12 May Tourism Systems…

Tourism is a system. A big, complex, ever changing, system.

Within the tourism system are thousands of embedded systems. Each destination, each distribution channel, each sector – is a system. Each system is unique.

…and tourism exists within systems. The tourism is part of larger social and economic systems – the city in which the activity takes place, the nation, the world.

Recognizing that tourism is a system changes everything… There is no “command and control” in tourism; there is no “single best way”. Solutions to problems within the system are unique to the specific set of challenges that part of the system is addressing. Collaboration, cooperation, communication, negotiation – these are just some of the skills of an effective manager in tourism systems.

Embracing “systems thinking” is a critical skill if we are to ensure the system creates positive outcomes…