1. Creating Shared Value The Social and Cultural Benefits of Tourism
Ken Robinson CBE FTS

2. Tourism: Appreciation of the Benefits:
Free market capitalism has been dependent on financial growth
Expectations and results of Tourist Boards/Operators are measured by Volume and Value
We have become pre-conditioned to measure success only through economic and numerical indicators:
Volume and Value
Tourist Numbers up/down by X%
Profit Targets, Forecasts
Increasing Spend
Growing the margin

3. Tourism: Financial, Social and Cultural Benefits
Commercial organisations usually achieve success, and are judged by their ability to exploit all opportunities to maximise profit.
Corporate Social Responsibility is seen by most “responsible” operators/businesses as an optional extra – delivering “good works”
What have been the natural outcomes of market-driven tourism? The evidence is clear; outcomes often show that development erodes environment, visitor volumes overload resources, safety and sanitation come under threat, cultural traditions are distorted, community is alienated, social pressures build and can be difficult to overcome.

4. Tourism: Social and Cultural Benefits: Tourism must be managed.
Management can optimise results, minimise disbenefits
The Management of Tourism is not the topic for now
Social and Cultural Benefits:
For who?
The benefits that are derived by visitors
The benefits that are gained by host communities

5. Tourism: Social and Cultural Benefits:
How are the benefits achieved?
Social and Cultural benefits are an intrinsic consequence of tourism activity
Social and Cultural benefits can be identified, selected, enhanced, and manipulated
The context for optimising Social and Cultural Benefits is active management:
- by tourism operators/businesses
- by the host community

6. Tourism: Community Related Benefits
Maintenance and improvement of the public realm including the development of infrastructure, facilities, and improvements to cleanliness, safety and amenity value
Contributes to the viability of local services and facilities that are essential for host communities – eg., pubs, local shops, post offices.
Encourages the protection of community assets, and preservation and protection of the natural and built environment
Contributes to maintaining and enhancing cultural and heritage assets (can initially be seen as the only/main reason to save)
Continuity of local traditions, festivals, cultural events, crafts
The appreciation of local food and drink including local markets
Creating and sustaining employment maintains viable communities, providing a stability to community life
The stimulation of local and civic pride, enhancing the sense of community and creating “social capital”

7. Tourism: Visitor Related Benefits
The enhancement of physical and psychological health
A catalyst for change, fresh ideas, new opportunities in a changing world
An awareness and appreciation of other people and cultures
The improvement of “quality of life”
Improved knowledge
The encouragement to learn new skills, languages, etc
Reduction in anti-social behaviour

8. Tourism: Social and Cultural Benefits: Unprompted recognition by Residents

9. “5 ways to wellbeing” The New Economics Foundation’s
Foresight Project:

10. Tourism: Social and Cultural Benefits:
The Social and Cultural benefits of Tourism are greatly under-appreciated
There is vast untapped potential, and gain, for Tourism operators/businesses and communities, in recognising and exploiting these attributes
But old habits die hard….businesses, and incentivised staff, are likely to favour “volume and financial value” unless and until the true worth of social and cultural benefits are understood by all.