With reference to one or more areas analyse the extent to which recreation and tourism depend upon primary resources.
Primary resources are a major part in tourism and recreation if there weren’t any primary then no tourism would take place.
California is a major holiday destination for tourists especially for people who live in the U.S.A. Tourists are mainly attracted to the long sandy beach which stretch’s for miles and miles. The sandy beach attracts lots of tourists each year. Lots of people sunbathe on the beach soaking up the hot climate, which also is a major primary resource. People play many different kinds of sport on the beach from volleyball through to wrestling. There is also a muscle gym on Venice beach where men go and show off their muscles, it is very well known in LA. Some sports depend upon the beach, as it is cheap place to get to and have fun. Lots of children build sandcastles and play bat and ball on the beach as it is flat and easy to run around on. Loads of people go to the beach and people take this advantage to advertise lots of nightclubs and day trips with leaflets. Every now and again a plane flies along the California shoreline advertising for example free drinks in a nightclub.
The sea is also a major part of tourism and recreation in California. The waves are very high and powerful and lots of surfers and body boarders are found here. Some of the best surfers are attracted to California. Major surf competitions are held here and many tourists come and watch. The sea also provides tourists to swim in it and cool off from the hot climate. Santa Monica Pier also attracts many people but if it wasn’t for the beach then it wouldn’t have been there. The sea also provides lots of water sports. Lots of people that live near the shore own their own boat to go out and sail on.
The Colorado River provides a water supply for many tourists. White water rafting can be very dangerous but it is done along this river and tourists can even have a go with many packages available at quite a cheap price.
The hills in L.A. provide a spectacular view on the rest of the city. The Hollywood sign has been put up in the hills so everyone can see it when entering Hollywood.
The Grand Canyon is one of the wonders of the world it is situated near California in Arizona. It attracts many tourists but there is a
Limit to how many tourists are allowed to visit the Grand Canyon each year. It is a spectacular landform and provides beautiful scenery. There are helicopter rides over it and some land right by
the Colorado River. It isn’t cheap to go and see the Grand Canyon most tourists fly over to the Grand Canyon in a little plane and land and travel by coach to different look out points. But some people drive there which takes a lot longer. It costs about 200 pound to fly there and get a helicopter ride over the canyon, which most tourists do. If you times this by how many tourists visit the Grand Canyon it is a lot of money and this is a major income for tourism. Tourism here provides a lot of money if it weren’t for the Grand Canyon then no money would be made. Tourists depend greatly on the Grand Canyon as their primary resource.
Not only does the Canyon have a spectacular view; it has a strong cultural heritage. It has geological evidence that the canyon is two billion years old. The Paiutes believed the Canyon had been built by the god Tavwoats, to separate the world from the lands beyond death. Not until 1869 expedition of Major John Wesley Powell continuing interest in the Grand Canyon made a book about his travels along the canyon by boat and then tourists came to visit the canyon in thousands. One side of the Canyon is a national park but the Havasupai Indian tribe owns the other side. The tribe let tourists come and visit the canyon. Small airports have been built on their land for tourist’s convenience as it makes the Canyon accessible by plane rather than driving which takes along time. The tribe also provides souvenirs for the tourists and in some packages to the Grand Canyon include a meal, which is cooked by the
Indians. The culture is still going in the Grand Canyon despite the impact of tourism. Tourists depend on them as primary resources, which allow their presence on the tribes land also provides the tourists with souvenirs.
California also has a place called Disney Land. This is mainly man made and attracts thousands of people each year. Unlike the Grand Canyon it doesn’t rely on primary resources. The main resources are secondary, the roller coasters, theme castles and cartoon characters are a major attraction. This example proves that not everything is based on primary resources in tourism and recreation. The hotels along the beach provide a secondary resource but most people go for the beach or the view of the sea, which relies on primary resources.
Lots of people go to California for skiing holidays. The mountains provide a primary source for the tourists. But you need snow to do skiing and skiing greatly depends on snow to fall during the winter months. Not only does the mountain provide slopes for skiers but also they provide a spectacular view at the top and a natural unspoilt environment. Tourists need chair lifts to get to the top of the mountain; this spoils the natural environment. Snow boarding also depends on the snow, which is becoming a popular sport. Snow also can be fun for little children when they’re on holiday, as they can’t often ski very well, they make snowmen, have snow fights and travel on snowmobiles which erode the snow.
California depends on primary resources and so does the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is one primary resource on it’s own but has created many others for example water falls. These primary resources need to be treated well by tourists as over years they could disappear for example Hermosa beach looses lots of sand by foot erosion over time there might not be a beach left for tourists or recreational use. People then will not depend on primary resources anymore. Tourists need to be aware that the natural environment out in this world is the basis for tourism and if tourists keep taking them for granted, they might disappear for example in Costa Del Sol, tourists demanded amenities to make their visit comfortable as more amenities were added they ruined the environment and made it more congested. The beautiful scenery, which was all ready there and was an attractive place for tourists, is now spoilt by the congestion that puts the tourists off. The tourists now look for other places to go. The tourists and the people who have built hotels and leisure amenities have ruined the primary resources basically by the secondary resources. Attempts to clean up the beach and sea have been successful as Spain now has the most ‘Blue Flag’ beaches in the EU. Restoring the primary resources shouldn’t be a problem if the tourists are aware of their importance. There are some exceptions and one is theme parks. This relies on secondary resources only.
