution.
Incrementalism
Is an approach to public policy formulation that adopts a messy and complicated view
of the world whereby historical events and the influence of external factors are given
increased importance.
Public Choice
Another framework for understanding policy development, and it is based on the
application of economic principles within a political policy-making environment. The
focus of public choice theory is to explain why decisions are made and what solutions
are likely to be
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Policy as Issue Identification and Management
Issue Identification
Policy formulation is also conceptualized as a process of issue
identification and management.
Issues and Agendas
It is an important dimension of the policy formulation process. Media
and public opinion have a key role in shaping the importance of issues,
the relative weight of those issues and the way they are dealt with
(Parson, 1995).
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Policy as Socio political Construction
In view of this policy-making, the focus is on how power, politics, and
communities of interest influence issue identification and action.
Policy subsystems and advocacy coalitions
Policy subsystems are systems of policy issues around which actors and
agencies operate to influence policy development.
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Pross (1992) argues that policy subsystems have two principle
components:
Sub-government. Defined as a small group of people intimately
connected with the core processes of policy formulation and
implementation, and who usually occupy the top positions in their
agency and organizations.
Attentive public. Members of the attentive public include formal
and informal groups, government agencies, peak agencies and
producer groups and interested individuals who evaluate policies
and identify their inadequacies.
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Question:
1. If you will be appointed as the
Department of Tourism Secretary, what
policy about tourism will you make and
why?