Anglais

Mercredi 6 février 2019

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Situation et documents écrits
Phase 1

La situation Page 2

Map of UK showing Cornwall & Skye Page 3

 Document 1 D’après : https://www.google.com/search?q=map+of+UK

 Document 2 The growth of tourism Page 4

D’après : https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zqk7hyc/revision/1

 Document 3 The positive effects of tourism in Costa Rica Page 5

D’après : https://news.co.cr/positive-effects-tourism-costa-rica/61469/

Venice and cruise ships Page 6

 Document 4 D’après : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/articles/cruise-ships-and-venice-what-
does-it-all-mean-for-the-city/

The tourist boom and selfies Page 7

 Document 5 Based on: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/aug/16/wish-you-werent-here-how-the-
tourist-boom-and-selfies-are-threatening-britains-beauty-spots

The tourist boom and selfies

 Document 6 Page 8
Based on: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/aug/16/wish-you-werent-here-how-the-
tourist-boom-and-selfies-are-threatening-britains-beauty-spots

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 La situation

Vous êtes Dominique Demorand et vous êtes en dernière année d'études universitaires en France.
Vous êtes actuellement stagiaire en géoéconomie au Highlands Council en Écosse, le Conseil
Régional responsable, entre autres, des îles situées au large de la côte ouest du pays.

Depuis l’ouverture du pont qui relie l’île de Skye au continent, l’île a été mise en scène dans la
célèbre série télévisée « Game of Thrones » et figure dans plusieurs vidéoclips.

La présidente du conseil (Alice McMurdo) vous a demandé d’étudier l’impact du tourisme

déclenché par le succès de la série sur l’environnement et l’habitat de l’île et de préparer un
rapport argumenté. Pour vous aider dans votre réflexion et mener à bien votre étude, vous
rechercherez d’abord des informations dans des documents écrits ou enregistrés (phases 1 et 2).

Puis, vous contacterez par téléphone ou visio-conférence John Mills ou Lucy Cameron, géo-
économistes à l’Université d’Édimbourg, pour leur présenter vos idées et en discuter. Ils pourront
vous fournir des informations utiles pour faire votre choix définitif entre les points négatifs et
positifs de ce nouveau tourisme insulaire (phases 3 et 4).

Enfin, vous présenterez par écrit vos conclusions à Mme McMurdo (phase 5).

The Highlands Council

Memo

From: Alice McMurdo

To: Dominique Demorand
Date: 20 Oct 2018

I enclose several documents for you to study on “overtourism” on the Isle of Skye.
Many residents (and visitors) are concerned that the large number of tourists exclusively
interested in the scenes used in TV programmes and music videos is detrimental to the
island’s unique cultural and scenic heritage. However, they also realise that the island is
dependent on tourism to survive.

I would like you to give me your thoughts on this issue. Should we:
• introduce policies to restrict tourist growth,
• continue with a laissez-faire approach?

Please study the attached files, both written and visual, and discuss your initial thoughts
with John Mills or Lucy Cameron, geo-economists at the University of Edinburgh.

I’d like to receive your written submission by the end of the month. Thanks in advance.

A McM.

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 Phase 1

 Document 1 : Map of UK showing Cornwall & Skye

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 Phase 1

 Document 2 : The Growth of Tourism

Tourists are people who travel away from their homes for pleasure. Tourism is one of the fastest
growing industries in the world and it generates a lot of jobs. The money spent by tourists adds to
the wealth of countries (economic growth). For many years Europe and the USA have had the
most tourism but in recent years there has been a lot of tourism development in Asia and the
Middle East.

In 2013, a total of 1.087 billion people travelled to another country as tourists. This has increased
from just 25 million in 1950.

Why has tourism increased?

• People have greater disposable income. This is money left over once they have paid for
essentials.

• People have more paid holidays. In the UK, the number of weeks we have off work has
increased from about two weeks in the 1950s to four to six weeks now.

• Travel has become easier and cheaper. More people have cars and our roads and
motorways are better quality, making it easier to travel further in less time. Also, flights are
cheaper, and the internet makes it easy to plan and book a holiday.

• People are visiting a wider range of destinations - partly because they have a better
knowledge and understanding of places. We watch television programmes and browse the
internet. This awareness increases people's expectations.

• There is a greater variety of holidays to choose from. All-inclusive package holidays have
become very popular.

• People have more leisure time.

• Many countries have invested money in facilities and infrastructure that make it easier for
tourists, such as roads, airports and hotels.

• Ageing populations - people are able to travel in the free time that they have when they
retire.

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 Document 3 : The Positive Effects of Tourism in Costa Rica Phase 1

Costa Rica’s biggest asset is its nature: its flora and fauna are a large part of what makes this
Central American country special, and tourism therefore has a very big impact on the economy.

Many people who used to depend on

hunting, timber extraction, mining, etc.
have now seen the opportunity in
earning a living from tourism. Instead of
hunting, some have established animal
rescue centres; instead of killing the sea
turtles and selling their eggs they protect
them.

Social and Cultural Effects: Tourists are

interested in local culture, tourism helps
maintain and rescue the culture and
traditions of a country. It has also made a
difference in the lifestyle of many people
The battle Costa Rica faces right now is finding a
in rural areas who used to migrate to the
balance, achieving sustainable development in the
city looking for jobs, and now choose to
tourism industry. Permitting large-scale projects
stay and help with the development of
can seem tempting and beneficial in the short term,
their own community; the indigenous
but it is necessary to consider the effects in the long
reserves are a vivid example of this.
term; this wasn’t the case in the past, but now the
country’s authorities are forced to listen to
environmental groups. Costa Rica depends on
tourism, and the positive effects can be seen in the
country every day.

Economic Effects: The creation of direct and

indirect jobs is certainly important, especially if the
communities take responsibility for the
development of rural tourism and choose to
protect the resources. The money brought in by
tourists benefits a lot of different industries.
Infrastructure is also another positive effect of
tourism, the construction of new roads, access to
public services, etc. benefits every community.

Environmental Effects: Unfortunately, the

environment almost always suffers the
consequences of tourism. When natural resources
are viewed as assets, the community and those
depending on tourism are motivated to protect and
maintain the environment.

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 Phase 1

 Document 4 : Venice authorities lament lack of cruise ships as residents and

UNESCO fight for the city's future

Pressure is mounting for a solution to the on-going

dispute over whether cruise ships should be allowed
into Venice. Venice Port Authority is expecting just
over 10 per cent fewer cruise ships this year (470 vs
529), with passenger numbers down 11.4 per cent
to 1.4 million and a corresponding fall in income.
Port Authority president Pino Musolino said that
over the past two decades the cruise sector has
been a significant source of income for the local
population and Venice hinterland.

“Venice is losing passengers and ships. That is not just a problem for our city but for other ports in
the Adriatic as cruise ships are only visiting them on their way to Venice,” he said.

The drop in numbers is welcome news for environmentalists, who have been campaigning for
years to stop cruise ships sailing along the Guidecca Canal to reach the port - a route that takes
them within 300m of St Mark’s Square. Apart from visual impact there are big concerns about the
damage caused by water displacement and engine pollution.

The port authority said that for several years, ships have had to switch to a lower-sulphur fuel –
0.1 per cent compared to a 2020 target in Europe of 0.5 per cent – before entering the lagoon.
The debate over whether cruise ships should be allowed into Venice is not new, but concerns were
heightened in 2012 when Costa Concordia capsized off the Italian island of Giglio.

The Cruise Lines International Association says: “Cruise passengers represent a small proportion of
the total number of tourists visiting Venice each year and on average spend much more per head
per day than other tourists.”

That assertion is supported by the Venice Port Authority. Mr Musolino said some 24 million people
visit Venice each year, so cruise passengers (1.4m) are a tiny percentage of the total.

There have been protests by residents, pressure

groups and UNESCO, which had suggested
Venice would be put on its list of endangered
heritage sites if none of the measures required
to protect the lagoon and its delicate ecosystem
were implemented.

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 Phase 1

 Document 5 : The world’s most beautiful places are being loved to death.
Tourists ought to think hard about why and how they are travelling

In mid-August 2018, Cornwall became the latest
beauty spot on the planet to admit it was the
victim of its own success in attracting tourists.
Such is the increase in numbers that there’s
barely enough space to place a beach towel on
the sands of many beaches. The local tourist
board has resorted to pleading with people to
stay away. No doubt the long, hot summer sent
people to the coast.
Cornwall’s overtourism problem highlights
some familiar trends. First, is how society
now views nature itself as merely something
to be consumed; second, the shallow,
modern need to present a life free from the
tyranny of a nine-to-five office job thanks to
Instagram; last, the influx of those who seek
out the locations of their favourite television
dramas or films.

In the case of Cornwall, the fans of the BBC’s “Poldark” arrived in such numbers that it threatened
what attracted them in the first place: the tranquil sublimity of the “Cornish Caribbean”. Others
have taken more drastic steps to curb fans’ insatiable appetite to visit places depicted on screen.

Croatia’s Dubrovnik, (photo) used as the

fictional King’s Landing on TV’s “Game
of Thrones”, has limited the daily
numbers that can enter the historic old
town.

Thailand’s Maya Bay, location for the film “The Beach”, was shut to tourists who came in such large
numbers that they spoiled the place they were meant to enjoy.

Cities across Europe now regularly see locals take to the streets to protest about everything from
noise and litter to Airbnb and ever-increasing house prices. Deregulation of taxi laws has seen a
spike in services like Uber clog streets. This is unsustainable: the desire for the authentic is at the
expense of the locals who are supposed to provide it.

Barcelona’s mayor responded by making it harder for visitors to stay. Others say tourist profits
ought to be offset by a bill for damage caused. The answers to such questions rest with whether
there is an ecologically and socially viable model of seeing the world. They also lie with
governments, in the rich and poor world, taking a more sober view of tourism’s economic potential.
Perhaps most important is for travellers to understand how their behaviour can exhaust the allure
of a destination faster than it can be replenished – and alter their conduct permanently.

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 Phase 1

 Document 6 : How the tourist boom – and selfies – are threatening Britain's
beauty spots

At the opposite end of the country to

Cornwall, the Isle of Skye is facing a similar
predicament: a rural destination with limited
infrastructure that in a short space of time
has seen a huge surge in visitors. Last
summer residents called for “urgent help”
after Skye became a must-visit spot following
its use as a location for a number of films,
including “Game of Thrones” and music
videos, along with a raised profile on social
media.

“In Cornwall, it’s social media driving people Tourists on Skye

to two beaches in the hit BBC TV series
“Poldark”,” says Alistair Danter, project
manager at destination management
organisation Skye Connect. “In Skye, it’s social
media driving people to five iconic
destinations to take a selfie.”
According to Danter, visitor numbers in Skye
increased by 13-14% between 2014-17, but
the number of visitors going to the Fairy
Pools – one of the island’s iconic spots – did
so by 54%. “For the people living in these
locations, life in the past two years has
become challenging,” he says, pointing to a
frustrating problem with tourist behaviour, in
which visitors want to tick off “must-see”
spots. “In the corresponding period, other
scenic locations actually saw a drop in
numbers.”
Skye, like Cornwall, mainly consists of single-track
roads and limited parking spaces. Danter admits
the island will take a few years to resolve its
infrastructure pressures, although it is working
hard to do so. Also, similar to the west country
region, it is economically dependent on tourism.
Visitors to Skye generate £110m each year and
25% of the population is directly employed by
tourism.
“We need people to move on from the tick-box
culture we live in,” says Danter. “Visitors should
pause a moment, plan their visit, and they’ll have a
much better experience.”

He adds: “The frustration on Skye is that

people think that’s all there is to see. Talk to
your B&B host and they’ll tell you some off-
the-beaten-track locations where you’ll be on
your own except for, if you’re lucky, an eagle

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