Tourism Potential

Carlos Balderas

Vocation and tourist destination

Tourism vocation refers to the inclination or natural predisposition of a particular place

or region towards the development of tourism activities. It is based on the existing

tourism-related resources, such as cultural heritage, natural attractions, infrastructure,

and local traditions, among others. In essence, it is the inherent attractiveness of a

destination that makes it appealing to tourists and the industry as a whole.

As defined by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourism vocation is "the

natural or acquired potential of a destination to attract and hold visitors" (UNWTO,

2003).

Vocation is not enough to compete; it is also necessary to know the market, make

decisions and investments that will transform it into an advantage and generate the

necessary synergy to promote sustained development (Sanabria, 2010). For its part,

Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism defines tourism vocation as "the

economic, social, cultural and ecological characteristics and potentialities that must be

taken into account by a destination to generate optimal tourism use of the territory".
In general, it can be argued that VT is an expression that has two ways of

approaching it:

Firstly, it is stated that the Tourist Vocation of a destination is defined as "the natural

predisposition of a space or territory to be transformed into an attractive place for

potential visitors"; this is an economic definition or, at least, closely linked to the

economic revenue that can be extracted from that attractiveness; however, continuing

with the criterion of the concept "carrying capacity", the same consists of going from

the strictly commercial look of the activity, to understand the VT as the totally

intangible natural attractiveness that any space boasts to be exploited.

Secondly, the analysis of the tourist vocation is based on the study of the image

projected by the destination and that perceived by the clients; at this stage, only the

most relevant elements associated with the term image that make it possible to obtain

significant elements are considered. The alignment of the tourist image, according to

Gartner (1993), establishes that the image is based on the tourist's perceptions rather

than on the objective reality of the destination itself. Similarly, Gallarza, Gil and

Calderón (2002) assume that the tourist destination image is a subjective concept,

because it is conceived as an internalization of the tourist's perceptions, from which it

is inferred that subjectivity acts as a link between the concepts of the destination and

the tourist destination image.

In this order of ideas, tourist attractions stand out for the weight of the destination

brand, visitor's interests and magnet of the distribution center, in the travel decision

equation: scope; destination; time; stay (visitor's visit); cross-border condition; and

their reticular relationship. All this from the home within a Cartesian scheme, where

the temporal dimension and the spatial dimension are present at the moment of the

traveler's decision.
 Tourism Potential.

The sum of the natural, anthropogenic and material resources and conditions

necessary for a destination management.

Tourism potential refers to the untapped or underutilized opportunities for tourism

development in a particular area. It involves identifying and assessing the resources,

assets, and capabilities that can be harnessed to enhance the appeal and

competitiveness of a destination. These resources can be tangible or intangible, and

they may include natural, cultural, or historical attractions, as well as human and

infrastructural resources. As noted by the European Travel Commission (ETC),

tourism potential is "the set of resources and assets that a destination can draw on to

create a unique and attractive tourism product" (ETC, 2019).

In order to value the resources available in a given place, it is necessary to carry out

an analysis to define and characterize the attributes of those resources, which will

allow them to be defined as viable for tourism development, and also to define the

type of tourism activities that can be offered at that destination.

According to Maass (2009), the tourism potential of a region depends on the valuation

of its resources, as well as the level of structuring of its attractions into tourism

products. The valuation of resources includes, as a previous stage, the elaboration of

an inventory that integrates the most relevant descriptive information of such

resources. Likewise, SECTUR (2002) states that any area considering developing or

expanding tourism should carefully evaluate its tourism resources. These include all

types of current or potential attractions and activities related to the natural

environment, cultural heritage, and specific features of the area, such as economic

activities, urban sites, rural environment, health services, religious sites, tourism

facilities and services already in operation, transportation and general infrastructure,

and availability of skilled labor. Other factors influencing travel to the area, competing

destinations, community sentiment regarding tourism development, public health and

safety, and political stability of the area should also be evaluated (p.29). In this regard,

Ritchie and Crouch (2005) point out two essential elements to determine the tourism
potential of a destination: The main resources and attractions: physiography and

climate, culture and history, market ties, mix of activities special events, entertainment,

superstructure, as well as; Supporting factors and resources: accessibility, enabling

resources, hospitality, initiative and political will.

The tourism potential is determined by the way in which the supply of tourism products

and services of a locality is adapted to satisfy the current needs of leisure and

recreation of national and international tourists (SECTUR, 2002).

Approaches to the assessment of tourism potential

There are several approaches to the assessment of tourism potential, including

analytical evaluation, economic evaluation, and user preference.

Analytical evaluation of tourism potential involves analyzing various factors that

contribute to the attractiveness of a destination, such as natural resources, cultural

heritage, infrastructure, and local traditions. This approach aims to identify the

strengths and weaknesses of a destination and to develop strategies for enhancing its
appeal to tourists. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization

(UNWTO), analytical evaluation involves "identifying and assessing the potential of a

destination based on a detailed analysis of its resources and constraints" (UNWTO,

2005).

- Analytical evaluation of tourism potential - type of approach which analyzes all

elements individually.
Economic evaluation of resources focuses on the economic value of the resources

available in a destination, such as natural attractions, cultural sites, and human

resources. This approach involves analyzing the costs and benefits of developing

tourism infrastructure and services, as well as the potential economic impacts of

tourism on the local economy. Economic evaluation aims to identify the most profitable

investment opportunities for tourism development. As noted by the World Bank,

economic evaluation "assesses the economic contribution of tourism to the local

economy and identifies the best investments to increase that contribution" (World

Bank, 2017).
-Economic evaluation of resources.- type of approach that focuses on the economic

impacts of tourism activities, which are used as a reference for analysis and decision

making.
List of Countries by Tourism Income
Below you can find a list of countries by total tourism income and ratio of tourism income by total GDP. You can
also find an interactive map below where each country is colored by its tourism income. The ratio of tourism income
to the total GDP gives a rough figure which economies are most dependent on tourism income.

 United States of America has the highest total tourism income with over 210 billion $ yearly. This huge figure
however is only 1.1% of the country's total GDP
 Spain has the second largest tourism income in the World with almost 68 billion $ yearly, making up tourism
5.2% of the total economy.
 Another Mediterranean country, France, is the third on the list with over 60 billion yearly tourism income.
 It is no wonder that the popular holiday destination Maldives is the leader when it comes to share of tourism
in the total GDP. 2.7 billion $ tourism income of Maldives makes up 60% of the country's total GDP.
 Palau and Grenada, two island countries of Caribbeans, come second and third after Maldives. Palau with
141 million $ and Granada with 448 million $ obtain respectively 48% and 40% of their GDP by tourism.
- Users preference

User preference is an approach that involves assessing the preferences and needs of

tourists regarding destination attributes, such as scenery, climate, cultural

experiences, and recreational opportunities. This approach involves conducting

surveys, interviews, and other research methods to collect data on tourists'

preferences and satisfaction levels. User preference aims to develop a better

understanding of tourists' motivations and preferences, which can inform destination

management and marketing strategies. According to the European Travel

Commission (ETC), user preference "provides insights into the needs and preferences

of the target markets and helps to tailor the tourism product to their expectations"

(ETC, 2019).
In summary, analytical evaluation, economic evaluation, and user preference are

different approaches to assessing tourism potential, each providing unique insights

into the potential of a destination and guiding strategies for tourism development.
European Travel Commission (2019). Handbook on Tourism Destination Branding. Retrieved from https://etc-
corporate.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ETC_Handbook_on_Tourism_Destination_Branding.pdf

UNWTO (2005). Guidelines for Tourism Destination Management. Retrieved from

https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/pdf/10.18111/9789284408124

World Bank (2017). Economic Evaluation of Tourism Development Projects. Retrieved from
https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/tourism/publication/economic-evaluation-of-tourism-development-projects